"If you can alleviate the fear of a child just by your presence or your caring and comforting, that's a job done right there...It's the most rewarding job that I think anyone could choose. When you can make a difference and help somebody, whether it be minute or major. It's rewarding. You don't have to have a thank you, you just walk away and say, 'A job well done." Martha's voice, taken from an interview with Loren McGinnis upon her retirement a few years ago, starts off both of these interviews ..read more

"Thank you to Annamie Paul for your service to Canada. It meant a lot to my daughters and I to have a strong, intelligent, articulate woman on the stage. Many have asked about my plans at this juncture. The NWT is currently being rocked COVID19. For the moment my focus is on my work in the Emergency Department and on helping the local, national, and international health communities respond to the converging health crises of COVID19 and climate change in a manner that recognizes that on an interconnected planet, for any to thrive, all must have the opportunity to be well ..read more

Covid felt very real in the ER today, NWT friends. I hope very much that we will be able to turn this Covid wave into a small blip instead of the first uptick on an epic Northern event ..read more

I've had a lot of people approach me in the past day or so with questions about potential near-term political involvement, and given the wonderful energy and support I had with the campaign, that as it happens, I launched a year ago today, I feel I ought to post a brief message ..read more

*Every once in a while I develop a burning curiosity about something. It's usually the start of an adventure ..read more

"Hallo All! I write from beside a woodstove, kids just stirring, Darcy doing yoga behind me as part of a New Years’ resolution-ish initiative from last year that actually stuck. I spent most of yesterday reading “Deep Work” and am starting my new, more efficient New Year’s plan a few days early by purposefully not checking my email before settling down to write. Apparently this works great in order to actually eventually get all the email done. I BELIEVE ..read more

Although I trained mostly in large academic centres, I’ve spent much of my medical life practicing at the remote end of bumpy highways.  There is an elegance to it—an instant humility brought about by limited resources, a ‘we’d better stick together or we’re sunk’ solidarity amongst staff that evaporates much of the posturing that can … Medical Life at ASRI: medicine at the end of a bumpy highway. Read More ..read more

Chainsaw Buyback: Just Transition in the Bornean Rainforest   One of my take-homes from attending the COP23 climate change negotiations in November was just how strongly environmental and labour groups are now, rightly, pushing for a “Just Transition” to ensure that workers are supported as we move from a fossil-fuel economy to a low-carbon one. … Chainsaw Buyback: Just Transition in the Bornean Rainforest Read More ..read more

Morning Meeting All staff, including people in charge of healthcare, conservation, agriculture, driving, education, finances and more, get together at 8AM Monday to Friday at ASRI for morning meeting. Hoping to be as helpful as possible during my visit, I’d emailed my friend Dr Anne-Marie Pegg, who has a tremendous amount of experience heading up … Morning Meeting Read More ..read more

Consistent with rapid deforestation rates in much of the Bornean rainforest, more than 70% of the lowland forests within Gunung Palung National Park’s buffer zone were deforested between 1988-2002. During sequential surveys done by ASRI/HIH, they found 1,350 logging households around the park at baseline in 2007.  ASRI’s clinic and conservation program opened in 2007—and … Visit With Forest Guardians Read More ..read more