Northern Routes

Is the pandemic an Olympic endurance test?

The 2020 Summer Olympics was held from July 23 to August 8, 2021 in Tokyo. It took a year longer than expected, but the opening ceremonies looked much like any other—athletes from around the world marched in with the flags of their countries and Japanese culture and artistry was on display. Here’s a sample of how Canada performed, and as always, the moments of achievement that make us all proud and verklempt with joy. Andre De Grasse set yet another Canadian record as he ran to the gold medal in the 200-metre final with a time of 19.62 seconds, having already captured the bronze medal in the 100-metre event. Swimming, my fav...

Where there is smoke, is there a fire?

It was late Sunday late afternoon in Sudbury, I was reading a book on my balcony and warm hazy air began wafting over my vista. In the distance I saw grey clouds. The smell of fire began embracing the breeze. Quickly the air became thick and unbreathable, and I felt the onset of a migraine and chest wheeziness. The jet stream had picked up and the effect of forest fires were being felt across Northern Ontario. I had heard about this in the Northwest, in BC, and Alberta but it doesn’t feel real until it hits close to home. Climate change is no small matter. The reports of flash flooding in Europe, devastating scenes of forests being dec...

Summer is here along with my top 10 list of things to do this season!

Aanin, Boozhoo, Tanshi, Kwe Kwe, Bonjour, Hello, With the end of the pandemic in sight, I hope you are ready to get out there and hang with friends and family, soon. Let’s get our second doses and have that long-overdue visit with loved ones! It is time to plan vacations, wriggle your toes in the sand, soak up the sunshine, drink tall cool beverages and barbeque. Summer is one of my favourite times of the year. Here are my top ten ideas for things to do, see, eat and hear this summer: Invent a summer cocktail. Try herbs, muddling citrus fruits and exotic mixes with passion fruit, mango or kiwi fruits. Put an umbrella in it ...