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At this time of year, it’s natural to reflect back and think on the future. Certainly, 2015 has been a tough year for many of us and the job losses cannot be denied.

Yet Calgary is weathering the downturn better than many expected — we actually created more jobs than we lost from November 2014 to November 2015 and people continue to come here for opportunity.

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Nonetheless, many of us are hurting, and it’s important for all of us to think about how we can help. I would argue there are two things that we need to do, now and throughout 2016.

First, let’s find our inner angels and remember to be decent to one another. The last six months or so, I’ve noticed a certain mean-spiritedness sneak into the edges of our discourse. Most of it comes online — people are particularly awful when staring at a screen rather than at a face — but I have noticed it in real life as well. Conversations at coffee shops and in line at the grocery store, are starting to be tinged with an “us-and-them” tone, whether the target is a politician or someone of a different faith or a newcomer to this country.