Ray Smit

Ray Smit on Labour Day weekend disappointment

You might think that on the last day of summer we boys would make the most of our last fleeting moments of freedom.

We all say stupid things

Ray Smit remembers regrettable quotes by prominent people

Witty barbs don’t come easy

Most of us think that comedians are expert at delivering verbal barbs, but they’ve got nothing on politicians.

Senator Ray Smit

Local columnist makes his case for a senate posting, including walking to work and getting a roommate1

Centre field to centre stage

Mom hated the summers in the city finding no respite from the heat in the un-air-conditioned little house or the treeless backyard.

Spring is in the air

When I was a boy in Toronto there were two sure signs of spring: the leaves were budding and the Leafs were falling.

How I taught Jim Carrey everything he knows

Early on in life my goal was to be famous. That way people would ask for my autograph.

Yearning for snow

I didn’t much like school as a child. I’d like to say it was because the curriculum wasn’t challenging enough for my gigantic brain.

Getting your attention

Ray Smit tells a humorous story about garnering people's attention

RAY SMIT: The trouble with tapioca

Dad never told us a story without a lesson or moral in it and some bear repeating.

Nice guys really do finish last

to say I’m not as athletic as I used to be is kind of like a politician saying he’s not as honest as he used to be.

Piano prodigy I was not

Like everyone else in my class, I didn’t have a clue

Prom lessons

What lesson can we glean from this that is most important?

RAY SMIT: The battle to watch HNIC

My father was hoisted on his own black and white petard

Have you ever heard of Honeymoon salad?

Parksville Qualicum Beach News columnist Ray Smit ponders whether he's old-fashioned or not

What we have here is a failure to communicate

Looking at all two yards of it, I couldn't help but think, "who's the man?"

It would be my honour

Up until the First World War distinguished Canadian citizens were rewarded with royal honours: knighthoods, baronetcies and peerages.

The D’English patient

When we first moved to Canada, dad's English vocabulary was limited

The D’English patient

When we first moved to Canada, dad's English vocabulary was limited

ONly nine shopping days left

Father's Day is so much harder to shop for then the other holiday