By Darren Lum When my father came to this country at 15 with a duffle bag of clothes and a hope for a brighter future he knew little about Canada. He just knew it was…
Wearing a mask is not political
By Darren Lum When it comes to mask wearing, I may continue to do it, particularly for indoor settings with lots of people around me. It’s not to make a political statement nor is it…
Why the bias?
Walking down an icy sidewalk of Highland Street before the sander has been out this week reminded me about the importance of what we choose to pay attention to and what we take for granted.It’s…
Purpose
By Darren Lum Waking up everyday is a lot easier when there is a purpose.The road becomes clear. The frustrations become tolerable. The challenges become manageable.It’s the proverbial light on the horizon, which cuts an…
Control is about perception
What is control?I typically don’t start anything I write for the newspaper with a question. I can count on my single hand the amount of times that has been the case in my near 20…
Editorial resonates
To the Editor, Thank you for your excellent editorial Remember what’s good – just what we need to hear in these dark days as we all tire of two years of lock downs. . You…
Remember what’s good
Love. A four letter word. Simple in construction, but complicated to process when it’s gone.It’s been central to art. It’s launched a thousand ships. It’s been at the heart of Wordle – a very popular…
Protesting is a freedom
By Darren Lum There was a certain level of anxiety that I felt after seeing footage of angry protesters waving Canadian Flags with the “Freedom Convoy” at Parliament Hill.It wasn’t because they were protesting, but…
Harness the power of belief for a better…
By Darren Lum The new year brings optimism.I have a dream when there will be better days ahead.It’s a fitting sentiment for this time in our lives with so much uncertainty.Art Ward, a Rotarian with…
‘Tis the season to show you care
By Darren Lum We’ve all endured and lost so much this year.There’s a strangeness to seeing someone one day and learning about that same person dying not long after. It’s bittersweet to know you were…
Connection is the strength we all need
By Darren Lum As the winds wailed outside the Club Room at the Royal Canadian Legion in Haliburton, Essonville Hank belted out a tune of his own making about life here in Haliburton. He was…
We’re in this together
By Darren Lum The heated debate at Haliburton County council recently regarding vaccinations is a clear indication the province needs to take charge when it comes to vaccination mandates.We’ve seen the past few years how…
Courtesy or tyranny?
By Katrina Boguski Earlier this month, Dmitry Andreyevich Muratov and Maria Ressa won the Nobel Peace Prize. They shared the honour, “for their efforts to safeguard freedom of expression, which is a precondition for democracy…
Time to stock up on the goods
By Katrina Boguski The squirrels and chipmunks in my yard have been stocking up for some time already, stashing food originally intended for birds. I would be tempted to scold them for their thieving antics,…
The lost art of handwritten communication
By Katrina Boguski Last week, driving through downtown Haliburton the number of impressive signs on the local storefronts made me think about a man who made his living painting signs by hand.His name is Maurice…
Hiking at Barnum
By Jenn Watt Many of my Saturdays of late have been spent on the trail, crunching through fallen maple leaves, trundling up ridges, and breathing in the fresh breeze that flows across the open field.…
Acts of Remembrance
By Jenn Watt Remembrance Day in Haliburton County is taken seriously. Poppies over hearts, residents not only take a moment to think of those have served, they participate in the ceremonies each year. On Nov.…
Health costs
By Jenn Watt Since March we’ve been relying on our health-care professionals to be there for our community as we confronted the new public health threat of COVID-19. We expected that they would do the…