For the most part, my beautiful white dog, Phoebe, is carefree and happy. She chases her toy when we throw it, and dances about excitedly when she hears the word “walk.” She waits patiently until treats are offered but pushes her dog dish out into the centre of the room […]

The Common Snipe, which used to be called Wilson’s Snipe, is the only shore bird besides the Woodcock which can be legally hunted in Canada. It is often called the bog snipe or the jacksnipe. This bird somewhat resembles the Woodcock although it is not quite so peculiar. It has […]

Linda Wiens
Quetico Centre

How much difference do you think there is between representative and participative democracy?How about a world of difference! We’ve had representative democracy for longer than all our lifetimes. It means designating or voting for someone to represent our views in government. That also works in the institutions through which society […]

It’s that time of year again . . . time to start practising safe heating! Give heating equipment such as furnaces, radiant heaters, space heaters, and hot water tanks space. Remove trash and materials stored near heating equipment, and keep combustibles at least three feet away from heating equipment at […]

By Linda Wiens
Quetico Centre

U.S. President Bill Clinton’s private affairs affect not only U.S. politics and economy but reverberate right around the globe. The poor economy of eastern Germany has helped oust one chancellor, install another, and keep Europe favourable as an investment climate for Canadians. Problems of governance in Latin America and the […]

Have you ever seen wild swans? Maybe a line of great white birds, necks stretched straight out in front, wings beating slowly and with great power. Perhaps riding low in the water, those long necks arched or straight up. Or maybe you heard them overhead–a musical, quavering sound from several […]

One hundred years ago, Dry Caribou Bones was a stop-off for nomadic Ojibwa, and for the odd trapper or prospector. A picturesque river wended its way along a valley floor. On this site was to spring up Atikokan–Ojibwa for Dry Caribou Bones. Atikokan is a special northern town. It has […]

Every year we hear stories about people and bears. Some of them are tragic–young campers being killed, people mauled, badly wounded, and sent to hospital, and even one or two cases of people being killed and partially eaten by bears. These are horrifying stories. But in almost every case, common […]

Last June was “Safe Kids Week” and to celebrate the event, Safe Kids Canada and Johnson and Johnson sponsored a home safety challenge. As a family, you went around the house with a safety checklist. Why the interest in safety? It’s quite simple! For children in Canada and the United […]

Linda Wiens

A small car drove in and out stepped a slightly greying man and two teens. “Remember me? Allan Earle [with son an daughter],” he said. Yes! A 1970 heavy equipment operator graduate, and son of Cliff McIntosh’s recreation director friend, Del Earle, formerly of Marathon. Allan used to challenge me […]

When it seems that things aren’t as good as they used to be, we may be thinking 20 years back.How about doubling the span. Did you know that there was no university, no college, no arts complex, no so-many-other-things in Northwestern Ontario? Quetico Centre was the first adult education institution […]