Opinions
Water worries won’t dry up any time soon
By Medicine Hat News Opinon on March 15th, 2018
The title of a 15-year-old Water for Life campaign from the Province of Alberta should renew a sharp, urgent tone for residents. Unfortunately many eyes will roll as residents of Medicine Hat deal with plugged storm drains as warm weather melts heaps of accumulated snow fall from the winter. In the moment its hard to ... Read More »
Be the first to comment!A two-step approach to electoral reform
By Medicine Hat News Opinon on March 14th, 2018
In its haste to change the way we vote, British Columbia’s new government has created an unnecessarily short timeline. While advocates for reform think the speedy process will help their cause, it’s more likely to result in another failed attempt at changing the way representatives are selected. The government’s public consultation campaign on the referendum ... Read More »
Be the first to comment!National Affairs: Don’t expect North Korea to its dismantle nukes
By Medicine Hat News Opinon on March 12th, 2018
North Korea’s peace overtures to the U.S. are welcome news. The prospect of talks is almost always better than the prospect of war. But the proposed negotiations, however useful, are unlikely to result in North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un giving up his nuclear weapons. Kim made his offer of talks Monday to a visiting ... Read More »
Be the first to comment!NBA stars come forward with personal struggles
By Medicine Hat News Opinon on March 10th, 2018
DeMar DeRozan and Kevin Love play for opposing teams in the National Basketball Association. But the two stars are on the same side in tackling another opponent: Mental health issues. Recently, DeRozan, an NBA all-star with the Toronto Raptors, spoke publicly about his ongoing battle with depression. DeRozan’s admission inspired Love to come forward about ... Read More »
Be the first to comment!Guest Column: Dangerous rise in counterfeit drugs
By Medicine Hat News Opinon on March 10th, 2018
The threat of counterfeit pharmaceutical drugs is on the rise in Canada. From April 2016 to March 2017, Health Canada seized close to 5,500 packages of counterfeit drugs – mainly sexual enhancement drugs such as Viagra – on their way to patient hands. In a single week last year, Health Canada confiscated $2.5 million worth ... Read More »
Be the first to comment!There are no guarantees in politics
By Medicine Hat News Opinon on March 9th, 2018
A new legislature session and a new party leader should spice things up politically. There is no doubt Premier Rachel Notley is a seasoned orator. Some would say it was her debating skills in the 2015 election that won votes of Albertans. Her competition in the legislature since then has been fairly mediocre but yesterday ... Read More »
Be the first to comment!Provincial election campaign is basically underway
By Medicine Hat News Opinon on March 8th, 2018
Alberta’s legislature convenes today to mark the opening of the spring session. It’s also the unofficial one-year kickoff to the run up to next spring’s provincial election. That’s the real prize for Alberta’s two largest parties as well as others hoping to make inroads in to the current two-party conversation. The governing New Democrats have ... Read More »
Be the first to comment!Better places for federal money than Downie-Wenjack Fund
By Medicine Hat News Opinon on March 6th, 2018
Tragically Hip frontman Gord Downie? Awesome. Dedicating his final years on Earth towards reconciliation and addressing the legacy of Indian Residential Schools? Also awesome. The federal Liberals’ 2018 budget putting $5 million in funding towards Gord Downie and Chanie Wenjack Fund? Absolutely galling. Downie’s book, “The Secret Path,” tells the story of Chanie Wenjack who ... Read More »
Be the first to comment!National Affairs: Is orange the new red?
By Medicine Hat News Opinon on March 5th, 2018
Connect the dots between Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s India adventure and Tuesday’s budget and what you find is what was meant to be a pre-emptive one-two punch against the NDP. Trudeau is hardly the first prime minister to use trips abroad — including to India — to shore up support in selected communities at home. ... Read More »
Be the first to comment!Guest Column: Regressive Conservatism
By Medicine Hat News Opinon on March 3rd, 2018
No one can doubt that we live in unusual times. Those who are sane have watched the rebirth of nationalism and militarism, increased gross economic disparities within societies and between nations, and a frightening increase in general incivility. Is this really happening, they wonder? Is it possible that the last half-century of optimism and hope ... Read More »
Be the first to comment!Take campaign promises with a full helping of salt
By Medicine Hat News Opinon on March 2nd, 2018
Provincial and federal elections are a little more than a year away so it’s the season for making promises to win votes. Voters are often swayed one way or another based on those promises but the track record of politicians following through, is not good. With that in mind it is worth considering major promises ... Read More »
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