Part Three In the two previous editions of the Arc, I have been writing about the recent history of Western global dominance, about reactions to that past, and what it reveals about human consciousness expressed in culture. Two main authors are my resource for conversation about culture and consciousness in evolution: Robert...

By John Quiggin, professor of Economics at Queensland University in Brisbane, for Aeon Climate change, caused by human activity, is arguably the biggest single problem facing the world today, and it is deeply entangled with the question of how to lift billions of people out of poverty without destroying the global environment...

By Clifton Mark, for Aeon; edited by Nigel Warburton ‘We are true to our creed when a little girl born into the bleakest poverty knows that she has the same chance to succeed as anybody else …’ Barack Obama, inaugural address, 2013  ‘We must create a level playing field for American companies and workers.’ Donald Trump,...

Last Wednesday we heard riveting testimony from former Attorney General Jody Wilson-Raybould on her account of events in the SNC-Lavalin story.  This is a long and sordid tale of corruption both abroad and here in Canada. As the SNC-Lavalin scandal rolls out, I’m reminded of Tommy Douglas’ political fable “Mouseland”. In it,...

In the most-recent column, I opened questions of the history of the West, its historic global dominance, non-westerners reactions to that past, and the present geopolitical world of Western, First-World primacy. I also delved into the meaning of our history in terms of human cognitive and cultural evolution. My expertise is...

Volunteers – please take a bow.  We honour you, and we’re grateful for all your help.  Collectively, you do such a huge amount of good for people in your communities.    Our communities rely heavily on volunteers for so much that makes our hometowns great places to live.  Service clubs, Fall Fair, Winter Carnival, our arts ...

Energy is inextricably linked to a range of community issues, from health to housing. That was one message that emerged from a four-day gathering in Calgary of more than 200 young Indigenous leaders from every province and territory, organized by Disa Crow Chief of the Siksika Nation and Cory Beaver of the Stoney Nakoda Nation....

Skiers accessing Cutblock Peak and environs:  please contain your irritation about the logging operation there that is inconveniencing you – it won’t be there for much longer.  Please stay well clear of the logging -- and please do not park on the logging road, or try to ignore the logging operations.  Here’s why: First, let’s...

B.C.'s NDP is now doing precisely what it criticizes the Liberals for doing — manufacturing a need for power while pushing forward with a project that produces energy that can’t be sold for even close to the price it will cost to produce it. By Sarah Cox, for The Narwhal Of all the years of political spin to...

A re-visioning of old habits Today I am trying to explore an old habit of my judgement, with regard to an historical fact I have long attempted to assimilate to a personal sense of justice. The West has dominated the world for 400 years, and practically ruled it for a century from about 1850 t0 1950. The rest of the world...