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The Soapbox

A rotating stable of community members share their thoughts on anything and everything, the only criteria being that it be thought-provoking. Got something on your mind to share with readers in Greater Sudbury? Climb aboard our Soapbox and have your say. Send material or pitches to [email protected].  

The Soapbox: Ontario moose info system, garbage in, garbage out

The Soapbox: Ontario moose info system, garbage in, garbage out

Retired government moose biologist Alan Bisset applauds the province for gathering info on Ontario’s moose population, but says the quality of the information that is gathered and how that information is expressed, practically renders it useless
The Soapbox: The precarious nature of travel in the North

The Soapbox: The precarious nature of travel in the North

The founder of the Northern Tracks blog, Éric Boutilier, shares his thoughts on the politics of rail travel in Northern Ontario
The Soapbox: Five paths to fixing the climate crisis

The Soapbox: Five paths to fixing the climate crisis

In the fourth and final part of his climate change series, author André Clement lays out what he sees are the five pitfalls that must be overcome to deal with the climate crisis and five paths he believes will guide humanity to a cooler future
The Soapbox: What's happening at Wolf Lake, an update

The Soapbox: What's happening at Wolf Lake, an update

Wolf Lake is the site of the largest standing old-growth red pine forest in North America, where logging is banned but mining isn’t. Members of the Wolf Lake Coalition, who want to protect the area from development, provide an update 
The Soapbox: How can our flawed governments fix climate change?

The Soapbox: How can our flawed governments fix climate change?

In the third part of his four-part series on climate change, André Clement, author of the book ‘Evolution to extinction: A Primer on Global Warming’, says if history holds true governments will only deal the climate change crisis when a critical mass of voters is finally impact, but by that point, it might be too late
Soapbox: It seems MNR uses imaginary moose to set harvest target

Soapbox: It seems MNR uses imaginary moose to set harvest target

Ontario’s moose population continues to decline, but the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry has not adjusted its management practices to encourage the population to grow. Instead, says retired moose biologist Alan Bisset, planners plow ahead using methodologies that just aren’t working
The Soapbox: Protecting children means letting them be queer

The Soapbox: Protecting children means letting them be queer

As we move through Pride Month, Alex Tétreault, former chair of Fierté Sudbury Pride offers a reminder about a major reason Pride is so important: ‘This isn’t about a culture war, it’s not a friendly debate or a difference of opinion. For us, and for every other marginalised population, hate is a matter of life and death’
The Soapbox: Who exactly owns the Art Gallery’s collection?

The Soapbox: Who exactly owns the Art Gallery’s collection?

The question of ownership of the art collection curated by the Art Gallery of Sudbury, but held in trust by Laurentian University, is caught up in the insolvency proceedings? Historian Dieter Buse exhaustively tracks the history of the art collection and poses a question: does something held in trust imply ownership?
The Soapbox: Cutting through the noise to spur climate action

The Soapbox: Cutting through the noise to spur climate action

In the second of a four-part series, author André Clement describes how in an age of information, information itself has become noise. But spurring action on climate change requires focus and critical thinking, things social meda directly assaults
The Soapbox: Leaving no greenhouse gas behind

The Soapbox: Leaving no greenhouse gas behind

Cathy Orlando of the Citizens’ Climate Lobby relates a story of how her husband, an anaesthesiologist, figured a way to reduce Health Sciences North’s carbon footprint and save it money