Theft from grocery stores is a big issue for retailers these days. But with food inflation eating into our budgets, there seems to be very little appetite for empathy.

Everything happens for a reason. Or as I say, everything that happens can be reasoned. It's in our nature as human beings.

Health providers agree that the system is in critical condition right now. But there's a healthy dose of optimism from their leaders. While they "go like hell", there is something we can all do to make it easier on them. And it's summed up in two simple words.

There are so many people pulling in the right direction to improve our health care system. And some of the actions announced today can help. But there's one thing in particular that I think is desperately needed: information.

We've yet to hear from some of the people who were appointed to fix health care in Nova Scotia. And that doesn't seem fair to the families of Allison Holthoff or Charlene Snow.

First it was the title of a song in 1983 by the UK synth pop band New Order. In the early 2000's it was associated to the third Monday of January as a marketing campaign for a UK travel company. And today, it's something news organizations use as a crutch to write about mid-winter depression and sadness. And hopefully it's not a self-fulfilling phenomenon.

Another tragic story of a family in grief because of the loss of a loved one. And this happened because someone left their spot in the Emergency Department so others could receive care. The family of Charlene Snow is asking for others to help as they push for changes in Emergency Care.

We are losing faith in our institutions in this country. People are struggling for access to basic health care and that's putting pressure on the all of the systems, including the political ones.

Statistically, not everyone will survive their trip to the Emergency Department today. And statistics don't have as much public sway as the personal stories we hear. Allison Holthoff continues to serve us all, even after her untimely passing.

It would appear there was at least a knee jerk reaction to keep information private when it came to the death of Allison Holthoff in the Amherst ER on New Year's Eve. And privacy concerns are a real thing. Unless of course the family wants us all to know what happened, so that it doesn't happen to anyone else. And I would hope NSHA CEO Karen Oldfield would agree.