Marcel Strigberger's Blog

And the winner is? None of the above. Yes! Not really.

I just came across a Federal Court of Canada case launched by a University of Ottawa law student who sued the government pre- election claiming he could not express his dissatisfactionwith all the candidates on the ballot by scribbling 'None of the above' and have this choice counted and noted. He of course argued his rights of freedom of expression under the Charter were violated.

The judge tossed out his case, saying any scribble on the ballot other...

I'm a baby boomer. I finally underwent an important a long-awaited and overdue rite of passage. I just took my first Uber ride. I did not undergo the experience lightly.

I am not one to quickly embrace new routines or practices. On the old school scale, I'm probably schoolhouse. I am especially uncomfortable with technology, being a die-hard technophobe Luddite. Unlike my kids I will not walk around with my cell phone glued to my palm, waiting enthusiastically for that next text message to...

My house has been invaded. I'm under siege. If I step out onto my back patio, I risk getting mauled by red ants. Does anybody have a solution?

In anticipation of enjoying my backyard overlooking a lush ravine, I purchased some new deck furniture. I took advantage of a beautiful summer day recently and sat down on a comfortable swivel sofa to enjoy a good read and a cold beer. The birds overhead were chirping. A couple of squirrels were playfully sauntering about. Life was good. But this aft...

Let's talk about zombies, to wit, the zombie laws the federal government has erased from the criminal code via Bill C-51. These anachronistic offences rarely enforced were still punishable until recently.

For example, section 365 made it an offence to 'pretend to practice witchcraft' for the purpose of defrauding. I get lost at the 'pretend' part. I think we all know what a witch is. If we ever walk along Toronto's Nathan Philips Square and some lady with a greenish face, sporting a black r...

I just concluded a stressful week, all because of a webinar I took in, on handling stress.

Being retired from the practice of law, I find my main stressor now is technology. I'm a devout baby boomer and I feel marginalized dealing with computers and other machines. I find it impersonal, frightening and simply overwhelming. I'm suspicious about spams, scams and snooping, especially. I Googled Texas Holdem the other day and within minutes my screen loaded up with ads about Texas, including in...

The findings of the recently released Auditor General's report on the efficiency of the Canadian government are not rosy. Most disturbing is the finding that people can't reach a live person at a government department on the phone. Callers are referred to websites or redirected and told to hold. Many simply gave up and hung up.

This of course is unacceptable. I for one would hate to be a 64-year-old calling about old age security and by the time the pension office answers the phone, I'm alre...

Tim Hortons' iconic roll the rim to win contest isn't working. Seems Tim Hortons' recent reprise of their annual promo is not raking it in. Profits are down and the food giant is trying to figure out a way to refresh the game from the way it has been since the 1980s. As the saying might go, you have to know when to roll 'me and when to fold 'em.

I wish to share my own experience with the contest. I have been a loyal customer of Tim Hortons way back while Tim Horton himself used to score goals...

Congratulations to Volodymyr Zelensky, the new president of the Ukraine.

Volod Z is actually a comedian who won a landslide victory over the incumbent. He starred in a television series called 'Servant of the People', where he played a destitute school teacher who unexpectedly becomes president of the Ukraine. It seems that reality has now mirrored fiction.

His victory was apparently a protest vote against the status quo. The people were fed up with corruption, the failing economy and the c...

The Law Society of Ontario (LSO), the province's governing body for lawyers, has imposed a requirement for its lawyers to annually affirm adoption of a statement of principles ('SOP'), wherein lawyers agree to confirm and be in line with thedoctrine and ethicsof equity, diversion and inclusion ('EDI'). Although the lawyers are virtually unanimous in agreeing that in principle EDI is a good thing, they resent the LSO compelling them to say amen to the SOP, on pain of losing their right to prac...

In a couple of days I leave for Hong Kong where we shall be boarding a cruise ship that will take us to number of ports, ending up in Shanghai. I have never been to China and right now my mind is abuzz with thoughts about that exotic country

I recall my first exposure to the word China was in Montreal as a kid as I was shoveling through a deep pile of snow digging an impressive hole in the heap. A passer- by commented to me, 'You dig much deeper you'll end up in China.'

I had no clue what...