Spencer Fernando

  • Winnipeg Is: Growth & Diversity

    Winnipeg faces significant demographic changes in the years ahead, both in terms of our overall population as well as our cultural diversity. Embracing those changes and building an inclusive community will be essential to ensuring our city has a strong future.

  • Freethinking

    Respecting the liberty of others can be difficult. Of course, we know that our choices are rational, but it’s all those other people who can’t be trusted. When people are free, they make a lot of choices we may disagree with. We look at the behaviour of others and often wonder how they could possibly justify their actions. It isn’t long before we may be tempted to move from judging other people’s actions to changing their behaviour.

  • Freethinking

    The Manitoba Government has come under heavy criticism lately on a wide variety of fronts. On poverty, healthcare, taxes, education and resource management, not too many kind words have been said about the current administration.

  • IT’S TIME FOR A UNIVERSAL BASIC INCOME IN MANITOBA

    In the 1970s, Manitoba took a national leadership role on poverty reduction through the Mincome (Minimum Income) program in the city of Dauphin. According to the CBC, “From 1974 through 1978, about 30 per cent of the population of Dauphin was provided with a ‘mincome,’ as the guaranteed level of income came to be called.”

  • Prosperity, Power and Putin

    “Today, there are many forces tugging at the fabric of our societies. Demagogues who play on fears of immigrants and minorities, economic stagnation that hollows out communities and puts the dream of upward mobility out of reach for too many families. Deep frustrations that erode trust in our leaders, our institutions, even our neighbours."

  • Online Exclusive - Prosperity, Power and Putin

    “Today, there are many forces tugging at the fabric of our societies. Demagogues who play on fears of immigrants and minorities, economic stagnation that hollows out communities and puts the dream of upward mobility out of reach for too many families. Deep frustrations that erode trust in our leaders, our institutions, even our neighbours.”

  • Cultural inequality is real, but free museum admission isn’t the problem

    The Canadian Museum of Human Rights (CMHR) is facing criticism for providing free admission for Indigenous people.

  • Favourite Political Moment

    In politics, one person’s decision can often have unexpected consequences. By choosing to leave office rather than run for re-election, former Winnipeg Mayor Sam Katz may have helped set in motion a series of events that dramatically altered politics in our province.

  • Favourite thing to do in Winter

    Festival du Voyageur is an internationally recognized celebration of Manitoba’s history. Besides being a great time, Festival du Voyageur helps connect us with voyageur, Métis and First Nations culture.

  • Favourite Charity / Non-Profit

    Since 1987, Siloam Mission has been working to bring Winnipeggers together to help those who are experiencing homelessness. Siloam Mission takes a lead role in encouraging all of us to recognize the humanity of every person regardless of their temporary circumstances.

  • Freethinking

    Brian Bowman surprised many with his victory in the mayoral election. Former NDP Member of Parliament and Manitoba Cabinet Minister Judy Wasylycia-Leis was seen as the clear frontrunner at the outset of the campaign, but Bowman gained support throughout the race and ended up winning handily, securing almost 50 percent of the vote. Bowman ran an optimistic and tech savvy campaign, promising to complete the bus rapid transit system and make city government more efficient and transparent.

  • Freethinking

    On November 12, 2014, U.S. President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping announced a pact between their nations to focus on addressing climate change. The agreement - while imperfect - is a positive development.

  • Freethinking

    For many years, I had a very rigid and ideological mindset. I filtered information through a partisan lens - all the better to entrench my beliefs and serve as rhetorical ammunition for political debates. I was focused on being “right” instead of listening to others. 

  • Your life, your choice

    On New Years Day 2014, 29-year-old Brittany Maynard was diagnosed with brain cancer. After undergoing treatment, it was found that her tumour had grown. Maynard and her family faced a stark reality:

  • With glowing hearts

    The recent attack in Ottawa - which the RCMP has declared to be a terrorist act - and which took the life of Corporal Nathan Cirillo, in addition to the murder of Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent in Quebec, have shaken many of us.

  • Freethinking

    The war on drugs has failed.