Columns

Life on the Gwaii

If I Could Bark

This is not a title I invented myself. I recently saw a video about a man and his dog, and the message intended by the filmmaker has stayed with me. The main reason it still resonates is the emotion, the honesty and the depth of the bond be

Jeff Bear · Mar 26, 2026

Life on the Gwaii

Pet Peeves

Can a dog have a pet peeve? Well, I am a pet. But am I a peeve? The origin of this word, of course, is from America. While a pet is something cherished, a peeve is short for peevish, meaning ornery or ill-tempered. The phrase was used ironi

Jeff Bear · Jan 16, 2026

Life on the Gwaii

The Year I Took the Long Way Home

It is that time of year for reflection. Christmas is soon to arrive. The time was once widely celebrated as a season of giving and of sharing precious moments with family and friends. Every person and every family creates their own memories

Jeff Bear · Dec 18, 2025

Life on the Gwaii

How the Grinch became my Best Friend

My best man friend Jeff wanted me to wish all the HGN readers a Berry Merry Christmas. He knows I do not like berries, and Christmas, well, I never understood what all the fuss is about. Like, a man with a white beard dressed up like a red

Jeff Bear · Dec 18, 2025

Life on the Gwaii

While my dog gently gets old

I recently read an article in The New York Times by fellow pet lover Judith Newman about her dog Monty that resonated with me. The article’s heading is what drew me in. It reads, “The feeding and care instructions we leave say as much about

Jeff Bear · Nov 20, 2025

Life on the Gwaii

How many dog lovers are on Haida Gwaii?

We see people walking by our house all the time with their dogs but I have never stopped to do a census on the dog population here but by all estimates many people have dogs. Do they love their dogs? Was it a result of pandemic times? Did t

Jeff Bear · Oct 13, 2025

Life on the Gwaii

The Racial spin in tennis

Cord ball. Only tennis players know the term. That’s when a tennis ball hits the top of the net during play and trickles over and lands fair and square on the opponent’s side. Often, although not a rule, players hold up their hand as though

Jeff Bear · Sep 11, 2025

Life on the Gwaii

BOYZ POV

OK. I swore I would never get political. But I don’t know why all the dogs in America are mad — barking with no meaningful message. The M.A.G.A. (Make America Growl Again) is running amok. Treats, food, Milk-Bones — everything is getting cr

Jeff Bear · Apr 13, 2025

Life on the Gwaii

Indigenous Language Sanctuary

Indigenous languages as a global phrase takes in so many old and original cultures throughout the world. The emphasis at home in Canada is on the distinct languages facing the dangers of extinction. What if we create Indigenous Language San

Jeff Bear · Mar 28, 2025