Please forgive the Toronto-centric post, but has anyone noticed the “Can the litter” ads on subways and around the TTC urging residents not to litter? It’s ad campaigns like this that make me truly discouraged about the state of affairs in our society. “Don’t litter” is one of the first lessons my mom taught me […] More »
If you find yourself in Toronto tonight around 8 p.m., why not join This illustrator Evan Munday for his comic book launch for The Amazing Challengers of Unknown Mystery? Apparently CanRock star Avril Lavigne has been captured, and the Amazing Challengers have been given the task of saving her. Check out the launch party for […] More »
For the past 15 years, the tradition in cities across Canada on the last Sunday in September is to wander around the Word on the Street Book and Magazine Fair. This year’s festival takes place on Sunday September 25 in Vancouver, Calgary, Kitchener, Toronto, and Halifax from 11 am to 6 pm. The fair is […] More »
Unfortunately, it looks as though Sweden has not learned the lessons of Maher Arar and Zahra Kazemi: IMC says the Scandinavian country is set to deport an Iranian labour activist who will be placed at risk of torture because of his work with the illegal workers’ movement in Iran. Sweden’s refugee board is refusing to […] More »
In the Guardian’s Weekend magazine, there is a prison interview with Joyti De-Laurey, a young woman convicted of embezzling millions of pounds from the personal banking accounts of her bosses—all of whom were managing directors of Goldman Sachs, one of the world’s richest investment banks. The crime was a huge embarrassment for Sachs, since presumably […] More »
The skeleton crew currently running the CBC have conjured up a CBC Literary Awards site with a link off the beleaguered CBC homepage. While the contest is a CBC co-production together with the Canada Council and En Route magazine, the idea of entering online during the ongoing labour dispute feels like crossing the picket line. […] More »
Opinions abound about the publisher’s clearing house extravaganza that is Maclean’s magazine—known to me as “where Paul Wells writes”—and so little surprises me about Canadian magazines these days (what’s that? The Walrus is having trouble paying writers? Is it possible?), that I have just been staying out of it. Really, who cares? Sorry D.B. Scott, […] More »
Harper’s Quebec arm has gone for the throat. Check out “the letter” as transcribed by Paul Wells. Brian Mulroney resurfaces as one of those embarrassing weapons that are insufficiently secured to the deck. Those incredibly dumb ads keep showing up on my television. Will these jokers ever be ready for an election? More »
Economist Ellen Russell’s column in the September/October issue of THIS suggests that the near universally accepted standard of “success” for economies—growth (yay!)—may be a little naive. She asks the tough question: Is economic growth good? I leave it to the economics majors out there to answer. On the other hand, I have indulged my love […] More »
From Seven Oaks magazine, a doomsday scenario for the fair province of British Columbia: Day 6 With water levels in his home surpassing cupboard-level, Marc Emery ceases to make any distinction between his bongs and the rest of his glassware. Check out the first days of disaster response here. More »