Changing circumstances and situations can affect relationships, including friendships. Conflict or changing life situations like moving away or having children can bring about an end to friendships. But whether they end in a bang or a whimper can determine if there's hope for future reconciliation.

Today in The Conversation Canada, Beverley Fehr at the University of Winnipeg writes about how people can navigate conflict and change in their relationship. As people become increasingly divided over health measures related to the COVID-19 pandemic, finding ways for peaceful resolution is important. People are often told to resolve their differences through discussion, but Fehr writes: “That well-intentioned advice fails to take into account that friends are not in the habit of talking things through.”

All the best, 

Nehal El-Hadi

Science + Technology Editor

People’s opinions about public health orders, mask mandates and vaccination requirements have divided friends. (Shutterstock)

Friendships end for many reasons, including differences exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic

Beverley Fehr, University of Winnipeg

Friendships can end for many reasons, like a betrayal of trust or changing circumstances. The pandemic has highlighted fundamental belief differences between people, which has affected relationships.

Nurses tend to a COVID-19 patient in the intensive care unit at the Bluewater Health Hospital in Sarnia, Ont., in January 2022. The pandemic exposed the flaws in Canada’s struggling health-care system, and offers a chance for Canada to reform it if the country’s premiers step up. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

Canada’s premiers are missing a real chance to fix our ailing health-care system

Tom McIntosh, University of Regina

The COVID-19 pandemic presents us with a unique opportunity to rethink and reform public health care in Canada. That why premiers’ demands for more unconditional health-care dollars are so misguided.

Photo titled ‘Burning My Ship’ by Cynthia Tellez for the photovoice project ‘Take a Walk in My Shoes’ (Cynthia Tellez)

Canada needs to stop wasting the talent of skilled immigrants

Gabriela Novotna, University of Regina; Marina Morgenshtern, Trent University

Skilled immigrants need barriers like Canadian experience removed in order for them to successfully integrate into the Canadian economy.

Carbon-emitting companies are significant contributors to the climate crisis. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

To reduce corporate emissions, CEOs need to be bold risk takers

Ashrafee Tanvir Hossain, Memorial University of Newfoundland

Policy-makers, industry regulators and investors must team up to mandate that corporations provide CEOs with financial compensation for reducing carbon footprints.

Transportation planning includes highways, public transit, automobile infrastructure and the movement of people and goods. (Shutterstock)

The right to transportation should be a key issue in the Ontario election

Joshua K. McEvoy, Queen's University, Ontario

Mobility justice — the right to access spaces and means of movement — means that transportation planning should address marginalization.

La Conversation Canada

Les cris de crécelle des écureuils peuvent être une façon d’annoncer leur présence. (Shutterstock)

Entendez-vous les écureuils ? Découvrez ce qu'ils se racontent

Shannon M. Digweed, MacEwan University

L’écureuil roux d’Amérique du Nord émet toute une série de sons, mais son cri de crécelle distinctif sert peut-être davantage à s’identifier qu’à mettre en garde les autres écureuils.

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