My favourite things about Calgary

I recently ventured to the West Coast of this beautiful, artistic and diversified country I call home. 

It was my first time visiting Alberta, which marks the farthest west I’ve ever gone past, well, Ontario. 

Calgary was amazing. 

So amazing. 

It’s one of those cities you instantly fall in love with the minute you step foot on the concrete slabs and catch a glimpse of the mountains off in the distance. It’s the best of both worlds, really. 

10 days was not near long enough to experience everything this city has to offer, but I crammed as much activity into those ten short, busy days as I could. I walked. And I walked. I was my own two-foot taxi, and my Fitbit can quantify. I stopped to get coffee at cute little coffee shops I randomly saw as I explored the little avenues, which aren’t really avenues, but rather big streets that run parallel and convene with numbered streets to give you an odd sense of satisfaction at each intersection.

AMAZING.

Here’s a short little list (in NO particular order!) of my favourite things that I experienced in and beyond Calgary, for if you ever take a visit, hopefully you’ll be able to experience some of the best things to eat, see and do in this fantastic city. Or, maybe you’ll find something better for me to encounter next time I make my way out there.

The Kensington Wine Market — What’s fascinating about Alberta is their devoid of liquor corporations (such as the NSLC, or LCBO). This got me adventuring, and I came across this lovely place. I bought some really good wine. Not only was it in the cutest little neighbourhood, and had the greatest selection of wines, but the employees there were phenomenal. They knew almost every wine out there, if not every wine in the store (not to mention the price, where it was, and what it paired well with), were very polite and approachable, and made the entire experience fun. 

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MacKay’s Ice Cream, Cochrane — It’s not located in the city, but a close friend of mine from Calgary suggested I make my way out to this neighbourhood and grab a scoop of their homemade, now-famous ice cream in a 70 year old shoppe. It was the middle of February, but HELL YES it was some damn good ice cream. Well worth the trip out of the city.

Pina Colada: 5/10

Chocolate Fudge Chunk: 8/10

  

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Scotiabank Saddledome/Calgary Flames — It was a totally spur-of-the-moment decision to go to the game, but my sister won tickets through her work, and we ended up with the best seats, five rows from the ice. Also, the arena was shaped as a saddle (hence the name). It was cool, and I felt like my trip was complete after seeing a hockey game there. 

thePark Kitchen & Bar — Wednesday’s are half priced bottles of wine and $2 oysters. Plus they have a super delicious portobello mushroom burger that will be in my dreams until the next time I have it. 

Calgary Public Library — We all know I have a weird little obsession over city libraries. It wasn’t the new Halifax Central Library by any means, but it was still one of my favourite sights to see, and worth taking a quick visit to.

Banff National Park & Lake Louise — Ah yes, you knew this would be on here. I knew this would be on here. We all knew this would be on here, because Banff is spectacular. All of those pictures you see on the internet of this Rocky Mountain establishment doesn’t do it any justice. It’s a natural beauty you have to experience with your own two eyes. Go there. Live the ultimate-Canadian-tourist-vacation and grab a Beavertail while you’re at it. Also, take some cool pictures that will never compare to what you actually saw. I also recommend Elk & Oarsman Pub + Grill if you’re hungry.

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YYC Hot Chocolate Festival — I was lucky enough to experience Calgary during the midst of their annual Hot Chocolate Fest, and fortunate to warm up from some of the best hot chocolates I’ve ever had! If you ever get there in February, participate in this. There are vendors all over the city offering some of the most delicious cocoa. It was such a treat.

deVille Luxury Coffee — Okay, okay, maybe I did save the best for last. I give this cute, sophisticated and highly impressive coffee shop a 10/10. BEST latte, and the staff was so friendly. I felt at home, and in my natural habitat with a cup of fancy coffee at hand. If you’re struggling to pick the best cup of coffee in the city, skip trying all of the other places, and just go here.

(pst, they have Nutella coffee!)

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Thank you for the experience; I’ll be back again soon, Calgary. 

Embracing Sunshine

January 4th and 5th were the very worst and very best days. I shared much laughter, exchanged many hugs, cried many tears, relived old memories, spent days out in the bitter cold - but felt so much warmth at the same time, smiled a whole lot, and said so, so many goodbyes. 

The sun is shining brightly, and I wish to dedicate this post to the large dose positivity that sunshine can bring to an individual. While I felt many awkward and sad things about leaving Ontario to return home to Halifax, the sunshine gave me the power to want to dance, sing, run, smile and laugh.
Winter can be a depressing and sad time for some people - but it doesn’t have to be! I am a firm believer that listening to songs about sunshine during these dark, frigid months can help boost energy and feelings of sheer happiness. 

As mentioned above, I have shared much laughter and smiled SO many smiles over the past few days. For some reason, I have found that all of the songs I enjoy most about the sun are ridiculously up-beat and energetic. I can’t help but smile and dance my way through my entire “Sunshine” playlist. Give it a shot, I’ll bet you’ll be smiling by the end of it, too.

I also relived old memories; some good, others bad. Listening to songs related to sunshine may help you remember your past adventures involving “fun in the sun,” and, it could help create new memories. 

It’s January, and it’s been a very bitter cold month (for Canada) so far. As much time as I have spent outside in the ice and snow, I was also feeling so much warmth from the love of the people around me. If you are outside in the cold, try listening to some songs about the sun to help warm you up. It’s even better if it’s already shining!


Here are a few songs to get you started:

1. Brighter than the Sun — Colbie Caillat

1. Here Comes the Sun — The Beatles

1. Pocketful of Sunshine — Natasha Beddingfield 

1. A Thousand Suns — Hey Rosetta!

1. Walking on Sunshine — Katrina & the Waves

1. Sunlight — The Mowgli’s

1. Soak Up the Sun — Sheryl Crow 

1. Island in the Sun — Weezer

1. Steal my Sunshine — Len

1. Tequila Sunrise — The Eagles

Enjoy the sunshine! (Or, create your own if you don’t have any!)

Getting the customer service we deserve

I’m writing this from the Halifax airport as I’m approaching my 25th consecutive hour without sleep (I’ve had a lot of caffeine, obvi). Lots of things are on my mind this morning, but the most significant thing I’m dying to share with you is my deep, DEEP, passionate hate for airline customer service. 

I don’t want to attack Air Canada as a whole, because I’m sure there are lots of reasons and points by which they stand that proves they are a reputable and trustworthy airline to travel by. But, I AM going to attack Air Canada with regard to the flaws they have in their customer service sector and communications department. The bold, italicized quotations are direct from Air Canada employees that I recently dealt with face to face.

We don’t see what’s behind the curtain in these corporate companies. 

We engage with people who have (or are supposed to, in this case) customer service skills and we use these services based upon reviews and past experiences. And let me tell you, I have heard NOTHING but awful, awful criticism surrounding Air Canada and the disregard they have for their passengers’ opinions and satisfaction. 

"You don't have to choose Air Canada if you're unpleased."

I am travelling with Air Canada this morning from Halifax to Toronto. I arrived to the airport hours early to check in and get settled into my gate before my endeavour. I was with a group of friends, which did make the time pass by relatively quick; however, after spending hours and hours and hours awake and functioning without any sleep, it makes for a long 12am-6am. No one likes to be in the airport to begin with, let alone to be in the airport and treated like shit by an associate of the company you are trusting to safely transport you by aircraft at 350km/h at 30,000ft above the ground.  

Which reminds me… the past 3 flights I’ve had with Air Canada have been delayed at least an hour due to “mechanical issues”. Oh. Great. 

In October, I had a connecting flight from Toronto to Halifax with a stop in Fredericton to switch planes. Due to awful traffic, I made it to the airport 10 minutes after check-in closed for my flight. I still had to get my boarding pass, check my bag, and make my way through security. I explained my situation to the lady at the customer service desk, and the ONLY remark she had was “Well why didn’t you check in on your phone? If you did that, we wouldn’t have this issue now, would we?” UM EXCUSE ME? I was too stressed to deal with that issue in that moment, and I sincerely regret letting her get away with that. But it’s whatever, I guess. Oh, and then she tried to charge me $670 for the next flight to Halifax… the next evening. Long story short, I got my way onto the flight I was late checking in for. It just took a bit of inner strength and courage to speak up. 

“You’re on your own.” 

Air Canada sucks. I normally wouldn’t express my personal finances, but I have to strongly affirm that I have spent nearly $3000 THIS! YEAR! in services from Air Canada (domestic flights only). This may not seem like a lot, but for a student, it’s A WHOLE HELL OF A LOT. 

So, apparently checking a single suitcase costs money now? $28.75, exact. I got curious as to where the weird dollar amount and 3 quarters were included in the total, and as I did some further research, so to speak, it turns out that there is actually a tax charge (15%) to check your luggage. 

WHY! ON! EARTH! DOES THE GOVERNMENT NEED MY MONEY TO STORE A BAG UNDER A PLANE?!?! (This goes for all airlines that fly domestically, but still, it’s 6:30am and I’m mad). There will be room to store my bag regardless of whether or not I pay for it to be put there or not! Seriously. Fuck that. 

I fully expressed my opinion to the lady working at the service desk (I didn’t attack her, because it’s not her fault that it costs $28.75). I expected her to be understanding of the situation - that I am a student, I have already paid copious amounts of my money to Air Canada, and that there would be room for my luggage regardless of whether I paid or not. I expected her to at least try to further help me understand the entire situation, or to provide me with someone who could either explain it better, or, resolve my complaint. She didn’t. And her manner was just straight-up blasphemous all together.

“There’s nothing we can do about this issue, ma’am.”

Unless you’ve flown Air Canada or have had past experiences dealing with their incompetent, lazy, apathetic representatives, then it’s unlikely that you’ll understand where I’m coming from. Like I said, I don’t want to allege Air Canada AS A WHOLE, because I know a few people who do work for this airline and are great at what they do! But as for the 99% that suck…get it together, guys. Please. For the sake of your company. 

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I have always had such amazing customer service with WestJet, and every experience, both on and off the plane, have always been exceptional. They have phenomenal customer service, and you can most definitely tell that their first priority is the passenger. A friend recently missed his flight (through WestJet), and within ten minutes a customer service representative had him booked free of charge for the next flight directly to his destination. Ha, AS IF Air Canada would ever do that. Keep it up WestJet, you’re doing it right. 

I flew Porter a few times between Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, and Halifax. I had great experiences with them, too. Amazing service staff. Professional flight attendants. The pilot even shook my hand as I was getting on the plane! On a previous flight, I had a connection in Montreal between Halifax and Toronto, and I had to switch planes. The flight I was on between Halifax and Montreal was continuing to Toronto thereafter… and the flight attendant went out of her way to keep me on board so that I didn't have to wait two hours for my next flight. Oh, and FREE WINE. How can I complain about that? Good job, Porter. 

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I will keep my word when I say that from here on in, I will be informing others of Air Canada’s blatant disregard for their passengers. I have 4 more flights with Air Canada (booked prior to this experience), and then that will be all. Until they get their shit together, at least. I have faith in you, Air Canada. You can do it. 

For my sake and sanity, I hope they serve decent coffee on the plane today, and I hope you all cross better paths than I.

Family ISN'T Forever

Growing up, I always had an “off/on” relationship with my family. Perhaps it was because of the phases I was going through… childhood…puberty…adolescence…teenage…young adult… that made it so difficult for me to get along with my family at times. 

The older I get, the more I realize that in addition to my phases, it was also my family that made it difficult, too.

I spent a lot of my early teenage years “hating” (for lack of a better word) my father. I spent every other Friday afternoon begging my Mom not to send me to his smoke-filled apartment, and every other weekend wishing I was anywhere but there. My father and I argued all the time, and I always felt like he never understood how to be a “Dad”. I wanted a real Dad. I spent my wishes on my birthday candles, and shooting stars, and 11:11 wishing for a real Dad who would take me for bike rides, or out for breakfast, or dance with me in the living room to Bryan Adams. I got sad when he didn’t show up to my piano concerts, or dance recitals. I got mad when his girlfriend made rude remarks towards me, and he laughed them off like it was nothing. I got sad when he stopped calling every day. I got mad when he didn’t support my decisions. I got sad when I saw my friends with their Dads. I got mad when he spoke negatively about my other family members. 

Eventually I gave up trying. 

I spent many years trying to form a healthy relationship with my Dad, and it only seemed that the harder I tried, the more that I failed. We didn’t speak or see each other for a long time. Days went on, and I pretended that I didn’t even have a father. It was easier to say “my Dad isn’t in the picture”, then to explain why I only saw him 3 times a year and spoke to him on the phone once a month (to argue, of course). I was scared every day that I would lose contact with him, and that what used to be a healthy relationship with my Dad turned into a thing of the past, forever. 

7 years. 

7 years of my life is how long it took for my Dad to realize that he pushed me out of his life. That the decisions he made reflected his relationship with his daughter.

My Dad is a man of many things. He is smart. So smart, that I can remember keeping my jaw hung open for minutes straight watching Jeopardy! with him as a child. So smart, that to this day, I swear he is one of the world's smartest people. Not only is my Dad smart, but his sense of humour is only that of a Dad, but 10x funnier. He could make anyone laugh for hours at his ridiculous jokes, or from his insane impersonations. He is sociable, and charming. He is someone that anyone should take the time to get to know, because you will always benefit from a conversation with him. Always.

He calls more often now, and he asks me how I’m doing. I tell him things; I trust him. I see him more than I used to, and it’s not awkward or tense. We laugh and we hug, and we spend time together like fathers and daughters should. He supports my decisions, and tells me he is proud. Of course there is still an empty spot in our relationship — I have reserved it for the small bit of resentment I still have for him and the things he has done. But I love my father, and I know he loves me, too. Things improve between us everyday, and I can only hope they continue to do so. People change.
I'll always be your Angel, Dad.

In 2010, my Mom was diagnosed with cancer. If you have ever had a parent, sibling, or close loved one diagnosed with cancer, then you’ll know that the feeling you have when you find out feels similar to a knife going through your heart. It feels like someone kicked you in the back of both knees, and took all of the air out of your lungs. You get dizzy, and you suddenly can’t hear anything. My Mom was so calm when she told me. I can remember the exact expression on her face, and the way the words flowed out of her mouth wth such ease. I didn’t even let her finish explaining before I ran away. I cried all day, and all night. I hid in the dark, under my sheets, and I CRIED. I continued to cry for days following. I screamed, and I hit things, and I asked “Why!? WHY her!? WHY!?!?”

Everyday, I got a little bit stronger. I held her hand. I hugged her. I stayed positive around her. "IT WILL BE OKAY. IT WILL, MOM. I PROMISE. IT HAS TO BE OKAY.”  

It will be five years in March that my mom is cancer free. Not a day goes by that I don’t think about how thankful I am. My Mom is my best friend, and I won’t let anyone or anything take her away from me. Not even cancer. 

We fight, though. About stupid things, mostly. But we do. We have had our fair share of expressing our negative thoughts about each other out loud for one other to hear. There have been times I’ve wished she wasn’t my mother, and there have been times, I know, that she has wished I wasn’t her daughter. I resent her at times for the things she has said about my father, and for the times I felt as though she favoured (cared, loved, supported, etc.) my younger brother more than I. There have been times that she has not been proud of me or the things I have done. We have conflicting personalities, and we don’t always see eye-to-eye on the same things. We say mean things to each other time and time again, But we always find a way to forgive and forget. Above all, we love each other unconditionally. I tell her anything and everything. She is my go-to, my support system, my shoulder to cry on. She has been my biggest fan, role-model, and teacher. And more than anything, she has always been there for me near and far, and always will be. (Tip: If you love your mother as much as I do, don’t move 2000km across the country - you will miss her FAR too much).

If you don't already know my Mom, then you won't know how immensely selfless she is. She is kind, empathetic, radiant, beautiful, forgiving, unprejudiced, witty, hardworking (she never stops, I swear), maternal, patient, brave and creative. Of course I could go on for hours about the many things my mother is, but these are just a few that come to mind. If you have ever been fortunate enough to get to know my mother, then you are one of the luckiest people alive.

"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy, when skies are grey."

In addition to my parents, I have many siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents (Rest in Peace - Nanny B. and Poppy). I don't talk to all of them. Some are considered acquaintances, others are considered best friends. I live close to few. I can reach out to some more than others. 

I have a totally dysfunctional family. There’s a 50/50 chance I’ll get along with any one of them at any given time. It’s the quirkiness, the flaws, the eccentricity that makes me love every last soul more and more. Every. Single. Damn. Day. I'm so very thankful to be a part of this family. 

Your family won’t be around forever. Eventually there will be life-changing circumstances that take your family away from you, forever. You have to embrace every moment with them. Embrace every feeling, every emotion, every good time, every bad time, every heart ache, every smile, every positive, every negative. Hug them. Kiss them. Cry with them. Laugh with them. Make wonderful memories with them. Just embrace your family. They were the people who were there when you were born. They were the people who watched you grow up. They were the people who looked up to you (if they were younger, of course). They were the people who worried about you. And many times, more than you may realize, they were the people who gave up sleep, meals, money, time, and energy for you. They were the people who LOVE you, and still do.

In the end, they are always, ALWAYS going to be the people who love you. At times they may say they don’t, you may not have talked to them in years, and you may resent them for things they have done. But hell, you love each other anyways. It's a different kind of love than you will ever experience. It's painful, almost. It's true, unconditional, unexplainable, beautiful love. 

Family is important. Family is many things. But one thing family ISN'T, is forever. 

Dedicated to my family - the Reid’s and the Boutilier's. I have and will love every single one of you until the world stops spinning. 

"Venti Soy Caramel Machiatto w/ Extra Espresso -- Extra Hot, Hold the Foam"

Starbucks on Spring Garden Road, Halifax is a crazy place. It's almost so crazy that you need copious amounts of energy to survive a visit. But it's amazing. So, so amazing.

You're probably going to start wondering why I spend so much time in this cafe, but you'll soon realize that it's not for the stereotypical "white-girl" reasons, or the delicious specialty coffee valued at six dollars and something cents, but it's because of the hospitable environment, the music they play, the "regulars" I encounter on a daily basis (I'm actually starting to form acquaintances with a few -- they are nice people!), and the polite, friendly, welcoming baristas that make sure you're completely comfortable. OH! And the view of the Halifax Central Library. But we'll get to that later. 

I could go on for hours about this place. I could go on and on about the feeling I get when I walk in the door, and the emptiness I feel when I leave -- sometimes 6 or 7 hours after getting there, believe it or not. I have had many positive experiences, and many negative experiences here. I have had happy moments, and sad moments. I have had some good coffee... and some really bad coffee. But it's my second home in Halifax now. It's my favourite Starbucks/coffee shop for many reasons, and I refuse to stop coming here. 

On November 1st, something happened. Something GREAT happened. I will never forget this day. For a long time, at least, I will not forget this day...

This was an overwhelmingly positive experience. It was a great experience. And it happened from THIS Starbucks. The Starbucks I'm sharing this entire post with you from. So, if great things like this can happen from such a small, overrated place... why leave?

But, not all of my experiences here have been this overwhelmingly positive. 

He came in and sat at the table next to me. He did not smell nice. He did not look professional. He was dirty. He did not look like someone who could afford to spend their money on speciality coffee, let alone Starbucks. It started when he took a bite of his donut. He didn't like the donut. He stated that it tasted accurately like "horseshit" and was "a pile of garbage". I ignored him. He started to to use vulgar language. "You're all a bunch of fuckin' scumbags, fuckin' losers, fuckin' stare at me all ya want you're all a bunch of fuckin' pricks" was precisely the negative language he voiced. Yeah. That happened. I was unimpressed, and quite annoyed, but I went on to enjoy my coffee and continue working. 

I didn't respond when he spoke to me. I saw three customers get up and leave the store because of the disruption, and in that moment I decided that I was NOT going to give the man what he wanted. He wanted to get his way, and he wanted to feel powerful. Well, sir, I'm powerful too, and quite frankly I have figured out your ways. 

Then, things rapidly began to worsen. The lady sitting across from me, at a different seat, was speaking to her friend in a different language (Spanish, Middle Eastern, maybe? Something really quick, anyways.) He started yelling (I mean, SHOUTING!) comments across the restaurant, such as, “What the fuck kinda language is this fuckin’ broad talkin’… slow down before you lose your fuckin’ tongue… I don’t want to be hearin’ this shit, blah blah blah… go back to where you fuckin’ came from bitch”. That was TOTALLY my breaking point. LIKE, ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME!? I asked another woman to keep a close eye on my stuff for a moment, and I got up to tell the barista that there was a man making some inappropriate comments and disturbing the environment. I stressed to him that I did not want the man to be forced out, but the way he was acting was unacceptable. So, the barista politely walked over and had a conversation with the man, making it clear that he needed to contribute to the relaxed environment of Starbucks. Although the man did not immediately respond politely (he repeatedly began shouting "I'm Canadian, free country! Leave me the fuck alone!"), he eventually calmed down. The man left (not nicely, but he did) and the barista approached me and thanked me for bringing it to his attention instead of leaving. IT PAYS TO BE THE BIGGER PERSON! 

I'm an accepting person of all individuals in my community, but I am most certainly not a bystander to verbal abuse. Or abuse of any kind, for that matter. 

I've gone on to have other negative and positive experiences with people here, but these two will always stand out in my memory.

In addition to these two experiences, I have also had the pleasure of experiencing the controversial issue regarding the red cups. I don't want to get into this, but while I'm rambling away about this place, I might as well.

I came into Starbucks the day after it was decorated for Christmas. I can only assume the employees were there after hours (props to them!) because I was there until close on the previous night, and was there as it opened the next morning. My initial thought was, "Holy crap... Christmas threw up all over Starbucks last night. It's only early November." But hey, it was actually kind of nice. Although I refused to listen to the Christmas music playing quietly overhead, I did enjoy sipping my coffee out of a bright red up, and admiring all of the bundled up individuals taking a brief look at the holiday merchandise while in line for their drink of choice. Not once did I think that the cup I was drinking 
out of would cause such a controversy, but it did... very, very quickly. 

As I spend so much time in Starbucks, I've encountered a lot of people who had opinions on the cup. Some of these people shared the same opinion as I, some did not. But, my opinion still stands strong to this day.

I have been a Christian all my life, and I can assure all of you that the colour of cups does not reflect the true meaning of Christmas. In fact, cups in general do not reflect the true meaning of Christmas. Starbucks, an international corporation, made it known that they do not in anyway celebrate Christ, nor are they Christian… so why are people expecting them to celebrate Christmas?

I am a Christian. I also LOVE Starbucks. Hence, why I spend so much time here. The colour and design of the cup does NOT make me believe I am any less of a Christian, and it does NOT make me stop want to stop coming to Starbucks.

Before people think twice that the colour of cups in a coffee shop may be declaring a “war on Christmas”, I suggest they rethink Jesus’ teachings. I also don’t think Jesus would be mad about the colour of a coffee cup. Gah, what a headache.

Now, can you see why it takes an abundant amount of energy to be here? I do it anyways. That's why they serve coffee (or at least, I make myself believe that's why).

Lastly, I'd like to share with you the best thing about this specific Starbucks location. 

The Halifax Central Library.

I am able to sit against the window and appreciate the spectacular view of the brand new Halifax Central Library. I admire the architecture, the rush of people flooding in and out, the clear view inside  of the building as I sit comfortably inside another. It's mesmerizing, to say the least. I sit and I imagine all of the different novels collecting dust on the shelves, untouched, waiting to be picked up and read. I don't ever go in, because I am afraid it will ruin the fantasy. Maybe one day I'll risk it, but for now, I prefer to keep enjoying the view from my second home while I drink a "Venti Soy Caramel Machiatto with extra espresso -- extra hot, no foam".

Halifax Central Library, November 17th, 2015 at 4:51pm

Oh, and have you ever wondered what it's like to be on a first name basis with all of the employees of a busy place in a city? I do.

Keep drinking coffee, wherever it might be. I'm going to stay put right here.

Something I Know Nothing About - Canadian Politics

I considered taking the time to learn about something like "How do hot air balloons work?" or, "How do honey bees make honey?"... but I realized that neither of those things are really important and that I should take the time to learn about something far more useful.

The Canadian political process.

I never paid much attention to politics growing up, and it wasn't until the most recent Federal Election campaign in 2015 did I start paying much attention to how it all works.

It is not my area of expertise (I'm more of a physical science kind of person rather than social/political sciences), but it's definitely something useful to learn about - which is why I'm sharing this with you all today. I did my research, I talked to some experts, and I feel confident in educating you all about how the Canadian political process works (in a very simple way, of course).

AND I WILL NOT STATE ANY PERSONAL OPINIONS ON HERE!! Enjoy.


Altogether, Canada has three levels of government: Federal, Provincial/Territorial, and Municipal.

Federal: made up of people from every province/territory in Canada. Leaders in this government are called MP's. The most MPs elected in a political party forms the Federal Government. The House of Commons - made up of MPs - forms all of Canada's laws. The senate has to review the laws that are proposed. Overall, the head of government is the Prime Minister, who chooses MPs to represent the House of Commons, and chooses senators to represent the senate. Oh, and Elizabeth II is the Queen of Canada (yes, we have a Queen).

Following me so far? Good.

Provincial: made up of people within the province. Representatives are called the Member of Provincial Parliament (this is where you've heard the term MPP before) and they each come from a political party. Here, the Lieutenant Governor represents the Queen (I know, very fascinating that we have a Queen). The Legislative Assembly makes provincial laws - made up of MPPs. The leader of all MPPs is called the Premier.

I hope you haven't given up on me yet.

Municipal: made up of people from your neighbourhood, town, city, etc. that have a good understanding of your communities needs. The community elects a Mayor and Council members to lead the local government.

Make sense? Cool, cause I'm not done.


How does a federal election work?

As of 2015, Canada had 338 ridings. Each riding has one MP. Overall, there are 18 registered political parties in Canada, and each party nominates one candidate for each riding. During a federal election, and based on Canadian voters, federal political parties will win seats in the House of Commons.
The party that wins the most ridings will be asked by the Governor General to form the government, and the leader of that party will become the Prime Minister of Canada.

Federal campaigns work at two levels - local and national. Party leaders will tour the country, making high-profile photo op visits in electorally important cities and towns, and most news coverage will focus on what they say and do ("Justin Trudeau... he's just not ready" is a good example). Locally, the men and women running for seats in the House of Commons will campaign exclusively in their own electoral districts, handing out flyers, knocking on doors and participating in local candidates' debates.


Oh, and if you didn't already know, Sir John A. MacDonald was the first Prime Minister of Canada (and if you reeeeaaallly didn't know that, you probably aren't a true Canadian).

Inspired by my dear friends studying Political Science and International Development at Dalhousie University -- you guys rock and encourage me to learn more about the way our world works each and every day.

7 Places I Want to Travel Before 25

To travel is such a rewarding, educational, mind-blowing, heart-warming, exhilarating, encouraging experience. It is also one of my favourite things to do. It's the commotion and frenzy of the people in the airport rushing to get to their gate and letting out that huge sigh of relief when they do, the children on the plane screaming "I see it!!! We're there! Mommy mommy mommy!!", the eager bodies rushing to get off the plane as quickly as possible to get to their final destination after a long, exhausting, lively day. It's all very exciting, and to stand back and watch it all happen, to take it all in step by step is fascinating. It's what makes the entire experience, the "experience".

I won't lie, this list was INCREDIBLY hard to make. Not because I have no idea where I want to go (let's be real, I'd go everywhere in the world if I could), but because I'm a broke student. And I'll still be a broke student until long after 25. So, I had to think about where I REAAAAALLLLLLY want to go, and what will be budget friendly in the next couple of years.

Ultimately, I declare the following destinations the top seven places I would like to travel to/experience before I turn 25. The list counts down from least important (7) to most important (1).

But first...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/clayton-b-cornell/traveling-around-the-world_b_4065797.html

So This Is Where It Begins

I've never done this whole "blog" thing before. But, I know that I love to write. I also know that I have an obscene obsession with reading other blogs. I never got around to creating my own for some weird reason (I have time to read 50 other posts a day, but not write my own? Yeah, I know, you don't have to tell me what you're thinking).

But here I am, and I have faith in myself, so bear with me! I hope you enjoy this blog as much as I am going to enjoy sharing all of my interesting adventures, encounters, and stories. I have a life that is constantly filled with surprises, emotion, and character. That being said, I like to consider my life "colourful", if you will. You will soon notice that most of my posts will be written while I am 110% caffeinated (just as anything else I do is). So, I will SHOUT! ABOUT! EVERYTHING! sometimes, or I will ramble and ramble and ramble, and maybe ramble a little more until I can't stop rambling I can't stop I can't I can't I can't- 

Like I said, bear with me. And Keep Drinking Coffee.

Sit back and enjoy the ride. It'll be a wild one.