Pot’s benefits have been overstated by political advocates and scientists, whose bias may have tainted research results
Marijuana users want society to believe the very thing they’ve told themselves for years – that the highs of marijuana far outweigh its lows when it comes to health and the effect on the masses. Informed minds that remain sober and less tainted by personal bias realize that’s probably not the case. Cannabis is demonstrably…
Canada's universities once proudly proclaimed links to faith. But their mottos and intentions have been dangerously watered down
When I was a younger man, back when Lester Pearson was prime minister and Pluto was still a planet, I attended the University of Saskatchewan. It had a very simple coat of arms: three wheat sheaves and an open book whose pages displayed the motto “Deo et Patriae” – “For God and Country.” Years later,…
Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland plays fast and loose with the facts if she believes her grandfather wasn't a Nazi collaborator
We live in a world where “fake news” is used with near-reckless abandon. But there are moments when real news gets lumped into this category. It blurs fact and fiction, and changes a narrative not for the better but for the worse. Here’s a recent example. Canada recently tossed out four Russian diplomats and refused…
With views so antithetical to university’s value system, Suzuki is incapable of honouring the spirit of the school
As a graduate of the University of Alberta, Faculty of Law, I have written the school’s senate and its president urging them to reverse the decision to award David Suzuki an honorary degree. I pointed out that the decision is contrary to the strategic plans of both the senate and the university. Here’s why: The…
We can’t wallow in despair. We need to look at what we and others are doing right and emulate what works
Despite what we see in our daily newsfeeds, life on Earth is actually improving. On a global level, we see significant drops in child mortality and increases in life expectancy. According to the World Health Organization, more than one billion people have gained access to safer drinking water since 1990. We also see amazing innovations…
Kennedy Harris and Kori Herner recently packed up their hockey gear after competing at the national U Sports Hockey championship
Kevin McBain of The Clarion It’s the end of the university hockey road for the two Kindersley hockey players. Kennedy Harris and Kori Herner recently packed up their hockey gear after competing at the national U Sports Hockey championship held March 15-18 in London, Ont. The players grew up together, played softball and hockey together…
Dr. Rhonda Bell’s study provides good news for people who hope to avoid developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease
Pulses may be at the centre of a trade tiff between Canada and India, but they’re also the focus of some very important research to improve your health. Pulse is a term used for the dried seeds of plants in the legume family – beans, peas, lentils and chickpeas. Canada exports pulse crops worth $4.2…
To Dr. Nicholas Ashbolt, wastewater has great value, but realizing that value requires an infrastructure overhaul
Once you learn what Dr. Nicholas Ashbolt does for a living, you’ll never look at plumbing the same way again. Ashbolt believes it’s time for a paradigm shift in the way we think about water, sewage and public health. From his perspective, wastewater has value and we should stop flushing money and resources down the…
Part 3 of a 10-part series: Forge Hydrocarbons, a U of A spinoff, turns low-grade fats and oils into valuable fuel
New technology employed by Forge Hydrocarbons Corp., a University of Alberta spinoff company, proves you don't have to dig oil wells to produce fuel. You only have to dig through the muck we send to the landfill. Waste streams like those from rendering plants and restaurants are loaded with low-grade fats and oils that can…