What if an Aboriginal mindset governed Canada?

  The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada is coming to my city next month.  Next week its in neighbouring towns.  It’s making the rounds on Vancouver Island.  It’s on a long journey. Why is it here? In the Commission’s own words, For over 100 years in Canada, Aboriginal children were removed from their families […]

Cooking, Faith and Community Building in Victoria

Do not rub your eyes after chopping a bunch of green chilli peppers.  For me, this learning opportunity took place at a recent cooking class and cultural event that I attended, hosted by the Hindu faith community.  Not only did I learn a better way to work with chillies (rub your hands with cooking oil […]

Get ready for Twitter chat #6 for ADR Professionals: February 29 8-9pm EDT

This coming Wednesday I am super excited (stoked in modern parlance) to be co-hosting a Twitter chat for ADR (alternate dispute resolution) professionals with the dynamic Jeff Thompson (@mediatorjeff on Twitter) from New York City collaborating, coast to coast. I’m filling in for regular co-host Jason Dykstra (@jasondyk), another social mediator dynamo.  Twitter chat for […]

Agricultural creativity and the mediators craft

My earliest years were spent on a farm.  My dad was a farmer.  In their own way, farmers are experts in relationships and sustainability. And so when I read a blog post last week on agriculture and creativity, penned by the renowned writer (and blogger, too!), Paulo Coelho, immediately my mind resurfaced strong feelings for […]

If then else: The computer programmer's approach to mediating conflict

How our brain works cannot easily be mapped into a computer.  Ironically, the workings of a computer can be applied to our daily thought and practice, and lead to re-wiring of our brains. One of my earlier careers was as computer programmer, coding IBM software applications.  If there was one programming technique I used more […]