Catalyst Strategic Consultants

Kicking Horse: What if it had been Oil? The horrible CP derailment in the Kicking Horse Pass was an awful situation, mostly for the poor unfortunates aboard. The story emerging is that the train’s brakes were unstable. After pausing at a stop over the Pass on the 2%+ grade above the Spiral Tunnels and above […]

A “Change in Policy” Our friendly Calgary based airline has always been cheerful and understanding – aligned with its loyal base who would defend it and distinguish it from Darth Vader = AC. In a stunning departure from that mode, I fear that good old Westjet has fallen into that sinkhole euphemistically called “customer service” […]

Just back from toodling around Victoria in my sister’s all electric Mercedes Smart Car – otherwise known as “Sparky”. It’s an adjacent reality, very close but not entirely new, but has some acute difference from our common gasoline powered mobile reality. Our reality is mobile. Outside of home or work, cars are our third “place”. […]

In this rare week when all seems to stop, the sense of peace and quiet around us is palpable. The Christmas scene at daughter Jane’s was tranquil – out there in God’s country south of the city. Birds and animals going about their business. Tawny hills and brushy valley bottoms – roads that roll out […]

Hitting this mid December period the collective feet come off the gas. People are more available, easier with each other. The tone is giving, there’s less of the drive to optimize every encounter = to make the most of every minute. And – how about that! – we make the most of every minute… The […]

You know how it goes… you set up a service to be done [say, a renovation…] an arrangement to be made [deliver that stove on Friday] a deal [can we get this done for $4500?] That’s the easy part! The vendor wants to make the sale. “Get them in the door, then we’ll deal with […]

Reading about the astonishing new international airport being built in Beijing. Commissioned on 5 years ago, it is nearly ready to open on a grand scale. It will handle as many passengers as the present facility within another 5 years. They need it to keep up with the expansion of travel in a burgeoning vibrant […]

Lizzy Hoyt, the gifted singer from Edmonton, commemorates the Canadian epic WW1 battle for Vimy Ridge here – https://youtu.be/ML5vLA4XLFM. Last night, she sang another WW1 song – White Feather [on iTunes] that has echoes for a battle underway now. That battle is to capture meaning for young men – who are dying now, as then, […]

So here I am. We went out to see a movie – got the time wrong and ended up back home with no agenda. Took the faithful dog Gio out for a walk in the – now mild – autumn night air. Came home. Watched a non sequitur NFL game and fell asleep doing so […]

October 17 is one those signal days. In Canada, that was the day that marijuana became legal. It’s been coming for a long time. “Legalization” In its truncated and crabbed fashion has crept across from Amsterdam to Colorado and through several states – although they have limited legislative authority to deal with it – to […]