Joni Avram

The gap between rich and poor—wealth inequality—and what to do about it, is a hot topic. U.S. President Barack Obama calls it the defining issue of our times, and a Pew Research Center survey concludes that at least half of the people in Western economies see it as a “major” problem, one that threatens both our economic and social well-being.

It’s a tough job trying to predict what will happen next in the murky political environment swirling around the oil and gas industry. International figures regularly emerge from the sidelines to thwack industry with left-field comments. Wealthy activists fund sophisticated political advocacy campaigns to block market access while oil gets carted to port by rail, leaving prairie grain to lie dormant in massive silos. Quebec’s moratorium on fracking continues. And despite best efforts at building progressive relationships with First Nations, cleavages with government and industry remain.

Thanks a lot, ALS Association. Because of you and your Ice Bucket Challenge, millions of organizations around the world are rethinking their approach to fundraising. The tried and true methods—like appeal letters, gala events, and silent auctions—have lost their luster in the face of your ridiculously simple, outrageously inexpensive, and wildly successful viral rampage. Your success makes these traditional approaches as outdated and quaint as a cup of instant coffee.

You don’t have to be a fan of Neil Young to admit he’s winning the Canadian oil sands narrative. He’s a storyteller, after all, and, right or wrong, he’s doing a fine job of churning debate over the sensitive environmental.