Metro - Halifax : Columnist - InStep by Christine Williams

instep by christine williams

Cautionary tales about frolicking on Facebook

June 15, 2010

Summer months are upon us with revellers out in full swing. Pictures get taken, then enthusiastically posted on Facebook to proudly share the carousals with other friends.

Study reveals troubling attitudes toward race

May 28, 2010

CNN recently conducted a pilot study to determine young children’s attitude toward race, which raised many eyebrows. The surprising, yet critical findings pointed to a need for parents everywhere to teach children about values and self-esteem much earlier than expected.

Let's talk about sex

May 04, 2010

The decision by Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty to postpone the implementation of a sex education curriculum was a wise one, even in the face of exasperated educators, social workers and public health professionals.

Predator-proof your children

April 13, 2010

If town criers still existed and I was one, I’d be ringing the bell and shouting warnings to parents to predator-proof their children in light of Graham James being granted a pardon by the National Parole Board.

Let's not sport our infants in dictator chic

March 23, 2010

When Danish-Norwegian artist Nina Maria Kleivan exhibited photos of her newborn dressed up as notoriously evil historic figures like Hitler, Stalin, Mao and Idi Amin, the castigating commentary that followed was predictable.

What's with the Tiger Woods witch hunt?

March 02, 2010

So, Tiger Woods is a big time cheater. He may even be a sex addict. Although disappointing, I’m still befuddled by the intensity of public outcry which screams hypocrisy.

Tread lightly when trying to 'help' children of Haiti

February 09, 2010

Determining the "best interest of the child" is a daunting task in our own culture, let alone Haiti.

The sad plight of those who are most in need

January 19, 2010

When devastation and incalculable human suffering happens — like the horror in Haiti — the subsequent outpouring of support is a refreshing reminder of human altruism; an encouraging affirmation given the regrettable events of another news story that was uncovered by the Toronto Star a day after the quake, yet overshadowed by it.

Untangling the moral dilemma of Afghan detainees

December 15, 2009

After the recent bout of public scrutiny over accusations by former senior Canadian diplomat Richard Colvin about Ottawa’s indifference toward the torture of detainees in Afghanistan, we need to recall that, in 2005, former prime minister Paul Martin gave the thumbs up to then-defence minister Bill Graham to negotiate a detainee transfer agreement with the Afghanistan government.

Dialogue needed to fight racism and radicalism

November 27, 2009

With news of the Fort Hood rampage in Texas and the revamped Canadian citizenship guide warning newcomers that “barbaric cultural practices” will not be tolerated, conflicting debates about terrorism and our expectations in the West are once again active and will continue to be until we collectively confront the two menacing forces of radicalism and racism.

California gang rape should be a warning to us all

November 10, 2009

Headlines featuring acts of violence are copious, and depending on the shock value, these reports often illicit a proportional reaction from the citizenry, lobby groups and even politicians.

eHealth technology requires precautions

October 27, 2009

Proponents of eHealth argue that if other regions of the world have made significant strides in eHealth technology, what’s wrong with Canada? Caving in to what everyone else is doing is an injudicious argument. Although we cannot be left out of the globalization loop, we need to proceed with caution.