ICBC warns teens for prom
44-year-old woman missing
Stanley Cup Playoff etiquette
Senators reject field trip
'City within a city'
Searching landfill for woman
Israeli strike played down
Full Trump jury seated
World's largest election 
Lululemon cuts 100 jobs
Bitcoin's 'halving' arrives
Lawsuit over missing nuts
Warriors bounced in opener
Warriors ready for Round 2
Kalamalka Bowl cancelled
Pulp Fiction turns 30
Chris Pratt injured in movie
My name is not Elaine
The Art of Speaking
When speaking in public, hook your audience from the start
I have less than eight seconds to capture your attention with this month’s column. In fact, you’re probably already considering clicking away from...
Tips from a world champion public speaker
Growing up, Mohammed Qahtani rarely spoke. His reluctance to communicate stemmed from a traumatizing experience he had in Grade 1. Mohammed’s teacher...
Moderate a panel like a pro
If you have ever been asked to moderate a panel, give yourself a pat on the back. That’s a huge honour. You were likely chosen because you are an...
The future of public speaking
I recently attended a Toastmasters meeting at my local club (Kelowna AM Toastmasters) and I was pleasantly surprised to see a former member walk through the...
Even public speaking professionals get nervous
Do professional speakers get nervous before they take the stage? “Always,” said keynote speaker Giselle Ugarte. “I usually have a time when I...
Busting myths about public speaking
We’ve all heard various pieces of advice about public speaking, but how many of these tips and tricks are actually myths? This month, I will debunk four...
Public speaking tips for introverts
I consider myself to be an introverted person. That may seem odd considering my YouTube channel and monthly Castanet column is dedicated to encouraging people...
Get over your fear of recording video content
Let’s pretend you need to change the battery in your vehicle, but you’ve never done it before and you’re not exactly mechanically inclined....
Five ways to create a persuasive speech?
The term “persuasion” can sometimes have a negative connotation. But persuading somebody to do something we truly believe in isn’t a bad...
Answering a Toastmasters Table Topics question
“What is a hormone that has given you challenges recently?” Imagine being asked that question and then, within seconds, a room full of people begin...
Mastering the five essentials of public speaking
Over the past decade, I’ve worked hard to improve my public speaking skills. Throughout that time, I’ve observed there are five essential categories...
Handling difficult audience questions?
One of the most difficult aspects of public speaking is handling questions that may come from your audience after you’ve delivered your presentation. For...
How to keep your audience engaged
People’s attention spans seem to keep getting shorter and shorter. In fact, you are probably already debating whether you’re going to continue...
Self-deprecation and humour are powerful talking tools
What’s your most embarrassing story? While many people cringe at the thought of reliving an embarrassing moment, what I’ve come to realize is that...
Real life skills you gain from Toastmasters?
Within a typical Toastmasters meeting, there are a number of different roles that club members can sign up for. A few examples are: Toastmaster, Humourist,...
Can ChatGPT make you a better communicator?
A few months ago, Open AI released a tool called ChatGPT, which leverages artificial intelligence to answer questions and perform tasks based on prompts it...
What to do 24 hours before giving a speech
There are a few things you can do 24 hours before delivering a speech that will maximize your chances of finding success and communicating effectively. Before I...
How to give a toast at a holiday party?
With the holiday season coming up, there will likely be opportunities to say a few special words to commemorate gatherings of family members and friends....
Eliminate 'umms' and 'ahhs' from your speeches
Have you ever watched a recording of yourself speaking and discovered you say “uhh” or “umm” constantly? Don’t worry, you’re...
How to react to distractions as a public speaker?
It's one of the worst case scenarios you can experience as a public speaker: you’re delivering a speech and then something unexpected happens that...
