Opinion

The Northern Gateway pipeline panel has recommended in favour of the project. I suppose we should be grateful for small mercies. If it had come out against the pipeline, the damage to Canada’s oil industry doesn’t bear thinking about.

Every December, traditionalists lament the latest challenge to Christmas. There are surely culprits in our politically correct world, but for this one, don’t blame the Jews. The truth is the Jews love Christmas.

Visitors gasp with wonder when they enter the Ross Bay Villa. “It’s stunning!,” “It’s a trip back in time!” or just, “Wow!” they exclaim.

Of all the gifts we could give our kids at this time of year is an understanding of the importance of simple generosity of spirit.

I spent a big chunk of my morning moderating comments on this story . It was partly because when talking about sex, you have to mention sex, which triggers our language filters and flags the content.

To a parent, providing comfort and joy to a child can be the only meaning of Christmas. When a loved one enters what Shakespeare called second childishness, providing comfort is a challenge. Joy may be out of reach altogether.

For such a jolly fellow, Santa Claus sends a grim message: Get on my bad side and you’re off the gift list. At best, you’ll get a lump of coal.

A friend recalled the great Jimmy Breslin’s concept of recounting people for whom he no longer had any time. It strikes me as a healthy, cleansing way to close out the year. So here’s a “2013 List of People With Whom I Am No Longer on Speaking Terms.

A friend rings me in December every year and warbles, “Santa baby, slip a sable under the tree for me.” Her sometime-Eartha Kitt, sometime-Madonna Material Girl imitation morphs into one of a 10-year-old requesting a hippopotamus for Christmas.

At first glance, the National Energy Board’s thoroughness of the review the Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline project might seem comforting, but with conditional approval of the project, British Columbians have serious reason to be concerned — parti