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"Do you ever see him?" John Tory, a resident of 1 Bedford who also happens to run the city, is seen every once in a while coming home from an evening event. Invariably, that's the question I get when people find out that I live in the same building as the mayor, the fella who is Toronto's Dad-in-Chief.

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There is neither scientific evidence that grey seals are impacting salmon stocks, nor anything to indicate that a seal cull would improve salmon recovery. In fact, scientists warn that killing off top predators such as seals could make the situation worse, resulting in unexpected and undesired consequences on salmon and other species.

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In the past few days, business leaders across the U.S. have spoken out against President Trump's executive order on immigration. Indeed, the business case for diversity is compelling. Having different opinions at the table is critical for innovation in the information age.

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So, you've decided to buy a new condo. Take note of what you want in your new condo, and then determine who can deliver. Buying a home is probably the biggest financial commitment you'll make in your lifetime. Do your due diligence to ensure you're making a smart investment.

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Nothing is more sacred than that which provides life and health: clean air, safe water, healthy soil, photosynthesis. Yet damaging natural systems on which those conditions depend is seen as irrelevant, external to economic considerations.

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If ever there was a time to take a Canadian stay-cation and explore the Great White North, 2017 is it. From coast-to-coast Canadians will be celebrating Canada's sesquicentennial -- a grand party for our nation's 150th. And what better place to mark the celebration than in the great outdoors?

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On the food and income front, 2017 can provide great opportunities to build on the progress we made last year -- from growing support for a basic income, to the announcement of a healthy eating strategy and poverty reduction strategies.

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There are currently 150 million tonnes of plastic debris floating in the world's oceans. Most of it takes centuries to break down. Thousands of large animals -- such as turtles and birds -- die every year from indigestible plastic debris in the ocean. Millions of other sea creatures suffer when they consume plastic.

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We cannot allow indifference or silence to normalize the language of intolerance in political discourse. I, for one, do not want the next generation of politicians to have to apologize for injustices that I have the ability to prevent.

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The framework is both comprehensive and ambitious, but will it work in time for Canada to meet its Paris commitment of a 30 per cent reduction in greenhouse gases by 2030? To answer this question, we need to look more closely at some of the key elements of the framework.

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This does not mean that you need to spend the next 40-something weeks on the couch, elbow-deep in a bag of chips. There are plenty of ways to reignite your resolutions and have year-end success.

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One frontline in the battle over facts is playing out in the public arena of Wikipedia, where history is catalogued in real-time and where each of us have the opportunity to act as historians, contributing to editorial decisions. But what happens when government officials take to the web to edit this public resource? And what are the implications of allowing elected officials and bureaucrats to shape the narrative -- often without the knowledge of the public?

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Through becoming a tourist in my own hometown, I discovered green spaces, museums, galleries, restaurants and attractions I never knew existed.

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As his first act in office, Donald Trump signed an executive order, taking the first step to repeal the Affordable Care Act. With the stroke of a pen, 20 million Americans may soon find themselves without health insurance.

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Things move at such a drunken, furious pace in the social media world that Trump's own press secretary cited this tragedy as proof that a ban on Muslim countries was sensible. Of course, this was still when a witness was being reported as the suspect. And by "suspect" I mean "guilty terrorist," naturally. Only, in reality, he was the hero who called law enforcement. It's an unfortunate distinction for those of you who enjoy being the first to post BREAKING NEWS as your statuses, I know. But here we are.

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From 1990 to the present, cuts to our aid budget were triple that of domestic programs in percentage terms. Given that aid accounts for a mere two per cent of total spending, this was nickel-and-diming the poor was downright unconscionable. We now spend a miserly 0.26 per cent of Gross National Income (GNI) on aid.

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It does indeed take time to integrate newcomers. It's not easy to help them find work and teach them a new language, but surely we can be more welcoming.

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When it comes to countering radicalization, Canadian policy has a different problem. While the U.S. is pursuing a response to radicalization which actually feeds the problem it is supposed to be addressing, the Canadian response of late has been to effectively deny the reality of the conflict that we are in.

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We have long maintained a sense of pride in being pro immigrant, refugee friendly, and a safe haven for all. This act of terrorism proved without a doubt that this is not the case. Instances of Islamophobia, racism, and anti-immigrant sentiment have been present in Canadian society for longer than most would like to admit.

Heather Mallick's latest column on how new Canadians can learn to like it here falls short. If she really thinks all it takes to make immigrants feel at home in Canada is a conversation with a pharmacist at a Shoppers Drug Mart or getting lost at a Canadian Tire franchise, perhaps she is living in a bubble.

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Canadians cannot support dissent against Trump without supporting dissent here, especially when it makes you uncomfortable. If Black Lives Matter or Idle No More, leave you feeling defensive, ask yourself why? Seek out voices from underrepresented communities and listen to what they have to say.