Welcome Back Winnipeg Je-Errr No Name Team

It's been a week now since it the announcement that Winnipeg is getting an NHL team.  It has been fascinating to see the hype, excitement, and the outpouring of support to this new team.

I remember being in high school and doing a school project with two classmates about the afford-ability of bringing an NHL team back to Winnipeg.  At the time with a low dollar, no salary-cap, smaller population, and other factors we came to the conclusion that Winnipeg couldn't support a NHL team.  It's amazing how much can change in almost 10 years.

It's exciting. It's a new refreshing start for Winnipeg. Let's Go Jets!!!! (or who ever you are)

Announcement: No Transition to Fatherhood Course This Year

After a great time and a lot of ground breaking last year in running my transition to fatherhood course.  I am, unfortunately, not offering the course this summer.

Just a couple reasons why:

• This year I am playing a bigger role in a Winnipeg Harvest food drive.
• I am taking a lead role in the changes occurring to Emmie Oddie's HomeFamily.net

I do plan on running this course in the near future.

I would like to thank CHEF for contributing to the course last year, and my mentor Debora for encouraging me to do it.

What is "The Great Canadian Life"?

On my taxi ride home from the airport, I engaged the driver in conversation.  Probably something they are not used to.

A good portion of taxi drivers are immigrants, and I like to talk cricket with them, because there is no one around for me to talk cricket with at home.  Also, I think it is a surprise for them to see someone so white, and so Canadian talk about cricket.

However, this time around I thought I would ask what his hours were like.  He responded with Sunday through Thursday 4pm to 1am and Friday & Saturday 4pm to 4am.  Thats about 70 hours of work a week.  He mentioned to me how in India he had time to be with family and to play, whereas here it was work, work, work.

This had me thinking, what is this Canadian dream life?  To me, working is important, but my time with my family is far more valuable.  So why would I immigrate to a country to loose that time.  Plus, for immigrants, a lot of their secondary education is not recognized in Canada, nor do they have a chance to upgrade it. That taxi driver could have had a Master's degree for all I know.  So why make that move?

It has been something that has been on my mind.  It is a huge sacrifice to loose family time, the financial costs of moving to far, the implications of immigration, and the increased hours of work.  There is obviously a hidden bit of reasoning for the sacrifice.  Something that I don't understand about his country of origin and his reason for being here.  Is it the free health care?  Is it certain freedoms?  Is it for the sake of his children to have a better future?

Nonetheless, engage, if possible, your taxi driver in conversation, you never know what you may learn, or what may intrigue your brain.

Difference Between Social Work & Family Social Sciences

This past week I volunteered at the Rotary Career Fair in Winnipeg.  I have been there for the past three years and absolutely love it.  I especially enjoy the Wednesday night shift, this is where people who are considering career changes come.  It's not the freebie frenzy that it is during the day shifts.

The number one question I get it is: What is Human Ecology? (Which I wont address today) However the second most asked question is: What is the difference between Family Social Sciences and Social Work?  I want to address this question here because I am a graduate from the Family Social Sciences program.