Passion Power

Mutual Respect I wish that I could say that sexism and misogyny was not a part of the work culture I was in, but it was, in every single workplace. Sexual harassment had varying degrees of seriousness and creepy, but it was all just swept under the rug. I remember one place I worked women had to wear skirts, pour the partners their coffee and get their lunch. I didn’t last too long. Blond jokes were funny. I laughed. Comments such as, “when are you going to wear those jeans again to work” were embarrassing, but nothing crazy. Women were seen as less important, less intelligent, and less able than men. We survived, but I much prefer what is happening now. One of Eleanor Roosevelt’s famous quotes is, “no one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” She was right but exposing people like Harvey Weinstein and Bill Cosby showed the world how men abuse their power. The “Me Too” movement started a global discussion to end sexual harassment and violence. I’m so proud and gratef...

I have always been interested in social issues.  However, everything is upside down. After enduring a long lasting pandemic, the war in Ukraine is now weighing heavily on people’s hearts.  Addiction and poverty are crippling so many people.  Alcohol deaths and suicide rates are up.   As my interests’ meander in the world I see many markers of a society in peril. We have lost trust in our institutions. I see a lack of appreciation for the progress that’s been made regarding bigotry and racism in Canada. I don’t think an honest person can stand before you today and debate that a gay person or a black or brown person is worse off today than they were three or even four decades ago, yet we have a media culture and government obsessed on it. The virtuous trilogy of diversity, equity and inclusion insist that meritocracy should not and cannot exist because of our racist and discriminating past.   I see a society fixated on gender and race.    May...

I do not like the narrative that a working Mom is essential to the economy. The Throne Speech promises a national childcare system with high standards that is accessible and affordable for all women. First, I do not believe any government can run a fiscally responsible business like that and it will be a gong show. Second, a Mother will never look back on her life and think, “I spent too much time with my kids.”  What they are basically telling us is that it is not going to be affordable to stay home and raise kids and there is something better and more worthwhile you should be doing. It is a reasonable choice for a family to have a parent stay home full-time protecting, supporting, and providing to her family. The government should support Mothers that choose to work outside the home and Mothers who do not. There are benefits to both.  Growing a child inside of us for 9 months and then giving birth is the most magical and divine experience a mother will ever have. It ...

I helped my 5-year-old daughter make lemonade once. We loaded it up with lots of ice, added enough sugar, but not too much and squeezed a cutting board full of fresh juicy lemons. It was the best homemade lemonade I’d ever tasted. I watched from the front window on one of the hottest days of the year as she poured her juice at the end of our driveway in her sundress and baseball cap. She insisted doing this herself. “I got this, Mom” she said. She believed in herself. She had no reason not to. At 5 years old she had nothing to lose. Her sign attracted our neighbours and a bunch of construction workers that just so happened to be working on our street. As I stood and watched her confidence build with every customer, she served I thought to myself, why do we stop believing in ourselves and when do we let our own fear get in the way of letting our kids fail and fall? There was a time when we didn’t know the things that we now know because we tried something and gained experience...