The Liberals should stop acting like they're considering taxing the sale of your home
By Franco Terrazzano and Kris Sims Politicians think we should trust them just because they pinky promise not to impose a home equity tax, but Canadians pay members of Parliament to do more than talk a good game. MPs need to prove they won’t bring in a home equity tax by scrapping the requirement to…
Hereditary dynasties could not survive the industrial revolution. Well, except for one
Last week’s column drew from British historian Dominic Lieven’s current book about emperors and empires. Called In the Shadow of the Gods, it’s an exploration of the characteristics that contributed to dynastic success or failure. Lieven’s penultimate chapter deals with the challenges modernity posed to hereditary dynasties. As the environment changed rapidly, the crowns adorning…
Findings show promise for new anti-inflammatory drugs and treatments for autoimmune diseases
New research shows a group of enzymes may have a critical role in how immune cells are activated and then migrate to certain sites in the body – findings that could improve our understanding of inflammation and potentially lead to new treatments. In a recent study, researchers explored a particular family of enzymes called neuraminidases. "We…
Critics say that agile benefits are over-hyped because devotees can’t demonstrate full implementation
Is agile software development delivering enough value? Or is agile an exaggerated buzzword that conveniently obscures all attempts at performance measurement of software development teams? The Agile Manifesto was published a little over 20 years ago. Why have agile concepts not been universally adopted if they are so valuable? Or is agile a fad that…
Schools must avoid the equally misguided extremes of zero-tolerance policies and permissive idealism
Saunders Secondary School in London, Ont., is home to approximately 2,000 students. It’s been in the news a lot lately, but not in a good way. A recent CBC story quoted an anonymous teacher who described Saunders as a “tinderbox of violence” where students regularly challenge teachers to fist fights after school. Over the last six…
Car racing relies on oil and gas. Canada should be the choice supplier, rather than nations like Saudi Arabia
German Formula One driver Sebastian Vettel sat on a podium in Montreal last week in gear emblazoned with his sponsor logos – including Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) oil giant Saudi Aramco, owned by the tyranny state of Saudi Arabia – and told reporters that Alberta’s oil sands is “criminal.” He had arrived earlier…
Rosa is a tour de force in pro wrestling. She’s tough, quick, agile, intelligent and fiercely competitive
Many pro wrestlers have unique backstories. The incredible, emotional and inspirational journey of Melissa “Thunder Rosa” Cervantes is possibly the most unique of them all. She was born in Tijuana, Mexico, in 1986. It’s a country where lucha libre has helped turn average folk into wrestling royalty. High-flying masked superstars like Mil Máscaras, El Santo,…
Increasing wages works to some extent. But retraining and being a better boss will do more
There are many challenges to running a business, including getting capital, getting customers and meeting the competition. Add staffing to the list. Hiring workers used to be less difficult. Any vacancy announcement attracted many more applicants than employers were able to consider. But now, there are multiple vacancies for every able, willing and available worker.…
Faster drilling, alternative fuels, engine automation are just the beginning as industry keeps innovating
When Nicole Romanow looks at drilling rigs from 30 years ago, she’s impressed by the change and innovation that has occurred in Canada’s oil and gas industry – and what is yet to come. That’s because as team lead for sustainability strategy at Canadian drilling company Ensign Energy Services, she understands the level of equipment…
More than 100 years after H.G. Wells forecast big changes in the world order, the tide is turning
Democratic capitalism is a remarkably empowering and wealth-generating structure. Although wealth is not a zero-sum game, power may well be. In his 2011 book The Fruits of Graft: Great Depressions Then and Now, Wayne Jett explores how certain elitists have actively sought to undermine the masses and usurp political and economic power for themselves. In H.G.…