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Here's my take: dispensary owners have tirelessly fought for many years for more liberalized cannabis laws. They've even racked up hefty legal bills while pleading their case to the highest court in the land. Ultimately, they've helped pave the way for the mainstreaming of medical marijuana, which has mainly benefitted "Big Business", a.k.a. LPs. So dispensaries also deserve to be accommodated when legalization finally arrives -- but with conditions.

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For 22 years, Canada's federal governments have not properly assessed their own budgets and policies to ensure their decisions help both women and men, and do not further widen gender inequality. The aim should be to reduce it.

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The North American sleep industry is being turned on its head. Traditional brick-and-mortar coil mattress bed stores now compete with a growing online mattress trend driven by sleepers who research their buying decisions and make purchases based on social media and online reviews, and not by awkward 15-second lie-downs on bare mattresses in public.

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After more than a decade of fighting the project at community rallies, shareholder meetings and in the courts, Northern Gateway is finally dead. The fight against Enbridge was about upholding our own indigenous laws to protect the lands and waters that we all rely on, and we knew that this work was bigger than any pipeline. But our work is not over because countless First Nations, local governments and individuals impacted by Trans Mountain supported us in our fight against Northern Gateway, and we must continue to show our gratitude and support for them.

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Two major studies in the US have found that the states which have cannabis dispensaries have much lower rates of opioid use and deaths. This makes sense, because cannabis is often used as a pain reliever, just like opioids are. When people have easy access to a safer pain-reliever, cannabis, they are less likely to use the more risky one, opioids.

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While many Canadians look at the politics in the U.S. with confusion and frustration, a more informed reading of our Canadian context highlights our reality may be heading in a similar direction. Silence by the political centre can lead us down the same road as our neighbours south of the border.

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The relatively new federal government has pledged to work with all indigenous groups. The prime minister has mandated each of his ministers to improve relationships between the government and indigenous peoples. Up until now, we have not heard much from them. By them not reaching out to us or acknowledging our losses, we feel those mandate letters are just platitudes. We're used to that.

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The connection between children's sleep and their overall brain health is undeniable. Without the requisite 10 to 12 hours of sleep recommended by The Canadian Pediatric Society (most children are getting only nine), schoolchildren aren't just facing a cranky day -- if the problem continues long-term, their development is at risk. Their brains will lack the rest needed to grow optimally, their insulin levels and metabolism may become imbalanced, and their immune functions can become compromised.

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Ezra is not an anti-Semite. So what, then, is he doing keeping the likes of Gavin McInnes on the payroll? What is the truth about alt-Right heroine Lauren Southern and her speedy departure? Is Rebel Media so free-speechy that it will now give an uncritical platform to Holocaust denier rhetoric?

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As I got older -- I played different games. They helped me learn to solve complex puzzles, have someone to connect with and talk to through the game's chat, and created a community that allowed me to be myself. Of course -- like with every community -- there were bullies, predators, and all around terrible people. But you can find them, block them and keep going.

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David Suzuki's vision of shutting down immigration and Bill Morneau's advisers' call for a massive spike in population are two extreme ends of an argument that Canada is having, seemingly without knowing that it's having it.

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I know no one wants to think they could ever be a victim of fraud however the reality is thousands of Canadians lost more than 10 million dollars to identity fraud in 2014 and authorities say this figure is on the rise year after year. The sad thing is some Canadians do not even know they are the victim of fraud until something extreme happens.

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Muslims are united by religious identity but are diverse in terms of beliefs and practices. The manner of prayer, dietary restrictions, sexual ethics etc. differ on the basis of the school of jurisprudence. There are multiple intersections that lead to wondrous differences.

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Food banks see clients facing these challenges every day, and have responded with innovative programming that not only increases access to healthy food, but turns it into an opportunity to build community. Within the OAFB network, there are food banks in all corners of the province that offer innovative, healthy food options to clients. Here are just a few.

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This is not a phenomenon that is exclusively occurring within the borders of our neighbour to the south. As Canadian media is undeniably shaped by American broadcasters, our news coverage has come to reflect this disorder. In our daily news publication, we work tirelessly to balance Canadian coverage with American and other world happenings.

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Most Canadians have never been to the North, much less the remote Peel watershed, but many are enchanted by it, nourished even by the idea that we still have vast, unspoiled natural areas where wildlife and biodiversity continue to evade the touch of humankind. Places like the Peel are becoming increasingly rare as humans -- the most demanding species ever to live -- continue to erode the intact wilderness on which we depend for clean air, water and food.

World Vision

For many of us, Syrian children have become representatives of displacement, hunger and hardship. I know they have for me. I had forgotten that, before the war, Syrian kids had very similar lives to Canadian children. After six years of violence, Syrian children need us to believe in them more than ever. We must to ensure that an entire generation of children with dreams for the future doesn't get lost in the rubble. I have been allowed to grow up in peace into a future that allows me to work for my dreams. Syrian children deserve the same.

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Christy Clark announced recently that IF she is re-elected she will form an "independent panel" to review the current policy in B.C. on political donations and make suggestions on how - or if - they need to change. Please tell me why we should believe that Clark would listen or take action this time?

Micronutrient Initiative

Malnutrition remains one of the most persistent barriers to women's empowerment, with millions of women and girls around the world eating least and last. Such gendered inequalities in nutritional access and opportunity compound the negative and cyclical effects of poverty and undercut development initiatives before they have a chance to succeed.

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My 13-year-old daughter enlightened me to the fact that at least 50 per cent of her peers were involved in sending nude images and videos, and 80 per cent were involved in saving and further distributing them. We need to really start paying attention, have this conversation amongst ourselves and with our children. Stat.

BiteMeMore.com

We're all going green this weekend for St. Patrick's Day! And while it's just a few days away, we're so excited that we're prepping for it a little in advance. St. Patrick's Day is commonly associated with a ton of beer, cocktails and fun-filled parties, so it's no wonder that everyone gathers together to celebrate this holiday!