Canadian Crossing

British Columbia decriminalizes some drugs but at a really low threshold

Decriminalize. A powerful word that we don't hear much about in North America. For example, the perception is that the Netherlands legalized marijuana for their coffee shops. In fact, marijuana is not legal but coffee shops are permitted to sell up to 5 grams of marijuana to customers for consumption on-site. No takeaway orders.

As of today, Canadians 18 years of age and older in British Columbia will be able to possess up to a cumulative 2.5 grams of opioids, cocaine, methamphetamine, and MDMA within the province.

Note that the total is half of what is the law in the Netherlands. British Columbia wanted a threshold of 4.5 grams but the federal government lowered the threshold to 2.5 grams.

We have noted that the marijuana threshold in Canada, where pot is legal coast to coast to coast, is 30 milligrams. So the threshold seems higher for the other drugs but that isn't a fair comparison.

The pilot program is in effect for 3 years. You still can't sell drugs though such a small possession marker would make that an odd charge.

The threshold may not matter too much in Kamloops, Prince Rupert, Abbotsford, Fort St. John, Kelowna, and Penticton. The limit may not be as much of a concern on Vancouver Island in places such as Victoria, Nanaimo, Tofino, and Ucluelet.

The key concern is opioids in Vancouver Downtown Eastside. Fentanyl and its analogues were detected in nearly 86% of drug toxicity deaths from 2019-2022, according to the latest report from the B.C. Coroners Service.

Experts say that some opioids users consume more than 2.5 grams in a day, citing the need for a higher threshold.

Your humble narrator is a bit surprised that the program is province-wide, given the significance of Vancouver Downtown Eastside. Then again, opioids use isn't limited to that area. 

Experiencing marijuana tourism in Canada

CanadianCrossing.com marijuana coverage

CanadianCrossing.com British Columbia coverage

While we promote the idea of marijuana tourism, we aren't as excited about the prospect of tourists taking too much advantage. An 18-year-old might find it unusual to be able to possess 2 grams of cocaine while marijuana is still illegal until they turn 19.

The help for opioids users is that they can have a safe supply and not overdose and die. That isn't the same as recreational use. There is also the theory that an American possessing a legal supply might be suspected of trafficking more than someone with a British Columbia drivers licence. 

We will be very curious to see how this pilot program goes and maybe a higher threshold within the 3 years.

photo credit: Victoria Police Department/CBC News

Sarah Polley gets Oscar nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay but not Best Director

I'm very happy today and so grateful to the incredible collective of cast and crew who made Women Talking.

— @realSarahPolley (she/her) (@realsarahpolley) January 24, 2023

Women Talking did get Oscar nominations for Best Picture and Sarah Polley for Best Adapted Screenplay. The absence of any female directors is a shock. Polley would have made sense being up for Best Director. The film also got shut out of any acting nominees.

Denis Villeneuve (Arrival) is still the last Canadian director to have an Oscar nomination.

Polley's fellow contenders for Best Adapted Screenplay are All Quiet on the Western Front (screenplay by Edward Berger, Lesley Paterson & Ian Stokell); Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (written by Rian Johnson); Living (written by Kazuo Ishiguro); and Top Gun: Maverick (screenplay by Ehren Kruger and Eric Warren Singer and Christopher McQuarrie; story by Peter Craig and Justin Marks). Polley adapted the screenplay from the Miriam Toews novel of the same name.

This is Polley's second Oscars nomination, having been nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay for Away From Her.

The other Best Picture nominees are All Quiet on the Western Front; Avatar: The Way of Water; The Banshees of Inisherin; Elvis; Everything Everywhere All at Once; The Fabelmans; Tár; Top Gun: Maverick; and Triangle of Sadness.

Women Talking, technically not a Canadian film, opens in the U.S

American-Canadian actor Brendan Fraser got a Best Actor nomination for The Whale.

Besides Best Picture, James Cameron's Avatar: The Way of Water was also nominated for best sound, production design and visual effects.

Toronto's Daniel Roher is up for Best Documentary Feature Film for Navalny about Russian political dissident Alexey Navalny.

Eternal Spring misses the Oscars shortlist cut for Best International Feature Film

We have the Top 5 films for the Best International Feature Film: Argentina (Argentina, 1985); Belgium (Close); Germany (All Quiet on the Western Front); Ireland (The Quiet Girl); and Poland (EO).

Your humble narrator is pulling for Close and EO. Hoping to see the other nominees before the Academy Awards ceremony.

These films made the shortlist but didn't advance to the Top 5 for Best International Feature Film: Austria (Corsage); Cambodia (Return to Seoul); Denmark (Holy Spider); France (Saint Omer); India (Last Film Show); Mexico (Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths); Morocco (The Blue Caftan); Pakistan (Joyland); South Korea (Decision to Leave); and Sweden (Cairo Conspiracy).

All Quiet on the Western Front is also up for Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay. 

Congratulations to the cast and crew of @RRRMovie - winners of the #criticschoice Award for Best Foreign Language Film.#CriticsChoiceAwards pic.twitter.com/axWpzUHHDx

— Critics Choice Awards (@CriticsChoice) January 16, 2023

RRR (India) won Best Foreign Language Film at the Critics Choice Awards on January 15. The film beat out these other nominees: All Quiet on the Western Front (Germany); Argentina, 1985 (Argentina); Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths (Mexico); Close (Belgium); and Decision to Leave (South Korea).

Argentina, 1985 (Argentina) won Best Motion Picture – Non-English Language at the 2023 Golden Globes on January 10. The other nominees were All Quiet on the Western Front (Germany); Close (Belgium); Decision to Leave (South Korea); and RRR (India).

The Independent Spirit Awards has its ceremony on March 4. These are the nominees for Best International Film:

Corsage (Austria/Luxembourg/France/Belgium/Italy/England) Marie Kreutzer
Joyland (Pakistan/USA) Saim Sadiq
Leonor Will Never Die (Philippines) Martika Ramirez Escobar
Return to Seoul (South Korea/France/Belgium/Romania) Davy Chou
Saint Omer (France) Alice Diop

Canadian film review: Eternal Spring

Eternal Spring gets the nod from Canada for Best International Feature Film

Eternal Spring, which was Canada's nominee for Best International Feature Film, was a potential nominee for Best Documentary Feature Film and Best Animated Feature Film. The film didn't make the cut in either category. This was the first documentary and animated film that Canada submitted in the Best International Feature Film category.

Fire of Love, a Canadian co-production, is a nominee for Best Documentary Feature Film. Turning Red, the "Canadian film" that isn't, is a nominee for Best Animated Feature Film.

2022 WIFF Canadian films in review

Turning Red shows the beauty of Toronto thanks to Domee Shi

The thought of Women Talking losing out to Top Gun: Maverick in 2 Oscars categories is a nauseating thought. The Academy has clearly returned to a pre-pandemic approach in many ways.

We talk about films that appear Canadian but are not. Still rooting for Turning Red and Women Talking because they are good films. 

Polley's speech for Best Adapted Screenplay, if she wins, will be the reason to watch the Oscars. 

Ryan Gosling, Denis Villeneuve get Oscar nominations

2022 Oscars through the lens of Canada

Canadians Oscars nomination scoreboard

Christopher Plummer (finally) wins his first Oscar

CanadianCrossing.com film coverage

The 95th Academy Awards will be held on March 12, 2023.

Twitter captures: @realsarahpolley; @CriticsChoice
photo credit: Women Talking

Michael: Tuesdays and Thursdays is available on Netflix in the U.S.

A few readers were surprised that Michael: Tuesdays and Thursdays made our Top 10 list of the best Canadian television during the 2010s. This included the 12 episodes in its original form in 2011 as well as 6 more episodes in 2017 under the title Michael: Every Day.

The roots of some of the program can be found in Slings & Arrows. Bob Martin, who co-created Michael: Tuesdays and Thursdays, co-created the Shakespearean inspired show with Susan Coyne and Mark McKinney. The latter 2 wrote episodes of Michael: Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Don McKellar, the other co-creator, directs 6 of the 12 episodes of the original incarnation and all 6 episodes of the 2017 version.

The neuroses of Matt Watts, who was prominent in The Newsroom, the Ken Finkleman show and not the American program with a similar name, figure prominently in Michael: Tuesdays and Thursdays. Watts plays Michael, who has been going to David (Martin), his therapist for 15 years. David is trying to write a book based on Michael, who has named him Miguel to protect his identity. At the start, David hasn't asked Michael for permission for his story to be in a book.

Claire (Tommie-Amber Pirie) is David's incompetent receptionist. Carlos (Pablo Silveira) is Michael's rival at work who tries to take advantage of Michael's insecurities. Jasmina (Martha Burns) and Samantha (Jennifer Irwin) are David's book publisher and editor.

The surprising co-star in the program is Ottawa, the relatively boring federal capital of Canada. The Nicholas Hoare bookstore, Parliament buildings, city buses are just some of the scenery in the background. Don't know of too many other Canadian television shows shot in Ottawa.

The joint fragile nature of Michael and David is what makes the show work. The therapist can be seen as the all-knowledgeable yet therapist and patient have significant issues.

David sees Claire as incompetent but she turns out to be more complex. Samantha has her own insecurities, managing sex within a professional relationship with David. The female characters aren't throw-away people.

We see guest appearances from Canadian icons such as Ottawa are native Sandra Oh as well as Samantha Bee.

You don't have to be in therapy or a therapist to get the show. The humour is subtle and dry, which is also true of the other shows we have mentioned.

The U.S. audience can see for themselves whether they think the show belongs on our list or is just a good show that should have been an honourable Canadian TV mention.

Top 10 best Canadian TV shows in the 2010s

Netflix picked up Season 1, which are the 12 episodes from 2011 but not the 6 episodes from 2017 (as Michael: Every Day). Hopefully, all of the episodes are available in Canada via CBC Gem.

CanadianCrossing.com CBC coverage

CanadianCrossing.com television coverage

Speaking of Canadian TV shows on U.S. streaming outlets, we had been complaining for some time that Hulu hadn't picked up Season 3 of Jann. That complaint feels insignificant now that Hulu no longer carries Jann in any form. If we hear news about Jann south of the 49th parallel, we will pass on that information.

video and photo credit: Michael: Tuesdays and Thursdays/CBC Comedy

Canadian film review: Soft Shell Man

A deep sea diver has an accident while diving in the Indian Ocean. Alex (David La Haye) regains consciousness in the hospital and starts flirting with the female doctor.

Un crabe dans la tête profiles his behaviour, which is clearly changed from the accident where he is really interested in women. Alex starts a relationship with a journalist named Marie (Isabelle Blais). He is also interested in Sara (Chantal Giroux), a woman who is deaf. Sara is Marie's co-worker and the girlfriend of Sam (Emmanuel Bilodeau), Alex's best friend.

Alex is fascinated with the silence around Sara, which feels tied back to the accident. He also seems to break into places throughout the film.

Un crabe dans la tête | Soft Shell Man shows a deterioration within Alex as reflected by images of crabs and the jerking of the camera.

There are subplots such as Alex helping his agoraphobic friend Audrey (Pascale Desrochers) by working with a drug dealer and a gallery owner who wants to run some of Alex's photos.

Un crabe dans la tête is a film you can see through different lenses. The film could be seen as a romantic comedy with Alex's many attempts at love. Personality changes based off a traumatic incident. The ending gives us a different take.

The film is all about Alex yet writer/director André Turpin creates strong female characters in Marie and Sara. The portrayal of Sara is particularly poignant because she treats her deafness as a small bump in getting through life.

Turpin is mostly known as a cinematographer for Cosmos, Un 32 août sur terre, Maelström, Un crabe dans la tête, Childstar, Familia, Congorama, Incendies, Tom à la ferme, Mommy, Juste la fin du monde, Ma vie avec John F. Donovan, and Matthias & Maxime. Turpin is also married to Canadian filmmaker Louise Archambault, who worked on this film.

Turpin also directed Endorphine, which we reviewed. The 2015 film was Turpin's first full-length feature since this film. He also directed the Jules & Fanny segment in Cosmos (1996). Canada also submitted Cosmos for the Academy Awards.

Canadian film review: Endorphine

Un crabe dans la tête is a creative adventure of a film with complex ideas in a simply told story. This might be limited to those who love quirky, independent films but does well in this genre.

The film has minor inconsistencies but has the energy and script to have you follow to see what happens.

CanadianCrossing.com film reviews

CanadianCrossing.com film coverage

Un crabe dans la tête | Soft Shell Man was Canada's submission for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film for the 2002 Oscars. The film received 4 Genie Award nominations: Best Motion Picture, Best Screenplay (Turpin), Best Actor (La Haye), and Best Cinematography (Turpin).

The film may be available here.

photos credit: Un crabe dans la tête | Soft Shell Man

Canadian film notebook: Turner Classic Movies to show Emporte-Moi

Emporte-Moi | Set Me Free became my white whale after your humble narrator saw Goin' Down the Road, which was the white whale up to that point.

There was a possibility before the pandemic of seeing the film for free but the people couldn't find a copy with subtitles.

Turner Classic Movies will air the film early in the morning of January 13 at 3:45 am Eastern (after you go to bed on January 12).

Let's go through a few reasons why this film has been a white whale for your humble narrator.

Léa Pool — a Canadian filmmaker whose films have dazzled, most notably Lost and Delirious.

Karine Vanasse — a Canadian actor I have enjoyed in a number of performances in English and French, all as an adult. She is a teenager in this film. Curiosity to how she is as an actor as a teenager.

Vivre sa vie — There are many references to Anna Karina and this wonderful Jean-Luc Godard New Wave film.

Pascale Bussières — She plays Vanasse's mother in this film. Bussières is charming on screen no matter what kind of role she plays.

Some regular readers could point out our OCD on the Canadian nominees for Best International Feature Film. While the OCD is a factor, my genuine interest in seeing this film overshadows that OCD. That doesn't hurt as a reason to see the film but not the primary focus.

There is always a possibility the film may not live up to the hype. Willing to find out for myself. There will be a review, no matter how the film turns out.

Beans won the 2021 Rogers Best Canadian Film Award

Anne at 13,000 Ft. wins 2020 Rogers Best Canadian Film Award

And the nominees for the @Rogers Best Canadian Film Award are:
-BROTHER, directed by Clement Virgo
-CRIMES OF THE FUTURE, directed by David Cronenberg
-RICEBOY SLEEPS, directed by Anthony Shim

The winner of the $100,000 prize will be revealed at the #TFCAawards gala on March 6! pic.twitter.com/MX0FZaHSq1

— Toronto Film Critics (@TFCA) January 8, 2023

The Toronto Film Critics Association announced the 3 finalists for the Rogers Best Canadian Film Award, which carries a cash prize of $100,000.

• Brother (Clement Virgo)
• Crimes of the Future (David Cronenberg)
• Riceboy Sleeps (Anthony Shim)

All 3 films made the TIFF Top 10 Canadian films for 2022. Brother and Riceboy Sleeps played at the Toronto International Film Festival and Windsor International Film Festival with the latter film winning the 2022 WIFF Prize in Canadian Film.

We have seen all the nominees going back to 2019. We recently saw Crimes of the Future. While that was an intriguing film, either Brother and Riceboy Sleeps would be logical picks to win the award.

We won't know the winner until the 26th annual TFCA Awards, which will be an in-person gala at the Omni King Edward Hotel on March 6. The cash prize of $100,000 is the largest purse in Canadian film.

We will have seen 16 of the last 17 winners (counting 2022), the exception being The Stairs from Hugh Gibson (2016). Maybe we will see that film before the March 6 ceremony.

Seeing Emporte-Moi | Set Me Free will only leave 2 other films we have not seen that have been a TFCA winner, both from David Cronenberg: Spider (2003) and A History of Violence (2005).

CanadianCrossing.com film reviews

CanadianCrossing.com film coverage

Reviews will come at some point for these films (more than likely). Did pick off a couple of recent TIFF Top 10 films. Charlotte (2021) and the aforementioned Crimes of the Future (2022) are both featured on Hulu in the United States. If you want to go way back. finally saw Barney's Version (2010), which is also available on Hulu.

Rather unusual to have TIFF Top 10 films in such a major outlet south of the border. David Cronenberg films do well in the States. Barney's Version has a number of American and non-Canadian actors. Charlotte is more of a European film than a Canadian film.

That leaves 4 not seen from the 2022 list and 2 from the 2021 list.

photo credit: Emporte-Moi | Set Me Free
Twitter capture: @TFCA

Canadian film case study: Just a Breath Away

Just a Breath Away | Dans la brume feels like a Hollywood film with a slight French feel. An earthquake triggers an underground smoke cloud. The cloud is more of a concern for their daughter Sarah (Belgian actor Fantine Harduin), who survives in a bubble.

The case study concept covers a wide variety of technically Canadian films. Early on in the film, Mathieu (French actor Romain Duris) says he has been to Canada secretly to find a solution for their immuno-compromised daughter. Anna (French actor Olga Kurylenko) expresses her disdain of the prospect of living in Canada, even if that means a life for her daughter. To be fair, they do live in Paris.

That was the visible Canadian content for the whole film. No Canadians in a significant acting role.

Everything is laid out perfectly for Mathieu and Anna. They reach the top floor, conveniently just above the cloud. He remembers that the neighbour has an oxygen tank and happens to be one floor below. Mathieu happens to be an excellent climber.

Mathieu and Anna are separated though he lives close to his wife and daughter. There is no visible tension between them before or after the earthquake. There isn't even much to their personalities.

Sarah communicates with her friends in a Zoom type setting, even in 2018. She wonders whether she is in love with Noe, a boy who is also immuno-compromised. Her character is way more interesting than her parents.

I've seen more Romain Duris French films than I can count. Seeing him as an action hero is farcical at best.

Duris was featured in another Canadian film in 2018 (The Great Darkened Days | La grande noirceur) where both films were nominated for Best Motion Picture at the 2019 Canadian Screen Awards.

Schitt's Creek, Anne with an E win big at 7th Canadian Screen Awards

CanadianCrossing.com film reviews

CanadianCrossing.com film coverage

Just a Breath Away | Dans la brume is a very easy film to consume if you ignore a number of basic realities. An intriguing premise not backed up well by the script from Guillaume Lemans and the direction from Daniel Roby. Soft on conflict and tension, the film is interesting but could have been intriguing.

There is plenty of action as in an action film, but lovers of the genre won't find as much action versus an actual action film. 

Just a Breath Away | Dans la brume is comme ci comme ca, which means so-so, neither good nor bad.

The film received 8 Canadian Screen Awards nominations in 2019. The film won for makeup and visual effects. The other nominations were for Best Motion Picture, Best Director (Daniel Roby), Best Supporting Actor (Michel Robin), Best Original Screenplay, and for overall sound and sound editing.

video credit: YouTube/Unifrance
photo credit: Just a Breath Away | Dans la brume

2023 Canadian politics preview

2020 pandemic elections favoured the incumbents. 2021 pandemic elections didn't favour the incumbents. 2022 sort of post pandemic elections favoured the incumbents who did a terrible job at managing the pandemic.

Ontario and Quebec weighed in seemingly on the leadership of the past 4 years, generally considered terrible (especially in Ontario) and decided for more.

Bill 21 and Bill 96 in Quebec are slowly winding through the justice system to see if they can survive the use of the notwithstanding clause.

The 2023 scheduled provincial elections won't be as dramatic with the Alberta exception.

2022 gave us new federal party leaders with new people in charge of the Conservative Party and the Green Party.

Pierre Poilievre has been a name those who follow Canadian politics have known for some time. Now Canada will slowly get to know the new opposition leader.

Elizabeth May is back as the Green Party of Canada leader along with Jonathan Pedneault

Pierre Poilievre wins Conservative Party of Canada leadership race

Pierre Poilievre also wants to defund the CBC

We even had an Ontario notebook during that provincial election. An election that should have been exciting but was not. Both the NDP and Liberals in Ontario will have new leaders for the next election.

Quebec selects CAQ for its second term as majority government

Exploring the consequences of Bill 96 in Quebec

Doug Ford and the PCs win a second term in Ontario

The pact between the federal Liberals and NDP brought stability to a minority government. We realize our American readers aren't used to having political pressure from the left but the NDP influence has compelled Justin Trudeau to make smarter decisions in the future of Canadians.

Seems shocking given the impact of Supreme Court decisions on Indigenous people that the Court only had its first Indigenous member in 2022. Progress comes very slowly.

Canada also slowly made progress to finally making arrivals in Canada a lot more sane.

Canada drops all COVID-19 measures at borders as of October 1

Michelle O'Bonsawin to become the first Indigenous person on the Supreme Court of Canada

Canada government engages in a LIberal-NDP pact to avoid a federal election until 2025

Erin O'Toole out as Conservative Party federal leader

The Alberta election will have enough drama for a provincial election in 2023. Interestingly, the battle will be between female party leaders, a rarity in Canadian politics but not the first time in Alberta. Danielle Smith will be in both races, this time against former premier Rachel Notley.

Smith is also a rarity in that she ran as the opposition leader for the Wildrose Party and lost to the incumbent and yet is currently the unelected premier of Alberta.

Heather Stefanson became the premier through a party leadership race and is running for the first time in Manitoba. Stefanson has been the Manitoba premier since October 30, 2021.

Prince Edward Island elected a minority government with Progressive Conservative control yet since acquired a small majority in the smallest Canadian province.

Danielle Smith completes her political comeback to be Alberta's premier-designate

Jason Kenney to step down as UCP leader and Alberta premier

Prince Edward Island has a Greens growth spurt with a minority government

Heather Stefanson will be Manitoba's first female premier

British Columbia is still under NDP control but switched captains. John Horgan is cutting back due to health concerns with David Eby now the unelected premier in the province.

David Eby to replace John Horgan as British Columbia premier

What did we learn from pandemic elections in Canada?

CanadianCrossing.com Canadian politics coverage

Here are the tentative election dates for the provinces in 2023:

• Alberta — May 29
• Prince Edward Island — October 2
• Manitoba — October 3

Here is the list of the provinces and the year of their last provincial election.

Quebec — 2022
Ontario — 2022
Newfoundland and Labrador — 2021
Nova Scotia — 2021
British Columbia — 2020
New Brunswick — 2020
Saskatchewan — 2020
Alberta — 2019
Manitoba — 2019
Prince Edward Island — 2019

2022 Canadian politics preview

2021 Canadian politics preview

2020 Canadian politics preview

2019 Canadian politics preview

2018 Canadian politics preview

2017 Canadian politics preview

2016 Canadian politics preview

2015 Canadian politics preview

Manitoba has a female premier in Heather Stefanson, who is running for election in 2023.

Rachel Notley (Alberta) and Dominique Anglade (Quebec) are female opposition leaders. Notley runs in 2023 in Alberta and Anglade just ran in Quebec in 2022.

Marit Stiles will reportedly replace Andrea Horwath in Ontario as NDP leader and provincial opposition leader.

Sharon Cameron is the new Liberal leader in Prince Edward Island for fewer than 60 days. The Liberals are third in the PEI legislature.

Sonia Furstenau (British Columbia Green Party) and Manon Massé (Québec solidaire) are female leaders of a provincial party with legislative members.

photo credit: @qcgnjustice

Where to visit Canada in 2023

"The ArriveCAN app is optional." That might be the most glorious Canadian travel news of 2022.

We have feigned hope for more travel in the last couple of years but that hasn't been a reality. Canadians, who were vaccinated, were encouraged to come to the United States. Americans to Canada? Not so much.

Let's hope 2023 sees a return of Americans to Canada, swayed by beautiful scenery and landscapes as well as a cheap Canadian dollar.

Making up for lost travel time is an ideal goal for 2023, provided you have the time and money.

Experiencing marijuana tourism in Canada

Your humble narrator finally got to be on Canadian soil. As tempting as kissing the ground might be, didn't get that literal in my appreciation for being in Canada. Poutine, ketchup chips, butter tarts, even a decent shawarma were on the menu. All of that went well with legal marijuana in Canada.

Pope Francis I arrives in Canada on Sunday for an expected apology on residential schools

The most famous person who isn't Canadian who came to Canada in 2022 was Pope Francis, head of the Catholic Church. The trip was mostly to Alberta with a brief stop in Quebec and an even briefer stop in Iqaluit in Nunavat.

The trip was good in that attention was brought to what happened in residential schools. Unfortunately, after the trip, the issue of reconciliation disappeared from the headlines.

Canada drops all COVID-19 measures at borders as of October 1

Canada to finally lift pre-arrival COVID-19 tests for air and land border crossings

Making travel plans for Canada in 2023 will be a lot easier now that restrictions have been lifted. You should be vaccinated but that isn't a requirement. Just a healthy suggestion.

Touchdown Atlantic 2022 showcased Nova Scotia and its love for the CFL

We are partial to Nova Scotia and happy for those who finally got to see a CFL game in that province. The 2023 version will be in Halifax proper. The donair is a beautiful local food to enjoy as well as amazing seafood.

Stanley Tucci has plenty of love for Toronto

Toronto, among many other Canadian cities, are great eating destinations. We aren't sure how many of those places are still in business. The pandemic did a lot of damage to restaurants.

Greyhound leaves Canada for good

If you want to travel by bus and haven't done so recently, Greyhound abandoned Canada in 2021 with the grand exception of incoming buses to Toronto, Montréal, and Vancouver. If we travel by bus, we will share our experiences.

How the Canada-U.S. border closure has affected border towns

A trip back to Montréal. A first trip to Saskatoon. A chance to see relatively new CFL stadiums in Regina and Hamilton. The Icefield Parkway in Alberta. Cape Breton in Nova Scotia. Gander in Newfoundland. Churchill in Manitoba, though that might be a pipe dream. The interior of British Columbia, a world not Vancouver or Victoria.

I've been to Quebec City but would like to try areas of the city I didn't get to see. Stratford, Ontario as an adult: have been there as a kid. Explore the Acadian part of New Brunswick.

The previous 2 paragraphs look familiar for those who remember our 2022 travel guide. We made a trip to Windsor for the film festival. Would love to go deeper into Canada in 2023.

Where to visit Canada in 2022

Where to visit Canada in 2021

Where to visit Canada in 2020

Where to visit Canada in 2019

Where to visit Canada in 2018

Where to visit Canada in 2017

All Canada national parks are free in 2017

Where to visit Canada in 2016

Where to visit Canada in 2015

Where to visit Canada in 2014

Even if you are able to travel, right now, travel sucks. Not what it used to be or what it should be. Do research. Hope that trip will be what you want that to be. Someday. Please make it soon.

CanadianCrossing.com now has stories grouped by provinces and territories

CanadianCrossing.com border crossings coverage

CanadianCrossing.com travel coverage

Wish the short-term future was better for tourism in Canada. A day trip in Windsor would improve my mood.

Share your Canadian tourism wishes for 2023 in the comments section below. Time to make travel plans.

map credit: Ezilon.com

NHL the month in preview January 2023

TNT starts 2023 with a couple of Toronto home games. Nashville crosses the border (11) in their yellow sweaters. The U.S. network has an Original 6 game as part of an all-Canadian doubleheader as the New York Rangers come to Scotiabank Arena (25) followed by Johnny Gaudreau and his squad in Edmonton.

The main ESPN network gets close to being on Canadian soil with the Maple Leafs in Detroit (12). Finally, the network finally crosses into Canada almost a year and a half into the new deal with Dave Randorf's team in Edmonton (19). TNT had the opening half of that latter rivalry back in November.

NHL Network features the Toronto Maple Leafs on Hockey Night in Canada hosting Detroit (7), in Boston (14), and a rare all-Canadian matchup in Montréal (21) as part of Hockey Day in Canada. Calgary gets a Showcase game in Dallas (14).

The Winnipeg Jets get 3 games in the month: in Pittsburgh (13) and hosting Arizona (15) and St. Louis (30). Ottawa gets more love from the U.S. channel hosting Nashville (9) and in Pittsburgh (20).

The Maple Leafs also get a Sunday game hosting Washington (29).

ESPN+/Hulu finally figured out how to get to Canada 4 days later after the addition of the Oilers game mentioned earlier and finally shows a NHL game on Canadian soil. Maybe they were afraid of how good butter tarts are and stayed away as a result. The U.S. network will show Johnny Gaudreau's return to Calgary (23). Unless the schedule changes significantly, these will be the only ESPN games in Canada in the regular season in 2 years of the contract.

Why is Rogers Sportsnet giving a gift to the CBC to let the public broadcaster show a Friday night game? Best not to ask. Both CBC and Sportsnet will show the Battle of Ontario at Scotiabank Arena on January 27 as a Hockey Night in Canada Special.

Hockey Day in Canada will be on January 21 in Owen Sound, ON. Tampa Bay is the lone U.S. team and there are 2 prime time games in the East. ESPN+ will have the other 3 games that day for the U.S. audience.

The NHL takes an All-Star Game break February 2-5 so we have added the February 1 game to this schedule.

TNT

January 11
Nashville @ Toronto, 7:30p
January 25
NY Rangers @ Toronto, 7p/Columbus @ Edmonton, 9:30p

ESPN

January 12
Toronto @ Detroit, 7p
January 19
Tampa Bay @ Edmonton, 9p

NHL Network

January 7
Detroit @ Toronto, 7p (HNIC)
January 9
Nashville @ Ottawa, 7:30p
January 13
Winnipeg @ Pittsburgh, 7p
January 14
Calgary @ Dallas, 2p (Showcase)
Toronto @ Boston, 7p (HNIC)
January 15
Arizona @ Winnipeg, 7p
January 20
Ottawa @ Pittsburgh, 7p
January 21
Toronto @ Montréal, 7p (HNIC)
January 29
Washington @ Toronto, 5p
January 30
St. Louis @ Winnipeg, 8p

ESPN+/Hulu

January 23
Columbus @ Calgary, 9:30p

Hockey Night in Canada

January 7

Detroit @ Toronto, 7p/St. Louis @ Montréal, 7p/Seattle @ Ottawa, 7p/Colorado @ Edmonton, 10p

January 14

Toronto @ Boston, 7p/Montréal @ NY Islanders, 7p/Ottawa @ Colorado, 7p/Vancouver @ Florida, 7p/Edmonton @ Las Vegas, 10p

January 21 (Hockey Day in Canada)

Tampa Bay @ Calgary, 3p/Toronto @ Montréal, 7p/Winnipeg @ Ottawa, 7p/Edmonton @ Vancouver, 10p

January 28

Montréal @ Ottawa, 7p/Philadelphia @ Winnipeg, 7p/Chicago @ Edmonton, 10p

Rogers Sportsnet national telecasts

January 3 Seattle @ Edmonton, 9p

January 5 Colorado @ Vancouver, 10p

January 9 Seattle @ Montréal, 7:30p/Nashville @ Ottawa, 7:30p

January 10 Vancouver @ Pittsburgh, 7p

January 11 Nashville @ Toronto, 7p/Edmonton @ Anaheim, 10p

January 13 Winnipeg @ Pittsburgh, 7p

January 14 Calgary @ Dallas, 2p

January 16 Ottawa @ St. Louis, 8p/Calgary @ Nashville, 8p

January 18 Pittsburgh @ Ottawa, 7p/Colorado @ Calgary, 9:30p

January 23 NY Islanders @ Toronto, 7p/Columbus @ Calgary, 9:30p

January 25 NY Rangers @ Toronto, 7p/NY Islanders @ Ottawa, 7p/Columbus @ Edmonton, 9:30p

January 27 Ottawa @ Toronto, 7p (Hockey Night in Canada Special)/Calgary @ Seattle, 10p

January 30 St. Louis @ Winnipeg, 8p

February 1 Boston @ Toronto, 7:30p

Dreams do come true. 👀@FriedgeHNIC reports that the Heritage Classic is returning to Edmonton next year for the Battle of Alberta at Commonwealth Stadium. pic.twitter.com/6FwIV2LM4T

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) December 11, 2022

While not official, Elliotte Friedman reported that the 2023 Heritage Classic will be the Battle of Alberta from Commonwealth Stadium. Friedman said the game would likely be in October.

Lake Louise seemed more ideal but the logistics were more difficult. Commonwealth Stadium was the site of the original Heritage Classic in 2003.

The potential October date means the game won't be that cold, the NHL will continue its lackluster promotion (compared to the U.S. outdoor games), and this will affect the CFL Edmonton Elks. The 2023 CFL schedule has the Elks final home game is October 14 with a road game in Winnipeg and a bye to finish the season.

This means one of the U.S. networks will be required to carry the Battle of Alberta.

Maybe Montréal can get an outdoor NHL game when Gary Bettman is no longer the NHL commissioner.

Canadian ads from fall 2022 NHL Center Ice free preview

NHL the month in preview December 2022

The Ottawa Senators were supposed to go into the holiday break with a home game against Detroit on December 23. The winter storm made that non viable so the game was postponed until February 27.

After last year's COVID-19 postponements, having a game postponed because of weather feels a lot more normal. 

NHL the month in preview November 2022

NHL the month in preview October 2022

Monday Night Hockey is the replacement for Hometown Hockey. David Amber shifted from the late Saturday Hockey Night in Canada slot to host the Monday segments. Cassie Campbell-Pascall and Anson Carter are consistently on the panel with a random fourth person.

Hope Carter is enjoying those Atlanta-Toronto flights. They may get rougher as winter truly rolls into Canada. Carter gets to show off his hockey insights in a better format than the TNT studio show. Campbell-Pascall feels at home in this format. She is working as an analyst for ESPN games. Greg Millen took over as the fill-in for Kelly Hrudey on Calgary Flames telecasts with Rick Ball.

The studio setup is very above average but not sure what the draw is otherwise. Maybe that is the draw. The studio crew is better than the Wednesday night games.

Happy Holidays 2022 includes Season 11 of Letterkenny

Carey Price will likely not play in the NHL for the Montréal Canadiens or any other team. We briefly touched on Carey Price and the whole hunting and guns issue last week. His heart seemed in the right place.

Feel free to read more for yourself.

2022 NHL preseason schedule

Our guide to the NHL Canadian teams coverage

Tracking the NHL 2022 media changes

December 1 Edmonton @ Minnesota, 8p Bob Wischusen/Brian Boucher/Leah Hextall ESPN+/Hulu
December 6 Toronto @ Dallas, 8:30p Bob Wischusen/Ray Ferraro/Emily Kaplan ESPN+/Hulu
December 14 Vancouver @ Calgary, 10p Brendan Burke/Darren Pang/Jennifer Botterill TNT
December 18 Ottawa @ Minnesota, 2p Jamie Hersch/Dave Reid NHL Network
December 21 Edmonton @ Dallas, 9:30p Kenny Albert/Eddie Olczyk/Keith Jones TNT
December 28 Calgary @ Seattle, 10p John Forslund/Darren Pang/Kathryn Tappen TNT
December 30 Edmonton @ Seattle, 10p Leah Hextall/Ray Ferraro ESPN+/Hulu

We note that schedules are subject to change. TNT switched out its previous game on December 28 and brought in the Calgary Flames in Seattle. A good point to check back with the blog for updates, good or bad.

John Forslund is the local Seattle announcer, continuing a TNT pattern with Canadian teams. Kathryn Tappen normally works for NBC.

The December 6 game took a while to show up on the ESPN+ menu. Odd to look for the exclusive game and that game isn't even on the ESPN+ NHL page. Hulu might have had it but the games only show up on my computer, not the TV path.

The all-Canadian matchup on December 14 was our first look at the backup TNT team this season. Burke does a fine, credible job. Pang and Botterill make the team what it is. Having Botterill helps because she covers the Canadian teams on Hockey Night in Canada. Good to see her get plenty of work on both sides of the border.

Jamie Hersch did a good job in the NHL Network showcase game (18). The Senators didn't do as well.

ESPN+/Hulu gave a nice gift at the end of the calendar year with an all-Canadian crew with the Oilers in Seattle.

CanadianCrossing.com NHL coverage

Rogers Sportsnet had already decided to take the December 3 Maple Leafs game for itself, not knowing Mitch Marner would set the all-time Toronto record for most consecutive games with a point at 19. Marner finished his streak at an impressive 23 games.

As we predicted, the Habs-Oilers game in Edmonton was way more exciting with a lot of power play goals and lead changes.

.@NHLNetwork went from one of best @NHL crews to the worst crew to chase #AlexOvechkin. Saved its audience time because they weren't going to sit through what was on the screen. Ovi didn't even get the goal.

— Chad Rubel (@canadian_xing) December 18, 2022

The December 17 CBC promos would have been American holiday specials, Canadian shows coming in January, and their news and sports outlets. There were 3 potential Hockey Night in Canada games available. The December 3 game had Rogers Sportsnet playing the Grinch while the December 10 game on the NHL Network aired on Citytv. NHL Network switched out the HNIC feed for the December 17 game for less than logical reasons.

ESPN+ did offer both feeds, something they don't normally do for a NHL Network game.

The NHL Network continued its obsessive Alex Ovechkin chase, showing the NBC Sports Washington feed for a Ottawa home game and Winnipeg road game in subsequent days.

You can check out our CBC television winter preview to see what some of those promos could have been. Hopefully, January will mean some CBC promos.

photo credit: NHL
Twitter captures: @Sportsnet; @canadian_xing 

2023 CBC television winter preview

The 2023 CBC winter schedule doesn't have an Olympics interruption. The NHL is back to a normal mid-April conclusion as opposed to the end of April from 2022.

Comedies back from their sophomore years include the Mark Critch vehicle Son Of A Critch and Run The Burbs. Workin' Moms is back for its final season, Season 7. Pretty Hard Cases is back for Season 3 on Wednesdays.

Coroner is done as is Tallboyz. The sketch comedy show should have had another season, given that CBC had to fill the post Workin' Moms slot with a British and American show.

Season 8 of Still Standing has Jonny Harris off to new towns from Ucluelet and Gibsons, BC to Wabush, Newfoundland, and everywhere in between.

David Suzuki is back for his final season of The Nature Of Things (Season 62 overall). We'll have more down below on his replacements.

The CBC will run Canadian documentaries on Sunday nights under the name Hot Docs.

CBC Winter 2022

Monday

Murdoch Mysteries 8p
Around the World in 80 Days/Plan B 9p

Tuesday

This Hour Has 22 Minutes 8p
Son Of A Critch 8:30p
Workin' Moms 9p
Catastrophe/Casual 9:30p

Wednesday

Still Standing 8p
Run The Burbs 8:30p
Pretty Hard Cases 9p

Thursday

Bollywed/Canada's Ultimate Challenge 8p
The Fifth Estate/Trigger Point 9p

Friday

Marketplace 8p
Stuff The British Stole/Push 8:30p
The Nature of Things 9p

Saturday

Hockey Night in Canada 7p

Sunday

Heartland/Best in Miniature 7p
Hot Docs 8p
Essex County 9p

bold indicates new series; ital indicates new timeslot

CBC has officially announced Essex County as a 5-part, live action TV miniseries for March 2023! I’m showrunning and co-writing the series. Stay tuned for more details soon! https://t.co/aiAMkaIhZX

— Jeff Lemire (@JeffLemire) June 2, 2022

As for the new shows, Plan B has strong promise. Airing 6 episodes starting February 27, the English language version of the Radio-Canada French-language drama stars Patrick J. Adams and Karine Vanasse (photo below). This is about second chances, not birth control.

Essex County is a 5-episode miniseries that follows the intertwining lives of two families living in a rural community. Molly Parker and Stephen McHattie are in the cast. The show debuts on March 19.

The rest of the new shows fall into the reality TV genre. Bollywed is a docu-series about the Singh family, operating the Chandan Fashion bridal shop in Toronto’s Little India for the last 37 years. Canada's Ultimate Challenge is a reality show where Canadians are mentored by superstar coaches Donovan Bailey, Waneek Horn-Miller, Clara Hughes, Gilmore Junio, Jen Kish, and Luke Willson. Stuff The British Stole is technically a CBC co-production with ABC out of Australia. Push is a factual series about “the Wheelie Peeps” in Edmonton. Best in Miniature is another reality show.

That is a lot of unscripted programming from the public broadcaster. Barry Hertz from The Globe and Mail adds his own thoughts, generally agreeing on the amount of reality TV in the schedule.

Lionsgate has a deal for U.S. and international distribution for Son of a Critch. but we haven't seen any sign of an actual deal. The initial episode showed great promise.

Season 7 of Workin' Moms will be the final season for the long-running CBC comedy. Hopefully, the U.S. audience won't have to wait too long to see the final season on Netflix. The first 6 seasons are available on CBC Gem (Canada) and Netflix (United States).

CanadianCrossing.com Canadian TV coverage

The CBC released the titles for the documentaries on Sunday nights (director in parentheses):

• January 8 The Case Against Cosby (Karen Wookey)
• January 15 Doug and the Slugs and Me (Teresa Alfeld)
• January 22 Offside: The Harold Ballard Story (Jason Priestley)
• January 29 Unloved: Huronia's Forgotten Children (Barri Cohen)
• February 5 Dear Jackie (Henri Pardo)

Unloved: Huronia's Forgotten Children ran during the 2022 Windsor International Film Festival and has aired on the Documentary Channel in Canada. This is Jason Priestley's return to directing a full-length film since Cas & Dylan. Priestley also directed the rockumentary Barenaked in America as well as TV shows and TV movies.

These are only the films we know so far. Unlike British seat fillers, these are Canadian stories in Canada told by Canadians.

CanadianCrossing.com television coverage

CanadianCrossing.com CBC coverage

Diggstown finished its 4 seasons on CBC this fall. Season 4 saw a shift to filming in Prince Edward Island where the show had been shot in Halifax in Nova Scotia. Variety has an extensive interview with Diggstown creator and showrunner Floyd Kane. One of the issues addressed in the interview was why the show didn't end up on Fox.

U.S. viewers can access the show through BET+. Canadians can watch via CBC Gem.

Mi'kmaw filmmaker Jeff Barnaby has passed away at 46

As it stands right now, our biggest native show was trickster, and they cancelled it because of one person. That show was rhymes for young ghouls light I could've taken it over with my eyes closed. But they didn't even try.

— Jeff Barnaby (@tripgore) December 16, 2021

We ran this quote for the 2022 CBC television winter preview. Barnaby would have done a tremendous rendition of a theoretical Season 2 of Trickster. Unfortunately, that won't happen, mostly because Barnaby passed away unexpectedly in mid-October at the young age of 46.

Season 1 of Trickster was one of the best TV experiences of 2021 for your humble narrator. Those stories need to be told.

Workin' Moms is a rare Canadian television show to get a Season 7

2022 CBC television upfront preview

The Nature of Things will have 2 co-hosts next winter, to replace David Suzuki. Sarika Cullis-Suzuki, daughter of David Suzuki, has a PhD in marine biology and has hosted episodes of The Nature of Things as well as programs for Audible and Ocean Networks Canada. Anthony Morgan has hosted science programs on such outlets as Discovery Channel, CBC, and Vice. Morgan is also the creative director of Science Everywhere, a science education startup and media company.

photos credit: Run The Burbs; Plan B/CBC; Hockey Night in Canada/Rogers Sportsnet (x2)
Twitter capture: @JeffLemire; @tripgore