Canadian Crossing

Chicago Tribune editorial sings praises of Canada

Okay, so this is a little bit weird. The Chicago Tribune, in the city where I live, praises Canada in an editorial.

And the press in Canada is loving it.

The impetus of the editorial stems from the hiring of Marc Trestman from the Montreal Alouettes. Some Chicago Bears fans may have discovered that there is a CFL. Marv Levy, who is from Chicago, followed a similar path from the CFL to the NFL.

And it doesn't hurt that in terms of the NHL team "half the team hails from Canada." If you break down the numbers purely by where they were born, the praise is true. Captain Jonathan Toews, Duncan Keith, and Brent Searbrook are the most prominent Canadians on the roster. Coach Joel Quenneville, mentioned in the editorial, is from Windsor, just across the border from its biggest rival, Detroit.

The editorial praises Canada's economic situation, stable banks, stable housing market, better health care, source of oil. The editorial desperately wants the Keystone XL pipeline to be approved. The editorial should have pointed out that Canada is already the United States #1 source for oil.

The editorial writers also praise Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper "we know many Americans have never heard of him" for his quest to open up new markets for trade.

Chicago and Illinois already trade quite heavily with Canada, as I can vouch for in dealings with the Canada-U.S. Business Council (formerly the Canadian Club of Chicago), something not mentioned in the editorial.

The take on poutine is rather amusing.

This homely dish, a tradition in Quebec, has become a popular menu item at some of Chicago's trendiest eateries. Take a mess of french fries, sprinkle on cheese curds then ladle brown gravy all over it. Embellishments range from foie gras to kimchi. Reactions range from "Yuck" to "Yum."

Poutine commands attention, like so many imports from the land of moose and maples.

The editorial could have mentioned the sold-out upcoming Poutine Fest in Chicago, but did not.

The key to the editorial is the perception of Canada. The country is vast and complicated, like any other country. Some stereotypes are thrown in, some good and some bad. But some careful research was done that has been overlooked elsewhere in the States (banks and housing markets leap to mind).

Cities closer to Canada see and feel more about the relationship between the two countries. And Chicago can easily access points to Canada, east and west, via multiple forms of transportation.

Let's leave this with the finishing touches from the editorial, and some more love from Canada, courtesy of the Chicago Tribune.

Land of the north, Chicago is calling to you. Calling your sesame bagels, smoked meat and Tim Hortons double-doubles. Calling your low rates of gun crime, and universal health care. Calling your oil, especially your oil. We hope some of that Canadian good fortune rubs off on our city.

The Globe and Mail goes behind a paywall, reducing its impact on those curious about Canada

Those who follow the Twitter feed know that I do post a lot of links from The Globe and Mail. Besides being Canada's national newspaper, The Globe and Mail has an approach to stories that are better suited for an audience that is trying to learn more about Canada.

Well, that landscape has changed starting today as The Globe and Mail is going to a paywall starting today.

The terms are pretty harsh: you get 10 articles a month. If you choose to subscribe, you have to pay $19.99/month after getting a 1-month trial for 99¢. If you can subscribe to the weekend edition, you still have to pay $4.99/month. Only those with a 5- or 6-day subscription will get free, unlimited access.

$4.99/month would have spoken to a more viable option, especially for those who don't live in Canada.

If I lived in Toronto or elsewhere in Canada, I would be a subscriber to The Globe and Mail. But I don't and so I can't. I can understand the desire for getting more money from Canadians for its content, since Canadians could choose to subscribe. But if you live in Paris or London or New York or Stockholm, you want to read the news of Canada even if you can't subscribe.

Since the Internet responds to ISP addresses, The Globe and Mail could interact a paywall that only responds to Canadian ISPs. After all, the ads on the Web site don't realistically apply to those outside Canada.

The difficulty with other news sources is that the newspaper landscape in Canada is rather sad. The majority of newspapers in major Canadian cities are owned by Postmedia Network, an organization spun off from Canwest. The network is as weak as it is extensive, with few decisions, especially on national news, being made in those local cities.

Besides the right-wing dominant National Post, these major papers are part of the Postmedia Network: Calgary Herald, Edmonton Journal, The (Montréal) Gazette, Regina Leader-Post, Ottawa Citizen, The StarPhoenix (Saskatoon, SK), Windsor Star, and both daily Vancouver newspapers, the Vancouver Sun and The Province.

And Postmedia has launched paywalls at some of its newspapers. At least with The Globe and Mail, you get more articles you might want to pay for having.

They bring a point of view that is more about cost savings than strong journalism. If you think this is about political philosophy, The Globe and Mail is pretty conservative. For those who think The New York Times or to a lesser extent, The Washington Post, are liberal, Canada doesn't have that philosophical equivalent.

The U.S. has USA Today, plus NYT and WP, as papers that serve a broad national interest. When The New York Times put up its paywall, you could turn to The Washington Post. There is no such alternative on the Canadian newspaper landscape. The National Post is national, but certainly not straight ahead in its coverage.

As a reader, I turn to The New York Times less often as a new source as a result of the paywall, even if you can find ways to get around paywalls. This is my greatest fear for The Globe and Mail.

The newspaper does point out that "readers who find stories through social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook as well as search engines and blogs won't have those stories count against their monthly cap." For those that are savvy enough to do so, they can still tune in. For others, they may drop out.

In a follow-up article, The Globe and Mail spelled it out in a way that leads us to wonder what is covered.

"The Globe and Mail homepage and all section pages — such as Business, Life, Sports and Commentary — will not count against the meter. You can visit and view those pages as many times as you like."

Since the count is reset at the end of the month, you will get 10 days to experiment at the end of October. Hopefully, the newspaper will give you a heads-up. Still the idea of counting to 10 articles in 30 days with $20 at stake is the opposite tone you want when people are looking for news and information. We'll follow up to see how the new system will work.

The good news is that those who pick up the Twitter feed (@canadian_xing) can read those links without worry about the cap. The bad news for me is getting that info to my readers.

In the Twitter feed, we'll be adding more content from CBC News, the Toronto Star, Huffington Post Canada and other sources where we can find similar stories. In other instances, we will just draw attention to the story. Sometimes, The Globe and Mail will be the only source and we will have to proceed accordingly.

Reading about Canada from strong journalism sources is the best way to keep abreast of what is going on up north. The Globe and Mail paywall makes that a lot more difficult to do. Stick with CanadianCrossing.com and we'll make it work somehow. Our curiosity will still be vibrant, even if our choices are now more limited.

photo credit

Lindsay Anderson brings too little attention to Richmond, BC food scene

I knew that Richmond, British Columbia wanted to hire a food blogger. I wanted to be that food blogger.

Even though I knew I wasn't getting the job — not even a phone call? — I was curious to see who they hired.

The first thing I read or saw about Lindsay Anderson's efforts was when The Huffington Post carried her 100th blog post. Yeah, that is some awesome level of publicity.

I was curious as to what was going on, and even I couldn't figure out what was going on or when.

No matter which person got the job, I wanted to see if the blog would make much of a dent in tourism for the Richmond, BC food scene. After all, if you are flying to Vancouver, you would be more likely to go eat in Vancouver, since Vancouver is an awesome city.

Unless you needed to eat near, but not in, the airport, or all the roads to Vancouver were washed out in a flood, you might not think to go to Richmond to eat.

This is why Richmond wanted to hire a food blogger. Publicity. This isn't what they got.

For more on Anderson's less-than-shining take on Richmond's food scene, check out our review from out sister blog, BalanceofFood.com.

Map courtesy of Google

Globe and Mail gives us Canadians' take on United States for 2012 election and more

Canadians have a much better sense of the 2012 U.S. election than most Americans know anything about Canada. But even Canadians will admit that those from Canada that live in the United States have a deeper knowledge about the U.S. and its election. So the Globe and Mail set out to find a cross-section of Canadians living in the United States and get their perspectives on living in the States and the upcoming 2012 election.

A U.S. paper trying something similar would have to find 12 Americans in Canada who would know about the upcoming Canadian election (next one in 2015) is a task that can be done, but few might want to read that.

If I lived in Canada, I would desperately want to be one of 12 Americans who could help teach Americans about Canada, something I try and accomplish in the blog, though a national newspaper (USA Today?) would give you a stronger outlet.

The Globe and Mail feature will focus on the 2012 election as well as other burning and not-so-hot discussion topics. Health care, U.S. style, and why Americans care more about college sports than Canadians are the first two non-election topics with a few more to come.

Aaron Sorkin borrows 'The Newsroom' title, but can't capture spirit of Canadian classic

My Comcast schedule listed the second episode of "The Newsroom" airing on HBO Comedy as "Dinner at Eight." The description matches the second episode not from Aaron Sorkin's new show about TV news, but the Canadian TV show from Ken Finkleman.

Too bad. HBO would have had another subscriber.

You can't copyright titles. You can write a book entitled "Great Expectations" and you can have a movie called "Citizen Kane." And you can certainly have two TV shows called "The Newsroom."

The Canadian version of "The Newsroom" had two series runs plus a movie, all from the creative mind of Finkleman, who also played news director George Findlay. The show had no laugh track, though the dialogue was often funny in a twisted fashion. True, Findlay's travels would get a little surreal at times, but he played a conniving, unscrupulous, sexist, sad human being who ran a Toronto-based TV news channel.

American audiences might recognize Peter Keleghan from his work on "Seinfeld," "18 to Life," and as Ranger Gord on "The Red Green Show." Despite all that wonderful work, he was destined to play the clueless anchorman Jim Wolcott.

"The Newsroom" got limited play in the United States on PBS stations across the country. This is how I discovered the program. I own very few DVD releases of TV shows. "The Newsroom" is one of them.

HBO and Showtime are supposed to be about TV that is different than U.S. broadcast TV and cable TV, but even Aaron Sorkin isn't on the edge as George Findlay in the Canadian TV classic.

The Aaron Sorkin series on HBO was originally titled "More As This Story Develops." "The Newsroom" is a bit simpler and catchier. We don't know if Sorkin and his crew are even aware of the Canadian TV show, and even if they were, they know they can use the title without issue.

"Well, 'The Newsroom' is often considered the greatest show Canada has ever produced, but a U.S. network feels no need to fear unflattering comparisons: assuming they've heard of the show, they probably think most people in the States have not heard of it," Jaime Weinman wrote in Maclean's (think the Time or Newsweek of Canada). "It's just a bit of a grimly amusing reminder that the U.S. TV industry doesn't take Canada very seriously (and doesn't need to)."

Though we haven't seen Sorkin's version of "The Newsroom," no one would ever confuse the two programs. "The Newsroom" has a Canadian feel and sensibility; Sorkin's version will have fast dialogue (hey, we've seen "Sports Night" and the "West Wing"; we know what is coming). Still, we'd like to know if Sorkin knows of the Canadian program and didn't care, or honestly didn't know. Hard to tell which is more insulting.

In the States, "The Newsroom" might be a water cooler topic in the next few weeks. To be so cool as to be perhaps not cool, just say, "Yeah, it was good. But it doesn't compare to the Canadian show with the same name. Not even close."

The U.S. version of "The Newsroom" premieres Sunday on HBO. Check your local listings. As for the Canadian version of "The Newsroom," you can find the episodes on DVD.

Windsor Hum is a real issue on both sides of the U.S.-Canada border

While the Windsor Hum is louder on the Canadian side of the border, the noise about the noise is getting louder in American media circles.

The Wall Street Journal reported on the phenomena. This take from ABC News portrays Canadians as hearing things.

The Windsor Hum has been going on from some time. The likely source is on the American side at Zug Island. The problem is that those on the Canadian side can't get those on the American side to investigate.

Reports have ranged from a low murmur to rattling and shaking.

In my trips to Windsor, I personally have not experienced this occurrence. However, with the number of complaints, you have to realize something is going on.

Audio scientists could explain why those on the Canadian side are hearing the noise, but not on the American side. Despite the snide take by the U.S. media outlets, Canadians don't hear any better than Americans and their ears work the same way. This could be as simple as the dynamics of where the sound comes from, or that more Canadians live near the source of the sound than Americans do.

Chances are that Barack Obama and Stephen Harper haven't discussed the Windsor Hum. The Windsor area already feels ignored by Queen's Park (provincial capital in Toronto) and Ottawa (national capital). And Detroit, outside the auto industry, is ignored on the U.S. side. Still, someone should step in and find out the source of the noise, and if that can't be adjusted to give Americans and Canadians more peace of mind.

Mitt Romney does know a lot about Canada, which should be necessary when running for president

We made a big deal in 2008 when John McCain went to Ottawa in the middle of the 2008 campaign. McCain spoke to the Economic Club of Canada in Ottawa on June 20. U.S. presidential candidates don't usually know much about Canada, and the country rarely comes up in the debates.

In one of the early debates for the Democratic Party in 2007, Barack Obama slipped and said "president" instead of "prime minister." Then again, Obama's first trip as president was to Canada, restoring a proud tradition, and has worked well with Canada and the Harper government.

If Mitt Romney is the GOP nominee in 2012, and all signs are pointing that way, Romney does have extensive knowledge of Canada.

Romney spent part of his summers near Grand Bend, Ontario. Romney's father, George, was president of American Motors Corporation before becoming Michigan's governor. The Globe and Mail reported that "Mitt remarked during one of his father's political campaigns that he first spent July 4 in the United States at age 15."

Most of Bain Capital's relationships with Canadian companies occurred after Romney left the company, but the interest Romney gets (at a 15% taxable rate) is in part from those agreements.

Then there is the dog story.

In 1983, Romney and his family drove from Boston to that cottage in Grand Bend, Ontario. Romney loaded the station wagon and put the family's Irish setter, Seamus, in an "air-tight container" (Romney's words) on top of the family station wagon. Well, despite Romney's self-assuredness that the dog would be fine, Seamus started having accidents as the no longer air-tight container began to leak. Even after the trauma of what happened, Romney hosed everything down and put the dog back in there for the rest of the trip.

We have seen reports that Seamus ran away once the family was in Canada.

On top of that, Newt Gingrich attacked Romney for speaking French. Given that Romney spent time in France as a Mormon missionary and has taken his family on vacation there, one would assume that Romney's French is better than George W. Bush's Spanish, and Romney would do just fine in Quebec and New Brunswick.

Newt Gingrich mentioned the elephant in the room (pun heavily intended) when he praised Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper as "conservative and pro-American" after Gingrich's win in the South Carolina primary. Gingrich brought up pipelines, specifically the Keystone XL pipeline and the proposed pipeline that would carry oil from Alberta to the Pacific Ocean.

"Now, an American president who can create a Chinese-Canadian partnership is truly a danger to this country," said Gingrich, never one to be subtle in his remarks.

Speaker Gingrich, once 2 heartbeats away from being president, should know that referring to Canada's PM as "pro-American" doesn't go over well in Canada, even if it's true.

Diplomacy is crucial in being president but not always required in being House Speaker.

Other than representing a state that barely borders a Great Lake, Rick Santorum hasn't weighed in much on Canada, though you have to imgaine that Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Santorum agree on way too many issues.

Unlike John McCain's 2008 running mate — okay, Sarah Palin — the reason Mitt Romney may not be able to name the number of times he has been to Canada is that there are so many of them. And the fact that Romney's father, George, was born in Mexico gives him complete NAFTA cred.

This isn't to say that Romney would make a good or bad president. However, in a Obama-Romney battle, both have a keen awareness of Canada.

Global Saskatoon sausage video goes viral

The Global station in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan has only been doing the Morning News since December. Well, Canada and the United States, as well as elsewhere in the world, knows about the Morning News on Global Saskatoon thanks to a viral video involving two female anchors … and sausage.

The verbal slip by Lisa Dutton was barely noticeable, especially if you have no idea what picatic.com does. Well, Dutton didn't say picatic.com. You can watch the video to learn more.

This wouldn't have been more uncomfortable if there had been a male anchor and a female anchor. Somehow, it was funnier having this conversation with two female anchors, and in the video, Dutton is being egged (get it, sausage, eggs) on by her female co-anchor.

The actual sausage event that they were talking about is tonight. Here is the link (get it, sausage, link).

photo credit: picatic.com

Jennifer Granholm debuts 'War Room' on Current TV

We noted Jennifer Granholm's recent appearance on the "Colbert Report" as she promoted her new book. Well, the other reason she was there was to promote the new show on Current TV entitled the "War Room."

Granholm has helped out with Current TV's primary and caucus coverage along with the Young Turks and Current chief and former Vice President Al Gore. Granholm, who served as Michigan's attorney general and governor for two terms, doesn't have that much experience on television, other than her brief stint on "The Dating Game."

In her first episode, she had a rough time in the beginning; walking and talking on live TV is harder than it looks. Once she stayed still and started interviewing, Granholm had a natural charm in talking with her guests. And she even had a Republican, fellow politician Bill McCollum from Florida. McCollum is a Newt Gingrich supporter. 

Journalism is not Granholm's thing, and no one will mistake her for Charlie Rose. She is very excited about liberal things. If you have at least two posters of Michael Dukakis and Lloyd Bentsen, you are pretty liberal.

Granholm doesn't play up her Canadian ancestry in public interviews. However, we hope that if/when Canada comes up in the presidential debate, Granholm will spotlight her knowledge. After all, besides her first four years in Canada, she did deal with Canada on issues as Michigan's governor. Then again, Rachel Maddow, who followed Keith Olbermann on MSNBC, has a mother from Newfoundland and Labrador.

The more pundits who know about Canada, the better Canada looks on U.S. television news.

photo credit: Current TV

Colbert Report spotlights Canadians Jennifer Granholm and David Frum

The Colbert Report loves Canada, beyond the mocking. As we should know, the Colbert Report airs in Canada on CTV and the Comedy Channel. So having back-to-back Canadians on the Colbert Report this week might have been a coincidence, but a happy one it was.

The two Canadians are political, one from "each side." Tuesday started off with former Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm, who has a new book out — A Governor's Story: The Fight for Jobs and America's Economic Future — and will start soon on her own nightly series, "The War Room," on Current TV. Granholm has contributed to coverage of debates, the Iowa caucus, and primaries on the cable channel.

Colbert sneaked up on Granholm, trying to get her to admit the deep dark secret about why she can't run for president. Colbert wanted her to say because she was born in Canada. Granholm threw him off by mentioning she was on "The Dating Game."

Eventually, Granholm admitted she was born in Canada and moved to the United States at the age of 4.

When Colbert mentioned Canada, someone from the audience shrieked in delight. Granholm said, "Oh, you got a Canadian up here."

"Or a wayward moose that just got goosed by a loon," Colbert replied.

Later, Colbert called Granholm a "maple syrup back." Colbert asked her whether she had a green card at the age of 4. Granholm said she did.

Colbert went to the other side of the aisle with his interview with David Frum. Unlike Granholm, Frum previously has been a guest on the Colbert Report.

Since Frum has been on the show, Colbert didn't point out Frum's Canadianness. Frum is definitely more Canadian than Granholm, having grown up in Canada and only becoming a U.S. citizen in 2007. Colbert and Frum argued Republican philosophies and the two Mitt Romneys from different vantage points.