Archives

Archive for January, 2009

So, why am I in Cairo anyway?

CAIRO — Having spent the past year and a bit working with the UN Development Program to design and implement a training program for Afghanistan’s Border Police service on the northern frontier with Tajikistan, I well understand the challenges faced by the public security sector in this impoverished and embattled land. There are innumerable threats […]

Just for the record… I did finally make it to Cairo

CAIRO – So, I did finally make it to Cairo. Here’s how.
After waking up late on Wednesday, I sauntered down to the lobby of the NH Hotel near Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam just in time to miss the end of (ahem…) lunch (I did say it was late). However, i peaked into the abandoned restaurant […]

12 hours in Amsterdam… how little can you do?

Waiting… some more… in the KLM lounge at Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport. Cairo flight is delayed another three hours… let’s see… how many drinks is that?
AMSTERDAM I left Toronto Monday evening about 9 PM on a KLM flight to Amsterdam… was supposed to leave at 6:05 pm but, well, we didn’t. At first, we couldn’t […]

Changing the world (for the better) one strategy at a time

( Leadership and Strategy and Canada and World )

TORONTO Last week, I spent three days alongside some incredibly bright young people, working together to develop a new strategic framework for Youth Challenge International. I’ve been involved with YCI as a volunteer board member for a number of years now and find it one the most rewarding board experiences I’ve ever had.
The organization has […]

An era of hope, permission to change…

TORONTO – Watching President Barack Obama’s inaugural address leaves me hopeful.  While he faces quite possibly the most daunting circumstances of any president in recent memory, he also rides a wave of optimism and hope that may yet produce massive, welcome change in the U.S. and elsewhere.
With popular approval ratings in the 80 per cent […]