CROWD CONTROL

Avrum Rosensweig, 06/23/12

Founder, The Canadian Jewish Humanitarian & Relief Committee

About a ten years ago, the Canadian Jewish Humanitarian and Relief Committee, launched a creative writing contest for the homeless. The prize? $2000. Now, a decade later, word has gotten out that the odds of winning are high, and the homeless are coming in droves to pen their stories. Stories that will help them find a better life.

Yoni Goldstein, 06/22/12

Writer

Immigration Minister Jason Kenney set off a frenzy in Ottawa after he accidentally sent an e-mail in which he described Alberta's deputy premier as a "complete and utter asshole" to a larger audience than he intended. Such is the problem of the "reply-all" function in e-mail. This simple mistake shows how we have devalued communication and correspondence. Yet, it also exists as the ultimate communication tool.

Lori Gard, 06/23/12

Blogger

I have a recurring dream regarding vacations. They're always so perfect, so calm. But just like in real life, I'm constantly awoken from these visions of peace by, I'm sorry to say, my children. Let's face it, if you have kids, you're never going to have a dream vacation if you bring them along for the ride. So why not just leave them at their grandparents'?

Pat Stonehouse, 06/22/12

Founder, Advancing With Style

Why do some people get invited back to the cottage year after year and others never make the list? Simply put, some people are just better cottage guests than others. While most guests are an absolute pleasure, there are some that are memorable for all the wrong reasons. If you are fortunate enough to be invited to a cottage this summer here are eight tips that could help put you on the top of the "invite back" list.

Andrew Lawton, 06/22/12

Editor-in-Chief, Landmark Report

Earlier this week, the internet erupted with a video of 68-year old Greece, New York bus monitor Karen Klein being viciously bullied and berated by a group of four middle schoolers. Whether or not Klein will receive the apology she seeks is still unknown, but she will be receiving a large, as-of-yet undetermined sum of money for her ordeal. Neither Klein nor anyone in her family requested this money, but she doesn't deserve it.

Dan Werb, 06/22/12

Co-Founder, International Centre for Science in Drug Policy

WIth the recent cases of cannibalism as a consequence of using bath salts, a synthetic drug that's now easily found on the streets, people are wondering: Is this the beginning of the zombie apocalypse? Or is this merely the consequence of slow-moving, half-witted drug policies that in fact encourage this type of drug economy?

Julie Blais Comeau, 06/22/12

Etiquette expert

The heat is on and off come the layers. The thermometer rises and down go the dress codes. Should it be that way? Here are 10 do's and don'ts to help you select work wear that displays professionalism, even on those sticky summer days.

John Izzo, 06/22/12

Author, public speaker

In Rio, Canada worked pretty hard to make sure no binding agreement on tackling overfishing occurred...or any other agreement for that matter. We can't look to our politicians to help the Earth, but we can look to ourselves. Local efforts from businesses and cities: These are things we can count on.

Jowita Bydlowska, 06/22/12

Writer

Confession: I was an A-hole kid. I gave into the monkey mentality and harassed another person who everyone decided was a loser -- even our teacher. Consequences were only mentioned in passing after that kid killed himself.

Watch the Karen Huff Klein video with your kids. Show them what bullying looks like. Teach them.

Andrew Feldstein, 06/22/12

Family Law Lawyer/Mediator/Arbitrator

Rene deBlois agreed that he would just be a sperm donor for his friend and her same-sex partner, and that he would not play any kind of role in the child's life. Now deBlois says he was coerced into the latter part of this arrangement and that he believes he should be recognized as the child's father. On the surface, this may seem logical, but in reality, this is a case about the rights of the child.

Jason Tetro, 06/22/12

Microbiologist, University of Ottawa

It all started back in September of 2011 when Dr. Ron Fouchier of Erasmus Medical Center gave a talk in Malta on his experiments with H5N1. A few out of context statements later, the world was facing a panic about a "doomsday pandemic" that didn't exist. Today the article that caused so much panic and dismay has been published and the world now has a chance to see what all the fuss was about.

Dr. Will Johnston, 06/22/12

Chair, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition of BC

Carter v. Canada , the judge-decreed legalization of physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia in Canada, tries to take a chainsaw to that old-growth forest that my colleague Dr. Margaret Cottle describes as a "delicate social ecology of mutual support and protection" which forbids the killing of a patient.

Jacqueline Vong, 06/22/12

Founder, The Vong Choice

Second only to eating, talking about food is simply the best. And staying on top of food trends ensures that you'll beat the line ups and find those hot tastes first! Here are the top food trends of today from food trucks, to tacos to some interesting and unexpected new flavours.

Michael Geist, 06/22/12

Law professor, columnist, author

Public Safety Minister Vic Toews is once against in the centre of a major privacy backlash. It has been reported that Canada Border Services has installed surveillance equipment in the Ottawa airport that will allow for eavesdropping on conversations. Canada has already suffered two serious threats to their privacy in recent months. Does it really need a third?

Peter Kent, 06/21/12

Environment Minister

There are opportunities and challenges at the Rio 20 conference. Certainly Canada has successfully pursued sustainable development at home. Our opportunity at Rio 20 is to find new approaches and partners to help us sustain that momentum, to build further on a sturdy foundation of principle and action. It is also our challenge.

David Suzuki, 06/22/12

Scientifique et auteur, co-fondateur de la Fondation David Suzuki

In all the political posturing and lobbying by corporations, there is simply no comprehension of what the real crisis is at Rio 20. While we should be talking about what we can do for the environment, we just have politicians signing watered-down documents and treaties, and doing nothing to implement them.

Erica Berman, 06/22/12

PhD, Exercise Sciences

Did you know that gay men cannot be sperm donors in Canada? Absurd! And some in Canada still don't think same sex couples should parent. In my counseling practice I have seen both same sex and heterosexual couples for fertility and couples counseling and I can tell you this: the type of union has no bearing on the quality of the relationship nor on people's parenting skills.