Tag: local

By Ron Baker Churches pay for themselves. I recently completed a podcast with Mike Wood Daly of the Halo Project research project. This research began in the Toronto area, but has now expanded to smaller centres across the country. Their completed research shows that faith organizations in Canada bring a social benefit to their community. Check them out at halocanadaproject.com. In the… Continue reading Churches Contribute to Our Local Economy

By Ron Baker Those who get doctorates in the British academic system are said to be “reading ______” (insert the subject or academic discipline).   Exams or midterms or assignments are peripheral.  The expectation is that you will read everything about a subject – that is your true assignment.  Your dissertation/final project is a way to… Continue reading Overcoming Fear in an Age of Arrogance

By Ron Baker I’ve coined a new syndrome that needs to be treated! I call it the Versus Syndrome. Local vs. National. Subscription vs. Ownership. Mandatory vs. Voluntary. Logical vs. Emotional. And the list goes on! Versus Syndrome is the point at which we are blinded to others and only aware of ourselves. Wherever we… Continue reading Versus Syndrome

By Ron Baker One of the most often heard conversation starters lately has been – “What a weird year!”. We talk of COVID, or drought, or mental health, or… The ensuing conversation has brought up one very stark truth. We lose something when we hit uncertain times. Fear overtakes us. This is manifested in a… Continue reading Risk a Little, Live a Lot

By Ron Baker In this country, we’ve all been around farmers. I sometimes think they are the greatest optimists there are. This year is proving that once again. I’ve heard of farm operators/owners not hiring extra help because they can’t keep them busy. The crop is so sparse that passing the combine through the field… Continue reading When Farmers Ask “Why Bother”

By Ron Baker I’m at a family reunion as I write this editorial. Amongst us are some avid video gamers – some who have even done the tournament thing! Watching a Mario race is nowhere near what the 1980’s edition would have looked like! What is one of the current hatreds of avid online video… Continue reading Hackers, Cheaters and Online Video Games

By Ron Baker I’ve been following the Roman Catholic Church saga over these past years. In reading one of their own news outlets they admit this past year has been difficult. One of my history professors in post-secondary studies talked of the Roman Catholic church as bound together by an elastic. Over the centuries societies,… Continue reading When Diversity and Inclusion Separates Us

By Ron Baker The year of distraction is almost over. I can’t say that I have been happy to live a distracted life. One of my mottoes, truly tested this year, is ‘ Blessed are those who are flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape.” I felt contorted this past year. More… Continue reading From the Gray of COVID to Spring Beauty and Summer Growth

By Ron Baker A gig economy is one where one person is doing more than one job/gig at a time. A gig is considered to be a contracted position, part-time work, seasonal labour, casual labour. . . At various stages in our lives, this is the reality we have lived. For youth, this may look… Continue reading Gig Economy and Financial Stability