See ya on the flipside Jessica.

I recently caught word of the shocking and extremely upsetting death of a girl I both knew and loved. She was tragically killed in an avalanche while attempting to summit Mount Logan in the Yukon.

I was sitting at my computer at work, almost ready to call it quits for the day, when national headlines delivered the somber news of Jessica Aulik's fatal expedition to my screen. I was uncomfortably interested as I read the headline, "Calgary woman killed in avalanche", and clicked into the story only to see her name there like a stark reminder of days gone by. I found myself gasping for air.

Except through the bereavement of ailing relatives, I have never had to endure the pain that strikes down with the sudden loss of someone close to me. With a friend however, the experience is quite different because, as in this case, it was obviously unexpected. There was no time for one last goodbye.

I felt myself overwhelmed with about a zillion memories of this girl who possessed a limitless imagination and zeal for outdoor pursuits. Energized with a positive and optimistic spirit, she wasn't afraid to charge into any situation. She was explicitly known for straying off the beaten path so to speak. Absolutely unpredictable, her constantly changing mind was challenging at times. She was definitely a feisty thing, a lot to manage really, so many guys felt intimidated by her. She dreamed big and lived bigger.

At 17, she made national headlines when she became the youngest person to ever scale Mount Logan. Deciding that wasn't enough, last summer she went on to conquer Alaska's Mount McKinley, the western hemisphere's highest peak and Logan, the second highest, once again.

We dated a few years back and after our paths literally split, we always remained solid friends. During the time we were together, she was handpicked to be a contender on a reality TV show produced by the Outdoor Life Network called Drifters: Water Wars. Even though she knew she was venturing into the quagmire of showbiz, she came out on top like usual and came home with a cool wad of cash. She had to sign a contract ensuring her silence on the outcome of the show. Of course she told me and then went on to buy a brand new Ninja rocket and modify her Impreza. Yeah.

After that, our paths took different directions and she went on to travel down under; climbing, surfing, and venturing into random charming locales. Then, without relinquishing any of her drive, she set off to Alaska to pursue her most endearing ambitions - big mountain lifestyle and photojournalism. I wasn't surprised in the least.

Her father, a heli-ski guide, was similarly claimed by an avalanche when Jessica was two, and definitely left a legacy behind for his daughter to try on for size. And that she did, and it fit like a glove.

I was excited to be a part of a group email received from her towards the end of April. It had been a while with no news of the latest adventures in her epic life. The tone of the email, which remains stowed away in my hotmail account, was embedded with happiness. She had recently won the Arctic Man Challenge, was getting action shots published in Climbing magazine, and spoke highly of her new boyfriend. She joked that she might consider settling down a little; we all knew this was nearly impossible.

She also shared her immediate plans to once again ascend Logan using a more difficult route this time around.

And as eerie as that is now, I had no qualms or concerns about her embarking to accomplish this feat. I just smiled to myself as she always did.

The intrinsic workings of life and death are really a concept beyond my imagination. The ephemeral quality of our time here becomes unsettlingly clear in light of events such as Jessica's death and the passing of other young individuals before their due time. Here today, gone tomorrow.

However, there is something to be said about the way Jessica left us; the way she chose to live out her life pursuits and her dreams. She left us doing something she undoubtedly loved and held so close to her; she died doing the very thing that fuelled her passions. She sought the world's greatest adventures far beyond the comprehension of most of us. She was relentless, and always, always had a smile. A smile that was so often reflected back to her by the people she touched, followed by an easy, mellow laugh.

Goodbye Jess

It's just the experience. I love being up there and above the hustle and bustle of everyday life. It gets me away, gets me free.

For me, dying in a natural disaster or from doing an activity that you are truly passionate about is the way to die. I understand the risks and the rewards. The feeling you get from the mountains, the freedom, the simplicity, the fervent feeling of being alive, makes putting your life at a greater risk completely justified.

- Jessica Aulik

Butterfly, Ladybug and Doodle Bug

After nearly a decade-long hiatus the Digable Planets are getting back together to release an album and tour. Affectionately known for creating a hip-hop dreamscape and weaving a groove with everything from jazz to psychedelia, Digable Planets is a group of three free-thinking individuals.

And, the best part, they are making a stop in Ottawa. I didn't ever think I'd have the opportunity to catch Butterfly, Ladybug and Doodle Bug spit rhymes over jazzy hooks.

A nickelbag of funk.

Belinda takes the leap

Ultimately, I believe MPs should have to be re-elected by their constituents prior to being able to cross the increasingly divided parliamentary floor. However, I am rather amused to read statements accusing Belinda Stronach of blatant political opportunism.

Stronach is not a sneaky turncoat betraying devotion to her party; she is simply fed up with the regressive, out-of-step direction the Conservatives have charted. Furthermore, her move sheds light on the fact that today’s Conservative party is little more than a successive front of ye old Reform/Alliance days.

Other party members caught in the dubious PC/Alliance amalgamation and feeling choked by Harper’s stranglehold on keeping their progressive beliefs at bay, should take a cue from Ms. Stronach and reconsider their position within the party.

Meanwhile, Harper and his Conservatives jumping into bed with separatists in an attempt to bring down the government solidifies the fact that he is not serving the best interests of the whole of the country. Rather, he is adamant about holding parliament hostage in the name of exploiting his own personal leadership ambitions.

The Conservatives and the Bloc don’t share the same political philosophy, let alone an entire platform. The only traits they have in common are their knee-jerk reactions they are anxious to thrust onto the public.

Harper’s credibility has been shot by the manner in which he states he can’t keep budget promises for cash to go to programs like childcare, and then retract that by saying a spring election wouldn’t dismiss any legislation regarding childcare currently on the table.

Harper also originally stated that his party would not defeat the government over the federal budget out of concern for the national interest. And then for weeks on end he has held up any possibility of proper governing with his opposition to the budget. Now, it seems again that he is instructing his party to pass the main budget but reject the amendment made between Layton and Martin.

Although it’s up to debate as to whether the Liberals are the best of the four poor choices we have available for governing this country, Belinda Stronach displayed a great deal of leadership moving into a party that better fits her ideals.

So, what is happening with Peter?

This article originally appeared in the Calgary Herald

Hockey Dads

While I'm far from being the most diehard hockey fan, and am not an avid cheerleader of the uber-Caucasian, Molson Canadian image that so often gets blasted upon hockey in this country, Canada’s dismal upset to the Czech Republic at the World Hockey Championships on Sunday afternoon was enough to make a grown man cry.

But with our team’s lazy work ethic throughout the three periods, Canada didn’t deserve the gold anyway. Czech mate.

What's really astounding is that even with the National Hockey League on hiatus in a seemingly endless lockout, Canada’s love affair with the game remains intact. If you aren’t convinced, TSN expected a record number of TVs tuning in for the final match. Indeed, hockey really does matter to Canadians.

However, for some of us it matters a tad too much.

I’m not talking about the testosterone-fueled twenty-somethings running around half-naked on the “Red Mile” a year ago. I’m not even referring to the guy who hacked off the back of his car and transformed it into a Flames-mobile.

I’m talking about the over-obsessed hockey dads who push their kids to the extreme limits of the sport. I realize this issue has been mulled over and shoved in the limelight of ugly contention for a considerable time now. Yet, it seems fitting to raise it again for two reasons:

Firstly, the issue is somewhat a microcosm of the larger – and not any less ludicrous – NHL lockout issue.

And secondly, after two reigning years with the gold medal, Canada’s loss to the Czech Republic is a testament to the old sports proverb: “It’s not whether you win or lose, it’s how you play the game.”

Unfortunately, it seems that some parents simply don’t follow this wisdom because once again this year, Hockey Canada bombarded viewers with gripping commercials transposing parents’ irrational behaviour at the rink with their involvement in children’s games such as hide and seek. The idea is to highlight how ridiculous their attitudes are.

Yet, any parent who has spent a hefty sum of money under the Tom Cochrane-esque dream that their "boy's gonna play in the big league" won't be calmed down by a few TV spots. Many of these hockey dads are living vicariously through their kids, trying to reclaim their own glory years or grab a victory they never experienced. Incidents of parents abusing their kids over missed shots, attacking coaches over ice time and getting into shoving matches with the parents of rival teams are becoming commonplace in the sport.

The problem has become so bad that some arenas have decided to outright ban parents from tryouts and some scheduled practices. Considering that for every negative parent, there are probably 20 encouraging parents, this “off limits” approach may seem excessive. But where do we draw the line? After all, it really is just a freaking game.

This article also appears in the Calgary Herald

Temperamental Political Climate

When the dust settled after last night's shenanigans in the House of Commons, both major parties were divided even further from one another than before.

After the Conservatives edged the Liberals 153 to 150 votes in a motion to recommend that the government resign, it became clear that Martin's office has lost the confidence of a majority of MPs. Meanwhile, the Liberals shrugged it off as nothing more than a procedural matter and it seems they are striving to cling to power for as long as they possibly can.

With the heavy political wrangling on Parliament Hill culminating, and an overall negative sentiment leaving a bad taste in people's mouths across the country, the question is begged: in the midst of Canada's persistent political mediocrity, where is democracy being upheld for its citizens?

In this political climate, little or no headway is being made on federal responsibilities and these issues will most likely be placed on the backburner until an election has passed. Initially, Canadians didn't want an election to be called as we head into the dog days of summer; now, the general consensus would most likely urge parliament to indeed get on with it.

The constant bickering and mind-numbing antics in Ottawa are grinding people's consciousnesses to a sharp halt and clouding over the real agenda. The name-calling, backstabbing, and squawking political bravado that they have resorted to is a sign of utmost desperation on both parties' behalf.

The Liberals - and their partners in crime, the NDP - are throwing money at various programs in an attempt to polish their tarnished image. However, struggling to cram last minute initiatives onto their agenda and vowing to accomplish them does not suppress a decade of boondoggles and recurring allegations of scandals. They grew so comfortable in office that they really felt they could do whatever they wanted without meeting adverse consequences.

The Conservative party, on the other hand, holds its values so far to the right that even some of its own members are uneasy, not to mention the public masses. Harper's strong bond with social conservatism and ties with the Canadian Alliance is a tough pill to swallow for a country historically bent on libertarian ideals.

How loathsome must the leader of a party be to be viewed as worse than his corrupt and desperate opponent, whose party has been criticized and ridiculed in the national media and whose leader, The Economist has chided as a "ditherer"?

Judging from the party's teetering popularity in recent polls, quite loathsome.

The only opinions people are being encouraged to support going into the bleary and uncertain future are that Martin is corrupt and Harper has a hidden agenda. This rational only serves to undermine voter confidence even more than it already is. This in turn will lead to a dismal election turnout and poses a serious threat to core democratic values.

People are not only losing confidence in both of Canada's top parties but more broadly, in the whole of the Canadian political system. In order to attract the public's attention and engagement, both the Liberals and Conservatives need to employ diplomacy, rather than one-upmanship in this time of uproar and stress.

This article originally appeared in the Calgary Herald