Ah Montréal. Thank you for your joy, vibrancy and sensual delight. Thank you for introducing pleasure to Canada’s diet. You have been very patient with the rest of us. Thank you for blending the inclusiveness of Canada’s first people with … Read More
Blog posts by Al
Generation Without Boundaries
One of the many reasons I’m optimistic about the future is because we will soon be led by the first generation without boundaries. This generation is transcending traditional boundaries and shattering artificial borders. They are shaking things up and making … Read More
The Role of the Canoe in Creating Canada
The canoe is Canada’s original and preeminent social innovation. There is no other invention that has impacted us so profoundly and for so long. The canoe defines us as Canadians. It is relevant to every nook and cranny of the … Read More
Toronto’s Top Dozen Social Innovations
The rest of Canada can get petulant about Toronto. Once it was even fashionable to describe Toronto as dull. I doubt it was ever true. Or that Toronto was any duller than any other place in the country – except … Read More
Social Change is Enlightened by Love
People care more deeply about our social and environmental challenges than we realize. One of the reasons our initiatives don’t have the impact we’d like is because there aren’t enough people falling in love with them. There are three possible … Read More
Singable Songs for the Young at Heart
The recent death of Lois Lillenstein of Sharon Lois and Bram reminds me of the revolution in children’s music that beloved trio was part of in the late 1970’s. It started with Raffi who was both musical innovator and social … Read More
Impact 6 is Ready to Make a Dent in the Conversation
My new book Impact: Six Patterns to Spread Your Social Innovation is now available in print and electronic formats. Impact explores the difference between short term success and lasting impact. It will be of interest to anyone who has ever … Read More
Beautifying Social Change
Too much of the conversation about social change is wrapped in the language of policy and finance. While these are important considerations they are limited in describing and realizing the world we want. We need a different language. I propose … Read More
Social Innovation – a Definition of Opportunity
When asked recently to define social innovation I replied rather off handedly it’s a combination of the old, the new and the surprising. It’s not much of a definition but then again the ambiguity might be useful. Definitions all too … Read More
The Spark That Ignites the Social Innovator’s Journey
Then, when he had flown a while longer, Something brightened toward the north, It caught his eye, they say. And then he flew right up against it. He pushed his mind through And pulled his body after. … Read More