Canadian Crossing

NHL the month in preview April 2023

TNT shows some affection to the Alberta teams down the stretch. We get to see Edmonton in Anaheim (5) and Calgary hosting San Jose (12).

Remember when NBCSN and the NHL Network went on long sabbaticals in not showing live NHL games from the province of Alberta. ESPN has been afraid of Canada outside 2 appearances in Alberta in January after 2 years on the contract.

Speaking of ESPN, like last year, they backloaded telecasts involving Canadian teams. Well, Edmonton and Toronto. The primary network follows Connor McDavid in Los Angeles (4) and Denver (11).

If Toronto at Tampa Bay (11) sounds familiar, this is the matchup of the first ESPN telecast involving a Canadian team that didn't happen until April 2022. ESPN does have a doubleheader involving Canadian teams, the first for the network since the new deal was signed. TNT isn't afraid to have Canadian teams in a doubleheader with games in Canada.

NHL Network only has the Winnipeg Jets hosting New Jersey (2) on a Sunday night.

The NHL Network has a balancing act in its role in the United States. Curious to see how this experiment goes.

The last ESPN+/Hulu game of the season also has the Toronto Maple Leafs in the Sunshine State (10). As many games involving Toronto in the state of Florida than games in all of Canada for the first 2 years of the contract. There is chicken parm in Canada.

The NHL season ends on April 14. Canadian teams stop playing on April 13. NHL Stanley Cup playoffs start on April 17.

There should be a NHL Center Ice free preview, maybe over the last 7 days of the schedule.

TNT

April 5
Edmonton @ Anaheim, 10p
April 12
San Jose @ Calgary, 10p

ESPN

April 4
Edmonton @ Los Angeles, 10:30p
April 11
Toronto @ Tampa Bay, 7p/Edmonton @ Colorado, 9:30p

NHL Network

April 2
New Jersey @ Winnipeg, 7p

ESPN+/Hulu

April 10
Toronto @ Florida, 7p

Hockey Night in Canada

April 1

Toronto @ Ottawa, 7p/Carolina @ Montréal, 7p/Anaheim @ Edmonton, 10p

April 8

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

Rogers Sportsnet national telecasts

April 4 Chicago @ Calgary, 9p

April 5 Calgary @ Winnipeg, 7:30p/Edmonton @ Anaheim, 10p

April 6 Chicago @ Vancouver, 10p

April 10 Toronto @ Florida, 7p/Carolina @ Ottawa, 7p/San Jose @ Winnipeg, 7p/Nashville @ Calgary, 9:30p

April 11 Edmonton @ Colorado, 9:30p

April 12 Montréal @ NY Islanders, 7p/San Jose @ Calgary, 10p

April 13 San Jose @ Edmonton, 9p

“So sit back, because the story is getting to the interesting part.” 🎞️

Canadian Oscar-nominated filmmaker Sarah Polley (@realsarahpolley) opens #HockeyNight in Canada. 🍿🔥 pic.twitter.com/EkbFefotyN

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) March 12, 2023

Sarah Polley got to fulfill the dream of a lot of Canadians: narrate the open to Hockey Night in Canada. Polley noted in a tweet how now her nephew Owen thinks she's cool.

We don't know if Polley got to shape the script. After all, she is an Oscar winner for her words. The words are painfully true for the 7 Canadian teams as we get closer to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. No offense to Brendan Fraser and Daniel Roher, fine Canadians who won Oscars the next night, but this moment was made for Sarah Polley. If you stumbled upon this and aren't into hockey, watch the video and listen to the words.

2023 Oscars through the lens of Canada

TSN does the best job of covering the NHL trade deadline because when trades happen, they are on it like a hungry dog. The network knows there will be down times. The opening to TradeCentre was Bruce Boudreau going through the TSN facility looking for things. People tell him "Bruce, there it is" in a calm tone.

Is it ridiculous that TSN starts at 8 am Eastern? Absolutely. Doesn't matter. They are the best.

Couldn't sit through ESPN's coverage. Frayed nerves as it is. Sat through the NHL Network coverage. Talking heads about things not connected to trades while posting tweets from Canadian sports journalists about actual trades.

Rogers Sportsnet will be better than any U.S. effort ever. Still not as good as TSN. The Bad for Bedard video has little to do with trades. Still a damn funny video.

Canadian ads from fall 2022 NHL Center Ice free preview

Tereza Vanisova scored the overtime winner to give the Toronto Six their first Isobel Cup title with a 4-3 win over the Minnesota Whitecaps. Vanisova was the player of the game. Toronto's Michela Cava was named the MVP.

The Six had reached the semifinals in the previous 2 years. This was the first final and PHP championship for the Toronto Six.

The goal capped a thrilling final that was the first to feature two expansion franchises in the eighth PHF season. It marked Toronto’s first championship in its third campaign after reaching the semifinals in each of the previous two years.

The Six rallied from a 2-goal deficit to force overtime in Game 2 against the Connecticut Whale. Toronto won 3-0 win in Game 3 to advance to the Isobel Cup final.

For all the jokes about the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Toronto Marlies (AHL) won the Calder Cup in 2017-2018. In the same season, the Markham Thunder (now-defunct CWHL) won a Clarkson Cup title.

NHL the month in preview March 2023

Joe Biden's visit to Canada as president shouldn't be his last

“I like your [hockey] teams, except the Leafs.”

U.S. President Joe Biden: not a Maple Leafs guy. 😂 pic.twitter.com/QpAZHkGSYX

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) March 24, 2023

"Our labour unions cross borders. So do our sports leagues. Baseball, basketball, hockey, listen to this, hockey."

"I have to say, I like your teams except the Leafs."

No one thinks the president of the United States spends too much time thinking about the Toronto Maple Leafs. President Joe Biden is a smart politician who knows his audience.

Even Toronto-area MPs understand the dynamic in the line the U.S. president delivered before the House of Commons on March 24.

Biden cited a Maple Leafs win over the Philadelphia Flyers, hometown team for Dr. Jill Biden, the first lady.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau represents the Papineau riding in Montréal and is a Habs fan. "I'm just amazed at how hope continues to spring eternal in Leafs fans," Trudeau told CP24 in 2021. "As a Habs fan, I'm kind of in admiration of Toronto fans who continue to cling to hopes every year — year in and year out. It's impressive to see."

If Toronto somehow wins a playoff series and advances to the Stanley Cup finals, we want a friendly wager between Trudeau and Biden where the U.S. president would have to wear a Maple Leafs sweater. The leaders had a friendly wager for the 2021 Stanley Cup with Montréal and Tampa Bay.

NHL the month in preview February 2023

Boston Bruins players get away with cheap shots at an alarming rate. We don't know why their players get a special exemption from the NHL. This is especially egregious when Montréal is involved.

If a player from a Canadian team cross checked a player in the face, the league and its supporters in the media would have talked up the dangerous element of what happened.   

Mike Hoffman is not one to complain. Boston forward A.J. Greer only got a 1-game suspension for cross-checking Hoffman in the face. Good for Hoffman to speak up. Unfortunately, the league does not care.

Boston players keep doing cheap shots because the punishment, if there is one, never comes close to fitting the crime.

Blake Lizotte of the Los Angeles Kings got a 1-game suspension for a similar vicious cross check to the face on Josh Morrissey, Winnipeg’s top defenseman. 

The Stanley Cup playoffs are so poorly officiated that we wonder whether a cross check to the face will even get a penalty, unless the player is on a Canadian team. 

NHL the month in preview January 2023

We think the federal legislation to bring down the increasing prices of housing in Canada by not allowing most foreign people to buy housing means well but is misguided.

We also know that NHL players, even from Canada, have a lot of reasons not to play in Canada. The idea of adding another reason that isn't financially or hockey related is a depressing thought.

Preventing people from buying housing and not living in the properties is the intent of the legislation. People working in Canada who want to stay in Canada shouldn't be hurt by this process.

NHL the month in preview December 2022

"It’s about saying this community is valuable and important and we want to honour them."

Brian Burke joined Ron MacLean to discuss Pride Nights across the NHL and supporting the LGBTQ+ community. pic.twitter.com/fFo3kiG4XM

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) March 26, 2023

The NHL has been good on teams celebrate Pride by having players wear warmup jerseys. A few individual players opted out of wearing the jerseys and didn't participate in the warmups.

The Chicago team ran into a similar issue, citing the pressure on Russian players due to Russian laws. That is a more complicated matter.

The individual religious exemptions are peculiar. They claim that wearing the Pride jerseys is against their religion. Well, that sounds … incorrect.

Not wearing the jerseys may conflict with your interpretation of that religion, but the religion itself isn't at fault. "It's against my religion" is a cop-out. Just say this feels icky with your limited vision of the world that makes you feel comfortable. I won't agree with your interpretation but at least you will be honest.

NHL the month in preview November 2022

The Kraft Hockeyville finalists for 2023 are set: Maple Ridge, British Columbia, Ste. Anne, Manitoba, West Lorne, Ontario, and Saint-Anselme, Quebec. Online voting runs today starting at 9 am EDT through tomorrow at 5 pm EDT. The announcement will be made on Hockey Night in Canada on April 1.

The 2020 winner (Twillingate, Newfoundland and Labrador) and 2021 winner (Elsipogtog First Nation, New Brunswick) finally got their games in the 2022 NHL preseason. Rogers Sportsnet didn't broadcast the games or even give them to CBC. TVA Sports covered the games en Francaise.

The 2022 winner (Sydney, Nova Scotia) will likely have its preseason game in the fall. Maybe that will be on television in English in Canada.

John Garrett retirement opens the door of opportunity for Vancouver Canucks TV colour analysis

I am in shock as John Garrett announces this will be his last season doing Canuck regional games. Honestly, I love watching this broadcast crew.

— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) March 24, 2023

Elliotte Friedman summed up what a lot of us felt. John Garrett is sharply cutting back his schedule so there is an opening on Rogers Sportsnet Pacific. John Shorthouse is a very giving play by play person.

As a journalist, I have made a few of these lists in sports and outside sports. Always be creative. When you are creative, you are likely to be more inclusive. Hockey is for everyone also applies to possibilities in the booth.

Corey Hirsch (if he wants) and Kevin Bieska (if Sportsnet wants) are the likely top prospects. Hopefully, Sportsnet will consider a wide number of possibilities.

The Calgary Flames (Cassie Campbell-Pascall) and New York Islanders have had women in this prominent role in their telecasts.

NHL the month in preview October 2022

ABC is intruding on Saturday nights late in the season. That would be fine, except the NHL Network is banned from showing an early Saturday night game, such as Hockey Night in Canada. This makes sense in Gary Bettman's mind but doesn't grow the game.

However, the NHL Network, which has been afraid to carry Saturday late night games, carried all-American games at 10:30 pm on the last 2 Saturday nights. The 10:30 pm starting times are crucial, since that allows for very little overlap for the ABC 8 pm starts. Theoretically, 10 pm starts wouldn't be allowed, which prohibits Hockey Night in Canada games.

The ESPN/ABC family is at it again with Saturday night games with a ESPN2 game on April 1 and an ABC game on April 8. None of the ABC games have had Canadian teams and likely never will.

Either the U.S. channel should carry more late games on Saturday, including Hockey Night in Canada, or not concede this practice.

The best solution is for ABC to stay out of Saturday nights or even better: give actual choice to NHL fans south of the Canadian border.

Our guide to the NHL Canadian teams coverage

Rogers Sportsnet has been a lot better this season about taking Toronto Maple Leafs games for its own selfish purposes. The gamble was that fans would flock to Toronto at Vancouver instead of the Edmonton game in Winnipeg on CBC.

The highlight of the first game was the Canucks scoring 2 short-handed goals in the same power play, setting a new team mark for shortest time in between short-handed goals. Meanwhile, the CBC and Citytv audience along with APTN and Omni saw a high-flying very exciting game with the Oilers and Jets on Wasac Night. Fans in the U.S. who can watch CBC were likely happier with that game.

Karma doesn't always work that way. Sometimes, karma knows what is happening.

On a related note, CBC was so good at getting Hockey Night in Canada in Punjabi. Rogers Sportsnet has worked well to get occasional games called in Cree on APTN. This is how you grow the game so hockey is for everyone.

.@JenBotterill paying homage to our old pal Rick Tocchet during intermission of @AnaheimDucks-@Canucks on @NHL_On_TNT 😂 pic.twitter.com/4Ulzjrc1d0

— blaircofield (@blaircofield) March 9, 2023

Jennifer Botterill has quietly been rather awesome with studio analysis and on-ice commentary on NHL games on both sides of the border. Botterill has worked for MSG on New York Islanders telecasts and works for Rogers Sportsnet in Canada and TNT in the United States.

Botterill was on the NHL on TNT panel on March 8, International Women's Day, in place of Paul Bissonnette. Anson Carter had an improvised Botterill Team Canada sweater (#17). Her shot got some social media love. She might have "missed" the net yet that was a forceful and precise shot, all in high heels.

Botterill has brought great strength to the Hockey Night in Canada studio presence on Saturday nights.

TNT has an opening in its studio show with Rick Tocchet leaving to be the Vancouver coach. The U.S. network has been using Henrik Lundqvist, who has been marvelous. They feel Paul Bissonnette fits a demo they desire. Botterill should get some time in the TNT studio because her analysis is as strong as that shot she took.

TNT featured a current Canadian female hockey player in Sarah Nurse on the panel on the March 15 coverage. Darnell Nurse, Sarah's cousin, plays for Edmonton but didn't have a game on TNT.

Tracking the NHL 2022 media changes

March 6 Edmonton @ Buffalo, 7:30p Bob Wischusen/Brian Boucher/Emily Kaplan ESPN+/Hulu
March 8 Anaheim @ Vancouver, 10p John Forslund/Eddie Olczyk TNT
March 9 Edmonton @ Boston, 7:30p Steve Levy/Ray Ferraro/AJ Mleczko ESPN+/Hulu
March 15 Colorado @ Toronto, 7p Kenny Albert/Eddie Olczyk/Keith Jones TNT
March 21 Toronto @ NY Islanders, 7:30p Mike Monaco/AJ Mlezcko ESPN+/Hulu
March 22 Arizona @ Edmonton, 10:30p Brendan Burke/Darren Pang/Jennifer Botterill TNT
March 28 Edmonton @ Las Vegas, 10p Steve Levy/Ray Ferraro/Emily Kaplan ESPN+/Hulu

ESPN+ had a strong lineup for the Edmonton Oilers game in Boston, more so than the lineup for the Oilers game in Buffalo. Watching Boston is tougher on your humble narrator for the litany of cheap shots that never get called.

How good do we think AJ Mlezcko is? ESPN+ put Mlezcko on an Islanders game in Toronto (she works on Islanders telecasts) and we didn't care.

Ray Ferraro got to give analysis on 2 Edmonton games in March, both on the road.

John Forslund was a logical pick to call the Vancouver game for TNT even if we aren't as wild about him on the call. That said, Forslund is far less annoying than he was on NBCSN and a lot better than he was from his Versus days. He's great on the Seattle Kraken games. Some announcers lift their game for the national stage; Forslund isn't one of them. Unlike ESPN, TNT genuinely likes covering the Vancouver Canucks.

Part of the charm in the U.S. national coverage should be showing excited Canadian crowds. ESPN generally doesn't believe in that and its overall coverage suffers as as result.

CanadianCrossing.com NHL coverage

The NHL Network had the bravery to show all-Canadian matchups on a Saturday night 2 weeks in a row that didn't involved the Habs. Those were the final HNIC appearances for the year on the U.S. channel thanks to the ESPN family doing their Saturday night schtick.

The March 11 game, unlike the March 4 game was on CBC.

The 2023 Junos with host Simu Liu was 2 days after the game so a truly obvious choice. 3 promos is a bit much.

Both CBC promos in the 1st period ran after obsessive gambling ads. The audience eagerly ignores the gambling ads, reducing the impact of the promos. The first promo ran before the beginning of the 2nd period. The promos are supposed to be in-game, not before the period starts.

Another 5 promos in a game instead of the required 6 promos. This also meant that 60% of the aired promos applied to the 2023 Junos.

March 11 early game: 2023 Junos; Canada's Ultimate Challenge (1st); 2023 Junos; 2023 Junos (2nd); Canada's Ultimate Challenge (3rd)

photo credit: NHL
Twitter captures: @Sportsnet; @Sportsnet; @Sportsnet; @FriedgeHNIC; @blaircofield
video credit: TSN

2023 Toronto Blue Jays preview

The last game the Toronto Blue Jays played that counted was such a playoff collapse that the team retooled its lineup. More speed and less power, especially in the outfield.

All-Star outfielder Teoscar Hernández went to the Seattle Mariners, the team that advanced in the 2022 MLB playoffs. Right-handed reliever Erik Swanson and lefty pitching prospect Adam Macko went from Seattle to Toronto.

The Blue Jays acquired Dalton Varsho from Arizona for outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and top catching prospect Gabriel Moreno.

Tampa Bay centre fielder Kevin Kiermaier signed a 1-year, $9 million contract. Brandon Belt is a 1B/DH backup after playing his entire career in San Francisco.

Never forget the time Kevin Kiermaier stole the Blue Jays' pitching game-plan card 💀 pic.twitter.com/TXqLbGKXfZ

— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) December 10, 2022

Matt Chapman and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. are at the corners with Bo Bichette and Santiago Espinal up the middle. Whit Merrifield, Cavan Biggio, and eventually Addison Barger serve as backups to infielders and likely outfielders.

Varsho, Kiermaier, and George Springer make up the starting outfield.

Alek Manoah, Chris Bassitt (new free agent), Kevin Gausman and Jose Berrios will be the primary starters on the mound. Ross Stripling left for San Francisco. Yusei Kikuchi is in the starting pitcher mix.

Canadian Jordan Romano is the closer, with bullpen roles other high-leverage jobs going to pitchers like Swanson, Yimi García, Anthony Bass, Tim Mayza, and (let's hope) Nate Pearson.

Hyun Jin Ryu (starter) and Chad Green (new free agent reliever) will join the season in progress after Tommy John surgery.

2023 Toronto Blue Jays spring training schedule

2022 Toronto Blue Jays go down in 2 straight to Seattle

Quite a few MLB teams might have too many play-by-play people and analysts. Not the Toronto Blue Jays.

Dan Shulman will call the majority of the games for Rogers Sportsnet. Buck Martinez and Joe Siddall will provide analysis. Will Martinez call those games when Shulman is not there? Will Matt Devlin step in as he did in 2022?

Some personal news for Blue Jays opening week:

I'll be getting to work alongside @benwag247 as colour analyst for some of our Jays broadcasts on @fan590 this year.

I'll also be contributing pregame TV analysis to Blue Jays Central, similar to what I've been doing for Raps.

— Blake Murphy (@BlakeMurphyODC) March 29, 2023

Siddall is also in the studio with Jamie Campbell when not in the booth. Ben Wagner would be a logical person to step in for Shulman, as he did for spring training games. Except Wagner doesn't have a regular colour analyst and is prohibited from traveling for road games. No other MLB team is this cheap and pathetic. None.

Blake Murphy will help out on some radio broadcasts but he has a busy schedule, too. Murphy won't start for another week, beginning with the Blue Jays series in Anaheim. 

Pat Tabler's contract was not renewed, as we noted in our spring training schedule. Deserved a better exit. Even a switch to studio work or radio colour analysis would have made sense than letting him go. If you really thought there was a retirement (it wasn't), Tabler is working as a fill-in analyst on Cleveland Guardians telecasts in 2023.

TVA Sports has 81 Blue Jays games en Francaise as part of a new 3-year deal to carry geais bleus de Toronto.

MLB Network will have the vast majority of U.S. appearances, generally taking home feeds. Fox, Fox Sports 1, TBS, ESPN, and Apple TV are all possibilities but those outlets tend to limit Blue Jays appearances, even with a team in last year's playoffs. Unless there is a change, Fox Sports won't show the Toronto Blue Jays on either side of the border.

CanadianCrossing.com MLB coverage

If you have been watching Blue Jays spring training games, Ben Wagner spends a lot of oxygen on the changes coming to Rogers Centre in terms of outfield seating. Changes are also coming to distances from home plate and the height of the outfield wall.

The wall had been a standard 10 feet. The height is reduced to 8 feet in straightaway centre field and up to 14'4" in right-centre field and down the left field line. The wall down the right field line is now 12'7" while the wall in left-centre will be 11'2". The power alley walls will be 10'9" in right-centre and 12'9" in left-centre.

As for outfield distances, down the left and right field lines are still 328 feet and centre field is at 400. The changes come in left-centre at 368 feet (from 375 feet) and right center at 359 feet (from 375 feet).

The Rogers Centre changes also mean a late home start for the Toronto Blue Jays. The team travels to St. Louis, Kansas City, and Anaheim before the home opener on March 11 against Detroit.

In other off-field news, the Toronto Blue Jays won't have the home run jacket celebration. The jacket had the words La Gente del Barrio — "the people of the neighbourhood" — on the back along with the home countries of the players.

The talented and fun team is still talented and somewhat fun but the spirit is changing under manager John Schneider. The trades of Hernandez and Gurriel seemed to signal the end of that era.

2023 Team Canada World Baseball Classic wrapup

2023 Team Canada World Baseball Classic preview

Team Canada won as many games (2) in the 2023 World Baseball Classic as in the 2006 version. The team finished 3rd, one position away from advancing out of Pool C.

Canadian MLB players to watch in 2023 (TSN)

Some of those Canadian players are on the Toronto Blue Jays, such as Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Jordan Romano, Zach Pop, and Otto Lopez (minors, for now).

Josh Naylor and Bo Naylor, Tyler O'Neill, Cal Quantrill. Those among others.

There are 2 Canadian MLB players to watch though not right away. For the first time since 2008, Joey Votto will not be on the Opening Day roster for the Cincinnati Reds. The first baseman is still recovering from surgery last August to his left shoulder and bicep. 

Votto is in the final season of his 10-year, $225 million contract. Cincinnati General manager Nick Krall said while he hopes Votto will end his career with the Reds, Krall would consider trading Votto to his hometown Toronto Blue Jays at the trade deadline, if Votto wanted a trade.

The incredibly warm response Votto got in Toronto in 2022 would be even more dramatic if Votto switched from red to blue. Votto will benefit from the disappearance of the shift in 2023. Something to think about closer to the end of July.

Michael Soroka has not thrown a pitch in a MLB game since August 3, 2020. His 2023 Atlanta season will be delayed by a hamstring strain. This is after considerable Achilles damage.

What Team Canada could have done with a healthy Joey Votto, Michael Soroka, and Josh Naylor. 

NEWS: @Dempster46 & @SieraSantos are joining @KMillar15 to co-host @MLBNetwork's @IntentionalTalk. Debut show is March 31st at 5 p.m. ET.

Release: https://t.co/Rgg5nbCVgk pic.twitter.com/qGwRBkP8EL

— MLB Network PR (@MLBNetworkPR) March 15, 2023

Ryan Dempster has the second most wins and strikeouts of any Canadian MLB pitcher, both behind Ferguson Jenkins. Okay, so Dempster retired with a 132–133 record but he does have 2,075 strikeouts.

Dempster has built a nice side career as a part-time analyst for Marquee Sports for the Chicago Cubs. Now he is joining the MLB Network on its Intentional Talk show with Kevin Millar and new host Siera Santos.

Millar has been the one constant of the show with different hosts. He has that role of loud and a little obnoxious, a milder version of Paul Bissonnette from the NHL side.

Dempster was on the Marquee telecast when Team Canada had an exhibition game with the Chicago Cubs earlier this month. Dempster's lone appearance in the World Baseball Classic came in 2017, 4 years after his retirement.

photo credits: Toronto Blue Jays; Rogers Sportsnet
Twitter captures: @BRWalkoff; @BlakeMurphyODC; @MLBNetworkPR

Canadian film review: Love in the Time of Fentanyl

News will label something as "controversial" such as supervised injection facilities in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. The average person might be frightened at the prospect of that type of facility. Love in the Time of Fentanyl shows us what that world is actually like and why it's unusual, but far better in the opioid battle.

The clinic is run by volunteers who are all too familiar with the opioid scene in that area in Vancouver, as in fellow users. The documentary takes us into the people mourning those who have been lost and saving people, so they are still around.

We don't get so close to the action to see actual drug injections but there is an intimacy to watching people do something highly personal that would never been shown on the late news. Safe injection sites have proven to be necessary in the time when opioids can easily be laced with fentanyl.

The film shows us Overdose Prevention Society (OPS) staff members administer Narcan for those who overdose and save their lives. Sometimes, the efforts are too late.

The unofficial narrator is Ronnie aka Narcan Jesus, a gentle giant who is one of the workers at the facility.

Director Colin Askey gives us the intimacy of startling moments without an all-knowing narrator. Sometimes the decisions you don't make are the smartest choices.

The intimacy can be a bit startling but Askey understands we need to see the reality of that world to see the importance of safe injection sites.

British Columbia decriminalizes some drugs but at a really low threshold

CanadianCrossing.com British Columbia coverage

The film reflected the reality in the time of filming. Now those in British Columbia can carry a small amount of drugs, including opioids, without fear of arrest. This includes opioids, which sadly may have fentanyl in them.

Reducing the stigma and the reality of being arrested gives these people a safer environment for themselves and others.

Love in the Time of Fentanyl is a play on the title Love in the Time of Cholera, a 1985 novel Colombian Nobel Prize-winning author Gabriel García Márquez. The book was later turned into a film that was released in 2007.

Canadian film review: Kímmapiiyipitssini: The Meaning of Empathy

We don't pair films together, like wine and food. If you want to learn more about opioids addiction, the Elle-Maija Tailfeathers documentary featuring her mother is an outstanding watch. While this is geared toward opioids in Indigenous communities, its solutions are just as relevant in the mountains of West Virginia in the United States.

Speaking of Tailfeathers, the part of Vancouver in this documentary is very close by where her earlier film, The Body Remembers When the World Broke Open, was filmed.

CanadianCrossing.com film reviews

CanadianCrossing.com film coverage

The beauty of documentaries, such as this one, is the way to see what is talked about in the news and show this to an audience who is curious.

Love in the Time of Fentanyl is a great example of showing us a "controversial" world and humanizing the experience. We suggest you watch the film with loved ones and compare notes after watching the film.

Love in the Time of Fentanyl has run in Canada and is available through Independent Lens on PBS. A reminder to our American readers that the PBS version has censored curse words from the documentary. As we have noted, Canadians are far less concerned over the impact of those words than in American society.

video credit: Independent Lens/PBS
photo credit: Love in the Time of Fentanyl

2023 Prince Edward Island election preview

For faster service at the polls today, take along your Voter Information Card and one piece of ID (Like your Drivers Licence) #2023provincialelection #peipoli pic.twitter.com/WnbHStw2vs

— Elections PEI (@ElectionsPEI) March 25, 2023

The 2023 Prince Edward Island provincial election might not seem as significant as the Ontario and Quebec elections of 2022 in Canada. Those provincial elections turned out to be little more than coronations for the incumbents.

Prince Edward Island is an anomaly in North American politics in that voter turnout is traditionally quite high. The dynamic of this election may turn on Premier Dennis King (Progressive Conservative) to call an early election, going from the designated election date of October 2 to April 3.

The PCs had 15 seats in the 27-seat assembly, a slight majority government. The party won a minority government with 13 seats in 2019. The Green Party is the official opposition party, remaining at 8 seats, the same number won in the 2019 election. The Liberals have 6 seats, up from 4 seats in the 2019 election.

Peter Bevan-Baker, the first Green elected to the PEI Assembly, is the Green Party leader. Sharon Cameron is the new Liberal Party leader, taking over in November. Both parties are only fielding 25 candidates for the 27 electoral districts.

Both Bevan-Baker (incumbent) and Cameron (challenger) are running in the New Haven-Rocky Point electoral district. That should prove to be an intriguing battle.

Michelle Neill is the New Democratic Party leader. The party has a full slate but hasn't won a seat in the chamber since 1996.

Cecile Sly aka Ahava Kálnássy de Kálnás is the new Island Party leader. The party is running in 11 electoral districts.

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

2019 Prince Edward Island election preview

Health care, especially health care workers, will be a key topic in the election. Land use is important. The Greens and Liberals will benefit if they can go over the King Government in its handling of post-tropical storm Fiona damage.

The CBC News debate was held last night. A telltale sign of how the election might go was that the Greens and Liberals are fighting each other more than attacking the incumbent government. That reminds us sadly of the 2022 Ontario election.

Advance polling stations are open March 25, March 27, and March 31 for advance voting from 9 am to 7 pm. Those hours also will apply on April 3.

CanadianCrossing.com Prince Edward Island coverage

We get some teasing for our obsession with CBC News. You can find the election coverage online via CBC Prince Edward Island.

CBCT, channel 13 in Charlottetown, is the only TV station licensed to Prince Edward Island. The CTV station in Charlottetown is a satellite of its signal out of Moncton, NB while the Global station in Charlottetown is a satellite signal from its Saint John, NB station.

CanadianCrossing.com Canadian politics coverage

2023 Canadian politics preview

We will have results on April 4.

Twitter capture: @ElectionsPEI
photo credit: CBC News Charlottetown

Joe Biden's visit to Canada as president shouldn't be his last

My friend texted "Roxham Road closed" on Thursday. Joe Biden was on Canadian soil. That sounded about right.

The debate over revising the Safe Third Country Agreement, has been on the table since 2017 with the angry toddler wrecking havoc south of the border. President Joe Biden was in Ottawa and that was the conclusion of the mess that has been border issues between Canada and the United States.

Daily Show explores why refugees are fleeing U.S. for Canada

The speech. The one-on-one meetings. The press conference with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The dinner at the Canadian Aviation and Space Museum.

The 27-hour visit had little in the way of side trips for the president but Sophie Gregoire Trudeau introduced Dr. Jill Biden to curling.

The important discussions that won't get the flashy headlines about Biden's crack about the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The chance for those in Ottawa to see the U.S. president, well, from a distance. Supposed to be one of the perks of living in a country's capital.

Joe Biden makes first official U.S. visit to Canada since 2016

"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime." — Mark Twain

There is a lot of symbolism with the U.S. president on Canadian soil, the first president in a long time to sleep in Canada, and having the U.S. first lady along for the trip. The U.S.-Canada relationship is terribly important. This relationship can survive butting heads in charge, such as Pierre Trudeau and Richard Nixon as well as those who see eye to eye, such as Brian Mulroney and George H.W. Bush as well as Justin Trudeau and Barack Obama.

The relationship doesn't do well when U.S. presidents have a hatred for Canada (2 leap to mind) and Canadian prime ministers who love the United States a little too much (yes, we are looking at Stephen Harper). Friendliness is encouraged; acceptance is enough.

Vice President Kamala Harris lived in Canada during her teenage years. Instead of that being a source of pride, Harris has to hide that fact among the American electorate.

The impact of the Joe Biden presidency on Canada

President-elect Joe Biden should make his first international trip to Canada

The Three Amigos, when working well, is a way to be a budget version of the European Union, but there is too much distrust. Free trade handled poorly under NAFTA and made terribly worse under the CUSMA (USMCA) trade deal. Borders should be much more open. Those in the United States who want to live in Canada. Those in Canada that would love to live in the United States. That should be way easier.

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The president of the United States and the prime minister of Canada meeting in each other's countries should be commonplace. We make them a big deal because they are a big deal. Sovereignty is crucial for both countries but commonalities should also be enhanced between the countries.

Ideally, we would insist on an entire debate devoted to U.S.-Canada issues for all presidential and vice presidential candidates. We know that is a pipe dream and not a pipeline dream.

Thank you, Mr. President and Mrs. First Lady for coming to Canada. You are welcome back, maybe for Game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals between the Toronto Maple Leafs and an American team at Scotiabank Arena. You can have some butter tarts and even a little poutine.

video credit: YouTube/White House
photo credit: CPAC

John Garrett retirement opens the door of opportunity for Vancouver Canucks TV colour analysis

Thank you for everything, John Garrett 💙💚@SNJohnGarrett | @Canucks pic.twitter.com/cxyZHrNqqd

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) March 24, 2023

John Garrett has been the stable force on Vancouver Canucks telecasts for a very long time. His retirement leaves a gigantic hole on the Canucks TV broadcast crew.

Garrett will do select broadcasts next season but otherwise will enjoy a well-deserved retirement. Maybe golf with former partner Jim Hughson. 

Garrett knew the nuance of local versus Hockey Night in Canada telecasts in ways that Louie DeBrusk will never get.

The primary colour Canucks TV analyst is a great position for those who want to make a move. John Shorthouse is a generous play by play person. Shorthouse and Garrett is shorthand for excellent hockey broadcasting. 

A few names in my head for a replacement:

Jennifer Botterill. Good chemistry with studio work for Rogers Sportsnet and gets to call a few games for TNT. Could see where this doesn't fit into her plans but an intriguing choice.

Patrick Sharp. Canadian NHL player who has done studio analysis for NBCSN and occasional analysis on Chicago TV games for NBC Sports Chicago. Does Sharp want to do that many games for any team?

Drew Remenda. Canadian NHL player back working San Jose games. He had worked Edmonton games for awhile and has Hockey Night in Canada experience.  

Corey Hirsch. Did Vancouver Canucks radio analysis and then left before this season. Has filled in for Garrett in the past on Canucks TV. Would Hirsch want to come back for this?

Jamal Mayers. Has been an occasional analyst on Hockey Night in Canada on Rogers Sportsnet. Might be a bit inexperienced for the Canucks job but should be in the mix. 

Cheryl Pounder. Done studio work for TSN. Don't know how much colour analysis she has done.

Anson Carter. He is more of a studio person for TNT and Sportsnet. Carter has a sharp mind that would do well with colour analysis. This won't happen but a name worth mentioning.

Shane Hnidy. Not saying he would leave Las Vegas and occasional TNT work for the Vancouver Canucks job. He did Winnipeg Jets games so he isn't afraid of Canada.  

Kevin Bieska. He is perfect on the surface. Well-known former Canucks player. Experience with analysis on Sportsnet, though not game analysis. He can be a bit irritating in the studio. A chance to reinvent himself in the Canucks booth could work out well.

Cammi Granato. So having an assistant general manager also serving as a colour analyst would be highly unusual. Granato certainly knows the players. Would also be amusing if ESPN then sent Ray Ferraro (Granato's husband) to cover a Vancouver Canucks game. That is not likely to happen because ESPN+ has only carried a single Vancouver game in the last 2 years (Seattle Kraken initial home opener) and may never cover a game in Vancouver. Ferraro cut back on Toronto Maple Leafs games on TSN4 this season for a lighter schedule. 

Cassie Campbell-Pascall, Greg Millen, and Daryl "Razor" Reaugh have career paths that likely don't include a job with the Canucks. 

NHL the month in preview March 2023

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The Winnipeg Jets did a really healthy search to replace Dennis Beyak, not an easy job. Dan Robertson was an excellent choice to call the Jets games on TSN3. Colour analysis is a different skill set.

If we missed someone, especially with BC or Vancouver roots, let us know in the comments section or tweet us @canadian_xing.

Twitter capture: @sportsnet

Joe Biden makes first official U.S. visit to Canada since 2016

The president of the United States will be in Canada today … and tomorrow.

Unlike the Barack Obama trip in 2009, Biden is bringing the First Lady, Dr. Jill Biden, and the couple is staying overnight Thursday night.

Biden is expected to arrive in Ottawa later tonight and meet with Governor General Mary Simon. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will have meetings with Biden on Friday. The U.S. president will address Parliament before leaving Canada.

The last top official from the United States to make a formal trip to Canada was then Vice President Joe Biden at the end of 2016.

Canadians may pick up on the fact this will be the first visit by a U.S. president with an overnight stay in Canada during a bilateral visit for the first time in decades.

Border issues, Buy American, guns, Safe Third Country deal/Roxham Road, Haiti, NORAD, NAFTA 2.0 aka CUSMA. Some of the many challenges that won't get solved by the end of Friday night. The people under the U.S. president and Canadian prime minister work on these issues.

Obama Canadian Parliament speech needs to ignite significant growth in the bilateral relationship

The chant from the Liberals and the NDP in the House of Commons — "Four more years" — might have been the most memorable moment from President Barack Obama's speech before Parliament in June 2016. The experts will monitor the speech for the platitudes and the not-so-hidden messages.

President Biden will have those messages in his speech tomorrow before the House of Commons in Ottawa.

Canada and the United States are allies, neighbours, and friends. Today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that the President of the United States, Joe Biden, will visit Canada to continue working together to advance our countries’ shared priorities: https://t.co/U2vEv4iEO0

— CanadianPM (@CanadianPM) March 9, 2023

Three Amigos are back after 5 years but feels unbalanced

Joe Biden and Justin Trudeau meeting virtually is still important symbolically

The impact of the Joe Biden presidency on Canada

President-elect Joe Biden should make his first international trip to Canada

Factoring Canada in the 2020 presidential election

Kamala Harris, Jackie Robinson, and their association with Montreal

Looking back at when Joe Biden was in Canada

Joe Biden reinforces Canadian leadership in state visit

U.S. Vice President Joe Biden goes to Canada

CBC News Network will present live coverage of the President Joe Biden visit with a CBC News Special: U.S. President Biden in Canada starting at 1 pm Eastern on Friday. CTV News Channel will also have live coverage.

CPAC in Canada has extensive coverage. C-SPAN hopefully will cover the speech, likely through CPAC, though its schedule gets updated at the last minute.

MSNBC and CNN might have some related coverage though we wouldn't expect either channel to spend much time on the actual speech.

CanadianCrossing.com Canadian politics coverage

CanadianCrossing.com U.S. politics coverage

We will wrap up the visit on Monday.

photo credit: Patrick Doyle/The Canadian Press via AP
video credit: YouTube/The Obama White House
Twitter capture: @CanadianPM

Canadian film review: Percy

Based on a true story. What an amazing, actually true story. Not just the saga of Percy Schmeiser, a Saskatchewan farmer on the wrong side of Monsanto, but the thousands of farmers forced to settle with the large conglomerate.

The story is a true David-Goliath saga (Percy is also known as Percy vs. Goliath). Monsanto would be an exaggerated villain if the company didn't exist.

The problem with the Percy film is that the dialogue is so terrible. Yea, yea, you've said that about other films. The New Romantic dialogue was terrible but not on this level.

Christopher Walken can clearly act though the script making good acting rather difficult. Walken feels like a really poor choice for this character but that feels low on the list of complaints.

Fellow American actors Christina Ricci and Zach Braff feel out of place as well. They, along with Walken, do their best. The scene where Ricci's character orders in a diner is best found in Stereotypes 101. Braff's character has a cane, not known if that is based on the actual lawyer character or an offbeat add to the film.

Roberta Maxwell plays Louise Schmeiser, Percy's wife. Maxwell, one of the few Canadians in the cast, has the most awkward, terrible dialogue in the whole film, which is saying something.

Garfield Lindsay Miller and Hilary Pyror wrote the film. We don't know why the dialogue is this terrible, cringeworthy even.

The relatively good part about Percy? The film doesn't waste time in the beginning with an elaborate open. We pretty much are there at the beginning with the start of the story. The film is a blow-by-blow essence of the actual story. We apparently aren't here for character development, except for when Percy buys a large tractor in the beginning of the film.

Clark Johnson, a fine Canadian actor, has directed a few feature films and a lot of television, directed this film. The direction is okay. Not much you can do with the script. Not sure Charles Officer, who directed Johnson in Nurse.Fighter.Boy, could save this film.

If you can get past the dialogue and if you don't know the story, please watch this film. That may seem contradictory but the story is that important. Glyphosate, the primary ingredient in Roundup, is a disaster to the American and Canadian farming industry. You may know the phrase GMO; you will learn a lot more about it in the film.

Canadian actors Luke Kirby and Adam Beach have brief appearances. They have been in much better projects on both sides of the border.

You feel like Monsanto came in and rewrote the script so people won't know this story. Given what Monsanto did and has done, that sounds rather plausible.

Canadian film case study: The New Romantic

The sugar daddy concept making its way into Canadian films

Canadian film review: Nurse Fighter Boy

Your humble narrator would argue that the story of Percy Schmeiser would make an excellent documentary. Explaining the whole Monsanto nightmare requires that level of concentration. Some people who need to know the story might prefer the storytelling motive of a feature film.  

Having large names such as Christopher Walken, Christina Ricci, and Zach Braff draws more attention than a documentary. Some of that potential audience might not care that the dialogue is as terrible as it is. Percy is made for this subsection of a subsection. You will learn. Entertained? Not as likely.

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Percy is available on Crave in Canada and on demand in the United States.

video credit: YouTube/Mongrel Media
photo credit: Percy

Learning the word beanie, the American expression for a toque

Your humble narrator is intrigued by the nuance of language in Canada vs. the United States, even if both countries (mostly) speak English.

Chesterfield (sofa) and serviette (napkin) are obvious differences. Canadians will "phone" someone while Americans "call" someone. While "eh" is associated as Canadian, you can find "eh" in the upper Midwest of the U.S. and not everywhere in Canada.

The hat Canadians call a toque. I never had to learn the Canadian word for toque because I've always known the hat as a toque (or tuque). Maybe I learned it from Bob and Doug McKenzie of SCTV and Strange Brew fame. I never learned any other word for the winter hat other than toque.

I lived a lot of years on this planet, covered Canada for a lot of that time, and never knew what I am about to tell you. I figured Americans call the hat a toque. Some Americans know the word toque. Chances are they know SCTV and/or Hockey Night in Canada.

Some Americans are confused when you say the word toque. Turns out a lot of Americans call this hat a beanie. I was stunned. A beanie.

Not surprised Americans have a name for this hat. Beanie doesn't fit what this hat is; toque is the ideal word. Yet there is this divide. The surprise lies in living in a place and not knowing what people called this hat.

There could be a regional difference across the border where toque might be more common than beanie. Or your humble narrator have friends who know it as a toque.

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Americans are more likely to adopt Britishisms, calling fish and chips as if they are American. Popular songs taught us mac (umbrella) [Penny Lane, Beatles] and windscreen (windshield) [Get Out of My Cloud, Rolling Stones]. Lift. lorry, and braces. Chips, crisps, and biscuits.

Most Americans won't reach across to Canada for terms. Chesterfield, serviette, 2-4, double double are words Canadians and fans of Canada will know. Toque also makes that list.

photo credit: me

2023 Team Canada World Baseball Classic wrapup

We were rather pessimistic about Team Canada after the 2017 World Baseball Classic. The performances were colossally terrible.

Team Canada didn't advance out of Pool C in the 2023 World Baseball Classic. Yet the future is rather bright for Team Canada.

Before 2023, Canada had only played in 1 mercy (merci en francaise?) rule game, a rather humiliating 14-4 loss to Italy in 2013. At least the game went 8 innings, given that 7 innings is the minimum for a mercy game.

Team Canada had 2 mercy rule games in 2023, both in 7 innings: the front end with a 18-8 win over Great Britain and a 12-1 loss to the United States.

Canada posted a 5-0 shutout win over Colombia and a 10-3 loss to Mexico. Team Canada finished with a -3 run differential (27-30), not so bad given 2 blowout losses.

LET’S GO! @_BoNaylor_ 💪#WorldBaseballClassic2023 pic.twitter.com/NZEAzyG2Oa

— Baseball Canada 🇨🇦⚾️ (@baseballcanada) March 15, 2023

Team Canada finished 3rd behind Mexico and the United States. Canada has automatic qualification for the 2026 World Baseball Classic.

On one level, Team Canada beat up on the 2 weakest teams in Pool C in Phoenix and weren't close to the 2 top teams. On another level, Canada has a lot of young players who will do a lot better in 2026.

Canada won as many games (2) as the team did in 2006. A 2013 win over Mexico was the only other win until 2023.

FUN FACT:

With a HR and a triple in yesterday's win over Colombia, Otto Lopez became the 1st 🇨🇦 player to record a HR and a triple in a WBC game since Adam Stern (London, Ont.) did so against the U.S. on March 8, 2006.

*From @baseballcanada game notes@cfssports @GLCanadians pic.twitter.com/FOyHCE5eSc

— Kevin Glew (@coopincanada) March 15, 2023

Freddie Freeman and Tyler O'Neill were the biggest offensive names going into the tournament. Jared Young provided the only run against the United States with a home run.

Edouard Julien proved to be a strong lead-off hitter for Team Canada and played 2nd base. Canada hasn't always had a lot of top talent on the left side of the infield, but Abraham Toro at 3B and Otto Lopez at SS got their feet wet and will only be that much better in 2026.

Bo Naylor was solid behind the plate. Would have been fun to watch his brother Josh play in the same lineup.

Jacob Robson, Owen Caissie, and Denzel Clarke were pleasant surprises in the outfield.

Noah Skirrow was impressive on the mound in the win over Colombia. Cal Quantrill had a rough outing against the United States but someone needed to go up against that team. Scott Mathieson came out of retirement to get the final outs against Colombia.

Freeman got injured in the Colombia game and was withdrawn from the team. If Canada had beaten Mexico and advanced, the hope was that Josh Naylor might have been ready to DH in the next round.

O'Neill went 4-4 for 4 RBI, Robson went 4-4 with a RBI, and Julien hit a HR and had 4 walks against Great Britain. Team Canada drew 16 walks in that game.

2023 Team Canada World Baseball Classic preview

The joke has always been that if Canada could play their coaches, the team would be better. The young players definitely benefited from coaches such as Larry Walker and Russell Martin and the only manager Team Canada has had in the WBC, Ernie Whitt.

Joey Votto might be a DH in 2026 or a coach. Either way, you know Votto will be involved.

The current reality is that this team has a lot of young talent with minimal MLB experience. 3 years changes a lot of this dynamic.

CanadianCrossing.com MLB coverage

Canadian viewers in English saw the international feed with Rich Waltz and Buck Martinez. The surprise was that Fox Sports let the international feed go for all the games, except for the United States game. Fox had Jason Benetti with John Smoltz and Ken Rosenthal.

Waltz had fond memories of working Triple A baseball games with the Las Vegas Aces in places such as Edmonton, Calgary, and Vancouver. One concerning theme is the loss of minor league baseball in Canada. Dry information is one thing; Waltz's enthusiasm for road trips to western Canada gave wet emotion to dry information.

There was a bit too much focus on Canada's 2006 win over the United States in the WBC. The 9-run 1st inning in 2023 stopped that chance cold in its tracks.

Adam Loewen pitched 3⅔ scoreless innings and earned the win in 2006. Loewen came out of retirement to pitch in the 2023 World Baseball Classic. Loewen converted to an outfielder and even played in the outfield for the Toronto Blue Jays. Loewen's personal saga is quite remarkable.

More than baseball ❤️ #WorldBaseballClassic https://t.co/xoorngIVXT pic.twitter.com/n5ihTWljbt

— Baseball Canada 🇨🇦⚾️ (@baseballcanada) March 14, 2023

We saw the Great Britain players mimic tea drinking. Canada players mimic the antlers of the moose. The spirit of playing for one's country is part of the fun of the World Baseball Classic.

With a few breaks, fewer injuries, and more experience, Team Canada will be fun to watch in 2026.

photo credit: World Baseball Classic
Twitter captures: @baseballcanada; @coopincanada; @baseballcanada