Writer's Bloc
Does Canada have too many restaurants?
Did we have too many restaurants before the COVID-19 pandemic? Did the pandemic only wipe out "extra" restaurants in Canada? With the labour shortage,...
Are you failing as a business leader?
If you’ve ever been in a leadership position, you’ve probably gone through a time when you didn’t feel very effective. Perhaps you were...
Food prices increasing more than we are led to believe
If you think food prices are increasing at a much faster pace than what Statistics Canada suggests, you’re likely not imagining it. For a few years, many...
Pour a riesling and travel vicariously to Germany’s weinfeste
Wine enthusiasts love to travel—a pastime that the pandemic has rudely interrupted. As a result, many of us are hatching plans for future trips, or at...
Stay informed and healthy this flu season
Every fall I am asked about the role nutrition plays in staying heathy and warding off dreaded colds and the flu. While a nutrient-rich diet is an important way...
Sick of working for others? Launch a microbusiness
Hankering to go off on your own and start your own business? If you think you’ve got what it takes, consider launching a microbusiness. Dal LaMagna, a...
Everyday is International Overdose Awareness Day
As mentioned in the title, for those who have lost loved ones to what we are now rightly calling the “toxic drug poisoning crisis,” the day of...
Five tips for recharging your motivational battery
It isn’t a secret that many of us don’t love our jobs. At the moment, I am happily in that “I love my job!” place. But I remember when,...
How to reduce emissions without penalizing rural regions
Reducing our greenhouse gas emissions is one of the big concerns of our age. The numerous diverging interests pitted against each other on this issue make it a...
The election lesson taught by B.C.’s clawbacks
For governments, there is one weapon that stands above the others in its ability to mislead and help them take when they say they are giving. What is it? It is...
What to expect from federal parties on Indigenous issues
If Canadians are as concerned as they claim about the increasing number of unmarked graves found near former residential schools, the 2021 federal election will...
Food security becomes an issue in election campaign
The Conservative Party of Canada recently promised to control food inflation for Canadians. It’s an odd promise for a party typically known to embrace...
Getting back into your routine this fall with meal planning
The pandemic disrupted our routines and paused many of the things we love like birthday parties, hockey practices and swimming lessons. With fall around the...
Can't just blame COVID
By Sylvain Charlebois “We’re hiring” signs are everywhere, particularly in the food industry. Some people blame overly-generous employment...
All the trauma is adding up
By Sheila Malcolmson and Jonny Morris If you’re feeling grief, anxiety or stress around disasters and health emergencies, you’re not alone....
Make our lives affordable
By Franco Terrazzano and Jay Goldberg Political parties are trying their best to convince Canadians they can make life more affordable. But if politicians want...
Hidden COVID-19 food tax
By Sylvain Charlebois Canadians’ ballot decisions in the Sept. 20 federal election will likely differ depending on what you really care about. But since...
Lessons from baseball brawl
By Matt Rea There’s no crying in baseball, as Tom Hanks says in A League of Their Own. But there is fighting. When it happens, the violence is minimal,...
Fundamentals of motivation
By Michael van Soest Every day has brand-new potential. Waking up, feeling your hands and feet, taking in a deep breath, all to rise up and start the day. The...
Coffee crunch spikes prices
By Sylvain Charlebois Coffee is one of the most traded commodities in the world. In Canada, we don’t grow coffee – yet – but we love our daily...