Canadian Crossing

High-speed rail brings people closer together, even in wide open spaces such as Alberta

We don't often agree with Danielle Smith, the premier of Alberta. Smith cited population growth in the province in the throne speech.

The speech referred to 2 rail projects: a train from Banff to Calgary's downtown and airport as well as a high-speed link between Calgary and Edmonton.

"And yes, we need to start planning for the inevitable need for high-speed rail through the Calgary-Red Deer-Edmonton corridor when six to seven million Albertans eventually call that corridor their home," the speech stated.

For those not familiar, the throne speech is given each year by the premier about the state of the province. Tradition says the premier does not actually deliver the speech so the lieutenant governor of the province actually delivers the speech. The lieutenant governor of a province is the representative of, well, now it is King Charles III, similar to the governor general on the federal level.

Back in the Greyhound days, I took the bus from Calgary to Edmonton and then eventually back to Calgary. A lovely, reasonable trip that also stops off in Red Deer. There are buses that go between the cities. I've also been on Greyhound from Calgary to Lake Louise with a local shuttle between Lake Louise and Banff. A high speed rail would be a wonderful addition.

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Smith is correct in that if travel was easier in that corridor, people will travel and spend money in those areas. The only Via Rail train in Canada where Alberta is affected is Edmonton-Jasper. Rocky Mountaineer runs trains during the daytime only that start in Vancouver and covers Whistler and Kamloops in British Columbia as well as Jasper, Lake Louise, and Banff in Alberta. Calgary is not a stop on that train.

Via Rail does a better job at serving Ontario and Quebec than those in the west in Canada.

We have noted the transportation dilemmas in previous stories with the loss of Greyhound and the difficulties at serving remote communities where people often take buses to get better health care.

It’s the obvious choice to bring the @NHL to #Edmonton.

We look forward to welcoming the league and players here to Alberta to take in the beautiful province we have to offer. pic.twitter.com/kp0iN86vCP

— Jason Kenney 🇺🇦🇨🇦 (@jkenney) June 22, 2020

Jason Kenney, then Alberta premier, pitched the ridiculous idea of areas of the province not remotely close to Edmonton as a way to get the NHL to have a bubble in the Alberta capital. If you forget everything about 2020, the video makes a nice incentive to travel to and within Alberta. Just not to Edmonton.

CanadianCrossing.com Alberta coverage

Calgary to Edmonton. Regina to Saskatoon. Winnipeg to Regina. Winnipeg to Calgary. Buses or cars are the only 2 options.

A train would be a better option in winter, which can be significant in western Canada. I've taken buses in Canada in the summer but not during the winter.

Canada is a country where its residents don't often travel within their own country. So many Canadians have told me they don't know the rest of the country. A high speed train, a regular train: this would be meaningful in Alberta. The trains would also serve as inspiration for the rest of the country.

As you might have guessed, western Canada had better train travel at some point. Winnipeg to Regina to Calgary to Edmonton. Vancouver to Calgary and Regina. Not between Regina and Saskatoon but you could get there via Edmonton. Sudbury to Montréal is intriguing since Sudbury has a significant French speaking population.

Brian Mulroney was the prime minister at the time when Via Rail cut back on routes in western Canada. That isn't to signal out Mulroney, just to show how far back the time was when western Canada had better train options. The intercity infrastructure has been a concern blown off by many prime ministers, including the current incumbent, Justin Trudeau.

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This map is what Canada should look like. Buses need to be strengthened to serve these routes and remote communities. The needed infrastructure would mean good jobs. Travel in between cities in Canada will strengthen those places and bring Canadians from different parts closer to each other.

Even Danielle Smith agrees and again, we say on this topic, we definitely agree with Danielle Smith.

Like Amtrak in the United States, Via Rail has to stop trains due to freight trains, which have the right of way. Some of that infrastructure needs to be independent of freight trains to improve speed and viability.

When we talk about travel infrastructure, this also applies within cities, such as the woes with the light rail in Ottawa.

Pharmacare is more important than these projects. Canada can do both and make that work.

photo credits: Via Rail; Via/timetableworld.com
Twitter capture: @jkenney

Mary T. Moreau replaces Russell Brown on the Supreme Court of Canada

Mary T. Moreau is the latest justice on the Supreme Court of Canada. Moreau replaces Russell Brown, who resigned from the Court back in June.

Moreau is a Francophone judge from Alberta. She served on the Court of King’s Bench of Alberta for 29 years and had been the chief justice on that court since 2017. Moreau practised criminal law, constitutional law, and civil litigation in Edmonton before joining that court.

Brown represented Western Canada and so tradition requires that Moreau be from the same area. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau did say that candidates had to be bilingual.

"I am confident that her impressive judicial career and dedication to fairness and excellence will make Chief Justice Moreau an invaluable addition to our country's highest court," the prime minister said in a statement.

Moreau is the 6th justice that Justin Trudeau has appointed since becoming prime minister in 2015.

Canadian politics notebook: Russell Brown steps down as Supreme Court justice

2023 Victoria Day notebook: Alberta wildfires starting early

We covered the mess that was the scenario for Russell Brown as well as not being all that well-qualified. We don't have the same doubts for Moreau.

Given the retirement age of 75, Moreau won't serve on the Supreme Court of Canada for all that long. Her reported birth year is either 1955 or 1956, making her mandatory retirement either in 2030 or 2031.

CanadianCrossing.com Canadian politics coverage

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2023 WIFF Canadian films in review: Documentaries

If you want to learn more about the Supreme Court of Canada, we definitely recommend Without Precedent: The Supreme Life Of Rosalie Abella, the documentary we saw at the 2023 Windsor International Film Festival.

The recently retired Rosalie Abella was one of 2 justices that Paul Martin appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada. Abella was the first Jewish woman appointed to the high court. As we noted, "The story is compelling enough to watch, even if you aren't a justice or political nerd. You will enjoy the film more if your interests are in those areas."

photo credit: CPAC

Getting Canadian news directly through apps

Saw this message quite often while on Canadian soil. Canada isn't being denied just Canadian news on Facebook but news from sources all over the world. That would be problematic like if there was a significant conflict in the Middle East these days. Oops.

The filters weren't 100% accurate but pounced rather quickly to deny news links to Canadians.

We get that the Canadian government overreached, perhaps with good intentions, with Bill C-11. We get that Facebook is throwing a tantrum that the company feels like is necessary, like a 3-year-old who wants candy and isn't getting any.

A toddler with a tantrum is annoying but isn't dangerous. A lack of information, especially these days, can be dangerous. Let's hope for a solid solution and soon.

CBC News is fighting back in its Hockey Night in Canada promos with the message: "get the news you need when you need and without any restrictions."

You might not want 20 apps on your phone but the CBC News app serves most of that need for Canadian news. You can set the area you want as a local focus, whether that is where you live, where you are from, or some other connection.

Loading individual apps is helpful if you have a subscription to The Globe and Mail or the Toronto Star. Those apps are pretty much useless without a subscription. The CP24 app is good if you live in Toronto or care about Canada's largest city.

The Canada Newspapers app, only for Android users, is a marvelous resource. You can find Canadian newspapers all across Canada. There are links to cable and broadcast, such as CTV, Citytv, and CP24. You can read French language newspapers in Montréal and VOCM in St. John's in Newfoundland.

Sports fans can even catch up on sports with links to Rogers Sportsnet and TSN.

Apple gets the cooler apps most of the time. Those users deserve this app as well. Here's hoping that changes soon.

We do suggest putting all your Canada related apps in a folder. My clever Canada folder has the CBC News app, CBC Listen app, and the Canada Newspapers app. Having one place for my Canadian content is huge when I need to access those apps.

Getting news from podcasts such as Canadaland can steer around having to go through Facebook. The frustrating part is not being able to share those links on social media, such as Facebook, which you can't do for now in Canada.

Technology is supposed to help improve our world, not to have internal tantrums that disrupt our worlds.

Even if Facebook and potentially Google stop the tantrums, news consumers need a multiverse strategy to access what is happening in Canada.

This isn't as convenient, which is the idea, but being informed is what truly matters these days.

A guide to quality Canadian journalism in lieu of Meta and Google being childish

How to save news media from our tech overlords (Canadaland)

Pascale St-Onge is the new minister of Canadian heritage

CanadianCrossing.com journalism coverage

CanadianCrossing.com Canadian politics coverage

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Our guide to quality Canadian journalism is a helpful resource. Maybe you need to have a few too many apps on your phone to keep up with Canadian news. We can't let Facebook, Google, or any other tech lord be better or smarter than we are as news consumers. When they win, we all lose.

Let us know in the comments section if you have a good solution, especially for Apple users, where others can benefit.

photo credits: Facebook; CBC/NHL; Canada Newspapers

2023 WIFF preview

WIFF is thrilled to be sharing the 2023 nominees for the WIFF Prize in Canadian Film! The award carries a cash value of $25,000 which goes to the director of the chosen film.
All nominated films will be screened during #WIFF23.

Explore the list: https://t.co/XL190ZajN5 pic.twitter.com/QL8CWA4Jmv

— WIFF (@WindsorFilmFest) September 14, 2023

The 2023 Windsor International Film Festival only comes a year after the previous festival. The 2022 Windsor International Film Festival made its mark after a 3-year absence.

There won't be a film such as Women Talking to make an impact and perhaps rearrange schedules. Then again, we didn't know Sheila McCarthy would be in person in 2022 when the festival started.

The festival debuts around 9 am Eastern today. You can get inspired by the list of films, Canadian or otherwise.

As we saw in 2022, the festival has a 2023 prize in Canadian film. The directors are scheduled to appear, subject to travel plans. These are the Canadian film nominees with their directors:

Blackberry (Matt Johnson)
The Dishwasher (Francis Leclerc)
Frontiers (Guy Édoin)
Humanist Vampire Seeks Consenting Suicidal Person (Ariane Louis-Seize)
Irena's Vow (Louise Archambault)
My Mother's Men (Anik Jean)
The Nature Of Love (Monia Chokri)
One Summer (Louise Archambault)
Seven Veils (Atom Egoyan)
Solo (Sophie Dupuis)

You will notice that Louise Archambault has 2 films on the list. Sophie Nélisse, who stars in Irena's Vow, was born in Windsor. We have loved the titles we've seen from her in the past, including Gabrielle, Il pleuvait des oiseaux | And the Birds Rained Down, and Familia.

Sophie Dupuis is on the list with Solo, which won Best Canadian Film at TIFF23. We recoiled over seeing her debut film Chien de Garde. Within reason, you have to give directors a chance to redeem themselves. We want Solo to be way better than Chien de Garde.

We've seen Blackberry. We've met Atom Egoyan. We would love to meet Monia Chokri. The films will run on October 27-28. 

There are logistics to cramming all of this since the 10 films are shown in 8 timeslots, just like 2022. We are highly resourceful.

We hope to have a wrapup on Monday with the 2023 WIFF Prize in Canadian film.

Canadian film review: BlackBerry

2023 TIFF wrapup

2023 TIFF leftovers

2023 TIFF preview

2023 TIFF Rising Stars

2023 TIFF Canadian film preview

TIFF23 winners Kanaval and Seagrass are not in Windsor. TIFF winner Tautuktavuk (What We See) is in Windsor. WIFF had a screening of Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make-Believe about Ernie Coombs earlier this fall.

A number of Canadian documentaries played at HotDocs in Toronto earlier this year.

The WIFF23 closing night film is 299 Queen Street West, a documentary on the history of MuchMusic aka Canadian MTV.

Canadian film review: The Pizza City You've Never Heard Of

2022 WIFF Canadian films in review

Riceboy Sleeps wins the 2022 WIFF Prize in Canadian Film

2022 Windsor International Film Festival preview

CanadianCrossing.com film coverage

Here is a list of the Canadian films, outside of the WIFF Prize, that are scheduled to air in the festival. We will do our best to cover these films either at the festival or in the near future.

I'm Just Here For The Riot about the Vancouver Canucks will eventually be part of the ESPN 30 for 30 film series.

Adaptation
Attila
Backspot
The Beast (co-production)
Coco Farm
Days Of Happiness
Depraved Mind
Fitting In
Forest For The Trees: The Tree Planters
I Don't Know Who You Are
I'm Just Here For The Riot
In Flames (co-production)
Lac-Megantic: This Is Not An Accident Episodes 1-4
Lebanese Burger Mafia
Man Who Stole Einstein's Brain, The
My Animal
Perfect Story, The (in name only)
Respectable Woman, A
Rojek
Satan Wants You
Someone Lives Here
Swan Song
Tautuktavuk (What We See)
Twice Colonized (co-production)
Two Days Before Christmas
Valley of Exile
Who's Yer Father?
Without Precedent: The Supreme Life Of Rosalie Abella
You Can Call Me Roger

Rojek is Canada's entry into the Academy Awards for Best International Feature Film

Your humble narrator has seen the last 26 Canadian entries in this category, not counting Rojek. The most recent one I haven't seen is Not Me! | Sous-Sol from the Oscars in 1997.

The 2023 Windsor International Film Festival starts tomorrow and runs through November 5.

Twitter capture: @WindsorFilmFest
photos credit: me; WIFF; me

2023 Heritage Classic preview: Battle of Alberta at Commonwealth Stadium

The Battle of Alberta on outdoor ice will finally be an event. The 2023 Heritage Classic won't be at Lake Louise, which would have been an awesome experience. The site is Commonwealth Stadium, home of the CFL Edmonton Elks, the original place for the first outdoor NHL game in the modern era. The NHL stole this idea and allow American-based teams to dominate the outdoor schedule.

The Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers meet on Sunday at 7 pm Eastern/5 pm Mountain in the 2023 Heritage Classic.

Gary Bettman and the NHL have gone out of their way in recent times to reduce the significance of any Canadian outdoor game by placing them so early in the schedule, when even Edmonton isn't that cold.

The embarrassment continues on the U.S. side because TBS, a channel that has never carried a regular season NHL game, will carry the game. Rogers Sportsnet, with announcers who understand the Battle of Alberta, will have the game in Canada.

We will update the TBS announcers when the release comes out this week. You can also check for yourself. Ugh.

Chris Cuthbert, who called the 2003 game in Edmonton, will also call the 2023 version. Of course, Cuthbert had called many events at Commonwealth Stadium, mostly CFL games for CBC and later for TSN.

We will also update this entry with Sportsnet info. Ron MacLean has said the HNIC crew will be in Edmonton the night before the 2023 Heritage Classic.

NHL the month in preview October 2023

INJURY UPDATE ⬇️

Connor McDavid suffered an upper body injury during last night’s game vs. the Jets & is expected to be out of the #Oilers lineup for one to two weeks. pic.twitter.com/qU5dNKuUcC

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) October 22, 2023

The one element the NHL and yes, even Bettman wanted in the 2023 Heritage Classic was a healthy Connor McDavid. His recent upper body injury will likely keep him out of the game.

2022 Heritage Classic wrapup

2022 Heritage Classic preview

Edmonton and Calgary played Les Habs in previous Heritage Classic games. The Oilers lost 4-3 in 2003 to Montréal at Commonwealth Stadium in 2003. Calgary shut out Montréal 4-0 at McMahon Stadium in 2011.

Each team has also played the Winnipeg Jets in the Heritage Classic. Edmonton won 3-0 over the Jets at Investors Group Field in 2016. The Flames lost 2-1 in overtime at Mosaic Stadium in Regina, Saskatchewan in 2019.

The #NHL ice truck has arrived and they have begun setting up for the 2023 Tim Hortons Heritage Classic. #Oilers #Flames pic.twitter.com/jd1DC3Ep5c

— Derek Van Diest (@DerekVanDiest) October 17, 2023

The Edmonton Elks announced that the team will close the upper bowl in 2024. The 2023 Heritage Classic should be the last time for awhile where we see fans in the upper bowl.

This is how we remind you Nickelback is playing the 2023 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic between the @EdmontonOilers
and @NHLFlames. ⤵️ https://t.co/cQrUcP0EwT

— NHL.com (@NHLdotcom) October 13, 2023

The U.S. outlets don't usually cover too much of the in between period action. This might be a good thing for the 2023 Heritage Classic since Nickelback is playing. Nickleback is Canadian but the band is still … Nickleback. First, a documentary (Hate to Love: Nickelback) and now this.

CanadianCrossing.com Alberta coverage

The NHL Network offers a rebroadcast in the hopes of carrying the Rogers Sportsnet feed. The only rebroadcast is in a 90-minute block so the whole game won't be shown in the rebroadcast. The NHL Network would never do that to the U.S.-based outdoor games. That rebroadcast runs at 2 pm Eastern on October 30.

CanadianCrossing.com NHL coverage

We will report back on this game in November since we have other priorities. This is way too early in the season to play this significant of a game.

Canadian NHL teams in outdoor games

Year	Date	Stadium	Result
2003	November 22	Commonwealth Stadium	Montréal 4, Edmonton 3
2011	February 20	McMahon Stadium	Calgary 4, Montréal 0
2014	January 1	Michigan Stadium	Toronto 3, Detroit 2 (SO)
2014	March 2	BC Place	Ottawa 4, Vancouver 2
2016	January 1	Gillette Stadium	Montréal 5, Boston 1
2016	October 23	Investors Group Field	Edmonton 3, Winnipeg 0
2017	January 1	BMO Field	Toronto 5, Detroit 4 (SO)
2017	December 16	TD Place	Ottawa 3, Montréal 0
2018	March 3	Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium	Washington 5, Toronto 2
2019	October 26	Mosaic Stadium	Winnipeg 2, Calgary 1 (OT)
2022	March 13	Tim Hortons Field	Buffalo 5, Toronto 2
2023	October 29	Commonwealth Stadium	Calgary vs. Edmonton

photo credit: NHL
Twitter captures: @EdmontonOilers; @DerekVanDiest; @NHLdotcom

Wab Kinew becomes first First Nations premier with NDP win in Manitoba

If you had asked me at a bar in the last few years, "which Canadian politician not in power do I have my eye on these days?" — my answer would have been Wab Kinew.

"If Manitobans put their trust in Wab Kinew, this will be a fascinating story to see."

Manitobans voted for a change of government with the NDP winning 33 seats in the 57-seat legislature in the provincial capital of Winnipeg. 

The NDP campaigned on health care, something the Progressive Conservatives were cutting even before the COVID-19 pandemic. Heather Stefanson had been the unelected premier since 2021, taking over from Brian Pallister. The Progressive Conservatives had been in charge since 2016. The party won 23 seats.

Manitoba was the last Canadian province to have a post COVID-19 election since Pallister called an early election in 2019.

it’s provincial election time! that wonderful time when parties compete for our votes by articulating their best ideas and vision for better future

Manitoba PCs: “we will definitely make sure two Indigenous murder victims remain in the dump” pic.twitter.com/z9EmIQ15s9

— Melissa Martin (@DoubleEmMartin) September 27, 2023

You could definitely argue that the NDP ran a great campaign and agree that the PCs ran a poor campaign. Stefanson was rarely seen after the televised debate, delivered the costs to the platform on the day before the provincial election, and ran mean-spirited billboards against searching for Indigenous remains in a landfill.

Stefanson will leave as PC party leader. She had a tough time keeping her seat in the Tuxedo riding. Stefanson did have some nice words for a transition and recognized the "historic nature" of Kinew's win as the first elected First Nations premier in a province. "Wab, I hope that your win tonight inspires a future generation of Indigenous youth to get involved in our democratic process — not just here in Manitoba but right across the country."

The Liberals went from 3 seats to 1 seat in the election last night. Dougal Lamont, who lost his St. Boniface riding, stepped down as the Liberal Party leader. Cindy Lamoureux held on to her Tyndall Park seat, sitting as the only Liberal in the Manitoba legislature.

Fun fact: before he went into politics, Wab Kinew was a reporter for the CBC. Here he is on 2011 Manitoba election night - reporting from PC HQ. pic.twitter.com/Xuapu2CqH9

— election-atlas.ca (@electionatlasCA) October 4, 2023

Wab Kinew worked for CBC Radio and Television in Winnipeg. He has been a hip-hop artist. Kinew has old allegations and stayed charges. Kinew's story is complex for a politician.

Factor in that Kinew ran in the Fort Rouge riding in 2016 and ran into past tweets and social media comments that were problematic. Kinew got elected in 2016. Ran for the party leadership and won in 2017. The NDP kept him on as party leader despite the election loss in 2019.

Canadian politics doesn't normally work this way. Kinew is a very different politician. There is a notable significance to being the first First Nations person and second Indigenous person overall to be elected a provincial premier in Canada. Manitoba has a lot of challenges ahead. The NDP has very full hands. We are very curious how this will go.

2023 Manitoba election preview

Heather Stefanson will be Manitoba's first female premier

CanadianCrossing.com Indigenous coverage

The 2023 Manitoba election drew a 60% turnout, 5 percentage points better than in 2019. 423,035 (unofficially) votes were cast, over 200,000 of them before Election Day.

Winnipeg is dominant because the city has 32 of the 57 ridings. The NDP traditionally does well up north while the PCs usually do well in the rural ridings in the south.

So I’m watching CBC’s coverage of the Manitoba election. This young PC supporter said: 1) parents’ rights because his gf is a teacher who supports “parents’ rights” annnd 2) women need to research the effects of birth control??? pic.twitter.com/lbjGBqaUS1

— PattywritesTO | @pattyinhd on bluesky (@PattyInHD) October 4, 2023

The CBC Winnipeg coverage was inside the capital building in Manitoba in Winnipeg. As impressive as that might seem. CBC News had a citizenship cafe with supporters of the 3 major parties. The yes and no segments were rather lame. The live interviews were great.

The couple they talked to late in the coverage (she was NDP, he was PC) were wonderful. She got truly emotional about Kinew's speech. He was glad for change and supportive of his partner.

Other PC supporters thought their leader ran a poor campaign.

The moment with the young PC supporter was very live and bizarre. "Parents rights" isn't the reason the PCs lost last night but the defeat was significant for that cause. They claim to want to support the children by hurting some of those children and the people who love them

That moment was uncomfortable to watch but necessary sometimes to try and figure out the mindset.

2023 Canadian politics preview

CanadianCrossing.com Manitoba coverage

CanadianCrossing.com Canadian politics coverage

Canada is down to one female premier: Danielle Smith in Alberta. Smith and Stefanson came into 2023 as unelected premiers. Rachel Notley is the only female opposition leader with Stefanson resigning as party leader. The 2021 PC leadership race was down to 2 women.

Kinew is not the first Indigenous premier in a Canadian province. Peter Lougheed was premier of Alberta from 1971-1985 and was of Metis heritage. First Nations is generally a term used to describe Indigenous people of Canada who are ethnically neither Métis nor Inuit. The Inuit refers to those in the North who used to be known by the e-word we don't use. Hope we explained that well.

photo credit: CBC News
Twitter captures: @DoubleEmMartin; @electionatlasCA; @PattyInHD

Canadian film review: BlackBerry

We are partial to the idea that Canada has amazing stories but Canadians aren't always good at telling those stories. The terrible film Argo is a great example of Americans trying and failing to tell Canadian stories.

BlackBerry is a Canadian film telling a Canadian story. There are essentially 3 characters:

Jim Balsillie (American actor Glenn Howerton)
Mike Lazaridis (Jay Baruchel)
Doug Fregin (Matt Johnson)

Lazaridis and Fregin head Research in Motion. They have an idea for a phone that can do e-mail. They take it to Balsillie. He turns them down. The parties go back and forth and eventually form a partnership.

The rise and fall of the BlackBerry and Research in Motion.

The contrast of intensity (Balsillie) vs. timidity (Lazaridis and Fregin) is at play. They need each other for everything to work. Then it does and Blackberry takes off.

BlackBerry isn't about character development or remorse. This is the story at least told on film.

Matt Johnson, who wrote and directed the film, also stars as Fregin. This might seem an unusual move for a director to make yet Johnson is excellent as Fregin. If you think of Baruchel as a "jerk," the person can act as you will see here. Wasn't sure about Howerton as Balsillie but proven wrong. Howerton brings a strong amount of intensity to an intense person.

Johnson looks at several moments through a more modern lens. Balsillie brings in a, well, jerk as the COO who, at one point, makes a sexist remark. Johnson focuses the camera on a female employee and her facial reaction to what is being said. 

The film also takes time to show Balsillie's interest in buying a NHL team. This allows Mark Critch to appear briefly as NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman. Critch didn't shave his head for the brief role.

Matt Johnson gives the film audience an intimacy this story needs. Johnson is also known for The Dirties (2013), Operation Avalanche (2016), and the Web series Nirvanna the Band the Show.

You don't have to be a geek or a hard-headed financier to appreciate the film. A well-told Canadian story that most people think they know.

Checking out the 23 best Canadian film comedies

2023 Victoria Day notebook: Alberta wildfires starting early

RIM's BlackBerry continues to struggle, especially with latest outage

Douglas Holtz-Eakin, senior domestic policy adviser to presidential candidate John McCain in 2008, claimed that the Blackberry was a "miracle that John McCain helped create." The claim was ridiculous even if the Blackberry was a U.S. invention. This movie will remind people that the Blackberry is Canadian.

CanadianCrossing.com film reviews

CanadianCrossing.com film coverage

Barry Hertz from The Globe and Mail recently ranked this film 3rd on a list of the 23 best Canadian comedies. The Windsor International Film Festival announced BlackBerry is one of the 10 finalists for its 2023 prize in Canadian film. 

BlackBerry has had theatrical runs in Canada and the United States.

video credit: YouTube/IFC Films
photo credit: BlackBerry

Canadian film review: Bon Cop Bad Cop

Any Canadian film that makes fun of Gary Bettman is a winner. While that is amazing, that point is one of many truly wonderful elements in Bon Cop, Bad Cop.

Martin Ward (Colm Feore) is Ontario and by the book. David Bouchard (Patrick Huard) is Quebec and not by the book. They have to come together to work on a case.

As interesting as the case may or may not be, the adventure comes in every small detail along the way. Language is crucial at key moments. Don't feel bad if you have to pause the film at points.

The chemistry and the script are sensational. You feel like you want the film to last twice as long, which is not to be confused with the sequel Bon Cop Bad Cop II, which is not nearly as good as the original.

There is also tension between the detectives because Bouchard is interested in Ward's sister Iris (Sarain Boylan).

You don't have to be a hockey fan to get some of the references, though that helps if you are a hockey fan.

We recommend using subtitles when watching the film, regardless of which language you speak. 

Bilingual Canadian actors tend to flow from French to English

Canadian film review: French Immersion

If you are a fan of the Bon Cop Bad Cop film, keep Kevin Tierney in mind. Tierney was involved in multiple elements of the film world. He saw a desire to explore the bilingual issue in Canadian film. The success of Bon Cop Bad Cop led him to do the film French Immersion, which we also recommend.

Tierney's son Jacob Tierney might be more familiar from his career as a filmmaker and as co-creator of Letterkenny.

Kevin Tierney co-wrote Bon Cop Bad Cop with Huard as well as Leila Basen and Alex Epstein. Érik Canuel directed the film.

Canadian film review: Bon Cop Bad Cop 2

Trying to find the quintessential Canadian film

CanadianCrossing.com film reviews

CanadianCrossing.com film coverage

This may be the quintessential Canadian film, if one has to select a film title. The film is accessible, fun, silly, and clever. So very clever. 

The 2006 film received 10 Genies nominations in 2007, winning 2 Genie Awards for Best Motion Picture and Overall Sound.

Bon Cop Bad Cop is available in Canada on CBC Gem and Netflix in the United States.

photo credit: Bon Cop Bad Cop
video credit: YouTube/ParkExPictures

2023 TIFF preview

TIFF 2023 — the 48th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival — runs today through September 17.

The collection of films from around the world starts tonight with the opening night (non-Canadian) film The Boy and the Heron from Hayao Miyazaki.

Bell announced last month that this TIFF will be the final one of its sponsorship after a 28-year arrangement. The decision was announced as mutual. Bell cited the need to "invest in other opportunities that are core to our business.”

That could be tied to the larger presence of Netflix at the Toronto International Film Festival, given Bell's interest in Crave. That could be due to the many cuts at Bell Media in the past few years.

The Bell Lightbox, the theatre at 350 King Street West in Toronto, will likely get a new name in 2024.

We are focused on the films, especially the Canadian films. One element that will be missing from TIFF 2023 is the lack of famous actors roaming the streets of Toronto. Directors can promote their films but not the actors due to the ongoing SAG/AFTRA strike. Some of those directors are also known as actors. Writers also can't promote their work but writers sadly aren't as famous as the actors who say their words.

Amanda Seyfried is starring in Seven Veils from Atom Egoyan, which will be at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival. "@sagaftra has given us a waiver to promote this fully, magically independent Canadian movie but it doesn't feel right to head to the fest in light of the strike." — the actor said on Instagram.

We support fully the combined strikes of writers and actors. We understand and support Seyfried's decision.

2023 TIFF Rising Stars

We are excited to see the class of 2023 TIFF Rising Stars in their films this fall: Amrit Kaur, Cody Lightning, Kudakwashe Rutendo, and Mark Clennon. We don't know about any of them other than what we have read. There is an excitement to that approach.

2023 TIFF Canadian film preview

While Molly McGlynn's second feature Fitting In will have that title at TIFF 2023, the film will be released as Bloody Hell. Regardless of the title, this film is on my list, especially with Emily Hampshire playing the mother role.

CanadianCrossing.com film coverage

The running joke with the American films that play at TIFF is that they end up in regular theatres shortly after they run at TIFF.

Regardless of country origin, the resale value via Ticketmaster is growing to be extremely ridiculous. There is a novelty to seeing a film before most people but there is a monetary limit to the value of that accomplishment.

This ruins the spirit of a film festival where the joy of film is celebrated.

The spike isn't likely to hit the Canadian films at TIFF 2023 so you can enjoy them at regular prices.

Rojek is Canada's entry into the Academy Awards for Best International Feature Film

There is not a requirement that the Canada entry into the Academy Awards for Best International Feature Film play at the Toronto International Film Festival. This year's entry could use a boost that TIFF can provide.

Are you ready to rock n’ roll?

Toronto’s biggest street party kicks off Sept 7–10 with performances from @Nickelback, @MichieBadgalMee, and a #TIFFNextWave Block Party, presented by @Snapchat, featuring STRANGER THINGS star Finn Wolfhard's band The Aubreys. #TIFF23 pic.twitter.com/OuWsPgdfyc

— TIFF (@TIFF_NET) August 31, 2023

We noted the upcoming documentary Hate To Love: Nickelback at TIFF about the Canadian band people love to hate. If you are an actual fan of the band, Nickelback will play as part of the Block Party this weekend in Toronto. If somehow you've never heard of Nickleback or wouldn't know any of their songs, you can find out for yourself by watching them live.

There are other bands, too, so you don't have to see Nickleback if that makes your stomach more nauseous than riding the Ferris wheel at the CNE after filling up on fair food.

Join us at @TIFF_NET Festival Street this weekend for a reel good time as we dive into the world of Canadian film trivia — test your knowledge, show off your cinephile skills, and win some EPIC prizes along the way! 🏆🍁 pic.twitter.com/btEjY1J4KR

— REEL CANADA 🍁 (@REELCANADA) September 5, 2023

You had me at Canadian film trivia. Would love to know the questions. As much as I know, we can always learn more about Canadian film.

When TIFF concentrated on Canadian films for the opening night film

The Boy and the Heron from Hayao Miyazaki is the opening night film for TIFF 2023. The last Canadian film to open TIFF remains Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band, the Robbie Robertson documentary in 2019. Robertson passed away last month at the age of 80.

That is the 10th Canadian film to get the opening night status since 2000, though the first since 2010.

• Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band (2019)
• Score: A Hockey Musical (2010)
• Passchendaele (2008)
• Fugitive Pieces (2007)
• The Journals of Knud Rasmussen (2006)
• Water (2005)
• The Barbarian Invasions (2003)
• Ararat (2002)
• Last Wedding (2001)
• Stardom (2000)

Denys Arcand had 2 films on the list: Stardom (2000) and The Barbarian Invasions (2003). 2 films reached the Oscars Top 5 cut for what is now the Best International Feature Film: The Barbarian Invasions (2003) and Water (2005). The Barbarian Invasions (2003) is the only Canadian film to win an Academy Award in that category.

We have seen all of these films except for Fugitive Pieces (2007) and The Journals of Knud Rasmussen (2006).

Highly sincere question for @TIFF_net and @TIFF_Industry. Why has the Best Canadian First Feature Film award disappeared from #TIFF. Great way to reward debut feature filmmakers. #cdnfilm https://t.co/Bu8xGnYBJW #TIFF23

— Chad Rubel (@canadian_xing) August 25, 2023

We ask very little from TIFF in terms of Canadian films. TIFF picked a similar type Canadian film in name only (to Rojek) as the Best Canadian Feature Film last year in To Kill A Tiger. Rooting for a Canadian film that feels like a Canadian film to win that award at TIFF 23.

The streak continues where TIFF has stopped the Best Canadian First Feature Film, last handed out in 2019. That was helpful to encourage young Canadian filmmakers.

TIFF 2023 starts today and runs through September 17.

photo credit: TIFF
Instagram post: mingey
Twitter captures: @TIFF_NET;  @REELCANADA; @canadian_xing

Son of a Critch fans should know VOCM is a real radio station in St. John's

I can imagine an American watching Son of a Critch on the CW Network seeing VOCM as the radio station where Mark Critch's dad works. Their inner dialogue being like "they created a really fake radio station for a TV show."

Except VOCM is a real radio station in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.

U.S. station call letters start with W east of the Mississippi River and K west of the Mississippi River (with some grand exceptions). Canadian station call letters start with C. So why are there stations in Newfoundland that start with the letter V?

Newfoundland wasn't a part of Canada until 1949. When the province joined Canada, stations such as VOCM, VOAR, and VOWR that broadcast before becoming part of the country were allowed to keep their call letters.

VOCM is at 590 AM in St. John's with a news/talk/classic hits format. There is a VOCM-FM at 97.5 FM in St. John's that plays classic rock with a rebroadcaster in Clarenville at 100.7 FM.

VOCM has rebroadcasters in Corner Brook (570 AM), Gander (650 AM), Stephenville (870 AM), Grand Falls-Windsor (620 AM), Clarenville (710 AM), and Marystown (88.3 FM).

The VOAR signal belongs to the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Newfoundland & Labrador with a bunch of rebroadcasters throughout the province. The primary VOAR-FM is licensed to Mount Pearl.

VOWR is at 800 AM in St. John's with a Christian radio format.

There is a rebroadcaster called VF2095 at 100.9 FM in Natuashish that rebroadcasts CFGB-FM, the CBC Radio One station in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador.

You can listen to these stations via the Internet and various apps if you want to hear a station's call letters starting with V.

The vast majority of Newfoundland and Labrador radio stations start with C. The only 2 TV stations in the province also start with C and are licensed to St. John's: CBNT (Channel 8) is the CBC station and CJON (Channel 21) is the NTV (Newfoundland TV) station, carrying mostly Global programming.

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CanadianCrossing.com television coverage

I took this picture in 2015 when I was in St. John's. I knew VOCM was a thing yet when this was literally in front of me, I couldn't resist the desire to get a photo.

They likely report on moose-related traffic accidents. You see road signs for moose crossings. Fortunately, the only moose I saw in Newfoundland was on my plate at a restaurant in Petty Harbour.

Son of a Critch continues into the fall on the CW Network in the United States. Seasons 1-2 are available in Canada via CBC Gem and Season 3 will run this winter on the CBC.

photo credits: Son of a Critch/CBC Comedy; me
video credit: Son of a Critch/CBC Comedy