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November-December 2016

Inside the Canadian government’s plans to help thousands of homeless veterans

A 2015 study found nearly 2,250 veterans use emergency shelters on a regular basis

Tyler Hooper@thooper8

Photo by the Canadian Press/Paul Chiasson The federal government is preparing to offer rental subsidies to homeless veterans as part of a draft strategy called Coming Home. The plan is meant to address the staggering reality that almost 2,250 veterans use emergency shelters on a regular basis, according to a 2015 study by Employment and […] More »
November-December 2016

Is Bill C-225 a stepping stone to restrict abortion rights in Canada?

Behind the controversial bill that, if passed, could add charges to offences committed against pregnant individuals where the fetus is also harmed

Courtney Dickson@dicksoncourtney

A photo posted by @mmeijuu on Sep 11, 2016 at 12:28pm PDT Cassandra Kaake was seven months pregnant when she was murdered in 2014, leaving her family and friends to deal with not one, but two tragic losses. In the wake of Kaake’s death, Jeff Durham, father of the unborn child, whom the parents planned to […] More »
November-December 2016

Why B.C. needs more doctors trained in addictions medicine

Even with a shortage of doctors in the province, understanding substance use is imperative

Courtney Dickson@dicksoncourtney

British Columbia is facing widespread doctor shortages, and among the province’s limited supply of physicians, strikingly few are trained in addiction medicine. According to a study released by the B.C. Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, only 25 B.C. doctors have passed the American Board of Addiction Medicine’s (ABAM) exam, the North American standard for addiction training. […] More »
September-October 2016

What a radical restructuring of Canada’s health care system would look like

More hospital funding, empathy, intersectionality, and more

Kaleigh Trace@KaleighTrace

For our special 50th anniversary issue, Canada’s brightest, boldest, and most rebellious thinkers, doers, and creators share their best big ideas. Through ideas macro and micro, radical and everyday, we present 50 essays, think pieces, and calls to action. Picture: plans for sustainable food systems, radical legislation, revolutionary health care, a greener planet, Indigenous self-government, […] More »
September-October 2016

Community food centres must become more commonplace across Canada

There are already dozens across the country, but there's still work to be done

Christina Palassio@mcpalassio

For our special 50th anniversary issue, Canada’s brightest, boldest, and most rebellious thinkers, doers, and creators share their best big ideas. Through ideas macro and micro, radical and everyday, we present 50 essays, think pieces, and calls to action. Picture: plans for sustainable food systems, radical legislation, revolutionary health care, a greener planet, Indigenous self-government, […] More »
September-October 2016

It’s time to have an honest discussion about disability, Canada

Many of us are too afraid to talk about disability. Let's change that

Andrew Gurza@andrewgurza

For our special 50th anniversary issue, Canada’s brightest, boldest, and most rebellious thinkers, doers, and creators share their best big ideas. Through ideas macro and micro, radical and everyday, we present 50 essays, think pieces, and calls to action. Picture: plans for sustainable food systems, radical legislation, revolutionary health care, a greener planet, Indigenous self-government, […] More »
March-April 2016

March/April 2016 Cover Story: A sick inequality

Children who live on First Nations reserves receive drastically less health care, disabilities, and social services funding—a cruel gap that’s led to both death and broken families. Inside the fight for equal care

Stephanie Law@lawsteph

WHEN MAURINA BEADLE WAS CARRYING HER SECOND CHILD 20 years ago, the doctors told her she should terminate her pregnancy. The fetus was showing signs of hydrocephalus, also known as “water on the brain.” As excess fluid builds up in the brain, it places abnormal amounts of pressure and stress on important regions, and can […] More »
September-October 2015

When the cure is worse

Canada’s so-called Indian hospitals were depressing places that segregated, abused and even experimented on aboriginal patients. Gary Geddes speaks to those who were there about their long and painful legacy

Gary Geddes

  The first image: a small child in striped pyjamas, three years old, peering through the bars of a crib, directly into the lens of the camera. There’s intelligence in her eyes, but no indication of pleasure or recognition. Just a quiet, cautious curiosity. She’s holding a naked, hairless, rubber doll. Behind her, off-kilter on […] More »

Gender Block: pinkwashing

Hillary Di Menna

When the calendar flips to October, shelves are stocked with pink products and pink ribbons are all around. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, tackling the most common cancer, and the second leading cause of death from cancer, among Canadian women, according to the Canadian Cancer Society. Companies, like Procter and Gamble (P&G), use this […] More »

WTF Wednesday: tobacco industry still targeting youth

Joe Thomson

If high-school kids are smoking, they’re likely to have used flavoured tobacco products like candy flavoured cigarillos, according to a coalition of health groups that released the findings of their Youth Smoking survey on Monday. More than 50 percent of those who smoked had used flavoured tobacco products, which have come under fire for their […] More »

WTF Wednesday: Canadian Blood Services trumpets policy change on gay men and blood donation

Espe Currie

Canadian Blood Services is now accepting blood donations from men who have had sex with men—but only if they haven’t done so in the past five years. The change took effect July 22, and marks a drastic departure from the organization’s previous policies concerning blood donation from the MSM category of donor, a blanket term used to […] More »