Matthew Burkholder

I need to cherish this moment. Have you ever been in a relationship that took a terrible turn? Have you ever been walked out on? Do you remember that feeling, after the messy break up, after the fights, after the name calling - that moment of clarity when you realized life will be much better off?  Have you ever had a terrible employee, someone who you aren't really sure how to deal with, quit their job? Do you remember the heavy burden that was lifted from you? Do you remember how you wanted to just tell them, "you can't quit, you're fired!" Well guess what Ontarians, we were in a bad relationship with a bad premiere for far too long. We have had a dishonest employee working under us for years now.  Sometimes I think we forget, that politicians are employed by the people, for the people. That prestigious title of "Premiere", "Mayor", or "Prime Minister" is nothing more than a reminder, that they are to represent the...

This is the type of thinking that makes me proud to be a member of the Green Party of Canada. Why I think we are absolute idiots if we approve CNOOC take-over of Nexen

When I was younger, during a particularly dreary time in my life, I decided to go on an adventure. I figured I wasn't a very content human being, and doing something unexpected might cure my blues. Quite frankly, I don't really have a lot of memories during a large chunk of my young adult life, but this one I remember quite well. I decided to pack up a my bag, grab whatever money I had in my room, bring my Visa with its huge spending limit of $500 and start walking. The world was ready for my wonderful undertaking. I made it to the outskirts of the town I was living in, and decided it was time to increase the thrill of my adventure. I put my thumb out and started to hitchhike. Oh yeah, now I was living. Of course, for the sheltered baptist man that I was, this was a huge moment of triumph. "Screw you world, screw your rules, I'm hitchhiking baby!" I don't remember how long I waited until someone picked me up, but eventually someone pulled over. Now, I don...

My cousin Greg  gave me a book over Christmas entitled A Million Miles In A Thousand Years by Donald Miller. I finally got around to start reading it, and in it, I am finding some very classic Donald Miller gems. It's wonderful when you read an author that is able to say what is on your mind so perfectly. The book chronicles Donald's experience of creating his memoir  Blue Like Jazz into a movie, and in essence, the process of editing his own personal story. A few summers ago I shared my story at my church. It was one of the most difficult experiences of my life. The previous summer I had received an email from the worship director asking me if I would like to share my story. During the summer people in the church share what we call, a "God Story" - a story about ones own personal life of faith. I sat there looking at the screen terrified. To be honest, I pretended like I never received the email, I don't even think I replied. My story of faith is full of emb...

When I was a teenager, I felt great joy in writing slogans on torn up pillow cases, and pinning them to my black hoodie. It was a way to express myself and an attempt, albeit an awkward one, to integrate my religious and political views into my dress. Being a teenager is an awkward time in your life, you are not really sure who you are, yet you have ideas of who you would like to be. The result is a confusing mash up all of those ideas. I understand wanting to wear a T-Shirt that expresses your religious views. If you haven't heard, a lot of conversation is happening regarding a student in Nova Scotia named William Swiminer, who was suspended for wearing a T-Shirt that read: "Life is wasted without Jesus." When I was in high school I knew a girl who was suspended for wearing a hoodie that read on the front "Abortion is Homicide" and on the back a message about not silencing "our God." As some of you may remember, a lot of anger boiled up regarding ...

Sometimes when I consider the world that I was born into, I come to the conclusion that the riches of a Western life are actually a deep cavern of poverty of heart. For starters, when I try to remind myself that I live like a sultan compared to the majority of the world, my mind begins to create all sorts of excuses. "But I only have basic cable. I hardly get to go out for nice dinners. I don't own an iPhone. My car is only a two door, and man, it's hard putting a child in the back seat of one of those things..." It's incredible really, that I, as one of the worlds richest persons, can even turn the fact that I have entertainment at will, food in my fridge, an insane amount of communication at my finger tips, a car, and a family that is safe, into a complaint. I just don't always get it. The fact that I have clean running water from my tap should make me realize just how lucky I am. I mean, the water in my toilet is cleaner than the water that some peo...

Lately I have been putting off blogging. Mainly due to the fact that my household has been invaded by a winter tradition known as influenza. There are two things that I like to do when I am sick, play World of Warcraft, and sleep - unfortunately, since being a father and working a 6 day a week job makes the latter limited, I have been filling my time battling the Hour of Twilight. (OK, the nerdiness ends here.) However, there has been another reason I haven't been blogging. I've tried several times, but each time I end up sounding like a big jerk for what I want to say. I've now decided that I don't care if I sound like a big jerk, because I need to get this out there.... If you have been following Canadian politics lately, you have no doubt been following the stories regarding an Orwellian change to the legal system  and an interference in Canadian democracy. Well, here goes... Are you ready for it? I told you so. It might actually surprise you that I cons...