It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by negative things that happen, to rebel against things we don’t like, to push back on others to compel them to act (or even believe) in certain ways. We criticize others – our family and neighbours, this group or that, sometimes society as a whole – and this can lead … Continue reading On the Plus Side
“When you can’t change the direction of the wind, adjust your sails,” advised H. Jackson Brown. Over the summer, Canada sailed into a full-blown tempest in its trade negotiations with the United States, and people are naturally anxious about what this storm will mean for the economies of both countries. Trade negotiations are not simply … Continue reading Trade Winds and Tempests
Warfare is the height of folly, yet we cannot point to any time in history when war wasn’t raging somewhere on earth. So-called ‘Just War theory’ seeks to establish four pillars to vindicate armed conflict – just cause, legitimate authority, last resort, and proportionality – but Erasmus correctly showed that this theory is largely a … Continue reading The Limits of War
The events of January suggest that the U.S. and the entire world are standing on a precipice. Domestic peace and order have been disrupted in Minnesota and civil rights have been set back more than half a century. As this happens, threats to America’s neighbours escalate and its leaders covet our resources while belittling our … Continue reading Elbows Up! Arms Out! Hands Ready!
Join us Monday morning for our Remembrance Day Service, when we take time out of our day to remember and honour loved ones from wars and skirmishes past. We will pause at 11 a.m. for two minutes’ silence. Service Coordinator: Christina Swindells-Nader Order of Service Centering Thought “I’m gonna keep on ‘til I find it: … Continue reading We Remember
Too often these days, yelling, pontificating, or being sarcastic is the discourse of choice. This makes it harder for people to have those tough discussions and find common ground with others with different or opposing points of view. It’s a skill set that seems to be disappearing, but I hope to shed some light on … Continue reading Why Are Difficult Conversations So Difficult?
Following the attack on the World Trade Center in 2001, Stephen Jay Gould wrote that “good and kind people outnumber all others by thousands to one,” despite our mistaken perception that decency and depravity are found in more equal measure. He called the preponderance of goodness and decency the “Great Asymmetry” and argued that we … Continue reading The Great Asymmetry
