Remembrance

Remembrance - "the period over which one's memory extends". Remembrance is the act of purposefully remembering, often in a commemorative context, to honour the memory of people and events, and perhaps, serve as a commitment to learn from the past. The act of remembrance is important because it acknowledges specific sacrifices and honours people and events that came before us. It also reminds us that the context of our lives in Canada was shaped by our ancestors and the selflessness of Canadians in decades past.

    I experience the world through the lens of my own life. While I am aware that I am a mere speck - one of 8 billion diverse inhabitants on earth, and a descendent of countless others, all with unique lived experiences, I live selfishly and am influenced by what I know, believe, do, and feel. I am the centre of my experiences - perhaps even self-absorbed. On the eve of Remembrance Day, I was struck by the notion that my grandsons' children will have no idea who I am or was.

    I never met my own grandfathers as both had died before I was born. Similarly, our two children never met either of their grandfathers for the same reason. I have been blessed to get to know and be a part of the lives of our two grandchildren, and will welcome another later this month. I share this on Remembrance Day, in memory of my father's father.

    

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    Early on a miserable, cold and sleeting Easter Monday just over a century ago, all four divisions of the Canadian Expeditionary Force, 100,000 strong, went into battle for the first time all together. In the stagnant, entrenched warfare of the time, Vimy Ridge was a well-fortified German stronghold. Over 100,000 French soldiers had already given their lives trying to take this scarred crease of land seven kilometres long and 60 meters high in northern France. 

    The well-organized Canadians conquered the Ridge in days, but at staggering costs. There were over 10,000 Canadian casualties, including 3600 killed in less than four days. After years of losses, the victory was hailed across Allied Europe and in newspapers all over Canada. Many later declared that the ‘Canadian nation was born at Vimy Ridge’ as it signalled to Great Britain and to our young country that we could stand on our own as an autonomous nation. Others accurately point out that Canada was involved in more significant battles as WWI raged on for another year and a half, and that the victory at Vimy Ridge encouraged Prime Minister Borden to send even more young Canadians into the fray with the introduction of the very divisive policy of conscription.

    The often harshly illuminating light of time shows us that millions of young men from both sides were “sent over the top” in this ‘war to end all wars’, knowingly sacrificed by commanders who believed gaining a few hundred meters of bloodied ground was worth the loss. This included men obliterated by artillery, men who froze to death, men who drowned in trenches and men killed torturously by poison gas. As Peter Mansbridge so poignantly wrote, there is no glory there.

    Today, a majestic monument rises up from the fields at Vimy Ridge. It is not so much a shrine to war as it is to sadness and mourning. The central figure among the twenty carved into the concrete is called “Canada Bereft” and the messages of grief and sorrow expressed in all of the figures are clear and profound. The two soaring figures atop the spectacular towers represent justice and peace, and watch over the names of 11,285 Canadians who died in France during the war, but were never found.

Canada Bereft

    When I reflect on the Great War, I am deeply humbled by the incredible sacrifice made so willingly by millions of families, and young men. It remains incredulous that over 60,000 Canadians were killed and more than 170,000 were wounded from a nation of less than 8 million people. This list includes my grandfather, William Barringham Allison. A man I never met, William was wounded twice in WW I and it fascinates me that in all the chaos, he kept a small, leather bound journal. In neat cursive, his entry for April 9, 1917 says, “Canadians over top - 5:30am – a drizzling rain – Vimy Ridge (stand too).”

    I imagine that I would be scared out of my mind if I was in a cold, muddy trench, preparing to go over the top to face a formidable and deadly foe; indeed, I am not sure I could do it. I hold the sacrifices of my grandfather’s generation (and all Canadian troops who have followed) in the highest regard and fully appreciate the significance of their contributions to freedom, and to the identity of Canada. Indeed, it makes the challenges I face and the things I worry about seem insignificant. I also like to believe William would be pleased to know that a son of his son thinks of him, and that he finds it worthwhile to write down his thoughts from time to time.  On this November 11, I will be sure to say his name to his great, great grandchildren.  Lest We Forget.

William Barringham Allison

To you from failing hands we throw the torch; be yours to hold it high.

The Role of Public Education in Undermining Polarization

…the purpose of the British Columbia school system is to enable all learners to become literate, to develop their individual potential and to acquire the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to contribute to a healthy, democratic and pluralistic society and a prosperous and sustainable economy.

    Most educators in B.C. are familiar with this overarching statement of purpose, and all of the things we hope for our students seem straightforward, perhaps with the exception of “pluralistic society”. Pluralism is a positive response to human diversity that requires engagement with different cultures, identities, beliefs and experiences. Pluralism requires mutual respect and inclusive dialogue, ensuring that no single perspective dominates; accepting that there are a variety of competing moral systems, but no single system is authoritative. However, shared values are the key to a healthy, functioning society. They provide the essential framework for social cohesion, guiding behaviors, fostering unity, and ensuring that the common good is prioritized. Without a consensus on what is right and wrong, a community can become fractured and conflict-ridden, leading to a breakdown of trust, increased polarization, and a loss of collective purpose. We are witnessing this today. 

    Despite a melting-pot metaphor, most political scientists define the United States as a pluralistic society. As early as 1795 the term E pluribus unum or “out of many, one” appeared on U.S. coins and later became the unofficial motto of America. The Canadian mosaic, a land of 40 million diverse, and often hyphenated-Canadians, seems to be a shining example of pluralism. However, the chasm between what we say we value and what is happening in society is widening. The world’s leading democracy, strongest economy and culturally influential nation has chosen a leader who directs disdain and vitriol towards those who do not fit his narrow ideal of an American. This is a man who is often impulsive, deceitful, and arrogant yet more than 75 million Americans find him morally acceptable, and millions see him as admirable and heroic. 

    The backlash against diversity and pluralism is not just happening in the United States. In many parts of the world, nationalistic rhetoric is growing. All across Canada there is a persistent “blame immigration” undercurrent to many social challenges – crime, housing costs, and unemployment. In Alberta, the government has articulated an “Alberta Advantage Immigration Strategy” to have more control over who is admitted to the province. Scores of jurisdictions across Canada and the USA are scrutinizing the books students may access in school and public libraries. Other, more subtle processes include “equity-based book weeding” with the same results – books removed for perceived bias, harm or indoctrination. The reasons vary, but the result is the same - fewer stories, fewer perspectives, fewer chances for students to see themselves—and others—in the pages they turn – all happening at a time when people are reading fewer books than ever.1 Why would a system whose stated purpose is to build a pluralistic society be uncomfortable with books that reveal our colonial history or explore diverse identities, cultures, and communities?

    The steady growth of capitalism has led to remarkable gains in the quality and comfort of our lives. It has also led to the belief that personal freedom is paramount and that success in life is up to autonomous individuals. Over the past half century, there has been a rise in hyper-individualism and a decline in shared morality. Prioritizing individual wants and accomplishments has also led to the adulation of “winners” (as measured by the accumulation of wealth) and a marginalization of “losers”. The normalization of selfishness and unraveling of coherent social and moral norms can be seen in families, communities and nations. With a breakdown in social trust, right versus wrong is no longer clear and working for the good of society is no longer valued. 

    When cultural norms are fragmented and individuals lose sight of the common good, civil society begins to disintegrate. Disagreements go on indefinitely, at greater levels of indignation and polarization. People become self-righteous and are drawn to like-minded people exclusively. Unable or unwilling to engage with divergent views, name-calling, intimidation, coercion or manipulation are used. The global health crisis caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus (COVID-19) revealed deep cracks in society. Many people resisted the vaccination programs and restrictions implemented to combat a virus that caused serious illness and over 7 million deaths worldwide. Conspiracy theories soared, thousands called it a hoax, and many resisted the perceived infringement on their individual freedoms. The aftershocks continue today with mistrust spreading towards other vaccine programs resulting in a resurgence of preventable disease like measles. 

    A society that covets personal gain and individual freedom is the world of master manipulator Donald Trump. He presented himself as a political outsider and self-made man who was going to challenge the elites running government and “drain the swamp”. Often impulsive and outrageous, he gained popularity because he “speaks his mind”, but he does not even pretend to speak the language of morality. Indeed, he amplifies polarization and has reduced politics to the systemic organization of hatreds.2 The only good Americans are those who support him. He has also pardoned convicted criminals, undermined judges, punished universities, fired civil servants whose reports do not fit his narrative, attacked reporters who ask difficult questions, and deployed the military to control select American cities to confront the "invasion by the enemy from within". His supporters suggest he will have a third term as president, despite clear language in the U.S. Constitution that prevents this from happening. He does not care that his behaviour undermines crucial shared norms like fairness, justice, intellectual freedom, the rule of law, and a free press. Trump personifies the language of self, of gain, of acquisition, and of personal power. He killed funding to USAID because he believes it is wasteful for the richest nation in the world to give a miniscule fraction (0.24 % in 2023) of its income to the poorest nations and people in the world. At the same time, he is lobbying to get himself a Nobel Peace Prize. Trump not only ignores standards of excellence in social practice and leadership like integrity, humility, honesty, and selflessness, he scorns them. Again, this is the elected leader of the free world - and those who believe that "this could never happen here" are naive. 

    In a global context of mistrust, misinformation, polarization, and violence, excellent public education becomes crucial. Schools must remain progressive, safe and inclusive communities that continuously reflect, adapt and grow. The most effective educational leaders are clear on the purpose of public education. They understand that change, especially significant change, will invite resistance and the best way forward is by authentically engaging and listening to all stakeholders. Diversity is not simply a collection of people who look different, but also think differently. Most importantly, change must be guided by common sense and informed by what is happening in the local community. Parachuting in experts with a “you are stuck and we know what you need” mindset will alienate many. The anti-woke movement is real. To ignore the people who distrust public institutions, including education, is foolish and disrespectful. The backlash helped elect a convicted felon to the most powerful office in the world. Candidates from far-right political parties with nationalist, repressive, and xenophobic ideals are being elected to governments all across Europe. Pluralism requires us to engage with and respect different points of view. To seek them out and learn from them. This is the only way to deflate polarization.

    Pluralism describes both a set of facts and a set of values. The facts of pluralism are that Canadian society is composed of diverse and intersecting communities, races, ethnicities, religions, and associations. These various elements lead to different, competing, and often irresolvable convictions and interests. The values of pluralism include open-mindedness, toleration, persuasion, compromise, reciprocity, and the appreciation (if not celebration) of differences. Pluralism is the only way forward, yet a vibrant, healthy, and diverse society must be founded on common values – what unites us as a school, a community, and a nation? What is the unity in our diversity? We need to engage with and understand others. We cannot do this if we smugly believe we are standing on the moral high ground. Independent school enrollment is increasing across Canada and is highest in B.C. When people lash out at “what is being taught in schools today!”, we need to invite them in. To listen to their fears, and to show them what is really happening in our schools and classrooms. On national and international assessments, B.C. students achieve highly. Teachers are allies for kids and parents, everyone is welcome, and no one is trying to indoctrinate or make a child into something they are not. In a world where misinformation, AI, and social media algorithms inflame confirmation bias and divisiveness, we need to teach critical thinking, media literacy, habits of inquiry, and lateral reading. Manipulation succeeds best on the ignorant, and on those who fail to recognize their own biases – public schools must develop responsible, caring, reflective and resilient young people who can think and communicate effectively. 

    Situated in diverse communities, our schools need leaders and educators who seek first to understand before being understood. Dedicated, caring people who underscore the message that everyone has a seat at the table – even those with whom we disagree. And we will disagree, but we can do so respectfully and thoughtfully for the greater good of our community. Calm, open discourse and critical, fact-based thinking are the antidotes to the polarization and fear that gets authoritarians elected. The role of exemplary public education in building a healthy democracy has never been as critical as it is today. Pushing back against polarization does not have to mean shouting louder. Another option is focusing on developing intelligent, open-minded, confident and capable young people who have gracious, determined decency – like Canadians.

                                             

Notes:

1. As new books and resources arrive, all libraries need to remove dated and under-circulating items. Removing books because they are deemed inappropriate for any reason is a slippery slope.

2. Henry Adams (1838-1918), American historian and grandson of President John Quincy Adams, wrote that politics was the systemic organization of hatreds. That is, those who can mobilize and manipulate animosity and hate towards opposing groups and individuals most effectively, wins. Sound familiar?

Sources borrowed heavily from:

Brooks, David. “Why Do So Many Think That Trump is Good?” The Atlantic. 08, July, 2025.

Plant, Michael. “Trump is Creating a Selfish, Miserable World. Here’s What We Can Do.” The Guardian. 18, April, 2025.

Smith, Mike. Political cartoonist. Las Vegas Sun.

Stid, Daniel. “Pluralism in the Trump Era.” The Art of Association. 28, January, 2025.

Wells, Ira. “Book Banning in Canada is Quiet, Systemic, and More Effective Than Ever.” The Walrus. 02, March, 2025.

Faster, Higher, Stronger - Together

Like billions of people around the world, I love watching the Olympic Games. As a couch athlete, I dedicated many hours a day to the excellent TV coverage of the Paris 2024 Games. I love the stories behind the athletes - the years of sacrifice and dedication and the struggles and setbacks they overcame. Watching them compete and succeed with their coaches, parents and families in the audience is heartwarming. I am in awe of the world class speed, power, strength, balance, skill, tenacity, focus, and athletic grace on display in 32 different sports. Despite the pressure to perform against the very best, and with the world watching, I admire the athletes' humility, class and sportsmanship. Even wealthy professionals from the worlds of soccer, golf, tennis and basketball can be brought to tears on the Olympic stage. To be an Olympian and represent your country at the highest level is a tremendous life accomplishment.

The Latin motto of the Olympic Games is Citius, Altius, Fortius - Communiter - which translates into Faster, Higher, Stronger - Together. The International Olympic Committee added "communiter" in 2021 to recognize the unifying power of sport - timely in a world in desperate need of more unity. The Paris Games included 206 National Olympic Committees and over 10,000 athletes. People from diverse backgrounds and cultures coming together to represent, and for two-weeks at least, unite their countries, and maybe even the world. Olympians also inspire generations of children to be active and to dream big.

Each nation tends to focus on the events and results that feature their country's athletes but the Olympics provides countless inspirational moments. A 41-year old Cuban wrestler named Mijain Lopez won individual gold for an unprecedented 5th consecutive Olympics. This legendary athlete competed and won in Greco-Roman wrestling in the 130kg (heavyweight) division. He first competed in Athens in 2004 and did not medal. Over the next 20 years, he won Olympic gold five times in a row in a challenging, combative sport. The 100m women's track final was won by Julien Alfred from Saint Lucia - population 180,000 - and she became the "fastest woman in the world" and won her tiny island country's first medal of any colour, ever. Alfred went on to add a silver medal in the 200m sprint. Cindy Ngamba, originally from Cameroon but a refugee for the past 15 years, lost a close, heartbreaking bout in the 75kg boxing semi-finals, but won bronze and the first ever medal for the Refugee Olympic Team. 

Canada enjoyed their best medal total in a summer Olympics in decades. Our 9 gold medals and 27 medals overall was our best finish in a summer Olympics not marred by political boycott. Every one of the 317 Canadian athletes accomplished tremendous results just to be included in the Olympic Games, and the 81 Canadian "top 8" results in Paris were outstanding. Whether it was 17yr old Summer McIntosh winning three golds and a silver in the pool, the incredible hammer throw double gold by B.C.'s Camryn Rogers and Ethan Katzberg, the creative and athletic exploits of Vancouver breaker Phil "Wizard" Kim, or the absolutely clutch performance of the men's 4 X 100m relay team, there were many incredibly exciting moments for Team Canada.

At the same time, we have a ways to go as a sporting nation beyond our passion for ice hockey and the NHL. Can we cheer on athletes every four years and ignore them the rest of the time and expect success? Our 27 medals was a long way from the totals of countries like Australia (pop. 26 million), who won a remarkable 53 medals and 18 golds in Paris, or the Netherlands, with a population of 17 million, who won 15 gold and 34 medals. While Canada typically achieves greater results in the Winter Olympics, in Beijing in 2022, we won 26 medals but only 4 golds. This was far behind Norway (population 5.4 million) and their incredible 16 golds and 37 medals in Beijing.

Many nations, especially in Europe, have well established and well supported national and professional leagues and funded training programs for a diverse variety of sports - track, handball, water polo, volleyball, speed skating, cycling, rowing, rugby, etc. Canada is improving, and our national sport organizations, Sport Canada and the Own The Podium programs need to continue to work together to fund and support our national team athletes. To achieve success on the world stage, Canadian athletes should not struggle in anonymity in non-Olympic years. They need ongoing funding, access to training, and media coverage to compete and win at the highest level. This has to be done thoughtfully to create a culture of excellence that is also supportive of our athletes' well being - to fight and achieve your best is always more important than winning a medal. If we collectively tune out in the years in between the Olympic Games, can we really expect more than pretty good? 

Merci infiniment to Paris - what a show! Congratulations and thank you to all of the Olympians for your inspiration. Faster. Stronger. Higher. Together, Canada. 🇨🇦

A cycling race through the streets of Paris. Cycling is one of countless sports watched and enthusiastically supported in Europe.

p.s. It is important to note that 126 more athletes (& competition partners) will represent Team Canada at the Paralympic Games in Paris from August 28 to September 8, 2024. These Games will bring together 4400 incredible athletes from around the world and "transcend the boundaries of sport, offering a powerful platform to highlight the intersection of world class athleticism and disability, ignite societal progress, and champion the cause of inclusivity on and off the field of play."

Old Friends

Throughout our lives, we will meet, work, and interact with thousands of people. If we are fortunate, we may find love and form a partnership with another human being and bring new people into the world. There is no greater gift than being a member of a caring, loving, and connected family as it is the foundation for a healthy life. 

Of the thousands of other people we will meet, some will become respected and valued colleagues. Most will be acquaintances or people we know or used to know. In rare cases, we will have shared experiences at important times in our life’s journey that can create deep and lasting friendships. 

Friendship seems like a simple enough construct, but it is an uncommon and special thing. Friends are people that know you well and love you anyways. People you can go years without seeing and yet instantly connect with when you do meet again. People with whom laughter comes easily and you feel more alive when you are in their presence. 

Human relationships are complex and evolving. All families are imperfect. Most friendships do not last. If you have one or more people in your life who allow you to be yourself, who reach out when life gets hard, who celebrate your successes without jealousy or envy, whom you can sit with in silence, and with whom you can laugh uncontrollably at the world, and at each other, you have a friend. Never take this for granted for you are blessed.

Friends for Forty Years

Time

Suspect each moment, for it is a thief, tiptoeing away with more than it brings. 

John Updike

I have always been curious about the construct of time. Philosophers, poets, and physicists have grappled with the idea of time for centuries. There are mind-bending arguments that the passage or flow of time is a mirage, and all time is laid out in its entirety—a timescape, analogous to a landscape—with all past and future events located there together. Augustine of Hippo, a fifth-century philosopher (and patron saint of brewers 🍺), remarked that he knew well what time is - until somebody asked. Then he was at a loss for words. Albert Einstein wrote that the distinction between past, present, and future is only a stubbornly persistent illusion. He also said that if you can't explain something simply, you don't understand it well enough and this rather aptly captures my relationship with time.  

Meeting up with old friends and falling into a comfortable rhythm of sharing and laughing at decades old stories is one of life's greatest gifts. It appears to make time momentarily stand still. I retired recently and some days were a grind, yet a decades-long career that I loved seems to have gone by in a blur. Getting older can bring wisdom and recognition that many of the things we worried about are not very important. Aging also brings the reality of death a little closer and grief resurfaces the notion of time. Our father died decades ago at age 61, and I remember thinking at the time that he was old. Our Mom lived an active, independent, and healthy life to 85, but she became ill and passed away in a week. I remember her telling us in the ICU that "it is happening too fast".  The harder we try to hold onto the sands of time, the quicker they seem to slip through our grasp. 

Our two children are adults now with professional careers, and both were married within the last couple of years. Their ceremonies were wonderful celebrations of happiness, life, and love. We gathered on warm, sunny days with friends and family and revelled in their joy. Preparing ‘father of the bride’ and ‘father of the groom’ speeches caused me to marvel at how time zooms by - poof - our little girl and little boy have moved away, have life partners, homes, and lives of their own.

As we age, we are often surprised by candid photos of ourselves, and struck by the strangeness of seeing an old person wearing our clothes. At the same time, when we see old photos of ourselves, we realize that we were unaware of how young and full of life we once were. I imagine twenty years from now we would give anything to be this exact age and looking and feeling as good as we do now. Perhaps as more sand escapes from the hourglass of life, the clearer we can see through it. 

It seems unwise to postpone our best life for later. We do not need a wedding or a funeral to celebrate life or to express our love and gratitude. There is not time for words left unsaid. I will do my best to keep moving, exploring and learning, and not let the old man in. Besides, I have a grandchild now, and I have several thousand corny grandpa jokes I want to share with him. There really is no better time than now.

How Are You Doing?

Most of us have heard about Movember. If you're a sports fan, perhaps you have noticed quite a few male athletes suddenly growing a moustache in the late fall. I have participated in the past and was vaguely aware that Movember was started by a couple of Australians as a bit of a lark to see if they could make the moustache popular again. They had 30 participants in 2003. Twenty years later and the month-long campaign each November is now active across 20 countries including Canada, and has funded over 1250 men’s health projects. The charity is focused on raising awareness, programming, and financial support for men's mental health and suicide prevention, prostate, and testicular cancer awareness as well as programs on parenting and how to be a better dad. While I am not an active fundraiser, I am interested in understanding and raising awareness for mental health in particular. Many of us have navigated the seeming confliction in being a good leader, a good dad, and a good man, while also grappling with our mental health and how we are feeling. This is not always as simple as it seems.

Despite evolving gender roles and awareness, men remain far less likely to be informed and seek help for health-related issues. Research reveals large gender disparities in health status, with men at higher risk for morbidity and mortality. As with all studies, it is difficult to pinpoint causation, but greater engagement in risky behaviours and decreased use of preventative health care services are higher amongst men. Most societies and cultures still hold traditional beliefs on male gender roles and masculine norms. Men use less preventive health-care services and do not seek immediate treatment for many health problems. Resilience and inner strength are admirable qualities, but not scheduling regular medical check-ups and screenings or denying mental health concerns are neither stoic nor manly, and they can be deadly.

Men are less likely than women to be diagnosed with any of the most common mental health disorders, and those who have received a diagnosis are less likely to seek treatment. Yet nearly four times as many men as women die by suicide. Globally, one man dies by suicide every minute of the day. In Canada, 3 out of 4 suicides (and 80% in the US) are by men. From 2014 to 2023, over 14,000 people have died from illicit drug toxicity in B.C., and the great majority (~78%) have been men. Movember looks at mental health through a male lens, focusing on prevention, early intervention, and health promotion. While we have come a long way in recent years, hiding anxiety or depressive symptoms are not uncommon. Ongoing mental health education and support are critical to erode the stigma. We all have mental health, and we need to talk about it.

Listening carefully to your body and seeing your doctor regularly are important. Asking for help when you need it is healthy and can be transformational. Maintaining loving, caring connections with family and friends are also key foundations to good health. Having positive social connections and people you feel safe enough to talk honestly about your physical, emotional, and mental health are crucial, as is being the kind of person who will listen, and support others. 

Moustache or not, a good way to celebrate Movember is by checking in with the people you love, and with yourself. How are you doing?

Retirement

I am often asked how I am enjoying retirement and with a less scheduled life, there is a lot of time to ruminate. Whether you are close or many years away, this life transition awaits us all.  I certainly do not miss my long commute and hopeless struggle with the George Massey tunnel. Being away from work, I am more aware of the emotional and physical attrition that comes from being in a leadership role. I do miss the sense of fun, community and positive connections that came from working alongside young people and so many caring and dedicated colleagues. Our work forms a big part of our identity, our sense of belonging and purpose, and I now understand why some people choose to work longer or never really retire. I loved my role and appreciated the cognitive and social stimulation that work provided.

 

I was physically at work for 10 hours a day for decades, and it is not an exaggeration to say that I almost never sat down for an actual lunch break. This excludes the regular evening meetings, arts, athletics, graduation, and special events, and overnight and weekend experiences that all secondary schools offer, and good principals actively support. Once away from school, the challenges, troubles, and timelines of work were on my mind constantly. I know that good teachers work long days and spend many hours outside of class helping, sponsoring or coaching kids as well as preparing and marking. I also know that many people face much more complex and demanding careers, have shift work, are self-employed entrepreneurs, or are working more than one job to make ends meet. This knowledge is both humbling and helpful – I was fortunate to work in a great profession and I remain deeply appreciative of the time off, benefits and pension my work provided.

 

Advice to my younger self would include being clear on what your greater purpose is as this can get lost in the tsunami of day-to-day to-do tasks. You will become what you constantly think and talk about, so be sure to see the joy in your work and in your life. Appreciate and nurture positive people and relationships, and do not spend a lot of energy on the urgent, but less important. Do your best to live mindfully and do not take yourself or your work too seriously. You are not irreplaceable. 

 

Ending a career is the start of a new stage in life and one that is closer to the end than the beginning. Mulling over pension options and you are obliged to consider your own mortality!  After more than 45 years of having a job, I am still new to the rhythms of not working. I am learning to appreciate an unscheduled life and more time to be connected to my family and friends. I am reading more, traveling a bit, exercising regularly, including cycling, losing to my wife in pickleball, and playing a little more golf, alas, just as poorly. I am also choosing to spend more time with my dog and less time on social media. I still think about my purpose and wonder how I can contribute positively, and I imagine this will always be the case.

Cheers!

p.s. our daughter and son-in-law are expecting a baby in November. I am looking forward to an exciting new role as a grandpa, and I have been working on my Cookie Monster voice. 👶🏼

                                                                   . 

 

 

  

Hockey in Canada

This is one of my favourite seasons of the year. A time to share a little holiday cheer, good food and gatherings with family and friends. It is also the time of year for the International Ice Hockey Federation’s World Junior Championships and a celebration of the game of hockey. 

 

Hockey Canada and the sport of hockey have come under intense scrutiny recently and rightfully so. Distressing allegations of sexual assault and secret hush funds are in the headlines. While Hockey Canada's CEO and entire Board of Directors stepped down in October, the people involved need to be accountable and Canadians want to know the truth. Hockey Canada is a grass-roots organization that works alongside 13 provincial and territorial branches, the Canadian Hockey League, and U-Sports. It is responsible for developing and stewarding the game for all participants at all levels. While they are the primary governing body, Hockey Canada is not hockey. Reprehensible behaviour by a few people involved in the game is not hockey. Hundreds of thousands of kids, juniors, university, senior, and adult rec league players and thousands of local volunteers, coaches, managers, administrators, referees, and billet families are 'hockey in Canada'. Critics asserting that abusive or criminal behaviour are part of the 'systemic culture of hockey' are offering sensationalized and outrageous conclusions.  This is a terrible disservice to the overwhelming majority of good people and families involved in the game. 

 

The ethos of hockey is defined by hard work, selflessness, and dedication. Hockey norms include dressing formally on game days, being gracious and humble, battling hard, sticking up for teammates, and then lining up to shake hands with your opponent, and using words like "us and we" after a loss or a win. For over a century, the most revered players have been admired for their hockey talents, but also their leadership, humility, and generosity as human beings. Red Kelly, George Armstrong, Jean Béliveau, Gordie Howe, Bobby Orr, Guy Lafleur, Ken Dryden, Börje Salming, Mike Bossy, Wayne Gretzky, Joe Sakic, Jarome Iginla, Steve Yzerman, Paul Kariya, Danielle Goyette, Henrik and Daniel Sedin, Niklas Lidström, Hayley Wickenheiser, Patrice Bergeron, Sidney Crosby, Marie-Philip Poulin, and countless others. With any team of high profile athletes (or any ‘celebrated’ group of men), entitled, selfish, or bullying individuals only thrive in a context where leaders model, ignore or tolerate these behaviours. This is not the 'culture of hockey' and it needs to be confronted and dismantled where it exists.

Like many Canadians, I have enjoyed a lifelong love affair with the game of hockey. As a kid, I embraced the full sensory experience of the game. I loved the quiet stillness of an arena very early in the morning, the smell and feel of the cold air on my face, the crunching sound my skates made cutting across fresh ice and the distinct clatter of a puck being handled and snapped off a stick blade or pinged off a crossbar. Chasing around a worn tennis ball in road hockey or playing shinny hockey for hours on a frozen pond or field were great, simple pleasures in life. While these exist in every team sport, as I grew older, I admired the spirit of 'doing the right thing' - hard work, selflessness, perseverance, and inner courage - that are embedded in the game. As a coach and father, these were the values I tried to instil in my players and our two children, as these will make you a good teammate, and more importantly, a better person.

 

Even Canadians who have little interest in sport or perhaps begrudge the popularity of hockey, will acknowledge that the game we invented is part of our identity as a nation with long, cold winters. You will find an arena in every Canadian town and hockey represented in our art, currency, and postage stamps. Many have written about the influence of hockey, including Richard Wagamese*:

Hockey’s grace and poetry...The thrill of it lifts people out of their seats. Dreams unfold right before your eyes, conjured by a stick and a puck on a hundred and eighty feet of ice. The players? The good ones? The great ones? They’re the ones who can harness that lightning. They’re the conjurers. They become one with the game and it lifts them up and out of their lives too.

Peter Gzowski called it "the game of our lives" and Bill Boyd wondered if the "wintry religion" was a metaphor for Canadian life. Intellectually, I understand that Canada is a diverse nation, home to millions of happy and proud Canadians who do not play nor care much about hockey. Emotionally, I want to believe the game is ingrained deep within Canada's soul. We all view the world through a lens coloured by our context and experiences, and Saturdays in our family was a time to gather around the TV to watch Hockey Night in Canada. I was an impressionable boy and young hockey player in 1972 when Canada defeated the Soviet Union in an epic 8-game series in the midst of the Cold War. Stephen Brunt reminds us that the world is changing and "Saturday nights are no longer a great, national communal moment", yet hockey is our game, and still holds a place in our collective identity.

 

'In the Dead of Winter' by Bill Brownridge

Canadians enjoy many sports and all develop skill and build character. More Canadian kids participate in soccer than any other game. 'Football' is easily the most popular sport on the planet, and the recent, thrilling World Cup reinforced that we still have a lot of room to improve. Fans long for the day when our men’s national team joins our women’s side and can win games and championships on the world stage. In the most recent men's World Cup of Rugby, the champion Springboks from South Africa defeated Canada 66-7. The Americans have won 16 Olympic gold medals in men’s basketball and seven in a row in women’s basketball. In Canada, we struggle to reach the podium in many international sporting events, and we should never apologize for being the gold standard in a game we play well. Men’s, women’s, and sledge hockey will continue to be among the featured sports of the Winter Olympic Games and all hockey playing countries are striving to reach and surpass the level of Canada, and several nations are close.

 

The World Junior Ice Hockey tournament pits the best hockey playing countries in the world against one another once a year. The International Ice Hockey Federation actually hosts six different U20 World Junior Championships annually. In 2023, 42 countries will compete in IIHF U20 World Championship Tournaments: Worlds (in Halifax/Moncton); Division I/Group A (Norway); Division I/Group B (Poland); Division II/Group A (Lithuania); Division II/Group B (Iceland); and Division III (Turkey). Canada has won the top U20 World Championship 19 times and are the defending champions. The Russians (or Soviets) have won gold 13 times, while the rapidly improving Americans and Finns have both won 5 titles, and the Czechs and Swedes have each been champions twice.

Russia has not won the tournament since 2011 and was scheduled to host this year, but the IIHF had the moral courage to ban the country from participating in response to the ongoing and brutal Russian invasion of Ukraine (#SlavaUkraini 🇺🇦). When hosted in Canada as it is this year, the games draw thousands of enthusiastic fans, the Canadian games are sold out, and millions watch on television. When held anywhere else in the world, the junior games mostly attract crowds in the hundreds.  Canadians love watching hockey, and especially the World Juniors. We recognize the game in its purest form. Highly skilled, hardworking, young, amateur players who are proudly representing their country playing a game they love. Coming together only ten days prior to the tournament, many are team captains and skilled players who are used to getting a lot of ice time on their respective junior or college teams, who willingly accept a much different and reduced role to play for their country. They skate every shift at full speed: they hit, they block shots, and they play the game with the heart, will and spirit that sets them apart as Canadians. Away from home at Christmas, these teenagers also face incredible pressure as the expectation for Team Canada is to win gold, always.

 

Hockey fans also appreciate the tremendous speed and talent of the American and European players. All of the games are fast, skilled and very physical but fighting and undisciplined play are unwelcome. Over the years, we have gotten a glimpse of international stars as teenagers, just before their rise to professional prominence. Brilliantly skilled players like Pavel Bure, Alexander Ovechkin, Auston Matthews, Trevor Zegras, Jaromir Jagr, Peter Forsberg, Mikko Rantanen, and Leon Draisaitl. However, not every World Junior tournament player is destined for the National Hockey League, and many do not go on to enjoy prominent careers as professional hockey players. Yet we still love to watch because seeing these young, amateur athletes play with incredible heart and passion while representing their countries is compelling, and often inspirational.

Joyous hockey fans celebrating a Team Canada victory. 

 

As in all sports, training and coaching have advanced incredibly over the years and the top hockey nations can match Canada in terms of skating, skill, and preparation. They know that if they play the perfect game, Canada can be defeated. They also know that if they get a lead, Canada will fight back until the final buzzer. Structure and systems are important, but hockey is a free-flowing game, and if you play together with heart, passion, and spirit, you can succeed. This is what separates Canada, still.

 

While I hope the Canadian juniors recapture gold, I look forward to all of the games that begin on Boxing Day. I expect that win or lose, these young athletes will play their hearts out and represent their countries and the sport with humility, pride and class, on and off the ice. This is the culture of hockey.

My dog, Hockey the Labrador. ❤️🇨🇦

*Richard Wagamese's 6th novel was the award-winning Indian Horse. The protagonist, Saul Indian Horse, is sexually assaulted by a teaching priest while living in a Canadian Residential School. Saul's tremendous skills as a hockey player help him temporarily transcend this unimaginable misery. The novel touches on many dark themes in our history. When confronted by peers about playing hockey, Saul takes his time to answer. "It's not a perfect country", he said, "But it's a perfect game."  The novel is well-written, and a powerful and important read.

 

 

Postscript:

Growing up with the game is my bias, and hockey is just a game. At the same time, my experiences provide some capacity to comment on the culture of hockey. Our Dad was an executive in amateur hockey for 30 years and his work emblematic of the efforts of most leaders in the sport. Against considerable resistance, he worked to eliminate stick violence and brawls once common in the game as he believed they were driving many kids away. He also focused his leadership on promoting a grass roots philosophy of 'learning the skills and having fun' and on strengthening the nexus between education and hockey. As a volunteer, he served as the president of the PCAHA and BCAHA (now BC Hockey) and was on the Board of Directors at the CAHA (merged with Hockey Canada in 1994). He was the founder and GM of a successful junior hockey franchise and president of the BC Junior Hockey league (BCHL) at the time of his death in 1991. While not talented enough to represent Canada or have a career playing, I had the good fortune to play Junior A and university hockey and for a few seasons overseas in the late 1970s and 1980s. Teammates and friends played in the WHL, NCAA, professionally in North America and Europe and in Spengler Cups and the Olympics. I later coached the game for many years and observed my son's hockey experiences in junior and college (he graduated in 2019). I spent thousands of hours in rinks, dressing rooms, buses, planes, hotel rooms and on road trips. I am a reflective person and acknowledge that people process the same experiences differently. I have also discussed the current firestorm with many former teammates. We are of the mind that while hockey was imperfect at times, we never once heard nor saw any "toxic culture of sexual assault" in the game. The overwhelming majority of experiences we had and good people we met in hockey enriched our lives and we feel grateful and fortunate. We also agree that the sport must continue to evolve, grow, and improve and that coaching and leadership must model integrity and respect, always. 

 

The greatest threat to the game of hockey in Canada is rising costs. Equipment, skates, sticks, and registration expenses are high. The increasing pressure on parents to pay for private training, skating and skills lessons, spring and summer leagues, and 'elite' or 'academy' hockey has become problematic. Skyrocketing costs will prohibit many kids from ever playing the game and this will be a loss for Canada. Hockey is for everyone is an important campaign - the fine print should not be 'so long as you can afford it'.

 

Bah Humbug

(idiom: an expression used when someone does not approve of or enjoy something that other people enjoy).

December is a hectic time of year. In schools, teachers are busy finishing units and students will have several due dates to meet before the winter break. In many areas of the world, December is also the holiday season, and this can add layers of excitement, joy, and stress. Most Canadian schools organize celebrations that may include concerts, school-wide fundraising and food drives, pancake breakfasts or luncheons and holiday dress-up or spirit days. In many schools, these annual, fun, and optional celebrations have been organized for decades, and are touted as important community-builders, but are they out of touch? Recently, there has been some debate about whether public schools should scale down or eliminate these activities and exclude words like “Christmas” and “Santa” altogether.

Healthy public education is both secular and inclusive. Our public schools should reflect our diverse, multicultural communities and work thoughtfully to be sure every child sees themselves in what is taught, highlighted and celebrated. In 2019, Abacus Data reported that 87% of Canadians celebrate Christmas. An increasing number participate in Christmas as a secular event rather than a religious holiday, and 8 in 10 Canadians responded that they will decorate their homes for the holiday. Public schools should not have nativity displays nor promote religion, but it seems simplistic to ban Santa in a society where the great majority will participate in this ubiquitous ‘holiday season’. It also seems worthwhile to highlight the universal themes of helping those less fortunate, being thoughtful and giving, spending time with friends and family, and sharing a meal together. 

Recognizing and celebrating our diversity are very important, and strengthening the Canadian mosaic should be an additive process. This is unlikely to be accomplished by eliminating traditions and celebrations important to many Canadians. First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples have long hosted feasts, dances and ceremonies around Winter Solstice, and many Indigenous communities have fused these with Christmas celebrations. We should also understand that when people gather around a fire, or beside a decorated evergreen tree, holly and mistletoe; enjoy a winter feast and merriment, and participate in gift giving, they are taking part in pagan Yule traditions that stretch back thousands of years — long before the story of Christianity. Our schools must continue to teach and increase visibility for Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, Yom Kippur, Lunar or Chinese New Year, Black History Month, Ramadan, Eid al-Adha, Diwali, Vaisakhi, National Indigenous Peoples Day and other cultural celebrations connected to the local community. We should also understand that several are deeply connected to different faiths. All are important to help us understand, include and unite Canadians and strengthen our sense of community. While examining traditions is a very healthy exercise, not allowing a Christmas tree and Santa Claus seems misguided. This too is us.

Season’s Greetings. Happy Holidays. Happy Quviasukvik. Happy Yule. Merry Christmas. Chag Sameach. Happy Kwanzaa. Happy New Year!

p.s. Spoiler alert - Santa is not real, but has survived a few hundred years as an idea. Santa Claus is a blend of pre-Christian paganism, Christian influence and a whole lot of modern, secular myth-making. Santa was influenced by the Norse god Odin from 2 BCE. A wise, white-bearded spirit who flew the skies on an 8-legged steed with sleigh. Crafty, gift making elves were also prominent in Norse mythology. Later, 4th century folklore traditions revered Saint Nicholas from Greece. Nicholas was known for his generous gifts to the poor. In the late 1700s in the Netherlands and other nations, Sinterklaas placed sweets and small gifts in children's shoes on December 6. Different names, iterations, dates and traditions can be found around the world. Thanks to the creative interpretations of many 19th and 20th century authors, poets, artists and marketing specialists, in North America Santa has morphed into a jolly old elf in a red suit who lives at the North Pole and brings presents to all the world’s children, while filled with mirth and “laughing all the way”. The latter not a bad way to approach life in our world today.

p.p.s. School communities are different and context is important. The conversations about and planning of school events should ideally include a widely representative group of students, staff and parents. Whether 'Breakfast with Santa', 'Chinese New Year', 'K-Pop contest' or a 'Baisakhi Bhangra Festival', everyone should feel welcome, and all make us better.

Movember

With time on my hands, growing a ridiculous looking moustache for Movember seemed like something fun to do. My son was generous enough to join me. I have participated in the past and am vaguely aware that Movember was started by a couple of Australians 20 years ago as a bit of a lark to see if they could make the moustache popular again. The month-long campaign each November is now active across 23 countries including Canada, and has funded over 1,250 men’s health projects. The charity is focused on raising awareness, programming, and financial support for prostate and testicular cancers, parenting and how to be a better dad, and mental health and suicide prevention. 

We live in a time where some may question an initiative designed solely to support men’s health. The facts are that men are less likely to be informed and seek help for health-related issues. Research reveals large gender disparities in health status, with men at higher risk for morbidity and mortality. As with all studies, it is difficult to pinpoint causation, but greater engagement in risky behaviours and decreased use of preventative health care services are higher amongst men. Most societies and cultures still hold traditional beliefs on male gender roles and masculine norms. Men use less preventive health-care services and do not seek immediate treatment for many health problems. Resilience and inner strength are admirable qualities, but not scheduling regular medical check-ups and screenings or denying mental health concerns are neither stoic nor manly, and they can be deadly.

Men are less likely than women to be diagnosed with any of the most common mental health disorders, and those who have received a diagnosis are less likely to seek treatment. Yet nearly four times as many men as women die by suicide. Globally, one man dies by suicide every minute of the day. In Canada, 3 out of 4 suicides (80% in the US) are by men. From 2016 to 2022, over 10,000 people have died from illicit drug toxicity in B.C., and the vast majority (78%) have been men. Movember looks at mental health through a male lens, focusing on prevention, early intervention, and health promotion. While we have come a long way in recent years, hiding anxiety or depressive symptoms are not uncommon. Ongoing mental health education and support are critical to erode the stigma. We all have mental health, and we need to talk about it – and to really listen.

My son is strong and healthy. He is a good man - honest, kind, reliable and lives with integrity and love in his heart. He also works in a complex and demanding profession and grew up in a home with some traditional ideas on what it means to be a good man. It is my hope that he sees his doctor regularly and always feels safe enough and loved enough to talk about and take care of his physical, emotional, and mental health and that he encourages others in his life to do the same.

Moustache or not, a good way to celebrate Movember is by checking in with the people you love, and with yourself. 

Cheers. 🍻

 

 

Do You Remember...September...🎶

Fluttering leaves and the arrival of cooler nights are a sure sign the unhurried days of summer are fading and the busyness of fall is looming. This changing of the seasons also signals the start of a new school year. For many thousands of kids, parents, teachers, school and district staff and principals and vice principals, the beginning of September brings a range of emotions. Indeed, I suspect that for most people, the arrival of fall brings memories of their school days – whether it was elementary, high school or university. Does 'back to school' conjure up feelings of stress and anxiety or hopefulness and happiness? As educators and school communities, are we committed to creating the conditions for the latter?

How many of us would like a ‘fresh start’ in life? In a relationship, a career move, or a chance to reconsider a significant life decision or choice? September brings this for young people. Students get to begin again – new classes, new teachers and new goals. An authentic opportunity to reset and restart. In the first weeks of school, hallways are typically empty several minutes before the start of class. Students arrive early, excited to connect with classmates new and old, and their teachers, and they are curious about new learning. Whether you are beginning your first year in a role or you’re into your third decade as an educator, be mindful of the possibilities of a new year. While you may have lost count of how many times you have welcomed a group or taught a particular course or grade, for the people in front of you, it is an important first impression. Are you offering hope? Are you communicating a message of "you can do this, and I will help"? As a school community, how can you defeat the drudgery and discouragement sometimes created by repetitive routines and constant due dates or meetings? Do the defined structures and sameness built into a typical school day erode this excitement – in students and in educators? How might you sustain the optimism and curiosity so alive at the start of the term for an entire year?

While Labour Day often ended in a fitful night of sleep, I was always energized by the start of a school year. Despite enrolment uncertainties, unfilled postings and the hecticness of getting a large organization and community up and running smoothly, a new school year offers possibilities for positive change. Look forward to the ‘welcome back’ staff gatherings and student assemblies and do your best to greet everyone with excitement, enthusiasm and passion. Be aware that for some staff and students, back to school brings angst and uneasiness. I encourage all educators to be mindful of this trepidation, and focus on building relationships first. Highlight the joy, potential and possibilities in welcoming students to a new start, and work every day to sustain the 'new beginning' hopefulness all year. 

*****

P.S. - the title of this post may remind you of the classic Earth, Wind & Fire song "September" from 1978.  Revisit this happy and hopeful tune by clicking here. 

Leaders are the Weather

“Life is a shit storm, in which art is our only umbrella.” 

From a character in the work of Mario Vargas Llosa, recipient of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2010. Perhaps we can replace 'art' with 'emotional intelligence' or 'calm leadership'?

The back-to-school busyness of enrolling new classes, handling hectic hallways and confronting crammed calendars can be unnerving under normal circumstances. Add in the range of emotions triggered by societal unrest and polarization, personal restrictions, vaccination rates, face masks and rising case numbers and life can seem overwhelming. Students, parents, teachers, support staff, and school and district leaders are dealing with myriad challenges caused by COVID-19 while trying to balance the safety of their school communities with their personal wellness and the health of their families and loved ones. After 20 months, we are coming to terms with the reality that some aspects of the pandemic may never really end, and we'll just get better at living with this disease. Alas, prolonged uncertainty and feeling out of control are not easy. 

Leadership is especially crucial in times of great change or crisis. In this extraordinary context, what is it that we need from our leaders, and is this entirely someone else’s responsibility? While acknowledging the realities and disquietude of the times, the importance of modeling emotional self-regulation is critical. Certainly leaders need to be thoughtful and competent, but more importantly, they need to be self-aware and calm. They are the weather. How they respond and react does influence others - it has a contagion effect. Are we offering hope to those around us? 

Hope has often been misunderstood and underestimated as a potentially powerful human capacity. Traditionally, hope has too often been dismissed as a whimsical and abstract concept that could not be well defined, let alone measured, developed, and applied to the workplace. However, the recent emergence of positive psychology and positive organizational behavior has now clearly shown that hope is a strength that has many important implications for today's embattled organizations- both in terms of effective leadership and employee retention and performance. The purpose is to… define hope as an important strength in positive organizational behavior and authentic leadership, but to also propose that hopeful leaders can have a contagion effect on the resiliency of employees and organizations undergoing traumatic change.

In a healthy organization, everyone is a leader and this is especially true of schools. The pandemic has illuminated the fact that academic growth and mental wellness are interdependent and that educators must be mindful of the social and emotional aspects of each student’s reality. Students too are wrestling with the anxiety of an uncertain future, and the ethos or 'culture' of a school is highly influenced by how students and staff interact with each other. Teachers are the weather in their classrooms. Students need teachers and adults who find the strength to model calmness and lead with patience, empathy and compassion.

Caring relationships are the heart of every great teacher’s classroom; they are the foundation of every healthy school; and they are the glue of strong families. Perhaps this starts with the relationship we have with ourselves - our self-awareness and our capacity to self-regulate, because regardless of our role, we are the weather. Am I a lightning rod for negativity and angst or an umbrella and a ray of light?

Image from Wallpaper Flare

Quote taken from "The Proposed Contagion Effect of Hopeful Leaders on the Resiliency of Employees and Organizations." by Steve Norman, Brett Luthans, Kyle Luthans (2005). Note - there is research that shows the 'contagion effect' can also flow from employees/followers to leaders. Emotions are contagious.

p.s. My daughter is a nurse and she reminded me that no one can continue to pour from an empty cup. Take care of yourself and know what fills you up. You can be realistic, and calm. Offer gratitude and hope to others. Oh, and get vaccinated.