Patrick Raftis

LISTOWEL – Decoration Day services in Listowel will this year will feature a flyover tribute to…

Raise your hand if you’re having a harder time finding a stiff drink than a family doctor or an open emergency room in your community? How about an affordable home?

I recently found myself chatting with a stranger at a party. As we traded pleasantries, the topic of occupation came up and he explained he was a farmer, while I confessed to being a journalist (an admission that can induce some diverse reactions these days).

LISTOWEL – The operators of the Allan Cup Hockey league (ACH) are planning to expand the size of the four-team circuit and have targeted Listowel among the sites for potential new franchises.

Ontarians will no doubt be thrilled to learn there is no shortage of physicians in the province.

Official Opposition leader Pierre Poilievre created quite a stir in the past couple of weeks with his pledge to use the notwithstanding clause to override any laws that don’t suit his worldview in a bizarre op-ed piece in which he trashed every form of business association going.

Among the axioms we live by in the world of journalism is that stories, editorials and columns we expect to cause a stir, often don’t, while reports we deem innocuous can end up setting off a firestorm.

Just when you thought our provincial government couldn’t possibly have any more flops to flip, Premier Doug Ford and Co. have managed to announce a reversal of yet another major policy initiative.

“So who is this guy?” you may be asking as you reach the opinion section of this week’s issue of your local newspaper?