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September-October 2017

Where are they now?: Subjects of scandal in the 2015 federal election

Remembering the UniCaller and #peegate

This Magazine

THE GHOST OF TWEETS GONE BY THEN: Ala Buzreba, the Liberal candidate for Calgary Nose Hill, dropped out of the running after tweets from 2011 in which she told another user to “go blow [their] brains out” resurfaced. NOW: She made the news again last year in an article from the Hamilton Spectator after she […] More »

What Jagmeet Singh’s win means for the NDP—and its supporters of colour

He's the first visible minority to lead a federal party, and that holds great responsibility

Brittany Andrew-Amofah@BrittanyAmofah

This month, the NDP and Canada achieved a historical first. Jagmeet Singh, former Member of Provincial Parliament in the Ontario legislature was named the eighth leader of the federal NDP. The moment marked a dramatic shift for the party, which has struggled to connect with youth and racialized voters. But it also signifies new possibilities […] More »
September-October 2017

What a day at the gun range with the far right taught me about my political echo chamber

Kristy Woudstra on shooting with the enemy

Kristy Woudstra

A range officer waves me forward into the shooting bay. The semi-automatic rifle he places in front of me is surprisingly light in my shaking hands. “I’m probably going to get this all wrong,” I nervously shout, the only way to communicate thanks to the heavy-duty ear muffs strapped over our heads to protect our hearing. […] More »
September-October 2017

Meet Canada’s strangest independent parties

They're on the fringe

Maverick Canterville@mavjaycee

THE ANIMAL PROTECTION PARTY The primary goals of the Animal Protection Party are pretty much what it says on the tin: Their platform calls for the ethical treatment of animals, with ongoing campaigns to ban shark finning in Canadian waters and prevent cosmetic testing on animals. They stand apart from the Green Party because, according […] More »
September-October 2017

Naomi Klein: How to stand up against the Trumpification of society

From Klein's newest book, No Is Not Enough

Naomi Klein

We can fight the global rise of right-wing demagoguery in two possible ways. There’s the establishment option embraced by centrist parties the world over, which promises a little more child care, better representation of women and people of colour at the top, and maybe a few more solar panels. But this option also comes with the […] More »

What the NDP leadership race taught us about attitudes toward pregnant women

Niki Ashton may not have won, but stereotypes about her pregnancy are still a pressing matter for politicians

Nora Loreto@NoLore

After my Vancouver book launch in October 2013, I headed right for the snack table. My travel schedule had brought me from Winnipeg to Vancouver early that morning: I had slept on a friend’s floor in Winnipeg and arrived before sunrise in Vancouver. By the end of my talk, the sun was back down and […] More »
September-October 2017

Why Canada’s friends abroad need to get over Justin Trudeau

He's not all that

RM Vaughan@rm_vaughan

Dear Europeans, Listen, we Canadians are fond of you. And sometimes you Europeans can even find our country on a map. We like the way you keep it post-colonial. But we have to have a chat about Prime Minister Trudeau. The new one, Justin. Not Disco Trudeau—that was Trudeau 2.0’s dad. I’m talking about Yoga […] More »
September-October 2017

Trudeau performance review: Economy

Critics were skeptical of the PM's plans for a short-term deficit, but it's paying off

Amy van den Berg@vandenba

Trudeau’s majority win in 2015 promised many things, among them a strong economy and a happy middle class. Early on he revealed the party’s plans to run a “modest short-term” deficit of no more than $10 billion a year to achieve this, and hit the ground running with campaign promises of better infrastructure, innovation spending, […] More »

COMIC: Categorizing the alt-right

What makes a white supremacist? Artist Hana Shafi unpacks the idea in her latest comic

Hana Shafi@hanashafi

September-October 2017

Trudeau performance review: Social issues

He sports socks to celebrate Eid and attends Pride—a step forward from his predecessor. But the PM still has work to do

Fatima Syed

Three women stand in the main reception area of Mississauga, Ont.’s city hall, desperately looking over a crowd holding their phones above their heads. They share a giddiness that’s palpable, even contagious. All three are visible minorities—women of colour with black hair and brown skin. One of them wears a bright blue hijab. All three […] More »
September-October 2017

Trudeau performance review: Foreign affairs

How the PM has failed to tackle climate change, refugees, and more on the global stage

Tannara Yelland@tyelland

Since taking office, Trudeau has been astute at bringing the politics of personality and appearance to the fore, a smiling face making overtures toward progressivism as his party upholds many of the policies their voters were spurning. His approach since Donald Trump’s election as U.S. president has been one of conciliation, even on matters that an […] More »