Captive on a carousel…

As I reflect on the past year, I see that I have again been less prolific in my writing on this blog. In 2014, I wrote 109 posts; this past year was just slightly fewer at 103, but these are both significantly lower than the 132 posts in 2013 and 139 in 2012. I am spending considerably more time on Twitter [follow me: @mark_goldberg] and, I am doing my best to spend much of each summer and more time focused on family.

My wish list for 2016 again includes seeking support for a national program to increase the adoption of computers and broadband in low income households with school-aged children. Our kids can’t compete with their classmates if they don’t have access to a connected computer at home. As I have written in the past, “almost half of all households in Canada’s lowest income quintile lack a home computer. Affordability is keeping a million households from digital connectivity.”

I continue to be optimistic that this is the last year that I beat that drum. I sense that others are recognizing the need for government and the private sector to work together to help bridge the homework gap and the affordability divide.

While I am setting objectives for next year, I guess I still wouldn’t mind losing 20 pounds, but I don’t mind having a bit of a soft landing spot for my grandson to rest when we take naps “watching the game” together on Sunday afternoons.

There is a traditional prayer for governments that seems appropriate to invoke as we approach 2016 with new leadership in Ottawa: “Teach them insights, that they may administer all affairs of state fairly, that peace and security, happiness and prosperity, justice and freedom may forever abide in our midst.”

I wish all of you the best in the year ahead. I look forward to continuing to engage with you and I hope that I will provoke you to explore some of the issues with a different perspective in 2016.

Have a safe, healthy and peaceful holiday season. Together, we can hopefully exceed all of our targets next year.