I would never try to pretend… or replace the father of my sons Planet Earth and her homo sapien occupants continue to exist under an ever-deepening cloud of uncertainty. The norm is way out of form and the known has morphed into the unknown, wherein he is acceptably she, gay is the order of the day, and no need to get vexed, but beginning from birth there can also be a bender of the gender. On the subject of gender, we are gradually approaching Father’s Day and this brings us to the crux of the matter. I am not expecting …

Just recently I attended a play at a well-known theatre. Having arrived and waiting to be joined by a friend, I unobtrusively made my way to find a seat in the lobby. No one noticed my entry; I could have disembarked from a space ship bedecked in my birth suit, presenting parts visible, bows for extra adornment, and it would have had the same effect. No one looked up. Everyone of the over a dozen or so adults were paying homage to their mobile devices. I had long ago accepted our existence in an ultra-connected world, but seeing this synchronized, …

Sad to say straight out of the gates, but in order to garner any degree of progress the community must start grinding and stop whining. Even young people know that they have to “just do it,” as the saying goes, in order to achieve their dreams. We are not willing to do the work appertaining to progress; instead we are still relying on politicians to make things better for us. We do a lot more whining than grinding when it comes to our collective—and sometimes even our individual economic freedom. Racism in Quebec is brutal, but subtle, demanding that those …

Writing to seek truth, Not to Reinforce What Readers Want to Believe I do not profess to be either the owner, or arbiter, of truth. In fact, the truth be told, I am merely a seeker of truth, as opposed to a seeker of validation. Writing has been my lifelong pursuit and is certainly not a competitive event for me, nor is it a social activity where I feel obliged to stroke egos, or tell readers things that make them feel warm and fuzzy inside. I avoid such behaviours, even in the real world, as they are certainly a waste …

Recent occurrences in the Black community, wherein I was called to play a significant role, have concomitantly brought me face to face with the frequent and indiscriminate use of the term accountability. From my humble perspective, it has become almost a meaningless buzzword, especially for those in leadership positions. There’s certainly a disconnect between the rhetoric and reality of accountability among Blacks. However, let me try to allay your fears and set the tone straight, by defining exactly what is meant by the term accountability. The definition of accountability includes the obligation to account for one’s actions, and accepting responsibility …

The more you are into materialism, the greater the need for money… Latest reports coupled with tangible proof have convinced me that the Black community is full of materialistic consumers. Even though we constitute less than five per cent of the population in Quebec, we are among the largest consumers of smart phones, flat screen televisions, and other non-essential gadgets and gizmos that give us “status and credibility” in our circles. We spend thousands of dollars annually on our basic needs, but mostly on our materialistic impulses. I have oftentimes heard many say that this statement is true because the …

Morality on Its Way Out Canada once boasted of a firm sense of its own identity that of being morally conservative compared to its giant neighbor to the south. The land was rooted in biblically based morals and high standards, and an obligation to set an example of civility and uprightness for the rest of the world. Sadly, that has all changed, and this country has joined in the moral decline of North America, vitiating its citizens’ sense of identity and history. By trampling on its own sense of “Canadianess”, this nation has created openings that are going to be …

Black History month may be over, but the woes of Black people are far from over. I find that our seemingly endless conversations about what Black people need to have and need to do are nothing short of astounding, and confounding as well, to say the least. Some of our people call radio talk shows, write newspaper articles and decry, lament, and complain about the lack of resources among Black folks. Others ask “how to” and “when” questions about issues, initiatives, and strategies “we need” to implement and champion. Even when the on-air host provides the answer, some callers ignore …

Yes! I know that by the end of this writing, I will have earned an unenviable and undesirable position in the minds of many readers. However, as I have repeatedly stated, the truth will always be told, and a spade will remain a spade and not a garden tool. Some recent happenings in our community has convinced me that the time has come for adults to break the silence about the pervasive breakdown of moral, family and community values, and to place our children first in our lives, and above all to model the behavior we want our children to …

It is not so much about Black History as it is about history influenced by Blacks. February is here. It heralds another Black History Month, along with the connotation of being the shortest month of the year. Nevertheless, permit me to make an open confession. The very term Black History wreaks havoc on my psyche; I cringe every time February rolls around because for me the month has predictable defenses. It has become little more than a tool for liberal academics to perpetuate revisionist history that suits their agenda, the sudden emergence of a seeming newfound appetite for anything about …