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November-December 2017

Inside Edmonton’s first Indigenous art park

Carrying the theme “the stories of This Place,” each piece will showcase different ways Indigenous people connect to the land

Brandi Morin

A unique endeavour to transform an undeveloped area of land within Edmonton into an Indigenous art park is the first of its kind in Canada. Slated to open in the fall of 2018, the Indigenous art park named ᐄᓃᐤ (ÎNÎW) River Lot 11∞, pronounced (EE-NU) River Lot 11, is a partnership between the City of […] More »
September-October 2017

Behind the exquisite chaos of Edmonton artist Wei Li

She was among finalists for the RBC Canadian Painting Competition

Maverick Canterville@mavjaycee

Wei Li’s painting speaks for itself. Her brush strokes tangle and twist in flashes of brilliant colour, in sumptuous variations of texture. It seems almost to evolve as you look at it, as if it might rearrange itself the moment you glance away. The startling immediacy of Li’s craft makes it no surprise to find […] More »
January-February 2017

2017 Kick-Ass Activist: Nasra Adem

Now Edmonton’s Youth Poet Laureate, Nasra Adem takes to the mic to dole out spoken truths

Erica Ngao

As a teenager, Nasra Adem wrote in her journal about “dumb boys” and watched videos of spoken word poetry and slams on YouTube. Inspired by poets such as Carvens Lissaint of New York’s The Strivers Row, she started posting videos of herself performing, waiting on the courage to do so in front of a live audience. […] More »
July-August 2011

As election looms, cracks appear in Alberta’s 40-year right-wing dynasty

Jen GersonWebsite

At Marv’s Classic Soda Shop, Marvin Garriott, known for his oiled handlebar moustache, is often asked to speak of politics. He’s the local prophet on the subject; all small towns have one. A two-term councillor sitting for the 1,900-person Southern Alberta town of Black Diamond, Garriott poses for tourists and reporters, mugging in a bowling-alley […] More »
May-June 2011

This45: Myrna Kostash on Edmonton culture hub Arts on the Ave

Myrna KostashWebsite

When I meet Christy Morin, founder of Edmonton’s Arts on the Ave, in the community arts cafe The Carrot, volunteer baristas are working the bar and activists with Black History Month are collecting their posters. Nearby, two community liaison police constables are huddled with a by-law officer, talking about their “weed and seed” program that […] More »
May-June 2011

This45: Joyce Byrne on open-source biologist Andrew Hessel

Joyce ByrneWebsite

The Pink Army is preparing an ambitious invasion, and Andrew Hessel is its general. This is one war you can actually feel good about supporting, though: namely, the fight against breast cancer. Hessel is the founder and managing director of Pink Army Cooperative, the world’s first open-source synthetic biotechnology firm. Founded in Edmonton in 2009, […] More »
May-June 2011

This45: Jim Stanford on activist educator Kevin Millsip & Next Up

Jim StanfordWebsite

It was the sort of sectarian self-destruction that’s sadly all too common in left-wing movements. After winning strong majorities on Vancouver City Council, the school board, and the park board in 2002, the Coalition of Progressive Electors alliance split in two just a couple of years later. This paved the way for the right to […] More »

What to do when aboriginal economies and environmental regulations conflict?

peter goffin

A project that would have provided hundreds of Metis with jobs and affordable housing was quashed on Tuesday, with a 7-6 vote by the Edmonton City Council. And though it may not seem so at first glance, that decision was likely for the best. While the project’s benefits were appealing, there were some deeper problems with […] More »
January-February 2011

Province-like clout for Northwest Territories brings prosperity—and power struggles

Herb Mathisen

[This article has been updated since its January 2011 publication; please see 3rd paragraph] Territorial devolution is key to a successful North… After decades at a frozen impasse, it appears the federal government’s position on devolving province-like responsibilities and powers to the Northwest Territories has finally thawed. In October, a draft agreement-in-principle between the feds […] More »

National Film Board's "Play it Safe" series offers a new look at street life

kim hart macneill

Above I’ve embedded Lacey’s Story, one of the films in the National Film Board’s Playing It Safe series. If you can’t see it, click here to watch it on the NFB website. Documentaries about drug use and life on the street can easily become depressing cautionary tales. The NFB’s website Playing It Safe avoids this […] More »

June 21: National Aboriginal Day (yay!)

kelli korducki

It’s only fair that the 11-day Celebrate Canada! festival should kick off with National Aboriginal Day. After all, what better way to commemorate this crazy multicultural mosaic of a country than by launching its celebration in honour of the first people to make it awesome? We’ve compiled a list of things to see and do […] More »