Yearly Archives: 2011

André Picard wins prestiguous Public Policy Forum award

André Picard knows something most journalists or historians don't.  The majority of us live our lives taking care of each other, – our children, our spouses and partners, our parents, our friends, our neighbours, our co-workers, even strangers.  In good … Read More

“Passionate Amateurs” a Primary Source of Social Innovation

Care is an expression of love – parental, familial, neighbourly.  The primary source of care provided to our children, those with chronic disease, mental illness, or disability and those who are sick or ageing, comes from family, friends, neighbours, co-workers … Read More

Passionate Amateurs as Inspired Innovators in Family Caregiving

Join me live Tuesday April 26th, for an internet talk radio show, Family Caregivers Unite! with Dr. Gordon Atherley on my favourite topic – natural, everyday, loving care inspired by ties of kinship, neighbourliness and friendship.  Our discussion will focus … Read More

Jean Vanier – the Earth of Community

Imagine if we were drawn to each other not just because of our talents but also because of our darker thoughts, pettiness, secret vices and betrayals?  Would we realize how much we have in common?  Would we be as quick … Read More

Mobile Movement nominated for a Webby

Mobile Movement a group co-founded by Jess Fraser, who I have profiled before, has been nominated for a Webby Award in the Youth Category!   Webbies are the equivalent of Oscars for on line campaigns.  And they are in good company: … Read More

Get Your Hands On Shari Graydon’s, “I Feel Great About My Hands”

Delicious, funny, irreverent, salty, poignant.  41 essays by women over 50, assembled and edited by award winning journalist and author Shari Graydon.  Essays that reveal the wisdom, beauty and power of aging women.  I Feel Great About My Hands – … Read More

Maytree Foundation: Creating a Stronger Canada, 12th, On Poverty

Want to read 50 great ideas for protecting vulnerable Canadians while contributing to Canada's prosperity?  Then have a look at the Maytree Foundation's, just released Charting Prosperity: Practical Ideas for a Stronger Canada.  It stems from Maytree's belief that: Poverty … Read More

Jean Swanson – Standing Up to Poor Bashing, 11th, On Poverty

Jean Swansen knows poor people and their tremendous capability to stretch a dollar and to survive with next to nothing.  She also has a clear, steady eye for the structural causes of their poverty.  She is not fooled by studies, … Read More

Ten B.C. Environmental Innovations

All the talk about social innovation could lead one to the conclusion that it is something brand new, something emerging.  In fact ingenuity, creativity and innovative problem solving is ongoing and has been around forever.   One of the primary … Read More

Apathy is Boring

Apathy is Boring aims to use art and technology to educate young people about democracy and encourage their active involvement in decision making.  Founded by my colleague and Ashoka fellow Ilona Dougherty they have already inspired over 30,000 young Canadians … Read More