Carlo Allegri / Reuters

Somewhere in the U.S. today, children will be sobbing because they will never see their Daddy again. Somewhere in the U.S. today, women will be doubled over in grief because their men will never be coming home to them again. Somewhere in the U.S. today, mothers will be weeping the loss of sons. Fathers will lament the loss of their boys. Sisters, and brothers, and aunts, and friends: all will be mourning.

Randy Risling via Getty Images

For 30 minutes they held up a parade born from the outrage over the ignorance, intolerance, bigotry, abuse and hate LGBTQ people have experienced for being who they were born to be. If we learned anything at all, it should be that we remain silent as they speak, compassionate as they cry and outraged as they share.

Andrew Lahodynskyj via Getty Images

I read articles and the comments sections are filled with angry people who think that we are worthless, thankless, and overpaid for an essentially easy job. Truthfully, they are entitled to their opinions, but the actual amount of sheer misinformation surprises me. So allow me, your humble mail carrier, to clarify some things.

CP

I think I'm reasonably well versed in issues surrounding the Energy East Pipeline, both economic and environmental. But I am struck by how, in any official TransCanada communications about environmental implications of the project, climate change is never mentioned.

XXSTRINGERXX xxxxx / Reuters

It's not a Louisiana problem; it's not a Minnesota problem; it's not a Staten Island problem -- it's a national problem that requires national reform of police culture and the criminal justice system itself. Nothing short of that will turn this calamity around.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

I do understand that we have to honour our commitment and we have to take part in global security, but engaging hundreds troops in a Cold War-esque scenario instead of focusing on Canada's main threat, terrorism, is a clear sign of the government foreign policy's alignment with our American ally.

Adrian Wyld/CP

Canadians have a rare and precious opportunity to influence the future functioning of our democracy, both in terms of citizen representation and the balance of power that underpins day-to-day decision-making by our national government. This is a window of opportunity that, if squandered, may not present itself again for years to come.

Ricky John Molloy via Getty Images

The very same birthright that has conditioned me to exceed my dreams can now have me killed. I'm a father of four daughters and a husband, among many other personal and professional responsibilities. I am now earnestly afraid for my life in a way that I have never been in my life previously.

cyano66 via Getty Images

Having an authoritative voice tell you that gluten is the devil -- or that red meat is -- gives you a clear set of rules that makes healthy eating seem less ambiguous. Because when nutrition professionals give advice, we are always preaching moderation and balance.

shutterstock

If our social media profiles can tint in support of Paris, Belgium, and Orlando, then why not change for Turkey, Bangladesh, and Iraq? Innocent lives taken in Turkey airport, and no vigils, or landmarks, but when an attack of similar degree took place in Brussels we did all of the above. I'm often asked why Muslims don't speak out enough, but perhaps this is something we all need to work on.

rasoul ali via Getty Images

Blaming Islam for terrorism is silly as the texts are silent and it is Muslims who speak. This however still does not absolve Muslims of responsibility for internal change to stop those on the cusp of joining terrorists. This means challenging popular speakers who support medieval sharia laws, Caliphates and draconian punishments under Islamic law.

Shutterstock / andre st-louis

Canada remains a collection of 13 regional markets separated by a myriad of competing rules and standards that weakens economic growth by increasing costs and limiting choice for consumers, business and governments. It is astonishing that 28 independent countries can collectively lower the economic barriers between them while Canada has been unable to do so between 13 provinces and territories.

Peter Dazeley via Getty Images

Brexit supporters are said to be xenophobic, ignorant and short-sighted, among other things. It's as if Canadians would never make such a bad decision, the worldly people we think we are. But is that true?

shutterstock

It's really sad when terrorist attacks and other tragic events halt travel to a country, especially because people depend on the tourism industry to make a living -- from restaurants and hotels to travel companies, shops and more. But big and small risks exist everywhere: overseas and at home.

Robert Fogarty

Last week, Canadians came together to celebrate their country's 149th birthday. This week, South Sudan marks five years as an independent nation. Yet for many there is little to celebrate. For half of its brief life, the world's youngest nation has been ripped apart by war, leaving tens of thousands dead.

Mark Blinch / Reuters

I told him that Indigenous people fear the police because of many instances of abuse and the feeling that it was an institution designed to oppress Indigenous people. He told me that wasn't true. I told him their actions say something different. And that was that. It was only a few weeks later, walking with my then girlfriend (and future and present wife) late at night on Adelaide outside her apartment that the cruiser pulled up beside us.

Buda Mendes via Getty Images

You've got beaches. You've got Samba. You've got so much natural beauty. You've got superbacteria. You've got armed robbery. You've got a declared state of financial emergency. Thirty days out from the start of the Olympics, Rio is still beautiful... and a mess.

Brooke Auchincloss via Getty Images

During the school year, my kids learn about a whole spectrum of countries and culture. It seems their world is much broader then, with windows on places from Armenia to Zambia. Yet as the summer passes, I often see my kids' world's shrinking -- particularly since we don't have the budget to travel overseas.

George Pimentel via Getty Images

I speculate that Toronto Fashion Week was unable to secure a key sponsor, which significantly impacted its operating budget. It is a shame that it was unable to secure a new sponsor. Perhaps an alternative sponsor opportunity may come to fruition. Unfortunately, there is another type of funding that is not available.

Jupiterimages via Getty Images

Walking towards the mirror I was sure I had a stray lash or speck of dust in my eye; it was extremely itchy. But my face paled at the sight of my lower eyelid, swollen, red, and throbbing. Next was my lower lip on the same side; the interior buzzing with irritation and puffing up against my teeth.

Khalid Al Mousily / Reuters

Tackling extremism includes tackling its roots. After the heinous crimes perpetrated against Charlie Hebdo in Paris last year, the world united around the adage that read "violence can never silence an idea." It is imperative that this same methodology be applied when challenging extremist ideologies.