Michael Atkins

It’s a complicated time to consider the matter of leadership.

It began as many things do. I didn’t have a clue what I was getting into.

In the last 10 years this ink-stained wretch has broadened his horizons into a variety of digital companies. Some have prospered. Some have died. A couple remain potential home runs. A couple remain on life support. I love each one of them.

My Aunt Betty died this year. She had suffered with dementia for some time and so it was a shock to lose her, but not a surprise. She was 87. Many of you, of course, have a favourite aunt or uncle.

I’ve never really been involved in raising money before—well, let’s clarify. I’ve raised lots of money over the years to start new businesses or help others get started. What I mean is raising money as in, “Hi, Bob.

One of the more agreeable drawbacks of being in the media business for these many years (nearly 40) is that we are frequently celebrating an anniversary of one kind or another.

Yesterday, while sitting in the front seat of the car consulting her BlackBerry my daughter made the following observation on the state of the Canadian economy. I used to have 170 contacts on my BBM directory. I now have 37.

Notwithstanding Stephen Harper’s habit of going for the jugular (i.e.

I can hear the gnashing of teeth from Sparks Street in Ottawa to Ouellette Avenue in downtown Windsor. Yes, that would be the MPPs for the Liberal Party of Ontario. The cabinet ministers would add genuine fear to the grinding of teeth.

We are in an odd position in Ontario. The current government is nominally in charge but has no authority to do anything. There is a lame-duck premier and no parliament.