When we think 'harm reduction' we think illicit drugs. How can we not? Every news story, blog post, podcast or pamphlet that mentions harm reduction links it to illicit drugs. But what if I told you harm reduction is actually much more? That in fact harm reduction is a tool for critical thinking. That it is a way of looking at virtually any problem with a goal of coming up with a solution that produces the best achievable outcome with the least possible harm. Let me give you an example:

At this time of year, we often promise ourselves that we’ll make healthy lifestyle changes. Sometimes, change can be hard! A common reason for not making these changes stick is because it’s just difficult to stay motivated when messages and choices all around us support unhealthy options.

If you have a young one starting school in 2018 you may be thinking, “How did my baby grow up so fast? Feels like yesterday I was just changing diapers, waking up 5 times a night, making baby food, watching those first steps - followed by those first words, and now they’re almost school age!” And you may also be starting to think about JK registration which begins in February.

Making resolutions at the beginning of a new year started about 4,000 years ago when Babylonians resolved to return borrowed items to their neighbour. In later times, Romans made promises to Janus, their god of new beginnings and transitions (and for whom January is so named), and medieval knights reaffirmed chivalry vows to their brotherhood.

For many people, the holidays are a time of traditions, with a lot of them around food. Baking holiday treats, serving family favourites and gathering for special meals. This year, I want to challenge us to think about food in a different way during the holidays. What if we were to include the entire family, or a group of friends, and learn new cooking skills together?

It’s an ugly truth. It’s rarely blatant. It can be hard to prove – just as all forms of discrimination are.

Every day people go to jobs where they are expected to put their best foot forward, yet they feel they’re treated unfairly because of their age.

I like hotdogs – they're tasty.

Poutine? Even better.

Hotdogs and poutine together? Stop. The. Train.

So why on earth would I be part of promoting a canteen menu that takes away two of the classic canteen menu items at the Delaney Arena[1]? This sounds like treachery. Unfair and un-Canadian even. Why would I support this?

Because I want kids in our communities to have real choices.

I'm a public health nurse with the Health Unit's sexual health program. One of my roles is street nursing. Street nurses travel around in a refurbished ambulance visiting different areas of the city to offer sexual health and harm reduction services. We do things like STI testing, (immunizations?), and hand out harm reduction supplies like condoms, pipes, and needles to anyone who comes to see us. I absolutely love this part of my job.