Shayna’s first entry from the road appears below. From here on in, she and Dominique will be posting directly to the Alternate Routes blog. Enjoy! We are somewhere in the middle of Quebec, on the Trans-Canada Highway. It’s about 10 p.m. We’ve been on the road since 8 this morning. We are looking for a […] More »

I can only describe my mood today as “infuriated, but not surprised.” Yesterday, Ottawa City Council voted to shut down a crack pipe exchange program, despite the strenuous objections of city health officials and local community workers. This came on the heels of an anti-drug demonstration staged by the Sandy Hill Business Improvement Association, who […] More »

The internet has been going berzerk for the last few days, after Bill O’Reilly aired this report on CNN: Yes, O’Reilly reported that “a lesbian gang called GTO, Gays Taking Over, are involved in raping young girls. And in Philadelphia, a lesbian gang called DTO, Dykes Taking Over, are allegedly terrorizing people, as well.” Yeah, […] More »

Throughout the summer, This Magazine is presenting a special blog chronicling the cross-Canada travels of Shayna and Dominique, a pair of wanderers who are setting out to discover what community is all about. Here, in their own words, is an introduction to the project: We are thinkers, dreamers and poets, continuously questioning our place in […] More »

This week’s installment is a little late. I blame this very cool flash map that tells you the history of the Middle East from 3000 BCE to today, all in about 60 seconds. Here in Toronto, one of my favourite neighbourhoods gets turned into a pedsetrian zones on Sundays during the summer. This little gem […] More »

William Shatner portrait by Zina Saunders Calgary’s Uppercase Gallery is currently hosting a collection of artwork by Canadian and American artists depicting my favourite Canadian, William Shatner. The show runs until August 31 and features some beauties by This Magazine visual alum Raymond Biesinger and Dushan Milic. Many of the illustrations are for sale (I’ve […] More »

A week ago, my friend and I left Vancouver, planning to hit Seattle, Portland and the Oregon Coast. One interesting thing about driving through rural America is the way the war manifests itself in the endless stream of bumper stickers, pins and billboards. In coffee-crazy Washington state, even the smallest hamlets have three or four […] More »

When I read the news a couple of days ago the Michael Glatze, former editor of Young Gay America Magazine, and one of the filmmakers behind the incredible queer youth documentary Jim In Bold, had come out as “ex-gay,” I was flabbergasted. That makes two editors of queer magazines in the last several months that […] More »

A few weeks ago, North American media outlets started running stories about the worst thing either law enforcement or parents could imagine. A new formulation of crystal meth had appeared on the scene, one that was pink and sweetened, dubbed “Strawberry Quik” and aimed at schoolkids. According to police, it was poised to sweep the […] More »

July’s Film Club newsletter is now up here. While July is a bit of a slow month for new Canadian releases, Away from Her is still going strong. It’s Sarah Polley’s directorial debut about a woman suffering from Alheimer’s disease who forgets her husband, the love of her life. Bring the tissues. If you’re in […] More »

As Canadians, most of us have learned about such nation-defining events as the rebellions in Upper and Lower Canada or the Red River Rebellion, but in the next issue of This, we chronicle four under-appreciated rebellions that explode the myth of Canada as a place with a peaceful (and boring) history. The July/August issue of […] More »