Ric McIver says he was surprised that Mayor Dave Bronconnier won’t be running again.  I take the southeast alderman’s comment with a healthy dash of salt; I think we now know why he’s taking so long to throw his hat in the mayoral ring.  But there were a few people caught off-gaurd by yesterday’s announcement, me included. Continue Reading

Valentine’s Day is just over and with Spring around the corner, love must be in the air.  But landing that special someone may require some surprising changes in strategy for both men and women, according to dating coaches Wanda Murch and Christine Hart.  Continue Reading

Thursday in The Beacon, professor Terry Field argued that a journalism degree is as relevant as ever.  Excellent communication skills, the hallmark of journalism, are needed now more than ever, he suggests.  I happen to agree.  But what I want to address in this column is an attitude that permeated Prof. Field’s column. Continue Reading

By Beacon editor Markham Hislop

The sky is falling.  If you don’t believe me, ask critics of the Alberta government’s recent budget, delivered Tuesday by Finance Minister Ted Morton.  The projected $4.7  billion deficit has everyone acting like Chicken Littles.  They should stop and take a deep breath. Continue Reading

I’m of two minds on Saturday’s anti-prorogation rally at Stephen Harpr’s constituency office.  On the one hand, two or three hundred protestors is not much of a turn out.  On the other hand, as Scott Payne and Eric Christensen point out in today’s story, Canadians are once again paying attention to federal politics and that is a sign of a healthy democracy. Continue Reading

By Markham Hislop, Editor

The great Calgary snow removal and street cleaning debate is about to be revived.  Ald. Ric McIver has tabled a notice of motion that will be debated at the next City Council meeting.  The motion calls for allowing citizens to clean streets, modifying some City vehicles with plows and other snow cleaning equipment, and changing City policies to make it easier to clean residential streets.  I’m skeptical about some of these suggestions, but at least Ald. McIver’s motion advances the discussion with sensible solutions, unlike many of the comments I have seen online and in the media during the past month. Continue Reading

By Markham Hislop, Editor

Alberta needs Danielle Smith to win the Wildrose Alliance party leadership on October 17.  Why?  Because the rest of Alberta’s political leaders are a bunch of stodgy old white men without an ounce of charisma between them and the province is desperate for someone, anyone who looks like the genuine article.  And if the other parties insist on keeping these stuffed shirts as leaders she may very well end up as premier come the next election. Continue Reading

By Markham Hislop, Editor

Last week Raymond Lahey, bishop of Antigonish parish in Nova Scotia,  was charged with possession of child pornography after airport officials found images on his laptop computer.  Yet another shepard of the Catholic Church caught with his pants down.  Once again, children are the victims.  It is time for the Canadian government to intervene. Continue Reading

By Markham Hislop, Editor

A Generation Y IT tech of my acquaintance recently compared Canada unfavourably to California.  You might think his complaint was the weather, but no, it was that tax rates are too high, and health care is relatively worse and salaries are lower.  His case is instructive, I think, not just for twenty-somethings, but also for many Albertans, who seem to suffer from America-envy. Continue Reading

By Markham Hislop, Editor

I see Robert Latimer has been granted an “extended leave” by the National Parole Board.  You may remember Latimer as the Saskatchewan farmer convicted of second-degree murder for killing his severely handicapped daughter, Tracy, in 1993.  We don’t how long Latimer will be allowed to stay away from the Victoria halfway house he has been living in since granted day parole.  But that hardly matters.  The travesty here is that the man was granted parole at all. Continue Reading