David McConkey

        Consultant   ::   Columnist   ::   Citizen


"Citizen Active" Columns:



No Ordinary Walk in the Park

Brandon Sun, July 26, 2008:  A recent trip to England and France left my wife and me with many wonderful memories. Plus thoughts about citizenship, technology, and . . .   Read the full column



Tours, Book Bring Cemetery to Life

Brandon Sun, June 14, 2008:  Three great resources bring to life the stories buried in our local cemeteries. Gossip in the Graveyard,  What Lies Beneath, and Every Stone a Story all inform, inspire, and invite us to . . .   Read the full column



Blue Bag System Abruptly Abandoned

Brandon Sun, May 31, 2008:  Brandon City Council recently adopted a new recycling program. But why was not one word said about the existing blue bag program - which the City had claimed would save money, reduce pollution, and lower greenhouse gases?   Read the full column



Wiki is the Way of the Future

Brandon Sun, May 3, 2008:  . . .  Wikinomics derives its name and inspiration from “wiki,” which is open source software that anyone can . . .   Read the full column



Brandon Casino Plebiscite Result

April 7, 2008:  Well, what did we learn from the recent plebiscite? Yes, I’m going to take another kick at  . . .   Read the full column



Despite the Disconnects, I'll Vote 'Yes'

Brandon Sun, March 8, 2008:  I can’t resist getting into the casino debate. Call it an urge, a curiosity, a desire to take a risk. Just don’t call it an  . . .   Read the full column



Investing With an Eye on Ethics

Brandon Sun, February 9, 2008:  This time of year, many of us are thinking more about money  . . .   Read the full column



Future of Politics on Display

Brandon Sun, January 12, 2008:  Regardless of who is elected American President this November,  their current political campaign offers a fascinating glimpse into the future. And not just the future for the U.S., but for  . . .   Read the full column



Future Change May Be Dramatic

Brandon Sun, December 15, 2007:  I thought I would end this year’s columns with some reflections on the future. Reflections prompted by looking back at the birth of Brandon 125 years ago  . . .   Read the full column



Perception and Reality of Crime Not Always the Same

Brandon Sun, November 17, 2007:  Do you ever look at the Brandon Crime Stoppers feature in the Sunday Brandon Sun? The crimes profiled – from armed robbery to vandalism – make for uncomfortable  . . .   Read the full column



Now is the Season for Community Events

Brandon Sun, October 14, 2007:   Participating in three events in the last few weeks was enjoyable and meaningful for me. It was also a reminder of  . . .   Read the full column



Ordinary Lives, Extraordinary Stories

Brandon Sun, September 29, 2007:   . . .  The life story of Harold Gray is one of 42 obituaries of everyday people in a new book by Colorado newspaper reporter Jim Sheeler. Obit:  Inspiring Stories of Ordinary People Who Led Extraordinary Lives is a  . . .   Read the full column



Our Citizenship, Paid For By Our Taxes

Brandon Sun, August 26, 2007:  “Ask not what your country can do for you,” U.S. President John F. Kennedy famously said in 1961, “ask what you can do for your country.” Nowadays, somewhat regrettably, we are more likely to ask  . . . 



The New "Palliser Expedition":  A Modest Proposal

Brandon Sun, July 12, 2007:  (Part Three of Three.)   . . .  Another concern 150 years ago was environmental. . . .  John Palliser and his company observed the countryside at close hand as they travelled by canoe, foot, horseback, snowshoe, and dog sled  . . .   Read the full column



Need to Track Changes on the Prairies

Brandon Sun, July 5, 2007:  (Part Two of Three.)   . . .  Globalization was already a major dynamic for the Prairies 150 years ago. The fur trade had brought Europeans to the Prairies and also drawn the First Nations people into the global economy  . . .   Read the full column



Is It Time For A New “Palliser Expedition”?

Brandon Sun, June 28, 2007:  (Part One of Three.)   . . .  Right now, the people of the Prairies have a unique opportunity to compare life 150 years ago with today. John Palliser led an Expedition that travelled through the Prairies 150 years ago. To mark this sesquicentennial  . . .   Read the full column



Proud History of Looking Forward

Brandon Sun, June 29, 2007:  Begin in 1882 as a tiny settlement - mostly of tents. Reach 2007 as a bustling contemporary city. Quite the journey for Brandon! Yet even in the earliest years, the inhabitants of Brandon were surprisingly impacted by  . . .   Read the full column



Adventures in Film-Making

Brandon Sun, June 10, 2007:   Once Upon A Time:  It all started one Sunday when my wife noticed an item in the Brandon Sun: there was going to be an open casting call for a movie  . . .   Read the full column



Shared Agriculture:  A Growing Notion

Brandon Sun, June 3, 2007:  Apples, beets, carrots . . . radishes, squash, tomatoes . . . zucchini. This is an alphabet sampling of the delicious and nutritious fruits and vegetables that are available to the Community Shared Agriculture participants  . . .   Read the full column


It’s Only Fair to Care, Downtown, Over Coffee

Brandon Sun, May 3, 2007:  The time is last Thursday evening. I am enjoying a coffee break at Scarlatti’s Cappuccino Bar on Rosser Avenue. The coffee is delicious and the company wonderful. Deanna Ginn is  . . .   Read the full column

 

Stop Thief!

Brandon Sun, April 8, 2007:  I recently had an anti-theft immobilizer installed in our vehicle. So naturally I read with interest the news reports from Winnipeg about stolen cars being used there to run down  . . .   Read the full column


All Those Little Things Can Really Add Up – To Cash

Brandon Sun, March 15, 2007:  Two recent books provide fascinating reading about how the Internet is changing our world. These are The Long Tail and Wikinomics. The author of The Long Tail:  Why the Future of Business is Selling Less of More is Chris Anderson, the  . . .   Read the full column



Why Not Give an Hour of Your Time?

Brandon Sun, January 7, 2007:  Volunteering is important to the vitality and sustainability of many community efforts: from hospitals and other large institutions to the smallest programs. Overall, in Canada  . . .   Read the full column


Get a Break on Your Taxes Through Charitable Donations

Brandon Sun, December 31, 2006:  (Part Two of Two.)  According to a recent Statistics Canada survey, almost everyone gives to a non-profit program or group during the year. Here are some tips on getting the most of your donations at income tax time.   Read the full column


Donating is a Great Way to Feel Connected to Your Community

Brandon Sun, December 28, 2006:  (Part One of Two.)  The vast majority of Canadians donate money to the 160,000 charitable and other non-profit organizations in the country. Totaling about $9 billion, these donations  . . .   Read the full column


Tomorrow, Buy Nothing

Brandon Sun, November 23, 2006:  What? Spend an entire day buying nothing? The very idea challenges us, shocks us even, especially at this time of year. Buy Nothing Day was started in 1992 by Adbusters, a  . . .   Read the full column



Does Our Tax System Address Productivity, Sustainability, and the Future?

Brandon Sun, November 5, 2006:   (Part Two of Two.)   Read the full column


Changing Taxes Reflect Our Changing Lives: Complexity and Diversity

Brandon Sun, November 2, 2006:   (Part One of Two.)  The way that income taxes are collected provides an interesting snapshot of how our society works and changes.   Read the full column


Thoughts on the Brandon Civic Election

David McConkey dot com, October 31, 2006:   The municipal elections last week showed a few things about where we are at as a city. We got national publicity, but what else happened?   Read the full column



Mark Your Calendars for October

Brandon Sun, October 8, 2006:  October features a number of events that remind us of sustainability issues. There are opportunities for insight, information, and involvement.  Read the full column



Did You Hear the News?  Did You Really?

Brandon Sun, August 31, 2006:  (Part Two of Two.)  Electronic sources, especially the Internet, deliver much more news to us than we used to get. Are we getting better news? Are we "getting" the news we do receive?   Read the full column


What's Black and White, But Not Read All Over?

Brandon Sun, July 30, 2006:  (Part One of Two.)  How we get the news has a lot to do with sustainable communities: what we know about what's happening, diversity of viewpoints, and ideas of options for the future. Of course  . . .   Read the full column

Reflections on the City and Calgary 

Brandon Sun, June 25, 2006:  My wife and I recently spent a few days visiting friends in Calgary. Calgary is remarkable not only for the hustle and bustle, but also for the numbers of Westman youth there. I returned to Brandon thinking  . . .   Read the full column 


Brand-New It's Shiny, But That Waste Isn't Tiny

Brandon Sun, May 25, 2006.


Can We Nurture and Retain Famous People in Westman?

Brandon Sun, April 23, 2006.  (Part Two of Two.)


Who Could Be Brandon's Most Famous?

Brandon Sun, April 20, 2006.  (Part One of Two.)



"Green Drinks" Now in Brandon

Brandon Sun, March 26, 2006.


Exercising Our Rights . . . And Responsibilities

Brandon Sun, February 23, 2006.


Welcome to the World of Sustainability

Brandon Sun, January 26, 2006.


Christmas, Politics, and the GST

Brandon Shopper & News, December 15, 2005.


Brandon:  What Kind of a City Do We Want?

Brandon Shopper & News, September 29, 2005.  (Part Two of Two.)


Brandon:  What Kind of a City Do We Want?

Brandon Shopper & News, September 15, 2005.  (Part One of Two.)


What's Up With Grand Theft Auto?

Brandon Shopper & News, August 18, 2005.


A Few Reflections on "Skunk and Junk"

Brandon Shopper & News, April 14, 2005.


How I Spent My Summer Vacation

Brandon Shopper & News, October 7, 2004.


Funny Politics?

Brandon Shopper & News, May 13, 2004.


The “Dark Side” of Recycling?

Brandon Shopper & News, February 5, 2004.