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The topic of this week’s column prompted a minor debate among the editorial staff here at the Times. What qualifies as camping, exactly? Personally, I’ve spent the odd week or weekend at a cottage (or “cabin” as the northerners say) with friends or family on various lakes around Ontario. Heather […]

“Who are you?” Myself and 19 other women were challenged to answer that question out loud one evening a few weeks ago during an all-woman seminar hosted by a life coach from Toronto. The rules? We had to drop all the titles first—wife, mother, caregiver, what we did for a […]

Canada has a tradition of demanding honest and responsible government. In recent years, however, a few individuals have spoiled the hard-earned reputation of countless others. The previous Liberal government vehemently responded to these few “bad apples” by introducing higher accountability standards. Considerable improvements were made in the way government conducts […]

It seems like every time I see NHL commissioner Gary Bettman on television these days, he’s smiling. And why shouldn’t he be? It isn’t often the head of a major organization, much less the commissioner of a sports league, has a year the likes of which Bettman is in the […]

Yard waste, such as grass clippings, leaves, and branches, should be composted and not sent to your local landfill site unless it has a separate composting section. Any seasoned gardener knows these materials are a valuable landscape resource when composted or used as a mulch. Grass clippings do not need […]

Will the food police shut down bake sales and teas? Yes, people have become ill from eating food from non-commercial vendors. Yes, they are less likely to become ill eating from a commercial kitchen and restaurant. As a young person, part of the fun of going to the Emo Fair […]

Another school year is almost complete. When the Times is published today (June 7), there will be just five days of classes left at Fort High. For many students, these can be the most difficult five days of the year. The weather is warming up, summer holidays beckon, and it […]

If your child was seriously ill, what would you do to get them the care they need? Ask that question to a parent and they’ll tell you: Anything and everything. Here in Ontario, most parents will never have to answer that tough question. In Canada, we have medicare, which guarantees […]