To: Premier Tim Houston, Minister of Finance John Lohr, and Members of the Legislative Assembly From: Trish McCourt, RSW Former Executive Director, Social Worker, Non-Profit Consultant, Arts Volunteer Date: March 5, 2026 I have wrestled with whether to speak publicly about the 2026-27 provincial budget tabled on February 24th. Having just left my role as … Read more
We don’t talk enough about the hard things. There are fractures in life that don’t make a sound when they happen. They start as small hairline cracks and then they grow. Sometimes you think you can repair them. Sometimes you try harder, or longer, than you should. And sometimes, despite everything, the break becomes permanent. … Read more
We don’t often think of our legacy until we’ve experienced profound loss. My first experience with loss was when my maternal grandmother died at 59. I was 11. We were a transient (federal police force) family. We had just moved from north west Canada back to south east Canada after 7 years away. We had … Read more
Autumn has always been one of my favourite times of the year. I love the change in colours in nature, love the sweater weather, and I used to be very fond of Hallowe’en, and the connection to change happening all around us. I have always loved change, and Autumn feels like the symbol of change. … Read more
When I consider my chronic pain and where it all began… I find myself thinking of: connection and belonging and my own healing journey… … all that I’ve learned about trauma and how it affects our health – both emotional(mental) and physical… … how my own story unfolded and the impact various stresses had on … Read more
So many organizing, de cluttering, self-help gurus tell you to think about what sparks joy for you. Declutter by getting rid of things that don’t bring you joy… When overwhelmed by the chaos or demanding schedule – such as it is- of your life, focus only on the things that meet your basic needs or … Read more