A Poverty-Free Alberta

Many factors influence our health, but our wealth (or lack thereof) acts as one of the biggest social determinants of health. Think how money affects your health choices--access to healthcare services, participation in recreation and wellness activities to get/stay fit, food insecurity and quality of food, even things like being able to treat ourselves for mental wellness or taking time off to enjoy your friends and family or leisure activities. For Apple magazine's summer issue, I chatted with some prominent Albertans to get their takes on what a poverty-free Alberta could look like.

Gold Rush!!

Photo by Colin Way/Swerve

Every summer, no, more like every season, my hubby discovers a new "hobby." I use quotations because his "hobbies" are never leisurely like hobbies should be. Instead, they are all-consuming and often leave me speechless and fearful for all that they entail.

His most recent exploit is none other than gold panning. Yes, that's right, folks, I said gold panning. No need to check your calendars, it is 2015. And yet, he has embarked on this old-timey pursuit with as much ferocity as all his others.

Since he's so far only found a microscopic flake here and there, I realized that I had better sell a story as that will likely be the only money we ever see out of this venture! Ha!

Have a read of it in Swerve magazine.