Canada Education

We've all heard the message time and time again: We need to send more people to colleges and universities, and ensure our country is well-educated. This is great in theory; after all, no one is against apple pie. But the reality is that we can't flip a switch and guarantee everyone has a university degree in 10 years. This isn't necessarily a bad thing.

The results of recent surveys of students in the U.S. and Canada link poor eating habits in children to the amount of television they watch. While this isn't new information, it serves as a useful reminder that the advertising industry is indoctrinating children into the long-term negative effects of eating unhealthy food -- effects that range from obesity to early death.

Developing a school that not only makes students feel welcome and safe but encourages students to unleash their creative potential is a huge and important challenge. There is no silver bullet for transforming school buildings into an environment that inspires and ignites the creative flame, but an imaginative design can go a long way.

The movie "Bully" ends with a call for other children to stand up and help when they witness a bullying situation. The premise is that if you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem. But is it fair to put the burden on children to speak up and help when they see someone being bullied? Is it really realistic?

I wasn't a particularly good student when I was a kid. In grade school, I had a lot of problems with math, and to a lesser extent reading and writing. It didn't matter how much I tried, I just couldn't get it. I couldn't seem to grasp concepts that most of my friends seemed to understand easily.

This is a space for both Israeli and Arab students to coexist at school and at home. The conversations at Project Harmony in Jerusalem usually start organically because, after all, the campers were born into the conflict: sixty years of failed peace treaties, losses on both sides, destruction of lives and heartbreaking stories.

Online education is making the same transformation that online dating made over the past few years: It's no longer relegated to the sideline, seen as a niche area for the desperate. Instead it's being recognized as an easier way to solve a big problem: finding the right skills.

Ontario's Ministry of Education reached out to me and asked if I wanted to discuss bullying with the Minister. Would I?! You bet. The question is, did she really want to hear what I have to say?

While other major development initiatives -- schools, medical clinics, roads, human rights laws to protect women -- will take years to reach their potential, the digital age lies as a present powerful tool to assist women.

TORONTO - Canada has an "enormous vacuum" at the centre of its national education leadership and should fill it with an intergovernmental council, say...

It's classic Bollywood: mother gives up two sons, one becomes a cop/top industrialist, the other ends up embracing the life of crime as a gangster/con man. So here we have two nations, India and Pakistan born in 1947: one finds their way into enviable success, while the other struggles in the deep waters of corruption.

Democratic elections by provinces of their future senators would change the focus of its members away from the two-party system that the Senate was not intended to be. For the first time since confederation, our current prime minister is trying to do just this.

Jason Lietaer (PC): There will always be some kind of allegation of hate or intolerance thrown by the grits. This time, it's homophobia. And it's nonsense. McGuinty's making sure that parents don't have any say in what kids are taught at school about these topics. We stand on the side of parents.

The media couldn't even keep its eyes open during the Manitoba election campaign, only occasionally looking below the surface of the promises and policies. Then again, the resurrected NHL Winnipeg Jets were beginning their pre-season games and the Bombers were in first place. The media can only do so much.

John Duffy (Liberal): Horwath will be under pressure to provide greater clarity regarding her statement about the need for "consensus" in the event of a minority government. I'd imagine she'd rather not leave NDP voters with the impression that she's planning on supporting a Tim Hudak administration.

Jason Lietaer (PC): You know it's unpredictable when leaders start making things up. This week, Mr. McGuinty launched a new jobs plan that's not in his platform, announced a negotiating position for the OMA talks and cancelled a powerplant that looks more like a powerplant than a field.