Canadian Crossing

Canadian TV notebook: Sort Of makes its CBC television debut

Canadian TV occasionally innovates faster than what we see in the United States: Little Mosque on the Prairie seemed like an obvious show to cross south of the border. There was even talk of a U.S. version on Fox. Really.

Sort Of makes its CBC television debut tonight with back-to-back episodes at 9 pm local time on Tuesdays. Bilal Baig and Fab Filippo are the forces behind the show. Baig plays Sabi Mehboob, a non-binary person who works as a caregiver.

The show debuted with select episodes at the 2021 Toronto International Film Festival. Canadians have been able to stream the show on CBC Gem since October 5. U.S. viewers can watch Sort Of on HBO Max on November 18.

There are 8 episodes in the 22-minute range.

The idea of a Canadian TV show airing so soon in the United States is extremely rare. Schitt's Creek Season 1 aired later on Pop TV than the length of time between the debuts on CBC television and HBO Max.

Gray Powell, Amanda Cordner, Ellora Patnaik, Grace Lynn Kung, Supinder Wraich, Aden Bedard, Greg Calderone, and Alanna Bale are among the supporting cast. The series has gone beyond the continent with Sky Comedy in the United Kingdom, M6 in France, and Stan in Australia.

2021 CBC television upfront preview

2021 CBC television fall preview

Having a sitcom with a Black family at the lead is not a big deal on American TV. Too many shows to mention above and beyond Good Times. Overlord and the Underwoods is reportedly the first Canadian TV show to do just that.

The program debuted on CBC Gem on October 29.

The show has a Harry and the Hendersons vibe with a visiting alien that is a distant cousin of the mother in the family.

"I think it's the first mainstream comedy on CBC with a Black family at the lead and that's huge," said showrunner Anthony Q. Farrell, a Black writer, actor and comedian who's been trying to add more diversity to Canadian comedies for several years.

Given that Diggstown is the first Canadian TV drama with a Black female lead, something that the U.S. did with Julia with Diahann Carroll in 1968.

Nicholas Campbell, Wendy Mesley, and others: Just stop using the n-word

Coroner ended its Season 3 run on the CW last month. Lots of changes along the way. Tamara Podemski left the show, which was a shame. The on-show friendship between the Serinda Swan primary character and Podemski's character will be greatly missed. We were a bit amused when Tamara's sister Sarah made a few appearances in Season 3 just after Tamara left the show.

We saw Jennifer Dale as someone from Jenny Cooper's past and a nice appearance from Charlotte Sullivan in the final 2 episodes.

The Nicholas Campbell situation is still under investigation. We won't know until Season 4 as to how much Campbell filmed before word of him using a racial slur on a movie shoot.

Season 4 will start airing in January 2022 on CBC and CBC Gem. The show has been running in the United States on the CW.

TONIGHT! 9pm on @CBCComedy or watch it now on @cbcgem! @eOne_TV #moonshineseries pic.twitter.com/48qdJfq65O

— Moonshine (@moonshineseries) November 2, 2021

Sort Of moving in meant that Moonshine ended its Season 1 run. Your humble narrator saw the pilot for Moonshine. Very different than what we used to seeing on CBC. A soap opera of sorts with comedic elements.

We noted the unusual state of having an 1-hour long show on the traditional comedy lineup on Tuesday nights. There will be a Season 2 and Allan Hawco (Republic of Doyle) will join the cast.

Speaking of Tuesday nights, I tried watching Strays. Can't say the pilot did much. The idea was that the Shannon from Kim's Convenience would be a similar Shannon on Strays. The confident, fun-loving person on the former sitcom lost a lot in translation going from Toronto to Hamilton.

The feel was almost like a documentary, where you wouldn't laugh.

If you are a fan of Kim's Convenience, you aren't missing a thing with Strays. Others have been kinder to the show.

The Season 1 finale airs next Tuesday on CBC.

CanadianCrossing.com Canadian TV coverage

Ovation is 6 episodes into the 10 episodes of Season 4 of Frankie Drake Mysteries. The CBC show was abruptly cancelled without a chance to end on its own terms.

Like Kim's Convenience, we have to appreciate knowing this is the end, whether we like this as fans (we don't) or not. Frankie Drake Mysteries deserved to go out on its own terms.

Canadians can watch both shows on CBC Gem.

CanadianCrossing.com CBC coverage

CanadianCrossing.com television coverage

The big 4 Canadian TV shows that made its way south during the COVID-19 pandemic: Coroner, Trickster, Transplant, and Nurses.

We noted the CBC entries Coroner earlier in the article and the Trickster story was great before the Michelle Latimer controversy. CBC had greenlit the show for Season 2.

We are expecting Transplant on CTV and NBC in winter 2022. We will be curious as to whether they will run close together. CTV simsubbed the NBC run of Season 1 for awhile before switching that simsub to CTV2.

Season 2 of Nurses ran on Global in Canada this past summer. While we think Transplant is better, Nurses might be a better fit for the U.S. audience expectations. We have not heard up or down about whether NBC will pick up Season 2 of Nurses.

video and photo credit: Sort Of/CBC
Twitter capture: @moonshineseries

U.S. to open border to fully vaccinated travelers starting today

Canadians waiting to get into the United States will have that chance as of today. Those travelers need to be fully vaccinated. Those who fly into the United States will need proof of vaccination and a pre-departure negative COVID-19 test taken within 3 days of boarding their flight.

The United States is not requiring that negative COVID-19 test for land and passenger ferry crossings. Canada is requiring a molecular test, such as a PCR test, to get back into Canada.

Canadians with mixed vaccines will be allowed into the United States. WHO-approved vaccines include Moderna, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and its Indian-made counterpart, Covishield. 

The CBC News report (above) noted that Canadians can get a COVID-19 test done before they leave Canada if they are doing a day trip.

This issue of the negative test will limit border crossings mostly to people living very near the border.

Good thing the countries are coordinating on this. #sarcasm

Opening Day for fully vaccinated Americans to cross into Canada with caveats

August 9 is the date fully vaccinated Americans can cross into Canada with some fine print

The timing is really good for snowbirds who normally leave about this time of the year for southern states in the U.S. They won't have to worry about a negative molecular test until spring 2022, when the policy may be different (hopefully).

Canadian hotel rooms are nice just not $2,000 nice

How COVID-19 is affecting Canadian snowbirds

CanadianCrossing.com border crossings coverage

Your humble narrator would love to do a casual trip to Canada for a day to walk around, buy some ketchup chips, and throw away trash in a conveniently found trash bin in Canada.

The negative COVID-19 molecular test makes that more difficult. A false positive or a real positive can thwart travel plans. Planning a trip once you get a negative COVID-19 test result means very little time for that planning.

Feel free to share stories in the comments section if you have an uplifting story or even a frustrating story involving travel between Canada and the United States.

Where to visit Canada in 2021

CanadianCrossing.com travel coverage

When we finally cross the Canadian border, we will so appreciative on being on Canadian soil.

video and photo credit: CBC News

2021 MLS playoffs preview: Vancouver Whitecaps FC as the #6 seed

Editor's note: This article has been updated to give the date and time of the Vancouver Whitecaps FC playoff game at Sporting Kansas City.

Vancouver Whitecaps FC spent longer in the United States than their Canadian counterparts, Toronto FC and CF Montréal, in 2021. Like Toronto FC, the Whitecaps had a coaching change. Unlike the Reds, the change brought a dramatic comeback and Vancouver will be the lone Canadian representative in the 2021 MLS playoffs.

The 1-1 tie with Seattle at BC Place earlier today gave the Whitecaps just enough points for a Western Conference playoff spot. This is the first playoff appearance for Vancouver since 2017, the season where the team earned its only playoff win as a MLS team.

Vancouver Whitecaps FC finished the regular season 12-9-13 for 49 points. The team went 10-4-3 in "home" games, 7-1-1 in Vancouver, and 2-5-10 on the road.

Head coach Marc Dos Santos had been the dean of Canadian team coaches (not saying much) until he and assistant coach Phillip Dos Santos were dismissed on August 27. Vanni Sartini (above) has been the interim head coach. The Whitecaps are 7-2-5 under Sartini.

While Toronto FC and CF Montréal got to return to Canada in mid-July, Vancouver didn't start up in Canada at BC Place until August 21. The Whitecaps played at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah, outside Salt Lake City, Utah until July 31.

Thank you for standing by us 💙#VWFC pic.twitter.com/4pTFgGV8Er

— Vancouver Whitecaps FC (@WhitecapsFC) November 8, 2021

The Whitecaps (#6 seed) will travel to Sporting Kansas City (#3 seed). Sporting Kansas City went 9-3-5 at home. Each team won a game at home in the regular season: Sporting KC won 3-0 on May 16 while Vancouver won 2-1 on October 17.

The game will indeed be on November 20 at 5 pm Eastern from the state of Kansas. Univision and TUDN in the United States; TSN and TVA Sports in Canada will have the game. If you activate the SAP feed for TUDN, the game will feature audio in English, though the halftime and commercials will be en Espanol.

You can almost pencil in the Whitecaps for November 20 since those games will be on Univision and TUDN in the United States. The November 21 games will be on ABC and ESPN and the November 23 games will be on Fox Sports 1.

If the Whitecaps advance, Vancouver will face the winner of the Seattle Sounders vs. Real Salt Lake.

Kansas, we're coming 🌊

Our first 2021 MLS Cup Playoff matchup has been announced ⬇️

🗓️ Saturday, November 20
🕑 2pm PT
🆚 @SportingKC
📍 Kansas City, KS
🏟️ Children's Mercy Park
📺 TSN
📻 AM730#VWFC

— Vancouver Whitecaps FC (@WhitecapsFC) November 9, 2021

Toronto FC, CF Montreal get to cross back into Canada

2021 MLS preview

CF Montréal was still alive on Decision Day, needing a win over Orlando SC at Stade Saputo. The team was shut out in the final game.

CF Montréal started the season in Florida at Inter Miami CF's DRV PNK Stadium. The team lost a pair of home games in early July due to CONCACAF Gold Cup qualification. CF Montréal played "home" games (July 3) in its 2020 home in Harrison, NJ and in Orlando on July 7. CF Montréal returned to Stade Spauto on July 17.

CF Montréal finished 12-12-10 for 46 points, 10th in the Eastern Conference. The team finished 1-2-3 in the last 6 games. The lone win over Houston kept CF Montréal alive on Decision Day. The team went 9-4-4 in "home" games, 6-3-2 in Montréal, and 3-8-6 on the road.

Wilfried Nancy coached the team through the whole 2021 season.

Canadian MLS teams start an extended U.S. road trip

Toronto FC spent 3 months (April 17-July 16) in Orlando at Exploria Stadium. The Reds got to play home matches on July 17 and July 21 before getting clearance to host at BMO Field. Toronto FC changed coaches in mid-season: Chris Armas was the new coach until July 4, then Javier Pérez served as the interim coach. Former coach Greg Vanney led the LA Galaxy, a team that narrowly missed the playoffs.

Toronto FC finished 6-18-10 for 28 points, 13th in the Eastern Conference. The team went 4-6-7 in "home" games, 3-4-6 in Toronto, and 2-12-3 on the road.

2020 MLS regular season returns with all-Canadian games

What sports will look like on Canadian soil in 2020

Watching Canadian teams in MLS action required ESPN+ on the U.S. side. Even having Canadian teams on U.S. soil could not draw any of the English and Spanish outlets to carry any Canadian team.

The only time, other than local outlets, they appeared on U.S. TV was Fox Sports 2's coverage of the Canadian Championship. The outlet didn't cover all the games. CF Montréal was on twice: CF Montréal handled the HFX Wanderers 3-1 in the quarterfinal on September 22 in Halifax. The other contest was the semifinal 0-0 (8-7) with Forge FC in Hamilton on October 27.

Toronto FC and CF Montréal will play for the Canadian Championship at a date to be determined.

CanadianCrossing.com soccer coverage

Vancouver Whitecaps FC have only made the playoffs 4 times since 2011. The Whitecaps were eliminated in 2012 (LA Galaxy) and 2014 (Dallas) by 2-1 scores. Vancouver suffered a tie and a loss to Portland, going scoreless in the 2015 MLS playoffs. The 2017 postseason produced a home win (San Jose 5-0) before a tie and loss to Seattle, going scoreless in that round.

MLS Canadian teams playoffs results

Year	Date	Teams	Winner	Score
2021	November 20	Vancouver @ Sporting Kansas City	TBD	TBD
2020	November 24	Nashville @ Toronto	Nashville	1-0 (ET)
2020	November 20	Montréal @ New England	New England	2-1
2019	November 10	Toronto @ Seattle	Seattle	3-1
2019	October 30	Toronto @ Atlanta	Toronto	2-1
2019	October 23	Toronto @ New York City FC	Toronto	2-1
2019	October 19	D.C. United @ Toronto	Toronto	5-1 (ET)
2017	December 9	Seattle @ Toronto	Toronto	2-0
2017	November 29	Columbus @ Toronto	Toronto	1-0
2017	November 21	Toronto @ Columbus	Tie	0-0
2017	November 5	New York Red Bulls @ Toronto	NY Red Bulls	1-0
2017	November 2	Vancouver @ Seattle	Seattle	2-0
2017	October 30	Toronto @ New York Red Bulls	Toronto	2-1
2017	October 29	Seattle @ Vancouver	Tie	0-0
2017	October 25	San Jose @ Vancouver	Vancouver	5-0
2016	December 10	Seattle @ Toronto FC	Seattle	0-0 (5-4 PK)
2016	November 30	Montréal @ Toronto FC	Toronto FC	5-2 (ET)
2016	November 22	Toronto FC @ Montréal	Montréal	3-2
2016	November 6	Montréal @ New York Red Bulls	Montréal	2-1
2016	November 6	Toronto FC @ NYCFC	Toronto FC	5-0
2016	October 30	NYCFC @ Toronto FC	Toronto FC	2-0
2016	October 30	New York Red Bulls @ Montréal	Montréal	1-0
2016	October 27	Montréal @ D.C. United	Montréal	4-2
2016	October 26	Philadelphia @ Toronto FC	Toronto FC	3-1
2015	November 8	Portland @ Vancouver	Portland	2-0
2015	November 8	Montréal @ Columbus	Columbus	3-1 (ET)
2015	November 1	Vancouver @ Portland	Tie	0-0
2015	November 1	Columbus @ Montréal	Montréal	2-1
2015	October 29	Toronto FC @ Montréal	Montréal	3-0
2014	October 29	Vancouver @ Dallas	Dallas	2-1
2013	October 31	Montréal @ Houston	Houston	3-0
2012	November 1	Vancouver @ LA Galaxy	LA Galaxy	2-1

photo credit and Twitter captures: @WhitecapsFC

2021 CFL Week 14 preview

BC stays in southern Ontario, starting out in Hamilton on Friday Night Football.

The green of Saskatchewan travels to the green of Edmonton in the Friday nightcap with an awkward start time.

You might recall that this game originally was in Regina but was moved due to rescheduling to accommodate the Elks rescheduling due to COVID-19 issues.

This is the first time these teams have played each other since 2019.

Toronto plays its eastern Ontario rival with a trip to visit the RedBlacks in a Saturday late afternoon start.

Montréal visits its old eastern rival in Winnipeg to take on the Blue Bombers.

Calgary has the week off to finish its Halloween candy.

TSN

Friday
BC @ Hamilton, 7p
Saskatchewan @ Edmonton, 9:45p
Saturday
Toronto @ Ottawa, 4p
Montréal @ Winnipeg, 7p

Bye week: Calgary

.@MTLAlouettes go from 1st to 3rd in @CFL East Division (@Ticats have tiebreaker). @sskroughriders along with @TorontoArgos clinch playoff spot.

— Chad Rubel (@canadian_xing) October 31, 2021

Saskatchewan and Calgary kept pace in the West playoff chase. Toronto and Hamilton wins helped take Montréal from 1st (with the tiebreaker) to 3rd (a different tiebreaker).

We are getting close to not having a crossover. A Hamilton win this week over the BC Lions and 3 teams from the East will go to the playoffs for the first time since 2015.

The Calgary hot streak continues as the Stampeders have won 4 of the last 5 games to get to .500 at 6-6. Ka’Deem Carey in now at 784 yards for the season with 103 yards in Ottawa. Bo Levi Mitchell is now the 18th player in CFL history to eclipse 30,000 passing yards.

The Ottawa RedBlacks actually had a 10-3 first quarter lead but could only score a field goal in the rest of the game.

Don Jackson delivered 120 rushing yards, more than any other Hamilton Tiger-Cats running back this season, on a team with good running backs. The Edmonton Elks had little response to Jackson on the ground or Jeremiah Masoli through the air.

Calgary and Hamilton had inferior opponents on the road, didn't overlook them and churned out needed wins to keep up in the playoff chase.

The rope that Calgary has climbed is parallel to the rope where the BC Lions have fallen. The Lions were 4-2 before the current 5-game losing streak. BC hasn't won since September 18. Before this past week's 2-point loss, the Lions were outscored 84-10 in the 2 previous games.

Montréal was undefeated in October before the loss to the Roughriders last week.

2021 CFL Week 13 preview

The Toronto Argonauts are 7-4 despite a -25 point differential (248-273). How does that work? Win the close games.

5 of the 7 Argos wins have been by 3 or fewer points:

• Week 1 23-20 @ Calgary
• Week 6 17-16 Hamilton
• Week 8 30-27 Montréal
• Week 10 24-23 @ Hamilton
• Week 13 31-29 (OT) BC

Toronto is also 1 of 2 teams still undefeated at home (5-0). Winnipeg, whose only road loss was in Toronto, has a 6-0 home record.

2021 CFL Week 12 preview

Saskatchewan and Montréal was a defence battle with the Roughriders looking that much better. We saw Trevor Harris at the end of the game for the Alouettes, his 3rd East team. Hamilton is the only East team that has not employed Harris.

Harris will start this week in place of Matthew Shiltz, who is nursing injuries.

BC traded a kicker to Winnipeg and kept Jimmy Camacho. Camacho was 0-3 in field goal attempts in the rain in Toronto. Boris Bede hit 5 field goals for the Argos in that same rain.

Camacho did get rouges for 2 of the kicks that sent the game into overtime. BC had to go for 2 after the TD in overtime but couldn't convert.

Camacho replaced Takeru Yamasaki as the BC Lions kicker earlier this season.

CanadianCrossing.com CFL coverage

A contingency in the recent Nick Arbuckle trade: the Edmonton Elks pick going to Toronto would jump from a 3rd round pick to a 2nd round pick if the quarterback's time in Edmonton was extended beyond the end of the season.

Even before Arbuckle took a snap, the Edmonton Elks signed him to a 2022 contract.

Arbuckle could do some damage to Saskatchewan's playoff seeding. There is the trip back to Toronto in the middle of the worst road trip in CFL history.

Short-term solutions for TSN to replace Chris Cuthbert on CFL telecasts

Rod Smith and Duane Forde spent some time on Highway 417 with stops in Ottawa on Friday and Montréal on Saturday.

Dustin Nielson and Glen Suitor hung out in Edmonton on Friday. Marshall Ferguson and Matt Dunigan teamed up again to call the game in Toronto on Saturday.

logo credit: CFL
Twitter capture: @canadian_xing

The Canadian influence on Dune from Denis Villeneuve and others

"Do you still feel like a Quebec filmmaker? Is that still in these films you're making now?"

Tom Power of Q asked this of Denis Villeneuve in light of the success of Dune and the upcoming follow-up film in 2023.

"I think so," Villeneuve said. He said the influences are still French-Canadian, from Quebec. He is inspired by past Quebec directors and their relationship with nature, with reality. "I still feel like it's in my DNA."

Villeneuve talked about making films in Canada required flexibility, the implication being low budgets. He said the ways of doing films are from Montréal, where he is still based.

You can listen for the whole answer. [The question starts about 23:40 into the almost 31 minute interview.] There is a longer version of the interview via the new Q Interview podcast from CBC Radio.

We have cast doubt on this question in our heads. Incendies (2010) is over a decade old. Enemy (2013) technically qualified as a Canada co-production.

We sat through Enemy (review coming later this month) and the film didn't remind us of his Quebecois work. As we have cited in the past, Villeneuve wrote and directed the Quebecois films; the only film he wrote of his recent films was the adaptation of Dune.

Villeneuve would be shaped by writing and directing films in Quebec, in Canada. So we don't always know what is in his DNA, as he says, or how much influence Quebec has, and whether that matters.

Villeneuve was growing up in Quebec when he first discovered the novel.

Still, getting an answer from Villeneuve himself was really intriguing. Good on Tom Power for asking and Villeneuve for answering.

'Dune' may be set in a distant time and place, but the film has Canadian roots (The New York Times)

The man who finally made a 'Dune' that fans will love (The New York Times)

Ian Austen, editor of the Canada Letter for The New York Times, noted that "as has been the case with most of Mr. Villeneuve's movies, many Canadians were involved in the production. Patrice Vermette, another Montréaler and longtime collaborator with Mr. Villeneuve, was the production designer responsible for creating the look of various planets as well as the vehicles, buildings, furnishings and gadgets used by their inhabitants."

Villeneuve also cited Vermette's contributions in the answer to Tom Power on Q.

Austen also cited Tanya Lapointe, an executive producer of Dune and Villeneuve's spouse.

"Other Canadians were involved in makeup and prosthetics, and two Canadian companies, one in Montréal and the other in Vancouver, were key contributors of digital special effects. (Their work is also responsible for the appearance of Quebec's film production tax credit system logo, a variation of the province's flag seen during the film's closing credits.)"

The New York Times Magazine had a profile and article on Villeneuve. Austen noted that Helen Macdonald talked with Villeneuve as he "went into some detail about how growing up in the village of Gentilly, on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River, affected how he transformed a favorite novel of his childhood into film. His time in Canada making documentaries also influenced him, as did a school friend who later joined the film industry and, above all, his grandmothers."

Austen points out precisely that it "would be an overstatement to call Dune a Canadian film." This is a very true statement; good to see some Canadian content is in the film.

Rolling Stone has a similar profile of Dune with nods to Villeneuve's childhood love of the Frank Herbert novel. 

Oscar nomination should help people find Denis Villeneuve Quebec films

Canadians Oscars nomination scoreboard

The Canadian contribution on Dune may seem more significant with potential Academy Awards nominations. Villeneuve, Vermette, and the makeup artists could get Oscar nominations.

Denis Villeneuve has been nominated for Best Director for Arrival (2016). Villeneuve is the last Canadian director to receive a nomination. James Cameron won for Titanic (1997), beating out fellow Canadian Atom Egoyan (The Sweet Hereafter).

More women (2) have won the Best Director award than Canadians (1).

If Villeneuve gets nominated for Dune, he will be in fine company with Canadian directors with multiple nominations. That list includes Mark Robson [Peyton Place (1957), The Inn of the Sixth Happiness (1958)]; Norman Jewison [In the Heat of the Night (1967), Fiddler on the Roof (1971), and Moonstruck (1987)]; James Cameron [Titanic (1997), Avatar (2009)]; and Jason Reitman [Juno (2007), Up in the Air (2009)].

The Academy Award nominations will be known on February 8.

Villeneuve's Quebec work has been in the mix for Oscars consideration in what was then the Best Foreign Language Film category: Cosmos (1997), of which Villeneuve was one of several directors; August 32nd on Earth | Un 32 août sur terre (1998); Maelström (2000); and Incendies (2010). Only Incendies made the shortlist or the Top 5 cut.

TIFF will have a rare screening of August 32nd on Earth

Bilingual Canadian actors tend to flow from French to English

CanadianCrossing.com film coverage

Let's be crystal clear: your humble narrator understands the need for filmmakers to follow the path they want to lead. I can feel sad that Denis Villeneuve and Jean-Marc Vallée aren't making the same kind of films in Quebec and Canada that they did. Ideally, those who think they are great in the United States should find those earlier works.

That isn't terribly realistic since availability of those films is tres difficile. North Americans generally don't follow a director's work, unless you are a film geek. Not following the earlier work is easy, if less rewarding.

We should note the Vallée film C.R.A.Z.Y. (2005), which Canada submitted for Oscars consideration.

Canadian film review: Mars et Avril

We heartily recommend Mars et Avril if you are looking for a science fiction Canadian film directed by a Villeneuve. This film was written and directed by Martin Villeneuve, younger brother of Denis Villeneuve. This won't be playing on IMAX and doesn't have the budget of Dune.

photo credit: CBC News

Pablo Rodríguez is back as heritage minister; What that means for a new Bill C-10

Pablo Rodríguez is back as heritage minister under Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The recent Cabinet shuffle shifted Steven Guilbeault, the most recent heritage minister, to the much more logical choice for his background, minister of environment and climate change.

Guilbeault had been the heritage minister during the second term of the Trudeau Government. When Rodríguez was first in this portfolio (July 18, 2018-November 20, 2019), Rodríguez was also in charge of multiculturalism. This time, his portfolio is just being the heritage minister. In the interim time, Rodríguez was the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons.

Mélanie Joly, the first heritage minister under Trudeau, just got bumped up to Foreign Affairs in the latest cabinet shuffle.

It is a great privilege to return as Minister of Canadian Heritage and to continue to deliver for Québec as Lieutenant. There is a lot of work to do and I will continue to defend our culture and our artists every day. #cndpoli pic.twitter.com/Sr3HxMQlfh

— Pablo Rodriguez (@pablorodriguez) October 26, 2021

Rodríguez's primary concern is the status of Bill C-10, or rather what will be the new bill.

After the Liberals removed protections for user-generated content, a well-intended bill ran into a lot of problems. Guilbeault did a terrible job of explaining what had happened with the bill. Couldn't tell if that was genius or insanity, but there was a lack of trust toward people who wanted to support the bill.

Joly communicated a lot when she had the portfolio. Rodríguez and Guilbeault weren't as communicative and that didn't help the push for essentially a "Netflix tax."

Rodríguez needs to convey that the average Canadian won't be negatively impacted by an upgrade to the Broadcasting Act. This also needs to be true.

The case for Bill C-10 now goes before the Canadian Senate

Canada Day 2021: A time for reflection and some celebration

Making the case for Canadian film in 3 parts

Liberals want to revamp Canadian Content rules

Canadians who want more action on the climate crisis should be thrilled that Guilbeault has that portfolio. He was a founding member of Équiterre, a Quebec environmental organization, and director and campaign manager for the Greenpeace Quebec chapter for 10 years.

Rodríguez won't have to get too much up to speed on the heritage portfolio. He will have to move quickly on a new broadcasting bill the Trudeau Government will propose. Rodríguez will also need to be a lot more visible.

CanadianCrossing.com film coverage

CanadianCrossing.com Canadian TV coverage

CanadianCrossing.com television coverage

CanadianCrossing.com Web/streaming coverage

A new bill to revise the Broadcasting Act needs to be a great bill. A great bill allows regular Canadians to not get penalized by the CRTC or the government.

Joly, Rodríguez, and Guilbeault could hold daily press conferences but if the bill isn't what Canadians deserve, their actions will have little meaning.

Have a great bill, one where Canadians can be proud for the future of Canadian television, film, and other media content. Otherwise, no change is better than bad change.

photo credit: CPAC
Twitter capture: @pablorodriguez

Nicholas Campbell, Wendy Mesley, and others: Just stop using the n-word

"That word should never be spoken aloud, certainly not by the likes of me, a white guy who is old enough to know better. It doesn't matter the context in which it was said," he said.

"It doesn't matter that I was retelling a story, or that I was actually quoting someone else's usage of that word. That horrible and divisive word should never come out of my mouth. And it never will again."

To believe Nicholas Campbell's take, Campbell was suffering from Wendy Mesley syndrome. The telling of a story where you somehow have to use an offensive word (the n-word) as if you are quoting verbatim because someone allegedly used the word in the context of a story. 

Nicholas Campbell's apology above would have been marvelous if telling a story from a very long time ago and not using the actual word. Except this apology stems from using the actual word in 2021 on a Canadian film set.

Andre Mike, a Black grip technician from Pickering, ON, says Campbell used that word twice while working on the film Impasse in Orangeville, ON.

"That horrible and divisive word should never come out of my mouth." Yes. So why did the word come out? Campbell and Mesley are white people even older than your humble narrator. A cheap argument is that well, they are old. Being old is not an excuse. Plenty of old people don't use that word.

Campbell suffered a stroke in 2014. Can't imagine that had anything to do with it.

Your humble narrator heard that word a lot as a child, the actual word. One relative in particular and quite a few people in the area where I grew up. I knew, as a child, many years ago that the word was a bad word and you shouldn't say it. Don't say it in anger or casually say the word.

The largest source of anger, sadness, and frustration goes to the Black people who heard it on set and to Black people who are reading this story. I can say I'm sorry he used that word in your presence, even though I know that means little.

Though Campbell is still in the film, the Canadian actor has been kicked off of Coroner (CBC/CW) while an investigation ensues. As someone who has a parent with dementia, I have bonded with Campbell's character, the father of Jenny Cooper (Serinda Swan) on the CBC drama. Campbell's carelessness and ignorance may rob us of that character in future episodes.

We generally like Mesley but she was absolutely wrong for what she did. Being a journalist means understanding words and the power that they have. When you are the boss of a TV show, you hold extra power over your employees. The power of words combined with your power makes using such language even worse than a casual conversation in an office.

We wrote those words in talking about the Wendy Mesley issue.

As much fun as a film or TV set might be, these are workplaces where people work together as a team. Respect, encouragement should be the tones. Tearing down people isn't acceptable.

Campbell and Mesley had the same excuse to use the actual n-word: telling a story. Not really sure why this became an exception for white people: somehow the word is okay if you use "air quotes" in telling a story.

The Andre Mike version of the story tells of a casual use of the word, grouping human beings into a preconceived stereotypical box built from ignorance.

Using such hurtful words makes people question your past behaviour: if he or she would use that word in front of a person who would be directly hurt, what else has that person done against people of other races in the past?

The Black Academy will have an awards show on CBC in 2022

There is a part of me that would love to see Campbell and Mesley have a small presentation on that first awards show talking about the evils of using the n-word. Not about their careers but as human beings showing that they really understand why that is a bad thing to do. That is a bit naive and optimistic on the part of your humble narrator.

"It's degrading, embarrassing. We're not in the Jim Crow era anymore. We've passed that, it's 2021. We're fighting for such diversity, inclusion and acceptance”: Andre Mike, Black grip technician on the film set. "Black people have come too far to let these things stop them from pursuing their dreams."

Damn straight.

According to CBC News, Sean Kohnen, the American producer of Impasse, said "two Black crew members were given the option to leave the production with full pay and opted to leave. CBC News has confirmed one of them was Mike." Campbell is still part of the production. Shouldn't that be the other way around?

CanadianCrossing.com Canadian TV coverage

CanadianCrossing.com film coverage

CanadianCrossing.com television coverage

Use words to uplift and encourage. Treat people as individuals. Recognise that if you belong to a group that doesn't have that history of being demeaned by language, don't use those words against them. There are no exceptions. No technicalities. Doesn't matter if someone else uses that word. Just stop saying those words out loud, whether you are with other people or alone. Just stop.

video credit: CBC News
photo credit: Coroner/CBC

NHL the month in preview November 2021

TNT shows what Canada almost never does nationally: the Toronto Maple Leafs in a 10 pm late start. The Leafs will be at the Staples Center against Los Angeles on November 24, the night before U.S. Thanksgiving.

The Ottawa Senators get a pair of NHL Network Showcase games in Kanata with Tampa Bay (6) and the NY Rangers (20). The NHLN Showcase are in-house NHL Network productions from their studios. They are also geared toward an European audience who would catch the games live for them on a Saturday night.

NHL Network shows some love for the Toronto Maple Leafs, covering 3 straight games for the team, hosting Boston (6 HNIC), Los Angeles (8 HH), and in Philadelphia (10).

The Winnipeg Jets get a HNIC game (13) on the U.S. channel (hopefully) with another Los Angeles appearance. The other HNIC appearances on the channel have Toronto hosting Pittsburgh (20) and a surprise pick with Edmonton (27) playing at Gary Bettman's new favourite desert location.

The night before U.S. Thanksgiving has an unusual NHL doubleheader with Canadian teams where Vancouver (27) is at Pittsburgh just before the TNT game.

November is the only month where there are 2 ESPN+/Hulu games. Both involve the Edmonton Oilers in U.S. cities (not the U.S. capital) that had presidential assassinations: Buffalo (12) and Dallas (23). The ESPN+/Hulu games are ESPN productions.

Citytv stations usually run the same game in the early slot on Hockey Night in Canada. On the first 2 Saturdays in November, Citytv stations will carry the Montréal game except for CHMI channel 13, the Citytv owned station in Winnipeg. CHMI will carry the Winnipeg Jets game. The Canadiens are also available on Rogers Sportsnet East.

This pattern started on October 23 except the Canadians were not on Rogers Sportsnet East.

We don't know the reason or purpose: Perhaps an experiment of sorts. The Alberta and British Columbia Citytv stations sometimes carry the late HNIC game.

TNT

November 24
Toronto @ Los Angeles, 10p

NHL Network

November 6
Tampa Bay @ Ottawa, 2p (NHLN Showcase)
Boston @ Toronto, 7p (HNIC)
November 8
Los Angeles @ Toronto, 7:30p (HH)
November 10
Toronto @ Philadelphia, 7:30p
November 13
Los Angeles @ Winnipeg, 7p (HNIC)
November 20
NY Rangers @ Ottawa, 1p (NHLN Showcase)
Pittsburgh @ Toronto, 7p (HNIC)
November 24
Vancouver @ Pittsburgh, 7p
November 27
Edmonton @ Las Vegas, 7p (HNIC)

ESPN+/Hulu

November 12
Edmonton @ Buffalo, 7p
November 23
Edmonton @ Dallas, 8:30p

Hockey Night in Canada

November 6

Boston @ Toronto, 7p/Las Vegas @ Montréal, 7p/NY Islanders @ Winnipeg, 7p/NY Rangers @ Calgary, 10p

November 13

Toronto @ Buffalo, 7p/Montréal @ Detroit, 7p/Pittsburgh @ Ottawa, 7p/Los Angeles @ Winnipeg, 7p/Vancouver @ Las Vegas, 10p

November 20

Pittsburgh @ Toronto, 7p/Nashville @ Montréal, 7p/Calgary @ NY Islanders, 7p/Chicago @ Edmonton, 10p

November 27

Montréal @ Pittsburgh, 7p/Ottawa @ Los Angeles, 7p/Edmonton @ Las Vegas, 7p/Winnipeg @ Calgary, 10p

Hometown Hockey

November 1 Ottawa @ Chicago, 8p/Seattle @ Edmonton, 9:30p (Belleville, ON)

November 8 Los Angeles @ Toronto, 7:30p (Township of Oro-Medonte, ON)

November 15 No Canadian teams (Sudbury, ON)

November 22 Pittsburgh @ Winnipeg, 8:30p/Ottawa @ Colorado, 8:30p (Tillsonburg, ON)

November 29 Vancouver @ Montréal, 7:30p/Arizona @ Winnipeg, 7:30p/Pittsburgh @ Calgary, 9p (Grimsby, ON)

Rogers Sportsnet national telecasts

November 2 Nashville @ Calgary, 9p/NY Rangers @ Vancouver, 10p

November 3 Nashville @ Edmonton, 8:30p

November 7 Dallas @ Vancouver, 10p

November 9 San Jose @ Calgary, 9p

November 10 Toronto @ Philadelphia, 7:30p

November 11 Edmonton @ Boston, 7p

November 12 Edmonton @ Buffalo, 7p

November 14 Edmonton @ St. Louis, 7p

November 16 Calgary @ Philadelphia, 7p

November 17 Colorado @ Vancouver, 9p

November 18 Calgary @ Buffalo, 7p

November 21 Calgary @ Boston, 7p

November 23 Chicago @ Calgary, 9p

November 24 Montréal @ Washington, 7p/Vancouver @ Pittsburgh, 7p/Winnipeg @ Columbus, 7p

November 28 Vancouver @ Boston, 7p

Observations from the first few weeks:

• The NHL Center Ice free preview was scheduled to run through October 19. The preview barely survived through the end of October 18. The count was supposed to be a week after the Wednesday start but that somehow got moved up a day. Not sure why you would trust a service that runs into problems so quickly. ESPN+ will be a (mostly) good replacement.
• Since the start of Hometown Hockey in 2014, the NHL Network has carried the Hometown Hockey pregame show when carrying the game. The Maple Leafs game on October 18 aired on the U.S. channel but not Hometown Hockey. The program wasn't on NHL Center Ice or ESPN+. Let's tell hockey stories but not these hockey stories? Ugh. You can check out video highlights via sportsnet.ca and look for videos.
• ESPN+ is showing local intermissions for the games, something we haven't seen in previous seasons. That will especially helpful on Hockey Night in Canada and Hometown Hockey games.
• Jeff Marek and Elliotte Friedman, hosts of the 32 Thoughts podcast, share their wisdom and latest news in lieu of Headlines in the second intermission. Chris Johnston left Sportsnet for the Toronto Star and TSN. Marek and Friedman have good chemistry. The old Hot Stove segment feels so long ago.
• The first HNIC intermission segment has taken the name To the Point, the title from the old segment with David Amber and Brian Burke before the latter left for Pittsburgh.
• Jon Abbott is the de facto Ottawa Senators play-by-play voice for those games Gord Miller (Maple Leafs) can't cover. Bryan Mudryk (Canadiens) will likely do some Senators games. We know Ray Ferraro will only do Maple Leafs games for TSN. Previously, Ferraro has done a few Winnipeg Jets games.
• We noted that NHL Network usually has a backup game, especially on Saturday nights on Hockey Night in Canada. HNIC games were not used in October and some games didn't have a backup option. The good news with ESPN+ is those in the States can find a Canadian game without having to worry about whether the NHL Network is involved.

After Hours has a slightly new physical dynamic with COVID-19 protocol this season. This is similar to the Zoom versions we saw during the height of the pandemic.

Scott Oake is the host as well as producer and juggler on live television. The physical intimacy of being right on the same level was a large part of the charm of the segment. Still, this interview show is the best in hockey because you learn a lot about the guests.

Starting out with Zach Hyman is an easy call given the relative renaissance nature of Hyman off the ice. He is a children book author and owns 2 gaming companies.

You can find the episodes on sportsnet.ca under Hockey Night in Canada videos. One surprise is that NHL Center Ice didn't carry After Hours.

NHL the month in preview October 2021

Statement from Winnipeg Jets General Manager Kevin Cheveldayoff: pic.twitter.com/lgiS5jbH5s

— Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) October 29, 2021

Gary Bettman said in a statement that Kevin Cheveldayoff was not a member of the Chicago senior leadership team in 2010. "While on some level, it would be easiest to paint everyone with any association to this terrible matter with the same broad brush, I believe that fundamental fairness requires a more in-depth analysis of the role of each person." Bettman continued. "I cannot, therefore, assign to him responsibility for the Club's actions, or inactions. He provided a full account of his degree of involvement in the matter, which was limited exclusively to his attendance at a single meeting, and I found him to be extremely forthcoming and credible in our discussion."

Kevin Cheveldayoff is the only general manager the modern Winnipeg Jets have known since the team relocated to Winnipeg in 2011. Cheveldayoff had been the assistant general manager in Chicago before taking the job in Winnipeg.

The meeting with Bettman on Friday was over the sexual assault allegations against Brad Aldrich while with Chicago. Kyle Beach came out last week and said he was the John Doe in this case. 

General manager Stan Bowman, senior vice president of hockey operations Al MacIssac left the Chicago team. Then Chicago coach Joel Quenneville resigned shortly after meeting with Bettman.

More from the NHL: "[Cheveldayoff] had limited familiarity with the personnel involved; and he was essentially an observer to the discussion of possible next steps, which discussion, apparently, ended with Cheveldayoff believing that the matter was going to be investigated."

"[Cheveldayoff] was not thereafter even in a position to have sufficient information to assess whether or not the matter was being adequately addressed."

Cheveldayoff and co-owner Mark Chipman have a strong bond. While general managers of other Canadian NHL teams struggle with whether to stay, Cheveldayoff has been allowed to employ long-term strategy as has coach Paul Maurice. Maurice has been the Winnipeg coach since 2014, the second-longest stint of any current NHL coach.

The Jenner & Block report is scathing. There are other victims besides Beach. 

2021 NHL preseason schedule

Just before the Vancouver Canucks had its home opener, the British Columbia government expanded capacity to 100%. We figured that would happen. No NHL team on either side of the border has reduced capacity.

Vancouver started the NHL season with a 6-game road trip, going 3-2-1 to start the season. This was the longest road trip to start a season in franchise history.

Apparently my smartphone isn't cool enough for the new @sportsnet app. Literally not compatible. Fortunate the @TSN_Sports app isn't so ridiculous. Maybe the @rogers family can argue over the new app instead.

— Chad Rubel (@canadian_xing) October 30, 2021

My smartphone is old but not that old. Got the message to update the app and then finding out I couldn't install the update for the Rogers Sportsnet app. Checking the Internet helped explain the source of the troubles.

So many complaints from those who were able to update the Sportsnet app. The app is geared toward watching Sportsnet programming on Sportsnet Now through your phone. That would make sense for a separate Sportsnet Now app, which is not a thing.

The old Rogers Sportsnet app was a great way to find exclusive Sportsnet content, such as Hometown Hockey and After Hours, and track updates on games airing on Sportsnet channels. This material is available on the Rogers Sportsnet Web site. Checking this information on the phone was valuable. Now you can't do that.

The TSN app works just fine. Just saying.

Having to sit through #NESN feed is worse than any #halloween2021 prank. This was all trick and no treat. @NHL https://t.co/wmhpUSaLQp

— Chad Rubel (@canadian_xing) October 31, 2021

We noted that we didn't think the NHL Network had ever shown the Jets and Sharks live. The October 30 schedule had Winnipeg in San Jose on the NHL Network.

The game was going to have a 30-minute delay due to COVID-19 issues with the Sharks. The U.S. channel decided to give a trick to its audience and not show the Jets and Sharks. The worse trick was showing the NESN feed instead. The HNIC opening didn't get shown. By the time the game actually started, you would have had to fill about 15-20 minutes. We've seen other delays where the channel would stay with the intended game.

Even with overtime, the Jets-Sharks finished before 10 pm EDT.

CanadianCrossing.com NHL coverage

We were thrilled that Everett Fitzhugh was picked as the first Black play by play person, the radio hire for the Seattle Kraken. We were sad that Fitzhugh didn't get an analyst to work alongside him.

Prior to the home opener, the Kraken hired Dave Tomlinson as the radio colour analyst. A native of North Vancouver, Tomlinson has done game analysis for the Vancouver Canucks and Winnipeg Jets. He has also worked on coverage for the World Championship and World Junior Championship and was a part of the old TSN 1040 in Vancouver.

Fitzhugh was out due to COVID-19 protocol so he didn't end up working by himself.

We felt bad for Ben Wagner to get reassigned back to the Toronto Blue Jays radio booth, but without an analyst.

Our guide to the NHL Canadian teams coverage

The Premier Hockey Federation (formerly the National Women's Hockey League) starts its season on November 6. The Toronto Six is the only Canadian team. The other teams are the Boston Pride, Buffalo Beauts, Connecticut Whale, Metropolitan Riveters, and Minnesota Whitecaps. The league postponed an attempt to get a team in Montréal, delaying that prospect until 2022-2023.

The 60-game season for the Isobel Cup will happen over 19 weekends with each team playing 4 games against the other 5 league opponents. Amusingly, Buffalo will host Toronto in an outdoor game on February 21 at the Buffalo RiverWorks entertainment complex. The men's teams from those cities will meet outdoors on March 13.

The games will stream in the United States on ESPN+/Hulu.

Tracking the NHL 2021 media changes

October 23 Calgary at Washington, 1p Stephen Nelson/Dave Reid NHL Network
October 23 Vancouver @ Seattle, 10p Steve Levy/Ray Ferraro ESPN+/Hulu
October 27 Philadelphia @ Edmonton, 10p Kenny Albert/Eddie Olczyk/Keith Jones TNT

The only NHL Network Saturday matinee experiment involving Canadian teams last season was a Hockey Day in Canada game. Getting an extra Canadian team on Saturday without the worst NHL announcers (Washington TV) is a win. Stephen Nelson is more interested in conversation than the game but is generally pleasant. Dave Reid is reasonably good but no Mike Johnson (who worked the Ottawa game opposite this game on TSN5). Way better than the NBC Sports Washington group.

Ray Ferraro: "Vancouver has a close rival now in Seattle, it's about a three-hour drive."
Steve Levy: "I could make it in 2½."
Ferraro: "I believe you. You'd probably get lost, however."

Steve Levy and Ray Ferraro were a fun combo for the Seattle Kraken home opener. Ferraro is based in Vancouver and his wife, Cammie Granato, is a Seattle Kraken scout. Ferraro has called games where his son Landon was playing and handled that well. Levy was out in Seattle also for Monday Night Football; Ferraro now has an invitation to come to the football booth. Part of me did want the CBC feed; Levy and Ferraro have a different dynamic than John Shorthouse and Corey Hirsch (who was in for John Garrett on the Canucks opening road trip due to COVID-19 protocol). This would be the one game to hear Jim Hughson. Mark Lee and Kevin Weekes are calling that game for CBC in a different universe but that is more about your humble narrator.

The TNT Canadian team debut had a bit of NBC (Connor McDavid and barely mention Leon Draisaitl) with a studio effort of some sharp analysis and a little gibberish. Would love to clone Anson Carter. Kenny Albert, Eddie Olczyk, and Keith Jones are solid: Jones on game analysis is way better than the lame NBC studio coverage. TNT is different and better than the old system. 

Jim Hughson concludes marvelous baseball and hockey announcing career

Having no Jim Hughson and not looking for a replacement, Sportsnet had all 7 Canadian teams in 5 separate games on the first Saturday night. Let's see the Sportsnet approach: 

Chris Cuthbert and Craig Simpson covered Ottawa-Toronto. John Bartlett and Garry Galley will spend a lot of time in Montréal as they did that night. The Vancouver crew was the only practical option to follow the Canucks to Detroit.

Harnarayan Singh and Louie DeBrusk are still the top western crew. The Calgary crew, weekend style, made their way to San Jose: Rick Ball and Cassie Campbell-Pascall.

Our guide to the NHL Canadian teams coverage

Seattle area fans with access to CBC got to watch the local Seattle Kraken from CBUT/Vancouver for the home opener on October 23. The fans didn't have access to Root Sports Northwest that night since the home opener was exclusively on ESPN+.

Hockey Night in Canada will have the Kraken in 5 more Saturday nights throughout the season. 

• December 18 Edmonton @ Seattle
• January 1 Vancouver @ Seattle
• January 8 Seattle @ Winnipeg
• March 12 Seattle @ Montréal
• April 9 Calgary @ Seattle

The games against Edmonton (December 18), Vancouver (January 1), and Montréal (March 12) should be on CBC. The Habs game will be in the early slot the night before the Toronto Maple Leafs will play outdoors on that Sunday in Hamilton.

The games against Winnipeg (January 8) and Calgary (April 9) won't be on CBC unless somehow CBUT petitions to carry the Kraken in the early slot. Couldn't be any more odd than CBET/Windsor asking for a Detroit Red Wings game. We see Citytv in Winnipeg carry the hometown Jets. 

The CBC and Sportsnet numbers for the Seattle Kraken home opener were 488,000. Really awful numbers. The numbers also included Citytv in Edmonton, Calgary, and Vancouver. There might have been as many people in western Washington who watched CBC via cable in Seattle, Bellingham, and surrounding areas. Unfortunately, they don't count in Canadian ratings.

CanadianCrossing.com NHL coverage

We included the CBC promos from the NHL Center Ice free preview since, well, why not. We generally carry CBC promos for games airing on the NHL Network.

The October 16 promos for the Sunday night shows (Heartland; Great Canadian Baking Show) included the rest of the Sunday night lineup, including the British seat filler. The other shows were verbal mentions from the copy. They do not count as extra promos.

Kyle Bukauskas read the Moonshine promo before the start of the 2nd period; War of the Worlds promo before the start of the 3rd period on October 16. They violate the spirit of in-game promos.

The late game on October 16 had the screen go dark during the original Moonshine promo so they ran a makeup promo within the same period.

Sort Of has played at the Toronto International Film Festival and been streaming on CBC Gem. The show debuts on CBC television on November 9.

War of the Worlds is a British (and French) seat filler.

The late game generally is better behaved with the promos than the early game.

October 16 early game: Heartland; Strays (1st); Moonshine (2nd); War of the Worlds; Dragons' Den; Great Canadian Baking Show (3rd)

October 16 late game: Heartland; Strays (1st); Moonshine; War of the Worlds (2nd); Dragons' Den; Great Canadian Baking Show (3rd)

October 23 early game: Family Feud Canada; War of the Worlds (1st); Strays; Sort Of (2nd); Moonshine; Great Canadian Baking Show (3rd)

photo credits: NHL; Rogers Sportsnet
Twitter captures: @NHLJets; @canadian_xing x2