Opinions
MLA Report: New premier, same direction
By Drew Barnes on February 17th, 2023
Last month, I made it official: I will not be representing the United Conservative Party in this spring’s provincial election. I have been blessed to represent the good folks of Cypress-Medicine Hat for more than a decade, and I will continue to do so through the spring sitting of the Legislative Assembly, set to begin ... Read More »
1 responseThe Human Condition: Self-checkout
By Daniel Schnee on February 15th, 2023
As a youth in the 1970s I distinctly remember having to get to the bank by 3:30 p.m. on Friday, or else I had no money until the bank opened on the following Monday morning. So when ATMs finally showed up in my town I was overjoyed, but there was immediate talk amongst the adults ... Read More »
1 responseCity Notebook: Will Hatters buy into smart growth strategy?
By COLLIN GALLANT on February 11th, 2023
cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant The good news is the sky is not falling, if I’m to understand the “Strong Towns” philosophy described to Hatters this week. Unfortunately though, up might be down. The city-led discussions with the non-profit municipal issue think tank provided a general overview of its position that unfettered suburban growth, business and building subsidies, and ... Read More »
1 responseMansoor’s Musings: Qatar World Cup post-mortem
By MANSOOR LADHA on February 9th, 2023
The 2022 FIFA World Cup, the largest soccer gathering in the world started amid controversy, but thankfully has ended well. There was fierce debate and accusations regarding multiple violations of human rights, treatment of migrant workers and women, and the country’s position on LGBTQ issues against the tiny Middle Eastern country. Homosexual acts are illegal ... Read More »
1 responseThe Human Condition: Cultural genocide
By DR. DANIEL SCHNEE on February 8th, 2023
Recently the Alberta government announced it will require colleges and universities to report annually on how effectively they uphold free speech on campus. Though it is not clear what kind of reportage is required, or if there will be any negative consequences for failing to report, incidents such as the University of Lethbridge’s recent cancellation ... Read More »
1 responseCity Notebook: Mother Nature still the best snow-clearing plan
By COLLIN GALLANT on February 4th, 2023
cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant Ground Hog day is a hoax, this column has argued in the past, a mass delusion that spring could begin in Canada on February 2. Or is it? The local grumble over the size of pot holes on the ice floes about town subsided on Friday as 10C chinook weather blew into the region. ... Read More »
1 responseThe Human Condition: The definite article
By Daniel Schnee on February 1st, 2023
Whether one believes it exists or not, debates over ‘wokeness’ are still ongoing, with a great number of perspectives on both sides. But whatever opinion one has on any issue it is in the arena of language that we are battling, and an interesting skirmish recently took place between the news organization known as The ... Read More »
1 responseEconomics 101: The cost of virtue signalling
By Eric Van Enk on January 28th, 2023
We live in an age where perception matters more than reality and social media profiles are more important than daily actions. Politics mimic life, thus, it should be no surprise that most modern politicians are ‘all hat, no cattle.’ When viewed through this lens, Canadian energy policy begins to make sense. From an economics standpoint, ... Read More »
1 responseCity Notebook: Econ devo: Two words too long for a headline
By MEDICINE HAT NEWS on January 28th, 2023
https://www.medicinehatnews.com@MedicineHatNews Economic development is the worst possible thing to fit into a headline, but, increasingly, it’s headline news. Those two four-syllable words have underpinned most local political campaigns in the last decade. We’re bound to hear about the local economic outlook during a provincial election this spring. The recent State of the City address was ... Read More »
1 responseMP Report: Carbon tax impacting cost of living
By GLEN MOTZ on January 27th, 2023
“Canada’s is not the only government that has made climate action a top priority but is one of the few that places it above all else,” opens a national newspaper opinion piece last week. To demonstrate how high this level of precedence is set, Trudeau’s rejection of Germany and Japan’s desperate request to import Canada’s ... Read More »
1 responseJust Pondering: In the trenches
By Allyson McCaw on January 26th, 2023
So here we are at the start of a new year and I must admit I am a bit unsettled. Try as I may to be optimistic about 2023, there are many things in turmoil. Primarily, our health-care system. I may be jaded after 40 years in the business but I really don’t remember a ... Read More »
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