Joshua M. Ferguson 2016

I am a non-binary trans person. Being seen as I am by people is a remarkable feeling, and my grandmother gave this gift to me in the most unexpected moment. My grandmother spent her minute of clarity, while suffering in a state of almost perpetual dementia and physical exhaustion, to give me a beautiful gift of cross-generational respect as a trans person. To see me as I am.

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There's a new trend happening around town and it's one that may be catching on. Consider this my civic duty to spread the word and stop the idiocy of being legislated. That's right -- schools are now trying to tell me what I can and can't put in my kid's lunchbox.

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While our thoughts may focus on the moments in which soldiers have gone to battle to face a known enemy, we tend to forget another kind of foe facing the troops. This one isn't human, however, it's microbial. Indeed, infectious diseases have claimed millions of lives and at times left those who fight in dire straits.

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This practice is indicative of agents treating each other unethically, and is harmful to our entire profession. Agents who choose to cut others out for the sake of greater commission aren't just cheating their seller. I see this as a short-sighted race to the bottom, and a practice that harms us all as real estate professionals.

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If there is someone reading this who is in that dark place of having a plan -- a plan of how they want to exit this life and when they want to exit it. Please wait and listen to me when I tell you that these thoughts are not with you forever. I know they are excruciatingly painful, but they do pass. I promise you they pass. I promise you are worthy, and that you are not alone. You are loved. You are strong. You are beautiful. You are brave.

Stacey Haley

Autism officially entered our lives on June 7th and then again June 14th, 2005. Not only was this new territory -- it was no man's land. Scary quicksand territory. Never before had our parenting skills been put to the test as it was in the latter half of 2005. Not just our skills, but our belief in ourselves as parents.

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During the 80s, there were few memorable Asian female characters in the mainstream media and certainly any Asian male characters on TV were always reduced to the geeky nerd with the thick accent who made a fool of himself. The protagonists from the movies I saw were the opposite of Asian. TV heroes were almost always tall and blond white boys.

With the U.S. election less than a week away, the number of people threatening to migrate north should Donald Trump land in the White House are multiplying. I guess we should feel flattered that our American neighbours consider us a suitable alternative. Yet, I can't help but feel like a jilted lover reduced to sloppy seconds.

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There's nothing like a black girlfriend to cause racism to rear up its ugly head. It isn't surprising that Brits would recoil at the hint of racial impurity infiltrating their blue bloodlines. Cultivating whiteness is, after all, their family business. What's unforgivable is Prince Harry's silence.

Nate Gowdy

Where some see the wholesomeness of a brave people who are watching everything they know and trust vanish, others will see deadened, hardened faces, and toxic Americana.

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Canada is far behind many other countries when it comes to meeting its carbon reduction targets. Canadians probably believe that our major environmental groups are busy lobbying and pushing the federal and provincial governments to do much more. But no, this is not the case.

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The combination of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and CETA gives all European companies, and in fact all foreign companies with a Canadian presence access to a market of nearly one billion consumers and a GDP of over US$35 trillion.

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A balanced growth policy that respects and promotes sustainable development along with supplying more affordable shelter for families will help to ensure that the GTA grows while maintaining its competitive advantage in the global marketplace.

UNICEF Syrian Arab Republic

Almost all of the children who study at this school have fled violence in northern rural Hama over a year ago, and sought refuge in caves and tents that are spread along this rural area. Last year, some of the children living in rural Idleb had an opportunity to catch up on the education they have missed.

PC

Not only are out-of-province donations OK in Brad Wall's Saskatchewan, but so are corporate and union donations. There are no donation limits of any kind, and out-of-country corporate donations are allowed as long as that corporation has a Canadian presence. It really is the Wild West out in Saskatchewan.

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With the federal government acknowledging in its fall update this week that it has no timetable for balancing the budget, it bears repeating that contrary to popular belief, low interest rates do not justify deeper deficits. This is because interest charges are not the only cost associated with a deficit.

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Many people feel that marriage counselling is ineffective, yet it remains the prevailing approach to relationship troubles, even in the majority of situations where psychological problems are not present. It's time to think outside the box.

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Learning a new language can be inspiring, frustrating, infuriating and sometimes downright embarrassing. But there are many good reasons to learn a new language. The more languages we know, the more people we can communicate with. It adds depth to our creativity. Best of all, it helps build overall self-confidence.

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Toronto Police Muslim chaplain Musleh Khan said that a woman should be "obedient" to her husband at all times. The message it sends to victims of abuse interferes with the ability of police to encourage women - particularly Muslim women- to tell police their story.

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Climate change is no longer a suspected diagnosis. It's a health emergency that is already causing systemic damage to the health and well-being of many around the world. Consequences reach beyond borders: climate-related drought and crop failure has been implicated as an exacerbating factor in the conflict in Syria. So what does it mean for Canada?

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It felt like a lovely bit of serendipity that Mila Kunis released an inspiring piece about pushing back against misogyny in the entertainment business, and shortly afterwards, inspiring new visuals for the Wonder Woman movie were released. Women are taking a stand, on the screen and in real life.