Insulting Elders – Abusing Youth

Most traditional societies revere their elders and their wisdom and celebrate and cherish their youth for their innocence and energy.  These societies have been premised on the elders being supported when they are past their age of labour.  The youth in these societies are supported through informal/formal education and care to understand their world and […]

Abandoning Democracy

Since returning home in early January my interest locally has been occupied by the discussions and debate surrounding the proposed Muskrat Falls (Hydro development) project. My interest is somewhat different than most, as there appears to be many more competent individuals addressing the financial and technical issues.  My concern, as always, is for the lack […]

A Future Inhibited by the Past

(This picture was taken in Benin in Africa after a workshop on Community \Planning and Evaluations facilitated by Gaston Gohou) It is amazing in life how much the past overshadows the present and shapes the future. Humans apparently are hard wired to forget the hard lessons of their history.  They also appear programmed to cling […]

Rooted in a Colonial Past

(This is how they dry fish in The Gambia.  It is similar to how it used to be dried in Newfoundland.  Colonies often have a lot in common – I guess the masters were the same.) Several years ago, while at a conference in Brazil, it was my good fortune to meet a young woman […]

Does Rural Have Value

We have been witnessing for many years the depletion and diminishment of rural living and subsequently rural communities.  This is very evident in statistics; the percentage of people living in areas considered rural in Canada has been declining for generations.    This has perhaps been more significant in Newfoundland, with the concentration of population in St. […]

Pasadena Venture Centre

I have just returned to Corner Brook having spent the past four years in Eastern Europe and the sale of the Venture Centre obviously is of interest to me, having been one of its founders.  Although I have been away, I would like to contribute a few thoughts to what appears to be a very […]

Leading the Way – an experiment in

 The role of satellite and community cable was not widespread in 1987 when the town of Pasadena (a small rural community of 3000 residents in Western Newfoundland) began what became a five year experiment to “Awaken the Entrepreneurial Spirit” of the local area.  Being Economic Development Officer at the time afforded me the opportunity to […]