Opinion

The Canadian West Foundation's State of the West report for 2010 makes good on its promise to show the importance and uniqueness of western provinces in Canada. Canada's other provinces may want to take note. Western Canada accounts for over 37.

The new year has begun along with the opportunity to make a meaningless New Year's resolution all in the name of self-improvement that will likely be forgotten before February rolls around.

The book Ethical Oil turns environmental lobby groups on their heads by digging into the specifics such groups might not want to talk about.

The annual review of the news of the year always reveals a treasure trove of stories, of events that made us stand and applaud, of losses that made us shed tears, and of history-making changes that will alter the fates for local communities.

“And so this is Christmas and what have you done. Another year over and a new one just begun,” are the words of John Lennon in one of my favorite Christmas songs, called Happy Christmas.

I know this is supposed to be an opinion piece, but as a good journalist, questions come first and opinions come second, and this one question has been burning in my mind since I was a wee lad.

At some point, saying “Shut Up” is the only way to get the message across. That would be politically incorrect, in so many areas, but in this case, a political case, it just has to be said.

The local food bank’s shelves are stocked to the brim, the toys and Christmas hampers have been sent out, and once again, local residents have pulled through to make sure families in need are full in their bellies and hearts this season.

The Land Stewardship Act passed in 2009 and since then, the lower Athabasca region has been the testing grounds for the Land Use Framework.

I can’t help but feel a twinge of respect for Julian Assange, the Australian Internet activist who has attracted international attention for his website Wikileaks.