06 September 2012 by Erik Davis
Practitioner Joanny Liu (Calgary, Alberta) Qualifications Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine Registered Acupuncturist Claims That… Parkinson’s Disease is caused by uncomfortable feelings, which make you shake with anger, grief, and fear. Then the shaking doesn’t stop.
Posted in Alberta, Alt-Med or Alt-Menace?, Alternative Medicine, Featured, Health, Skepticism8 Comments
27 January 2012 by Richelle McCullough
While doing some digging into the quackery of a local acupuncturist, I came across a sentiment that I found more than usually appalling. In her story of why she became an acupuncturist, she tells a melodramatic tale about a positive Pap smear test result that changed her life*. There’s all the usual makings of an [...]
Posted in Alberta, Alternative Medicine, Health, Medicine, Skepticism, Vaccines21 Comments
09 December 2011 by Marion Kilgour
Most of the cell phone / Wi-Fi hysteria seems to me like it’s been coming from the eastern provinces, although Edmonton has had some short-lived and ineffective campaigns to get Wi-Fi out of schools. But, this summer I got my first taste of local activism about cell towers. Initially, I was on board with the [...]
Posted in Alberta, Health Policy, Pseudoscience, Skepticism15 Comments
01 October 2011 by Kim Hebert
(Photo by monkeywing.) Pictured: An actual homeopathic remedy. I am not kidding. The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) has drawn criticism recently for their bizarrely-worded policy proposal regarding alternative medicine, most notably from the Canadian Medical Association (general organization feedback here). Common concerns were that the policy is insufficiently objective and science-based, [...]
Posted in Alberta, Alternative Medicine, British Columbia, Canada, Health16 Comments
24 August 2011 by Erik Davis
Starting today, you’ll notice a new voice here at Skeptic North as Bart Farkas joins the fray. Bart started his career as a trauma nurse in Calgary, but I first became acquainted with him through his work with the James Randi Educational Foundation, where he was on staff until recently. Among his many responsibilities [...]
Posted in Alberta, Announcements, Canada, Skepticism1 Comment
01 February 2011 by Michael Kruse
This coming weekend groups from all over Canada (except the east coast – hop to it!!) will be participating in the international 10:23 Campaign as they attempt a death-defying “overdose” from homeopathic medications. Participants will swallow “overdoses” of scam medications sold by major retailers which contain no active ingredients. The action is the culmination of [...]
Posted in Alberta, Alternative Medicine, British Columbia, Canada, Events, Ontario, Quebec10 Comments
18 August 2010 by Desiree Schell
I’d like to introduce my fellow Canadians to SheThought.com, a wonderful new women’s critical thinking blog. Founded by Heidi Anderson, and with contributions from women (and men!) all over the world, SheThought provides a supportive place to explore issues important to women, from an evidence-based perspective. Of significance to Canadians; SheThought wants you. In order [...]
Posted in Alberta, Canada, Critical Thinking, SkepticismComments Off
28 January 2010 by Steve Thoms
I was going to write about the death of one of my intellectual heroes, Howard Zinn, until I opened my inbox to find two emails telling me of an appearance by Robert F Kennedy Jr. on Canada AM that can’t go unchallenged by this Canadian skeptic blog. First off, CTV News does not allow for [...]
26 January 2010 by Marion Kilgour
If you live in one of the counties around Edmonton, you’ve probably heard about the Alberta government’s plans to build some new high voltage power lines. In November, there was a protest staged by R.E.T.A and Strathcona County passed a resolution to oppose the construction. There are plenty of reasons for the uproar. Unfortunately, one [...]
Posted in Alberta, Critical Thinking4 Comments
07 November 2009 by Ethan Clow
Recently the Canadian news world was rocked by the revelation that the Calgary’s NHL hockey team, the Flames, had jumped the queue and gotten the H1N1 Vaccine well before they should have. “Typical celebrities” Was the cry of frustrated line waiters who were trying to get their vaccine via the social contract. As everyone knows, [...]
Posted in Alberta, British Columbia, Health, ScienceComments Off
Crack Your Back instead of a Vial of Vaccine?
Toronto Media, false balance, and the lack of evidence for claims about MIA vet John Hartley Robertson
How Western journalists in Vietnam and POW NGOs were not fooled by tales of MIA Vet back from the dead
Did a Canadian filmmaker find a left behind Vietnam vet or did credulous Toronto media give new life to an old scam?
How I cured my gout without medication
