This monthly column features news and issues affecting gays and lesbians in Canada and around the world. Look for it on the second week of each month, only in The Voice. While on tour for tsunami relief, Prime Minister Paul Martin had to battle a religious edict from a Sikh clerical authority that calls upon… Read more »

With both my husband and myself pursuing careers and trying to keep up with our higher education courses, as well as making time in our lives for our family and our selves, we sometimes feel that we’re victims of a time crunch. Usually we do a pretty good job of trying not to bite off… Read more »

Much Ado About Nothing I thought I’d adopt a theme of nothing this week. Why not? The federal government seems to have decided it needs to do research into nothing (http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hpfb-dgpsa/tpd-dpt/npi_notice_e.html). Or to be more specific, Health Canada is funding research into placebos. If you don’t already know, a placebo is “an inactive substance (or… Read more »

Dear Barb; I will be starting a new job next week. In my last job I had problems with my boss right from the beginning. I can’t say specifically what the problems were, but they seemed to begin on day one. I’d like to avoid problems in this job. Are there any suggestions you can… Read more »

It’s one of those End of the World sort of days. Nature is pissed off, or wildly drunk, or maybe just letting her hair down and putting her foot to the gas pedal. Everything is transformed, charged with a tension that crackles like static electricity. Late in the afternoon, I’m jogging along the seawall and… Read more »

Do you remember those old westerns where some tough cowboy downed a swig (or two) of whiskey, grabbed some pliers and yanked out his own throbbing tooth? That’s how desperate I felt when the jaw pain that began in August escalated to the point it was waking me in the night. And making me cry…. Read more »