Clearing a New Path™

I was fortunate enough to have a tour of the Fusion Youth Centre in Ingersoll, Ontario last month. Craig Boddy has been with the organization for over a decade and seen many transitions. The building is a former school, purchased by the municipality, when youth crime was a burgeoning issue.The centre was established in 2006 to provide a safe space for kids after school. It offers a

SummaryI met Helen Tremethick, a rurally-based Regenerative Business Designer and Holistic Business Coach, through her workshop for the Canadian Women's Chamber of Commerce and it was her workshop's title, "Sustainability is B******t" that caught my and so many others' interest. In this episode, Helen discusses her approach to disrupting business coaching and the importance of rede

April Lindgren, a former journalist and current professor, discusses the state of local journalism in Canada and the challenges it faces. She shares insights from her research on the decline of local news outlets and the emergence of new models. Lindgren emphasizes the importance of local journalism in building communities, holding power accountable, and combating misinformation. S

Andrew Button - MashUp LabI first met Andrew Button from MashUp Lab over the phone. He was inquiring about the national conference the organization I was working with, Community Futures Ontario, was hosting and how he could become a speaker. That was in the throes of the pandemic.Andrew and I caught up again recently to chat about how he’s supporting entrepreneurs in rural Canada

Elder Cindy Crowe - Sacred CirclesThis is the third time I have had the pleasure of speaking with Elder Cindy Crowe for a podcast episode, however, I speak with her often as she is my mentor, a dear friend and my chosen family.Cindy is an Anishinaabe Grandmother Elder, a Knowledge Keeper, a Lodgekeeper, a Pipe Carrier and a Drum Keeper.Cindy is from Opwaaganisiniing close to Thunde

The Coxes: Rural Ontario in ColourThis episode, I again handed the microphone to folks who share a lens I do not have.This is an intergenerational conversation, from a mom and son, whose experience and perspective is, as people of colour, who once lived in urban settings and now have moved to the country.Mojdeh and her son Darius talk about safety, access to cultural food, infrastr

Organizing and Activism in Rural CanadaAs a response to injustices that happen around the globe, protests and demonstrations have always been a way for people to express their views in a public way.We’ve all seen big protests and demonstrations depicted on television news and increasingly on social media. But many of those displays of solidarity happen in big cities.I believe tha

Racism: Rural vs Urban - A Gen Z PerspectiveRacial inequities exist in Canada, and particularly in rural, remote and northern Canada.I have heard the stories. Just one example is a Black woman entrepreneur in rural Alberta, who told me of the racism she experienced at her local Chamber of Commerce.She’s the reason I enlisted the help of post secondary students (from the Venture f

This Rural Canadian History Moment was created by Christian Doran as part of the University of Guelph Diarist course project in 2023. The course was taught by Catharine A. Wilson, PhD, F.R.S.C. / Redelmeier Professor in Rural History / Department of History / College of Arts at the University of Guelph. From the Diary of Thomas Alexander Loghrin (1878-1936), Downie Township, Perth

Dispelling Period Stigma with Free Periods Canada - Zeba Kahn and Niki OveisiAs our rural Canadian communities grapple with conflicting views about gender identity and the right to live freely as authentic people and simply exist, if we take a step back, often conversations around periods and menstruation along gender lines (and generations) can be strained and awkward at best.Why