Go Go Go Joe? That’s Not So Black and White

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By Jason Menard

Right and wrong are supposed to be easy concepts. There’s supposed to be a clear definition of the two, but as has been illustrated by the allegations — and now charges — against London’s mayor Joe Fontana, various shades only serve to cloud our perceptions.

One would think that there are only two sides to this story: one side thinks that Fontana should temporarily step away from his position until the charges have been dealt with; the other side — including the mayor himself — feels that he’s been given a mandate and should continue in that role while the legal proceedings progress. Continue reading →

A Crisis of Consensus — Lest We Forget

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By Jason Menard

On this day, we remember those who came before us and fought for our way of life — our right to exist as Canadians. It is one day that, regardless of one’s political stripe, we come together as a nation under a common belief — to support our veterans.

And it’s an increasingly rare occurrence in this great nation of ours. Continue reading →

Teachers’ Union Must Remember Our Children Aren’t Bargaining Chips

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By Jason Menard

My daughter is not a bargaining chip.

I admire teachers. I think they have one of the toughest, most-thankless jobs in the world. I think that most of them are good people, trying to do their best while their hands are tied in red tape.

I also know that if teachers decide to withhold extracurricular services to students as part of their protest of Tuesday’s provincial legislative manoeuvers, then they’ll lose any and all sympathy and support that they might have received from me — and, likely, from many other parents just like me.

This is your fight, not my daughter’s. Continue reading →

What Happens in the Board Room Should Stay in the Board Room

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By Jason Menard

When it comes to trying to connect with their audiences, business spokespeople need to paraphrase the old (and somewhat overused) Las Vegas tag line: “Whatever happens in the board room stays in the board room.”

Too many people – and this condition is not the exclusive domain of business types – are afflicted with the belief that using big words makes one sound smarter. There are many insidious reasons for why this started: from the Bullshit Baffles Brains theory to the “We Don’t Want to Tell the Truth, So We’re Going to Spend 15 Minutes Filling the Air with Empty Words” but what’s now happened is that good, solid, hard-working people have contracted this disease. Continue reading →

I’ll Ignore the Boys Crying Wolf and Err on the Side of Our Children

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By Jason Menard

The immediacy and exponential reach of social networks can be a valuable tool when it comes to child abductions. However, false reports, whether posted out of benign ignorance or malicious intent, may put a virtual twist on the Boy Who Cried Wolf story – potentially with tragic results.

Many of us were caught in that web last night when the report of an abducted child began circulating on Facebook and Twitter. St. Thomas, ON police now say the reports were false and, in an interview posted on AM 980’s Web site, Constable Cam Constable decided to chastise social media users for their efforts. Continue reading →