If 2017 is the year of #MeToo, then could 2018 be the year that we finally tackle the silence surrounding domestic violence and its pervasiveness in society? Could this be the year when domestic violence victims no longer hide in the shadows but instead come forward and demand their tormentors be held responsible: #MeTooDV, perhaps? […]
Why is the Canada Revenue Agency denying the Disability Tax Credit to those who need it most? A version of this commentary appeared in Policy Options, the Hill Times and the Vancouver Province “Providing benefits not burdens” is how former Health Minister, Judy LaMarsh once described the vision for disability policy in Canada. Unfortunately, this […]
Tis’ the food bank season ’Tis the season when everyone wants to help support their local food bank initiatives. But “sharing the season” always poses a tough question for me: How do we help our neighbours when, according to Canada Without Poverty, there are 4.9 million neighbours to help? The number of Canadians in need […]
At last, Canada stands with other developed nations when the federal government launched our first National Housing Strategy (NHS) this week. While this historic step forward represents what many activists have been calling on for decades, is it time to rejoice? Will the staggering $40 billion dollars promised over 10 years amend nearly a quarter […]
The most recent data on Canadian children with disabilities is almost a decade old “The true measure of a nation’s standing is how well it attends to its children, including their health, safety, material security, education and socialization and their sense of being loved, valued and included in the families and societies into which […]
The Pallister government has been steadfast in its austerity drive, a mandate on which it was elected. For many, it has been a welcome reprieve after years of burgeoning NDP deficits and a declining provincial credit rating (which fell again last summer, despite the premier’s best-made plans). But has the Conservatives’ war on debt become […]
(This video/podcast was extracted from a webinar). Dr. Shannon Sampert, Director of EvidenceNetwork.ca moderates a panel with Dr. Colleen Flood and Dr. Ivy Bourgeault on how academics could, and should, work with the mainstream media to raise the level of evidence on important policy issues. Dr. Colleen Flood is Associate Vice-President, Research (interim) and Professor […]
Many Canadians can hardly wait for the day that the recreational use of marijuana becomes legal. As a medical doctor, I’m far less enthusiastic. I worry about two things: the experimental nature of marijuana in medical practice and the public health consequences of legalized marijuana. Before you write me off as overly prudish or an […]
The world has seen a plethora of “experts” providing nutritional advice that sounds definitive and evidence-based. Many of us have lived through all the recommendations: low fat then high fat; salt is a problem, then salt is no problem; eggs are good, then they are bad; butter is very bad, margarine is good, then butter […]
It was surreal, really. About 30 women gathered for a Thursday luncheon at the Manitoba Club, enjoying a chicken caesar salad while their guest speaker held the floor with a PowerPoint presentation to underscore his main points. Suddenly, the screen was filled with a photo of male genitals covered in ulcers, or “chancroids,” the more […]
