Opinion

On Feb. 12, a roast was held in past mayor Bill McAlpine’s honour. The Elks Hall was jammed full and the crowd had a great time. The presenters were rather kind to the old boy, but there definitely was lots of laughs.

I am a self proclaimed political nerd. I started my addiction with the Rutherford show on QR 77, and then escalated it to running home at lunch every day so I could watch Question Period.

Last week when a chinook blew through southern Alberta I thought it was an opportune time to start walking to work again. Really, I thought there would be no better way to start my day than a nice brisk walk in the cool morning air.

I do not know if there is an unwritten law saying what happens at a curling bonspiel stays at a bonspiel, but I cannot overlook what transpired on Saturday night.

The Christian and natural law traditions assert human beings are equal and valuable, not because of what they think but because of who they are. Even when badly mistaken, their dignity requires respect for their freedom and conscience.

“Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.” Anatole France, a French poet, journalist and novelist who won the Nobel prize for literature in 1921, spoke these words.

I was out walking with my grandson. He picked up something off the ground and started to put it in his mouth. I took the item away from him and I asked him not to do that. “Why?” my grandson asked.

Living in rural Saskatchewan we did not have cable and as a result the day I watched television was Saturdays. My brothers and I would be up at 6 a.m. to watch cartoons and then the TV would be off until Hockey Night in Canada in the evening.

Way back in the 13th century a bunch of lords in England got together to challenge the power the King had. You see, back in those days the King was well, for all intents and purposes... he completely controlled everything that happened in England.

I know most of you were not happy to see the snowdrifts on Saturday morning, but I could not have been happier. A good winter snowstorm means sweatpants and bunnyhugs (hoodie for those native Albertans).