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Welcome to 2009

This Magazine Staff

Whew. What a year it’s been. The U.S. made history, Canada almost did and gas prices dropped to their lowest since I got my driver’s license.
Toronto finished off 2008 with three bank robberies and began 2009 with three new babies and the GTA’s first homicide, which, tragically, pales in comparison to the bloodbath that Calgary saw on New Year’s Day. Regarding the economy, the IMF is expecting 2009 to go from bad to worse, and the Globe and Mail’s Lawrence Martin predicts 2009 will see the end of Stephen Harper.
I would like to see 2009 bring some good news. A cure for cancer? Reasonable government? Baby kittens? Anything.
If, like me, you would prefer not to read about homicides and economic downturn on what is one of the precious last days before reality returns, here’s a bit of fun: Jeffrey Simpson of the Globe and Mail has made a quiz of the year’s top news items. See if you can beat my embarrassing score of just barely passing.
Instead of reflecting on the year that’s just passed (we’ve done enough of that already), it’s time to start thinking about the future. The Globe staff has made a few predictions of their own, but what do you predict for 2009? Maybe more importantly, what do you hope for 2009?

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