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Buy a book, help save Al Purdy's house

kim hart macneill

The ramshackle A-frame house Al Purdy built still stands by the lake in Ameliasburgh, Ontario. A place “so far from anywhere,” he wrote, “even homing pigeons lost their way.” Inside, it’s nearly as it was when he died 10 years ago. His drawers and cupboards still hold the flotsam and jetsam of a well lived […] More »

Wednesday WTF: The craziness spreads in Le Journal de Montréal lockout

kim hart macneill

[This was meant to auto-post yesterday, but didn’t, for some reason. So it’s kind of “WTF Thursday” today…] Reporters sans frontières has now waded into the mire that is the lock-out of employees at Le Journal de Montréal. Unlike many public figures, who have thrown their hats in the union’s ring, RSF’s secretary-general, Jean-François Julliard, sided […] More »

Friday FTW: Greenpeace billboards show world leaders the future, and it's not pretty

kim hart macneill

Greenpeace predicts world leaders will be making a big apology in 11 years if they don’t step up at the Copenhagen climate summit next week. A new line of giant ads in the Copenhagen airport features Harper, Obama, and 6 other serious looking, digitally aged world leaders saying, “I’m sorry. We could have stopped catastrophic […] More »

Wednesday WTF: The Atlantic Provinces are getting old

kim hart macneill

We’ll all get older, and start to slow down. It’s just a fact of life. But in the Atlantic Provinces, the population as a whole is getting older, and that’s going to lead to tough times ahead unless the provincial and federal governments step-in and make some changes. A report released Monday by the C.D. […] More »

Wednesday WTF: Gen. Rick Hillier testifies on Afghan detainees today

kim hart macneill

We may find out what retired General Rick Hillier knew about the alleged abuse of detainees after they were handed over to Afghan prisons by Canadian soldiers when he testifies before the parliamentary committee today. Hillier is a former NATO forces commander and was Canadian Chief of Defense Staff until last year. In his recently […] More »

Friday FTW: A new bill proposes environmental rights for Canadians

kim hart macneill

The tide may finally be turning on environmental action from the Canadian government. The Canadian Environmental Bill of Rights had its first reading in the house yesterday afternoon, and our fingers are crossed. Ecojustice, formerly the Sierra Legal Defense Fund, drafted similar legislation last year, in hopes of giving Canadians a legal means of protecting […] More »

Friday FTW: An insurance company actually does something nice for once

kim hart macneill

Everyone can think of something that would make their community, large or small, a better place to live: a crumbling building transformed into a rec centre, activities for the elderly, public art, or an urban garden. The Aviva Insurance Community Fund is going to make some of those ideas a reality next year. The $500,000 fund […] More »

Prairie Postcard Project #5: Hornepayne, ON

Laura TretheweyWebsite

[Writer Laura Trethewey recently travelled across Canada by train, and sent us five postcards on the way, from B.C. to Northern Ontario. The “Prairie Postcard Project” chronicles that leg of her trip and the people she met along the way. Visit her blog for the whole story. Click the postcard images to enlarge.] Dearest This, […] More »

Prairie Postcard Project #4: Winnipeg, MB

Laura TretheweyWebsite

[Writer Laura Trethewey recently travelled across Canada by train, and sent us five postcards on the way, from B.C. to Northern Ontario. The “Prairie Postcard Project” chronicles that leg of her trip and the people she met along the way. Visit her blog for the whole story. Click the postcard images to enlarge.] Dearest This: […] More »

Wednesday WTF: Congratulations! You've won a criminal background check!

kim hart macneill

Virgin Mobile wants Canadians to join the hunt for the most fearless among us. Know what we fear? Massive privacy invasion! The contest involves posting a one minute video of yourself, doing something fearless, on YouTube. Skydiving or swimming with sharks are listed as prime examples of activities fearless Canadians partake in. On November 19th, […] More »

Whole internet gangs up on Calgary Sun's Ian Robinson; hilarity ensues

kim hart macneill

Local columnists didn’t have much to worry about before the internet. Maybe a few dirty looks while waiting for a morning coffee, or in the grocery store after,  but by the next day all would be forgotten. A new column would hit the ink and everyone would get over it. Not so for Ian Robinson. […] More »