July 31, 2009
Are Environment Canada gatekeepers gagging their own scientists?
Toronto journalist Janet Pelley got a shock last February while attending a symposium in Burlington, Ont., on water quality research. After a session on Bisphenol-A, she approached two of the researchers who had presented for follow-up information. The researchers “laughed nervously,” says Pelley, then pointed her to an Environment Canada press officer in the corner. “I definitely felt that the... [More >>]
July 30, 2009
Gimme Shelter: refugees who found sanctuary in Canadian churches
Three Canadian church congregations stood up to Immigration Canada and the police to save the lives of refugees in peril. Some say they should butt out. Abdelkader Belaouni hasn't left the grounds of St. Gabriel's Church in Montreal in more than three years. Illustration by Todd Julie. In 1990, Felicia Abimbola Akinwalere (“Ola” to her friends) arrived in Toronto from Nigeria on a temporary... [More >>]
July 28, 2009
Why the CRTC must bring Al Jazeera to Canada
Washington-based TV anchors Marash and Fakry of the Al Jazeera English language network. Photo by Jason Reed/Reuters. In late 1996, in a tiny peninsular emirate on the Persian Gulf with a total surface area barely larger than Toronto and Montreal combined, an experiment began. At the invitation of Qatar’s head of state, a small group of former BBC Arabic journalists relocated to the capital, Doha.... [More >>]
July 27, 2009
Creative writing courses: cash cows of the humanities
Can creative writing be taught? It's complicated. Illustration by Dave Donald. While a degree in creative writing may not top your career counsellor’s advice for a quick professional turnaround, the formal study of writing was a North American growth industry even before the recession sent more people back to school (or kept them there longer). In an anguished and incredulous Harper’s article,... [More >>]
July 22, 2009
Two poems by Kathryn Mockler
Cross-eyed Yesterday I borrowed my sister’s make up mirror to get at an eyelash. As I pulled the mirror away from my face, I noticed something strange. “Am I cross-eyed?” I asked her. “Yes,” she said. “Since when?” I asked. “Is this a recent occurrence?” “Since forever. Since I’ve known you,” she said. “But nobody told me.” “Nobody wanted to tell you because they were... [More >>]
July 20, 2009
Postcard from Liberia: The Prisoner
Prisoner in Butuo, Liberia. Photo credit: Myles Estey On Christmas Eve, 1989, Charles Taylor’s band of rebels stormed the small border village of Butuo, Liberia, taking over the police station and sparking a civil war. Chief Inspector Morris Gonylee waves dismissively at the state of ruin the station now lies in, a common sight in a nation struggling to rebuild from this 14-year conflict. A tethered... [More >>]
July 17, 2009
Could “Wind Turbine Syndrome” be harmful to your health?
Could wind turbines like these be harmful to your health? The scientific consensus is far from clear. We love it when health concerns are taken seriously… The last time you talked to your doctor about a strange set of symptoms, he or she probably didn’t write a book about it. But when Dr. Nina Pierpont of New York State got wind (pun intended) of dozens of residents living near wind turbines... [More >>]
July 16, 2009
The privileged Westerner’s guide to talking about the rest of the world
When you’re talking international development, words matter There’s nothing like an all-purpose label to bring comfort and order to an otherwise overwhelming world. But what’s comforting to one person can be downright offensive to another. When it comes to the language used to label the “non-Western” world, quotation marks just won’t cut it anymore. What’s really behind the terms... [More >>]
July 13, 2009
Listen: Tim Hecker’s sonic geography
Quebec artist’s electronic soundscapes are rooted in our home and native land LISTEN: “200 Years Ago” from Tim Hecker’s An Imaginary Country Cover of Tim Hecker's latest album, Imaginary Country. Released by Cranky, 2009. On September 30, 2006, as part of Toronto’s interactive art celebration Nuit Blanche, Montreal musician Tim Hecker hid 10 speakers in the branches of... [More >>]
July 8, 2009
The Case for All-Black Schools
Africentric education could be the key to success for a generation at risk. Some say it’s just segregation by another name. The city had been embroiled in a racially charged public debate for months leading up to that landmark night last winter. At 6 p.m. more than 200 people crowded into the Toronto District School Board’s headquarters to offer passionate pleas both for and against a controversial... [More >>]
