Get Nimby

There are things I don't want in my backyard.  I'm not a fan of racism in any shade.  I'm not a fan of taking things without permission.  I'm not a fan of preventing people from working hard to get ahead.  I'm not a fan of public spaces being abused.  I'm not a fan of bullying and cancel culture.  I'm not a fan of green lighting public drug use, and public intoxication.  I'm not a fan of laws that aren't applied equally, regardless of economic stripe.  I'm not a fan of affordability escaping from the grasp of many.  I'm not a fan of rights absent responsibilities.  I'm not a fan of lip service to ideals - and an absence of pragmatism.  I don't believe in free rides, but I do believe in fair rides.  I abhor paid protest - and those that engage in it undermine our democracy.  These are all things, I don't want in my backyard - to which I will happily declare "NOT IN MY BACKYARD". I will work towards cancelling cancel c...

I'm not a climate change denier - I believe climate change is happening, I believe there is a need to shift towards having less of an impact on our environment, and I believe there is a tremendous need to adapt to what the future will be however, I also believe we have stepped over a rational line and into a territory where the much larger risk to humankind is one where a scary graphs enable very scary solutions to become real possibilities. We have told our children that their future is at risk, we have allowed other children to tell them the same - and now we're incredibly surprised by what is unfolding before us. Chaos. Deep divides - and a scuttling of rational progress towards the future - a progress that until the past few weeks included continued reconciliation with the nations first nations. A full stop discontinuance of the use of fossil fuels is not feasible. It would result in the death and starvation of millions (perhaps even billions) in the short term. There is...

I'm not an Andrew Scheer fan - for a bunch of reasons.  Probably for the same reasons many modern conservatives (recovering liberals) find themselves unable to vote for him.  I'm pro-choice, pro-science, pro-equal rights and human rights - but I'm finding a lot about modern liberals that has left a very bad taste in my mouth.  The level of virtue signalling in the current political realm has me reeling. In response to a basic break down in this country to respect the rule of law - a week that has seen roads illegally blocked, rail lines illegally blocked, and the BC legislature illegally blocked, Andrew Scheer has asked the protesters to "check their privilege".  Of course the "left" is jumping on this - it seems laughable that a conservative, white male, should be asking those who are wanting to stand in solidarity with a First Nation to, "check their privilege". Here's the kicker though, and it might be the only time in my life that I...

When a person comes from a place of privilege, it's easy to say that the answer to a problem like poverty is to just implement a universal basic income.  Just give them enough money to make ends meet, and like magic you'll be able to solve homelessness.  Like magic you'll be able to solve the problem of people going into debt for education.  Like magic, things will be okay. Anyone who has had to work to get to where they are, is rightfully skeptical of that proposition.  This is because they know that without having a reason to work hard, most people don't.  Without having a reason to solve a problem, most people won't solve the problem.  After all, why work when you can float?  Anyone who has put in the effort, and particularly those that have put in the effort because they had no other choice , knows that part of what has made them a better and more compassionate person, is the struggle. This is not to say that those unable to engage in the strug...

Let me be blunt, I'm a lucky woman.  I won't deny or pretend that I'm not.  I'm lucky to have been born Canadian, I'm lucky to have been resilient through my struggles, I'm lucky to have had two parents who loved me, I'm lucky to have married the right partner, I'm lucky to have good health, I'm lucky to have four amazing kids (two of whom came with an amazing husband), I'm blessed to have a certain autonomy in my life that enables me to take the first steps on what could be a very interesting road ahead.  I'm lucky, but at some point it hasn't been about luck, it's been about a lot of hard work and tenacity, choosing to buckle down instead of buckle under.  For the most part, I've led a conventional life, working hard and seeing that it isn't always about me, that there's a duty that is owed to the world in which I live, to contribute in the ways that I can.  I pay my taxes, paid my student loans, ensure my bills are paid...