THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson

One thing stands out when reading about Jane Fonda, who visited the Fort McMurray region this week. She seems, sometimes at least, to learn from her mistakes. Let's face it; in the world of superficial Hollywood activism populated by the likes of Leo DiCaprio and Daryl Hannah, self-awareness seems to shut down as soon as the director yells "cut."

Chris Wattie / Reuters

Trudeau's inner circle/PMO is mainly responsible for the mess he faces. His PMO team requires strengthening, whether by addition or subtraction. It certainly needs overhauling substantially, if not fully.

BrianAJackson via Getty Images

The most basic economic principle is, when there is a rise in demand, the invisible force of supply will kick in, and this is how economic growth is generated. For those who want to blame the housing crisis on immigrants, let's think about how our economy would look like if B.C. or Canada did not have the intake and growth brought by immigrants.

Juanmonino via Getty Images

There is no cure for autism, but we've had solid peer-reviewed evidence for decades that Intensive Behaviour Intervention (IBI) based on the principles of Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) can have a dramatic impact on the development of kids with autism. Unfortunately, the treatment is not covered by medicare across the country.

Hinterhaus Productions via Getty Images

From climate change to public debt, it is the first time a young generation has established powerful consensus around inter-generational issues. Never before has a generation been so connected and self-organized, yet mired in such anguishing asymmetry with older generations of leadership and global decision-making.

mapodile via Getty Images

The biggest challenge most of us have with mental health days is choosing when to take them and then wrestling with the resulting guilt. If arranged in advance to avoid disruption to your team and clients, a mental health day -- taken once every quarter -- is not going to stall your career. It could actually energize it.

Venturelli via Getty Images

If we go a little deeper and break down the components of this speech, we can see that it's the STRUCTURE of this speech that allows it to flow so well, that connects with the audience, and that leaves its audience with a clear call-to-action, and a sense of hope over the mostly bleak picture that she paints.

karamysh via Getty Images

Prospective homebuyers face a growing list of challenges -- from skyrocketing prices in Vancouver and Toronto, to soft conditions in Alberta, to another round of mortgage rule changes. But there are some good reasons 2017 is still a good year to buy a home in Canada.

Hero Images via Getty Images

Forest policy in B.C. is set by the provincial government, and there's an election in May. Neither the government nor the Official Opposition has called for a ban on old-growth logging. This puts them offside with citizens, businesses and municipal governments. The excuse they make is that they can't oppose any logging practice because we need to protect forestry jobs.

Miho Aikawa via Getty Images

New Year's often brings about resolutions to lose weight, eat healthy, or spend more time with family. But for new parents, those resolutions may not hit the mark. New parents are tired, overwhelmed, and may feel isolated. These resolutions are perfect for families, whether your bundle of joy arrived before the ball dropped, or is coming your way sometime in 2017.

Imgorthand via Getty Images

I don't want to dwell on the past or on my divorce. I only want to look ahead. I'm grateful that things worked out as they did, even though it's been hard. I hope my kids will be resilient because of this. I hope they will realize how strong they are. How lucky they still are to have two parents who love them very much, even if their parents no longer love one another.

kzenon via Getty Images

Being clean and smelling great should never mean using manufactured, toxic substances that you will inhale and absorb. If you insist on wearing a scent or scenting a space, please consider these ways to smell fresh while going fragrance-free.

UNICEF

Early childhood provides an opportunity to offer nutrition, protection and the stimulation that comes with play to vulnerable children. But far too many children in the world are denied the right to adequate nutrition, protection and the stimulation that comes from talk, play and responsive attention from caregivers.

MaxRiesgo via Getty Images

If you are anything like me, (and you probably are because I read like one article on the success rate of New Year's resolutions and it was very dismal, like don't even bother reading the research because I think we all know in our hearts what it says and it's just going to make you feel worse) then join me in participating in these "Easily Attainable and totally realistic New Year's resolutions for People who already fucked up but still want something to brag about on Social Media!"

BrianAJackson via Getty Images

Sparking such dialogue on a range of topics including more intricate and positive aspects of sexuality -- gender, sexual diversity, knowing your body, consent, respect, open communication, pleasure, mutuality, and the feeling of being loved, to name a few -- may not only be important in lowering sexual risk but also maximizing sexual rewards.

Chris Wattie / Reuters

This year is Canada's 150th birthday, and Justin Trudeau does not want you to forget it. Actually, he's counting on you to never, ever forget. Instead of focusing on the economy, or health care initiatives, or explanations for ongoing scandals, we are about to be inundated with Canadiana. Harper lost the election, but he passed the sesquicentennial baton to a new prime minister all too willing to use the celebration as part of his arsenal of image, branding and photo ops.

Joshua M. Ferguson.

We need each other. We need these connections to survive and we need to talk about mental illness to share light and hope. We need to stop stigmatizing mental illness. We need to survive mental illness. You need to survive it. You have to keep moving. Keep fighting. Keep dreaming.

CP

Winter has come to Mayor Gregor Robertson's Vancouver. And the city's lack of preparation has become its own sort of George R.R. Martin epic. The land is frozen under a thick layer of snow and ice. Travel has become treacherous. Hundreds swarmed local fire halls like white walkers, trying to get some free salt.

Theresa Albert

I sold my house in Toronto, split the proceeds with my ex, kissed all my best friends, social network, work contacts, family and cozy life goodbye. I bought a bed and breakfast two hours away.

Dave Hawkins

These 10 stories from Canada and around the world show how communities, governments and organizations are providing solutions that are reversing the loss of biodiversity and the ecological services that nature provides.

chinaface via Getty Images

We often think of resilience as a manifestation of the human spirit's ability to survive the unfathomable -- those grand disasters and tragedies that populate news headlines and our social media feeds. It's as though we don't believe resilience could possible be at play in the midst of our own "mundane" life.