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The digital era, it was believed, would usher in a utopia for both musicians and the consumer. But in reality, artists - the people who build our nation's cultural foundation and much of the intellectual property we export - now struggle more than ever to earn a living. The creative middle class has virtually ceased to exist.

Mohammed Salem / Reuters

Canadians might find it disquieting to have members of parliament cry, "Shame!" when the government announces $20 million in aid for education and health. Yet this is exactly what happened when the Minister of International Development, Marie-Claude Bibeau, announced the restoration of Canadian humanitarian aid for Palestinian refugees.

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We in Canada, along with many other people around the world, did not get to vote in the recent American election -- yet we are meant to suffer the international consequences of it. Shall we sit back, as usual, and watch events unfold, including the possibly catastrophic effects of climate change left unchecked?

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The premier may finally be able to recognize her mistakes with hydro rates, now that thousands of suffering Ontario families are screaming about it. But apparently, she isn't able to recognize the mistake she's currently in the process of making with cap and trade. Count that as a lesson not learned.

TamilCulture

We as a diaspora, watched the curtain fall on a decades-long conflict we could never fully understand. And although the impact of the war varies drastically between us, what remains consistent is the recognition of a profound loss and the silent mourning of a forgotten identity.

THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan

According to Environment and Climate Change Minister Catherine McKenna, phasing out coal will reduce emissions in Canada by five megatonnes. That's great news, but it's soured when you remember that the government just approved the Pacific Northwest LNG project, which is expected to add 11.5 to 14.0 megatonnes worth of emissions each year.

Stephanie Keith / Reuters

Disturbing reports from Standing Rock of protesters and horses being shot with rubber bullets, protesters being sprayed with mace and set upon by privately-owned guard dogs have trickled in on a daily basis. To date 141 arrests have been made, but that number continues to grow.

Toronto Blue Jays

I have enjoyed living and working in Toronto for the past 35 years, calling Blue Jays games across our great country. But I have also enjoyed just as much sharing my story during the month of Movember in hopes of helping other men realize how valuable early detection is in fighting prostate cancer at the most treatable stages.

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Many workers in nail salons have heard stories about friends who had trouble getting pregnant or who had multiple miscarriages. Ideally, nail salon technicians should be able to plan their pregnancies for times when they are not working. But one of the reasons they work in these risky entry level jobs is because they have to.

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If winning cases before the Supreme Court of Canada could be likened to the National Hockey League, the B.C. government would be the Toronto Maple Leafs of litigants. Perhaps the government is getting bad legal advice? Perhaps it's not listening to good legal advice?

Getty

In the day and age of emails, you need to find a way to stand out - and the thank-you letter just might be your gateway to do so. If done poorly, however, it could also mark the end of your rat race.

Getty

So if you're a woman and you feel women's rights are going down the toilet (having barely peeked over the rim), how might you empower yourself and someone near you? If you worry about the marginalized, the impoverished, the displaced, the war-ravaged, what can you do within your own sphere of influence to improve that?

Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press

Despite all the good the FNFTA has done in B.C., members of 23 bands are still waiting to see this year's disclosures, and three are missing two full years. This is basic transparency that every citizen deserves - how does government spend their money, and how much do politicians spend on themselves?

ASSOCIATED PRESS

So bad is the reflexive hatred and finger-wagging towards the next president that it now feels like they want Trump to fail. Indeed, many liberals seem downright masochistic about Trump, signalling they would rather he follow through on internment camps and other zany policies just so they can bask in their own "I told you so" posturing.

Chris Wattie / Reuters

Is it because a consensus is forming not around a ranked ballot -- which is what Prime Minister Justin Trudeau previously said he preferred -- but rather around the NDP and Green Party's preferred option of a proportional system as long as Canadians, in a referendum, say they want it? Despite their claims, do the Liberals truly have the "broad support" of Canadians in mind when it comes time to put forth a new electoral system?

CP

The comment was made that National Seal Products Day "makes a statement, not a holiday." But statements will do little to benefit Inuit sealers who could use real and tangible assistance in accessing the markets for products from their full-use seal hunt. They also fail to provide viable alternatives for fishermen in Atlantic Canada.

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The justice system is clearly flawed, and it proves that police officers can get away with virtually anything. Instead of serving justice to the survivors, the system is openly protecting the perpetrators. It's also troublesome to see officers from the provincial police force launch a large lawsuit against Radio-Canada.

Oxfam International

The global statistics are staggering: 2.4 billion people do not have access to a toilet or latrine. About a billion of them have to defecate in the open, which often leads to serious public health problems. And more than half of the schools in the developing world lack private toilets.

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Many Western countries have followed a policy of neoliberalism for the last few decades. A combination of privatization, deregulation including financial deregulation, free trade and globalization characterize neoliberalism. Neoliberalism has been a boon for global economic growth; both developed and developing countries have benefited from neoliberalism in terms of high economic growth.

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Across Canada, forward-thinking universities and colleges are finding innovative ways to give back to the communities they call home. In so doing, these institutions are also improving the quality of education for their students and strengthening their own relevance in a changing world.

World Vision

Each year around this time, I find myself frustrated that the world still needs to observe Universal Children's Day on November 20th. Don't get me wrong, kids are worth celebrating. As someone who has dedicated my life to serving children, I believe that at my core.