Canadian Crossing

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle living in Canada will be easier by staying fewer than 6 months

"A British and American couple, both unemployed, are seeking to emigrate to Canada despite having no real skills to offer the country, early reports indicate. British and American media have said that an American actor and her husband have the intention of living in the country on a semi-permanent or permanent basis.

"The actor has found some previous work in Toronto which may help her immigration and work permit applications although Citizenship and Immigration Canada has not identified acting as an in-demand trade."

The Beaverton captured the Harry and Meghan saga of potentially living in Canada better than any serious article.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, are looking into living part of their lives in Canada. British Columbia seems to be a more specific target since the couple and new son, Archie, spent the holidays on Vancouver Island and Markle has been spotted this week in Vancouver.

We've seen quite a bit of coverage about the hurdles the couple would have to go through to live in Canada part time. As lovely as that coverage has been, there is one huge consideration. None of those concerns apply if the royal family spends less than 6 months in Canada. Everything gets more complicated if they stay beyond 6 months.

The couple doesn't have to stay in England for 6 months provided the family travels elsewhere.

Having a lot of money and staying within the guidelines makes living in Canada rather easy. The family won't get help from Canada outside of security costs. Their pounds will go further in Canada. The pound has been trading lower thanks to Brexit. Still, the pound is trading at approximately $1.30 U.S. and $1.70 Canadian.

The awkwardness of having them in Canada would come with working in Canada. As we've learned, the standard is high in that you have to be supremely qualified that no Canadian could do what you do. Actors and hockey players, among others, get special dispensation.

Markle does have work experience in Canada having worked on Suits in Toronto. She would have an easier time working in Canada than the prince would.

Prince Harry could do some of his royal work while in Canada. The country has more of an issue with taking jobs in Canada as opposed to people with overseas jobs being physically in Canada.

Canadian snowbirds in the United States have limitations on how long they can stay in the United States. Unlike Americans in Canada, Canadian snowbirds have to be concerned with spending enough time in Canada to keep their health insurance.

England's royal baby boy 3rd in line to be Canada's monarch, but should tradition end?

Royal baby has to wait in a long line to be relevant to Canadians

There was even speculation of Prince Harry becoming Canada's Governor General. The National Post poll had 61% supporting the prince in that role. So many problems with that from the royal end, such as the awkwardness of a close blood relative representing the monarch, whether that be grandson of the current Queen or son or brother of those next in line. Let's talk about that from Canada's perspective.

The end of World War II brought a number of significant changes to have Canada be more autonomous from the United Kingdom. The Canadian Citizenship Act in 1947 created the designation of Canadian citizenship. Canadian passports were issued to Canadian citizens, as opposed to British subjects, the following year.

Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent advised Queen Elizabeth II days into her reign in 1952 to appoint Vincent Massey as the first Canadian-born Governor General. Every Governor General before was British; every governor general since has been Canadian.

Canadians can now transact with the new $10 bill featuring Viola Desmond

Neither Harry or Meghan have a felony, DUI or otherwise. Whatever the platitudes about moving to Canada, having a felony would be a considerable concern.

Markle did have the distinction of spending $20 bills in Canada with the picture of her future grandmother-in-law.

Staying slightly more in the United Kingdom would be a warm gesture to the royals and make living in Canada a lot easier. I would be willing to live in their place in the 6 months where they don't live in Canada.

The Canadian media will be a bit star struck at the beginning. They won't be as awful as the British tabloids have been, especially to Markle and her late mother-in-law, Princess Diana of Wales.

Markle has enough time spent in Canada so the royal family doesn't need this blog to help them. They can read about Canada at CanadianCrossing.com with almost next to nothing about them.

photo credit: Facebook/Downtown Eastside Women's Centre, Vancouver
video credit: Daily Show with Trevor Noah/Comedy Central

Where to visit Canada in 2020

2019 was not the travel year that anyone wanted for me. I did spend some glorious time in Windsor for the 2019 Windsor International Film Festival in November and saw a lot of Quebec on the big screen. Not the same. Hoping 2020 is a lot better for travel.

The federal party leaders got to do something in the campaign that most Canadians don't do: travel across Canada. The 4 major federal party leaders ended up in Vancouver on the day before the election.

The rhetoric of division in Canada reveals a lack of understanding

Traveling to another part of Canada can help you understand other Canadians. I recognise the many struggles for why that doesn't happen. If affordability is one of the campaign issues in the 2019 federal election, a cross-country trip may not be in the travel plans.

CanadianCrossing.com now has stories grouped by provinces and territories

If you have a specific destination in mind, we do offer groupings based on provinces and territories. Want to explore New Brunswick or Manitoba? Our travel stories are now sorted by provinces.

We have been to each province so we have some insight into all the provinces.

2019 Heritage Classic preview: NHL comes to Regina

NFL in Winnipeg with no starters and an 80-yard field

The prairie stadiums got some added publicity. Mosaic Stadium was set to host both events but the Oakland Raiders NFL Canada experience went in a different direction on multiple levels.

The NHL event went much smoother than the NFL event. Regina and Winnipeg looked as good as they could in both cases. At least Luke Willson got back to Canada as a NFL player and we "discovered" Winnipeg is in Manitoba, not Alberta.

CFL once again comes to Moncton for 2019 Touchdown Atlantic

Come From Away a chance to learn about Canadian kindness on 9/11

The Simpsons and others should learn Newfoundland before cracking jokes

The Simpsons has Lisa seeking asylum in Canada in D'oh Canada

The football experience went much better in Moncton even with a diminished crowd. The potential CFL franchise would be in Halifax, not Moncton (probably). The Maritimes as well as Newfoundland and Labrador don't often get attention in Canada. The play was a great way to show off that part of the world.

Getting to the Maritimes can be expensive, depending on where you are in Canada. The area is quite beautiful.

2019 Canada Day notebook: More delays with edibles

What marijuana tourism in Ontario will look like on Opening Day

2020 will be a better year for marijuana tourism in your Canada travel plans, Canada will be a bit friendlier now that edibles can be on the menu. If you live in the United States, you are likely better off going to Colorado, California, or one of a number of states. Some areas of Canada are friendlier toward marijuana tourism. Toronto will finally be a decent destination; most of Ontario still isn't.

Confederation Line expands light-rail service in Ottawa

The Ottawa transit system is not up to par for a country's capital. The Ottawa situation is improving thanks to the Confederation Line that opened in 2019. Okay, the line has run into a few problems. If you are in the nation's capital and aren't in a huge hurry, give the Confederation Line a shot. If the new zip line is in place this summer, you can cross between Ontario and Quebec.

The Northwest Angle is one of several Canada-U.S. border disputes

Hunting and fishing is a great reason to be in this part of North America. You can explore a lot easier in warmer weather. The nuance between what is Canada versus the United States can add a travel angle to your adventure.

CanadianCrossing.com travel coverage

So where to go in Canada in 2020?

Where to visit Canada in 2019

Where to visit Canada in 2018

Where to visit Canada in 2017

All Canada national parks are free in 2017

Where to visit Canada in 2016

Where to visit Canada in 2015

Where to visit Canada in 2014

Share your Canadian tourism wishes for 2020 in the comments section below. Time to make travel plans.

map credit: Ezilon.com

Opening Day (finally) for marijuana edibles in Canada

Only a year and 60 days after Canada introduced legal marijuana, Canada now has legal edibles with the emphasis on legal.

Technically, edibles have been legal since October 17, the one-year anniversary of legal marijuana in Canada. The timelines in the cannabis regulations didn't allow for edibles, extracts, and topicals to be available in that 60-day window.

Canadians might not be able to get them today, even with the legal status, depending on availability.

There will be no gummy bears or anything youth-oriented in the edibles. THC-infused drinks are a real option. Health Canada has limited the THC content of cannabis edibles to 10 mg per package.

Having edibles opens up possibilities for tourists and others to enjoy marijuana in public since they bypass the smoking of the product. If you are considering that option, keep in mind that provincial laws and often local laws are in force on public consumption.

If you are new to edibles, less is better than more. We might poke fun at how slow Canada has been on edibles, but each individual should learn how much they can handle.

Having 2.5 mg as an initial dose might be a good place to start. Don't let experts with a higher tolerance steer you otherwise. You can always try a higher dosage as you experiment.

A reminder that 30 mg is the maximum amount you can carry on your person in Canada. Don't bring anything marijuana into the United States from Canada.

2019 Canada Day notebook: More delays with edibles

What marijuana tourism in Ontario will look like on Opening Day

Being in Canada where cannabis is legal but nowhere to be found

Opening Day for legal recreational marijuana in Canada

Marijuana tourists to Ontario will have to wait awhile

Our guide to legal marijuana in Canada

23 consecutive workdays, 7,296km driven and 16 Cannabis Pro stories filed, #CannabisAcrossCanada is now complete.

In year one of post-prohibition Canada, my goal was to learn what went wrong. Here is how to make it right in year two. #Elexn43 #cdnpoli https://t.co/7KEYXw38Kr

— Jameson Berkow (@grassreporter) October 19, 2019

Jameson Berkow from The Globe and Mail traveled across Canada to get a sense on how well or poorly the selling of marijuana depending on where you are in Canada.

We have read some incredible numbers that legal marijuana has not worked out as well in the first year. Those numbers are really problematic for those who invested a lot of time and money in marijuana. The lack of edibles could have a lot to do with those numbers.

The black market will remain strong in Canada, especially in Ontario. Having legal edibles brings in a more casual market that might not have a dealer on speed dial. We might have to wait another year to see how well Canada is really doing with legal marijuana.

The black market could be a larger factor in Quebec since the minimum age will go up from 18 to 21 on January 1. The minimum cannabis age in Canada is 19, except in Alberta where the legal age is 18.  The contrast is more stark since the Quebec drinking age is 18.

What's Tempting: Marijuana edibles (BalanceofFood.com)

Your Guide to Canada's Edible Pot Rules (Front Burner CBC Radio)

Individual states are also taking their own paths to marijuana legalisation. Michigan allowed the sale of recreational marijuana on December 1. On the state's opening day, there were 6 locations in the entire state where you could buy pot: a location each in Evert and Morenci. Evert is southeast of Cadillac in the lower finger part of the state while Morenci is southwest of Ann Arbor so close to the state line you can likely smell Ohio from the parking lot. The other 4 locations are in Ann Arbor with 0 in Detroit, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Lansing. Battle Creek, Traverse City, Flint, Saginaw, and Bay City combined.

I happened to be in a car going east on Liberty Street in downtown Ann Arbor on the morning of December 1. The long line was to get into Arbors Wellness on East Liberty Street.

John Sinclair was at the front of that line. Sinclair was given a 9½-10 year prison sentence for giving 2 marijuana joints to an undercover cop in 1969. "They gave him ten for two — what else can the bastards do?" were lyrics from the John Lennon song John Sinclair.

The Michigan Supreme Court ruled unconstitutional the state's marijuana statutes and Sinclair was released from prison in December 1971. The star-studded John Sinclair Freedom Rally pretty much led to the annual Hash Bash rally.

The Michigan story is to remind people that not every place is as well organised on marijuana as Alberta or Colorado. Michigan is getting a lot more locations soon, sooner than Ontario did. As a contrast, Michiganders are allowed to keep 10 oz. of marijuana (versus 30 grams on one's person in Canada) at home and grow up to 12 plants (4 in most of Canada, but 0 in Quebec and Manitoba).

Marc Emery is the most prominent Canadian marijuana activist. Emery, Sinclair, and lots of lesser known people fought and made sacrifices with a goal of legal marijuana. Their sacrifices should be noted.

video credit: CBC News
photo credit: me
Twitter capture: @grassreporter

The rhetoric of division in Canada reveals a lack of understanding

"I've never seen the country so divided."

We heard this conservative talking point ad nauseam thanks in part to the parroting of the line by Canadian journalism. Those who repeat it know nothing about Canadian history.

The battle over the Constitution in 1982. The Meech Lake Accord in 1987. Quebec referenda (referendums?). Getting the single-payer health care system implemented. The FLQ in Quebec during the Quiet Revolution. Conscription during World War I and World War II.

The phrase means that Alberta and Saskatchewan are angry. No one asks the Atlantic provinces if they are angry. Manitoba is west but is usually ignored. British Columbia is west but too far west.

Alberta under Rachel Notley was upset and angry but Notley didn't use her power as premier to yell and make threats. British Columbia did hear a threat but a measured one.

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe, who was hiding harder and longer than Doug Ford (Ontario) during the 2019 election, popped his head out of the gopher hole to rabble along with Alberta Premier Jason Kenney. Yes, Alberta and Saskatchewan are angry. Their leaders are angrier. Other places in Canada are also angry. The people, not the leaders, have every right to be angry.

That anger deals with affordability, not feeling like they are being heard in the process, a lack of understanding for what they are going through in their lives. As much as the anger is legitimate in Canada, the idea that Justin Trudeau is completely to blame is shameful. The problems Canada has had were there long before 2015 and will remain for some time.

Justin Trudeau wins second term as Canada PM but in a minority government

CanadianCrossing.com Canadian politics coverage

Like the United States, Canada often pokes fun at different regions of the country. Assumptions are made about those from British Columbia, Newfoundland and Labrador, Quebec, and Alberta. Some are accurate, others are tired cliches.

Americans not from California will poke fun at those from California. They will also help them out when earthquakes and wildfires happen. The difference is Americans visit California and Florida, and Texas and New York. Canadians are often frustrated because they really don't know each other. Canadians find traveling within their own country rather difficult.

Canadian airport fees have been rather high. In 2015, Canada was ranked 130th out of 138 countries in this realm, according to the World Economic Forum's Travel And Tourism Competitiveness Report. If Canadians are driving across the border to fly out of U.S. airports, they aren't flying back to other Canadian cities.

CanadianCrossing.com travel coverage

While the Canadian dollar is weaker than the U.S. dollar and certain political concerns make traveling to the United States more problematic, Canadians still make those trips. Miami offers better weather and cheaper NHL ticket prices.

If you live in Ottawa, an airplane ticket to New York is cheaper than a trip to Calgary and a lot more tempting. If you can fly to London or Paris cheaper than to go to Halifax, guess where the luggage is going.

Canadians do drive longer distances and can see their country by car. The gas prices make that kind of a trip rather prohibitive unless relatives are involved.

Spending time in another part of Canada is helpful in terms of increased tourism and word of mouth. As an example, I've been to Calgary, Lake Louise, Banff, and Edmonton in an Alberta trip a few years back. I have lovely anecdotal stories and a few strange ones from that trip. Those memories shape my reflection of Alberta.

I've also been to the Atlantic provinces and have driven in each of them, which brings more enhanced memories of 110 km speed limits and watching out for potential moose crossings.

Canadians I talk to marvel at how much of Canada I have seen. While I haven't been able to travel as much lately, I have lots of great travel stories about Canada.

An American who travels from Des Moines to New York City might poke fun at the Big Apple but also has memories and a connection to a place where they have been.

Canada election 2019: Getting the vote out on Election Day

We praised Andrew Scheer's idea of meeting with premiers to eliminate provincial trade barriers. Scheer had noted that some Canadian businesses find trading with the U.S. and Europe easier than with their fellow provinces.

You might not like British Columbia but you might like the province if they get to drink wine from the province. Opening up trade and travel barriers will help the financial bottom line of the provinces and give a better impression of each other.

Justin Trudeau needs to meet with the premiers. The premiers need to be open and work with the prime minister without the rhetoric of anger and threats.

The regions of Canada will still squabble over equalization payments and how best to process a national pharmacare system. Ontario wine, Alberta beef, Nova Scotia lobster, and Quebec beer will help toast the differences and similarities.

map credit: Ezilon.com

2019 Heritage Classic preview: NHL comes to Regina

NBCSN hasn't been to the province of Saskatchewan since the channel's CFL coverage and that was at Taylor Field. The NFL almost came to Saskatchewan and Mosaic Stadium this summer for the Oakland Raiders preseason game but scheduling made that difficult. ESPN hasn't even shown Saskatchewan at home or on the road in its 2019 CFL coverage.

The 2019 Heritage Classic brings Regina and Saskatchewan some well-deserved publicity as the Calgary Flames and Winnipeg Jets will battle on neutral ice.

Saskatchewan NHL fans don't have a team but can watch the Flames, Jets, and Edmonton Oilers as local teams.

The 2019 Heritage Classic will be the second half of the doubleheader on Hockey Night in Canada at 8 pm local time/10 pm Eastern. CBC, Rogers Sportsnet One, Citytv (only in Calgary, Edmonton, and Vancouver), and TVA Sports 2 will have the game in Canada. Ironically, Citytv doesn't have an over-the-air signal in Saskatchewan and the game isn't on in Winnipeg on Citytv.

NBCSN will carry the game in the United States. The channel looks to carry the CBC feed for the game coverage. Kathryn Tappen will host the intermissions along with Keith Jones and Anson Carter.

Winnipeg the true winner of the 2016 Heritage Classic

The Heritage Classic shines NHL spotlight on Winnipeg

CFL in the Prairies is where the league shines

The NHL has done a lousy job of promoting Heritage Classics and the Heritage Classic as a name. NHL 100 Classic. Centennial Classic. Almost anything but Heritage Classic.

The last Heritage Classic under that name was in 2016 in Winnipeg. Toronto played at BMO Field in early 2017 while Ottawa hosted Montréal in late 2017. The Montréal Canadiens have played in 4 outdoor games but haven't hosted an outdoor game. 

Calgary and Winnipeg have each played an outdoor game when they hosted the event in 2011 and 2016, respectively.

CanadianCrossing.com NHL coverage

Saskatchewan has hosted 6 previous NHL regular season games. All of those games were indoors in Saskatoon at what was Saskatchewan Place (now the SaskTel Centre).

This was during an experiment to have NHL games in non-traditional markets. Of course, Gary Bettman quashed that fun idea.

NHL regular season games in Saskatchewan

Year	Date	Result
1992	October 13	Calgary 4, Minnesota 3
1993	January 18	Winnipeg 8, Hartford 7
1993	February 23	Winnipeg 8, Ottawa 2
1993	March 11	Minnesota 4, Vancouver 3
1993	December 23	Vancouver 4, Calgary 3
1994	January 23	Vancouver 5, Edmonton 4 (OT)
2019	October 26	Calgary @ Winnipeg

Saskatoon's The Sheepdogs make Rolling Stone cover

CanadianCrossing.com Saskatchewan coverage

The Heritage Classic is also about music. The Sheepdogs will play the first intermission while Jess Moskaluke will perform in the second intermission. The Hunter Brothers will handle O Canada. Canadian supergroup Toque serves as the house band. The Sheepdogs also played before the 2013 Grey Cup.

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
2019	October 26	Mosaic Stadium	Calgary @ Winnipeg

CanadianCrossing.com CFL coverage

If you can't wait for Calgary and Winnipeg to battle each other in a CFL stadium, the Stampeders travel to Winnipeg Friday night as the teams battle for playoff positioning. The Saskatchewan Roughriders are in Edmonton on Saturday that should end right around the face-off outdoors at Mosaic Stadium.

photo credit: NHL

Confederation Line expands light-rail service in Ottawa

Visiting Ottawa, the capital of Canada, can be a fun experience. If you stay mostly downtown in your visit, you might not miss the fact that the capital city doesn't have a significant transportation presence beyond buses.

Launched last week, the new Confederation Line brings a west-east light-rail transportation option to downtown Ottawa. The new line runs from Tunney's Pasture (west) to Blair (east) with a connection to the Trillium Line aka the O-Train at the Bayview station.

The Confederation Line travels 12.5 kilometres (7.8 miles). The train even goes underground for 2.5 kilometres (1.6 miles) under Queen Street downtown.

The north-south Trillium Line runs from Bayview (downtown) to Greensboro, but nowhere near the airport (south of the city). When I first visited Ottawa in 2009, I took the 97 bus to and from the airport. Given that I was in an extreme hurry, there was a frustration that the 97 bus was the only option to get from the airport to downtown.

I did ride the Trillium Line in 2014. The ride was pretty good but the train didn't go too far. I didn't use the airport in that 2014 trip, taking a bus to and from Toronto.

You can take the 97 bus from the airport to the Hurdman stop on the Confederation Line and then take the train into downtown. That is an improvement.

The Confederation Line doesn't go to Kanata (far west) where the NHL Ottawa Senators play. The train will lessen the impact of that trip by reducing the time spent on a bus in rush hour to get to a Sens game. The Senators really need a downtown arena but the Eugene Melnyk saga is its own column.

I rode the bus to and from TD Place to watch the CFL Ottawa RedBlacks in 2014. OC Transpo has a great deal where a game ticket gets you on the bus for free to and from the game.

The Confederation Line is better suited for people who live in Ottawa as opposed to tourists. The line will allow tourists to travel faster and easier to destinations outside downtown.

The project had years of delays; the sinkhole downtown was the most memorable encounter.

Reflections on the Ottawa shooting

Ottawa's Byward Market: more than just a building

Toronto vs. Ottawa on the CFL battle over hot dog condiments

Seeing a CFL game in Ottawa

Ottawa impressions over a 3-day trip

Toronto, Montréal, and Vancouver have extensive transportation systems. Vancouver benefited from the Olympic Line built for the 2010 Winter Olympics. Montréal is great if your stop is near the Metro. Bus service in Montréal doesn't run as often as it should. Toronto has a rather good system despite the TTC.

Calgary and Edmonton have great light rail. I rode those systems to football games there and were also good for the hockey arenas (old and new in Edmonton).

Winnipeg doesn't have a light-rail system. I walked a lot in downtown Winnipeg and took a long bus ride to see the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

Book review: The Art of Diplomacy

Former U.S. Ambassador to Canada has a new book on The Art of Diplomacy

CanadianCrossing.com travel coverage

Ottawa and Winnipeg are the logical Canadian cities to get a light-rail system. When I was there in 2014, I talked to people who said I should explore more of Ottawa. Those tasks were difficult without a car. Both cities have a lot within their downtown corridors.

Climate change is crucial. The Canadian capital can set a good example to improve transportation and quality of life and reduce the number of cars on the road. Good transportation gets that closer to reality.

The city is talking about expanding the lines, maybe even to Kanata. This will take time. Getting to this point took a lot of money and effort. Ottawa is a capital city that deserves better transportation.

photo credit: OC Transpo

2019 TIFF Canadian film wrapup

#TIFF19 @canadagoose Award for Best Canadian Feature Film 🥇: ANTIGONE (dir. Sophie Deraspe) ⚖️ https://t.co/fz7ypK1bvm pic.twitter.com/267eu3nm4r

— TIFF (@TIFF_NET) September 15, 2019

The 2019 Toronto International Film Festival ended without a formal awards ceremony and released the award winners announcements via social media.

Antigone from Sophie Deraspe won Best Canadian Feature Film. The film is a modern adaptation of the classic Greek tragedy set in the immigrant experience in contemporary Montréal.

Kathleen Hepburn (Never Steady, Never Still) and co-director Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers won honourable mention for The Body Remembers When The World Broke Open in this category.

The Twentieth Century from Matthew Rankin won the Best Canadian First Feature Film award. The film takes on an imagining of Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King's formative years.

Jeff Barnaby's second film Blood Quantum finished as the second runner-up of the People’s Choice Midnight Madness Award.

The film has an intriguing premise of a zombie film where those with Indigenous blood are immune. I got a chance recently to see Rhymes for Young Ghouls, Barnaby's debut film. Brandon Oakes and Devery Jacobs are in both films. Let's say I'm more intriguing about Blood Quantum after seeing Barnaby's first film.

American films are often shot in Canada but those producers don't often use local talent, specifically directors, editors and designers.

The Directors Guild of Canada utilized the platform that is TIFF to draw attention to Hollywood executives that there is tremendous Canadian talent behind such hit shows as The Handmaid's Tale and Orphan Black. Canadians Paul Austerberry, Jeffrey A. Melvin and Shane Vieau won Best Production Design for The Shape of Water at the 2019 Academy Awards.

The dedicated microsite offers a list of such talent with their credentials. The campaign ran in Toronto and Los Angeles during the run of the festival.

Speaking of the DGC, they sponsored DGC Ontario's Meet the Makers: Visionaries seminars at TIFF help filmgoers get an inner sense of the films they are enjoying. The seminars were free to the public.

Day 10 of our #tomneedsgrinder campaign. #TomHanks just tweeted about us. WOW how amazing is that, #BFF . Joelle says while the phone call was great, next time dinner and drinks, ok ? #ThankYou #love #wedidit #herocks https://t.co/CTNijuUBKr

— GrinderCoffeeGerrard (@GrinderCoffeeTO) September 9, 2019

The fun of TIFF is the joy outside the theatres, the interaction of fans with film stars. Grinder Coffee in Leslieville campaigned for fellow Canadian Ryan Gosling to stop by the coffee shop during TIFF 2018. Gosling took them up on the offer and left there with a "lovely feeling."

This year, Grinder Coffee targeted Tom Hanks, including a life-sized cardboard cutout of Hanks. Hanks took the place up on their offer but actually arrived after the cafe was closed. The visit worked out and now the cafe is 2-for-2 in celebrity luring.

CFL fans remember that Hanks was the guest of Martin Short and they watched the 2013 Grey Cup rooting for Hamilton in Regina. Hanks' character Fred Rogers in A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood first developed the TV show at the CBC in Toronto.

How Mister Rogers got his start on camera in Canada on the CBC

Canadian rock and roll documentary makes Independent Lens debut on PBS

Since you likely missed the opening gala presentation of Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band at TIFF 2019, the film will air on Bell Media's Crave in Canada. Co-executive producer Ron Howard announced just before the screening that “Magnolia is going to distribute the movie theatrically around the world."

So here's a curious #TIFF19 observation: Cineplex and Netflix do not get along. There are 9 Netflix films playing TIFF (including leading awards contenders MARRIAGE STORY, THE LAUNDROMAT, THE TWO POPES). Not *one* is screening in Cineplex's Scotiabank theatre, a major fest hub 🤔

— Barry Hertz (@HertzBarry) September 6, 2019

Streaming is pretty much a dirty word for the theatre industry as well as film festivals. Films from streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime are looked at through a different lens because of their distribution origins.

This year, Cineplex-owned Scotiabank Theatre, a major source of TIFF films, is refusing to show any film from a major streaming service during the run of the festival. Those films are being shown at the Bell Lightbox.

First credit for noticing goes to Barry Hertz of The Globe and Mail for his astute observation. Hertz points out that Crave films did run at the Scotiabank Theatre.

Theatres want a 90-day theatrical window before movies go to streaming services. Netflix and Amazon Prime want shorter windows.

CanadianCrossing.com film coverage

Felicity Huffman is in a TIFF 2019 film Tammy's Always Dying with Anastasia Phillips from American actress turned Canadian-based director Amy Jo Johnson.

Huffman would be forgiven if the film wasn't primary in her thoughts these days. Huffman was sentenced Friday to 14 days in jail, a $30,000 fine, 250 hours of community service, and 1 year of supervised release for her role in the college admissions cheating scandal. Prosecutors wanted 30 days in prison, a $20,000 fine, and 1 year of supervised release.

Tammy, Huffman's character is described as "an alcoholic who's the life of the party when she's in her cups, but a sharp-tongued, vicious monster when sober."

Here are a bunch of Canadian films that pass the Bechdel test

A Canadian film idea to showcase female Canadian acting talent

Women Make Film from Mark Cousins is 14 hours long. Yes, that has to be said. The length is proof that women in film have made an impact, even if that isn’t enough.

The film played the Toronto International Film Festival. Women Make Film covers some 183 female directors around the globe.

"Most films have been directed by men. Most of the recognized so-called movie classics were directed by men. But for 13 decades and on all six filmmaking continents, thousands of women have been directing films, too. Some of the best films."

Tilda Swinton (also a producer) narrates those words at the beginning of the film. Jane Fonda, Adjoa Andoh, Thandie Newton, Kerry Fox, Sharmila Tagore, and Debra Winger also serve as narrators.

Women Make Film shows that women are making films just not the top films from a box office standpoint.

Cohen Media will release the film in theatres; Criterion Collection will stream the film; and Turner Classic Movies gets television rights. Kanopy will show the film in schools and public libraries.

2019 TIFF preview

2019 TIFF Canadian film preview

2019 TIFF Rising Stars

TIFF Rising Stars

We profiled the 2019 class of TIFF Rising Stars here. Here is the list from all the years.

2011 Sarah Allen, Katie Boland, Sarah Gadon, Keon Mohajeri

2012 Tatiana Maslany, Connor Jessup, Charlotte Sullivan, Charlie Carrick

2013 Megan Park, Johnathan Sousa, Evelyne Brochu, Cara Gee

2014 Shannon Kook, Sophie Desmarais, Alexandre Landry, Julia Sarah Stone

2015 Deragh Campbell, Stephan James, Aliocha Schneider, Karelle Tremblay

2016 Jared Abrahamson, Grace Glowicki, Mylène Mackay, Sophie Nélisse

2017 Daniel Doheny, Mary Galloway, Théodore Pellerin, Ellen Wong

2018 Devery Jacobs, Lamar Johnson, Michaela Kurimsky, Jess Salgueiro

2019 Kacey Rohl, Mikhail Ahooja, Nahéma Ricci, Shamier Anderson

Best Canadian Feature Film

I have added Roadkill, When Jews Were Funny, and Manufactured Landscapes to the films I've seen from this list.

Best Canadian Feature Film
Year	Film	Director
2019	Antigone	Sophie Deraspe
2018	The Fireflies Are Gone	Sebastien Pilote
2017	Les Affamés	Robin Aubert
2016	Those Who Make Revolution Halfway Only Dig Their Own Graves	Mathieu Denis, Simon Lavoie
2015	Closet Monster	Stephen Dunn
2014	Felix and Meira	Maxime Giroux
2013	When Jews Were Funny	Alan Zweig
2012	Laurence Anyways	Xavier Dolan
2011	Monsieur Lazhar	Philippe Falardeau
2010	Incendies	Denis Villeneuve
2009	Cairo Time	Ruba Nadda
2008	Lost Song	Rodrigue Jean
2007	My Winnipeg	Guy Maddin
2006	Manufactured Landscapes	Jennifer Baichwal
2005	C.R.A.Z.Y.	Jean-Marc Vallée
2004	It's All Gone Pete Tong	Michael Dowse
2003	Les Invasions Barbares	Denys Arcand
2002	Spider	David Cronenberg
2001	Atanarjuat (The Fast Runner)	Zacharias Kunuk
2000	Waydowntown	Gary Burns
1999	The Five Senses	Jeremy Podeswa
1998	Nô	Robert Lepage
1997	The Sweet Hereafter	Atom Egoyan
	The Hanging Garden	Thom Fitzgerald
1996	Long's Day Journey Into The Night	David Wellington
1995	Live Bait	Bruce Sweeney
1994	Exotica	Atom Egoyan
1993	Kanehsatake: 270 Years Of Resistance	Alanis Obomsawin
1992	Requiem Pour Un Beau Sans-Coeur	Robert Morin
1991	The Adjuster	Atom Egoyan
1990	H	Darrell Wasyk
1989	Roadkill	Bruce McDonald
1988	The Outside Chance of Maximilian Glick	Allan Goldstein
1987	Family Viewing	Atom Egoyan
1986	Le Déclin De L'empire Américain	Denys Arcand
1985	Canada's Sweetheart: The Saga Of Hal C. Banks	Donald Brittain
1984	La Femme De L'hôtel	Léa Pool
Best Canadian Feature Film (1991-present); Excellence in Canadian Production (1984-1990).

 

Best Canadian First Feature Film

Haven't seen too many of these films: exceptions being Sleeping Giant, Marion Bridge, and Last Night. Finally saw Old Stone. Did see last year's entry Roads in February. Some of those titles are quite enticing.

Best Canadian First Feature Film
Year	Film	Director
2019	The Twentieth Century	Matthew Rankin
2018	Roads in February	Katherine Jerkovic
2017	Luk' Luk'l	Wayne Wapeemukwa
2016	Old Stone	Johnny Ma
2015	Sleeping Giant	Andrew Cividino
2014	Bang Bang Baby	Jeffrey St. Jules
2013	Asphalt Watches	Shayne Ehman, Seth Scriver
2012	Antiviral	Brandon Cronenberg
	Blackbird	Jason Buxton
2011	Edwin Boyd	Nathan Morlando
2010	The High Cost of Living	Deborah Chow
2009	The Wild Hunt	Alexandre Franchi
2008	Before Tomorrow	Marie-Hélène Cousineau
		Madeline Piujuq Ivalu
2007	Un Film Sans Fusil Continental	Stéphane Lafleur
2006	Sur La Trace D'igor Rizzi	Nöel Mitrani
2005	The Life And Hard Times Of Guy Terrifico	Louise Archambault, Michael Mabbott
2004	La Peau Blanche	Daniel Roby
2003	Love, Sex and Eating The Bones	Sudz Sutherland
2002	Marion Bridge	Wiebke Von Carolsfeld
2001	Inertia	Sean Garrity
2000	La Moitié Gauche Du Frigo	Philippe Falardeau
1999	Just Watch Me:	Catherine Annau
	Trudeau and The 70's Generation
1998	Last Night	Don McKellar
1997	Cube Vincenzo	Natali
As determined by the Toronto International Film Festival.

 

You can check out all the award winners. The 45th Toronto International Film Festival will be held September 10-20, 2020.

Twitter captures: @TIFF_net; @GrinderCoffeeTO; @HertzBarry
photo credit: Directors Guild of Canada

CanadianCrossing.com now has stories grouped by provinces and territories

We want to make life easier for our readers at CanadianCrossing.com. We went through an arduous process (pronounced PRO-cess) to group our stories by individual provinces and overall territories.

Interested in all things Newfoundland and Labrador or Manitoba? You can find those stories. Look for the list on the right-hand side of the blog. You can also find groupings from travel and Canadian politics to journalism and television. Our film and film reviews sections are quite full.

Here are links to our stories grouped by provinces and territories:

CanadianCrossing.com Alberta coverage

CanadianCrossing.com British Columbia coverage

CanadianCrossing.com Manitoba coverage

CanadianCrossing.com New Brunswick coverage

CanadianCrossing.com Newfoundland and Labrador coverage

CanadianCrossing.com Nova Scotia coverage

CanadianCrossing.com Ontario coverage

CanadianCrossing.com Prince Edward Island coverage

CanadianCrossing.com Quebec coverage

CanadianCrossing.com Saskatchewan coverage

CanadianCrossing.com territories coverage

Let us know in the comments section how we can improve our presentation of stories.

CFL once again comes to Moncton for 2019 Touchdown Atlantic

How long has it been since the CFL was in Moncton? Your humble narrator attended the last Touchdown Atlantic in 2013.

The 2013 version struggled to sell out with much speculation that the 2013 version would be the last Touchdown Atlantic ever.

A new commissioner (Randy Ambroisie), decent prospective ownership for an Atlantic Schooners franchise, and a strong desire to have a 10-team league does make a difference.

The CFL folks looked at Halifax, Antigonish, NS, and Saint John before coming back to the Université de Moncton campus.

There isn't a real option in Halifax. We did note last month that the Halifax Wanderers soccer team have a "stadium" in the Commons. The Moncton stadium gives the largest potential capacity of the options.

As we noted in 2013, sitting on the "good side" in Moncton shields you from the sun in the late afternoon, gives you the only concessions, and actual restrooms. Sitting on the "bad side" in Moncton brings you back to watching high school football, no concessions, and a long line for porta-potties.

The ticket prices started out ridiculously high. The price I paid for the worst seat in the house (literally) was much higher than I've paid for much better seats in actual CFL stadiums. The prices came down for the 2019 version; those who bought early literally paid the price.

The other "fun" part of that excursion is that you couldn't see the yard markers until the sun went down far enough.

The original starting time for the 2019 Touchdown Atlantic was 7:30 pm ADT. The kickoff has been moved to 1 pm ADT.

Analysis: Could Moncton host a permanent CFL franchise?

CFL hits Moncton, showcasing New Brunswick, but U.S. can only see the game on ESPN3.com (2011)

The 2013 version featured the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and their well-traveled fans against the Montréal Alouettes, who were supposed to have Anthony Calvillo. I remember running into a lot of Tiger-Cats fans in downtown Moncton. There wasn't a lot in downtown Moncton so the black and gold were easier to spot.

The game itself featured CFL uniforms from coast-to-coast. I remember Ottawa Rough Riders jerseys; the RedBlacks didn't start until 2014. That was a fun experience seeing a rainbow of CFL support.

CFL travels have sent me to every league city

CanadianCrossing.com CFL coverage

This region would support an actual team. Rooting for out-of-region teams is nice but doesn't have the same feel. The Montréal Alouettes are a logical draw for their relative proximity but also for the French-speaking people of New Brunswick who would watch the CFL on RDS. The Alouettes are not as good as they were in 2013 but better than they have been in recent times. Toronto, the team sacrificing a home game, is by all definitions the worst CFL team in 2019.

This is the Argos second game of the CFL season against a fellow East opponent. The Alouettes have been a pleasant surprise.

The temptation would be to make this a regional team similar to the Green Bay Packers playing some of their game in Milwaukee. Halifax needs to justify 10 home dates for a stadium.

Shannon Park would be a great site for a new Halifax stadium that could be used for multiple purposes. The imagery of the ferries crossing from Halifax to the skyline being seen on national TV (and even into the United States) is something people in Halifax should look forward to seeing.

The Touchdown Atlantic is a good way to remind Canadians of this part of their country. The Atlantic Schooners would showcase the sports passion of people in the Maritimes. For the first time, the Touchdown Atlantic game will air on U.S. television.

TSN and RDS will show the 2019 Touchdown Atlantic game. ESPNews will carry the TSN feed in the United States.

photos credit: me; CFL

Canadian film review: Finding Don McKellar

I have had a theory that I had the privilege of living in Toronto, I might run into famous Canadian film people doing ordinary things. Toronto is now the fourth-largest city in North America, behind New York City, Mexico City, and Los Angeles. The magnitude of Toronto makes that dream not so likely.

Ben Gordon and Matt Hoffman had a bit of fun to try and find acclaimed Canadian film icon Don McKellar in Finding Don McKellar. Like several films dating back at least to Michael Moore's Roger and Me, the fun is not actually finding McKellar.

Gordon and Hoffman have fun in the process of the 11-minute short film with recreating moments from McKellar's masterpiece Last Night, shot in Toronto, and a list of favourite Toronto places McKellar noted in a 24 Hours article.

Sensitive Skin shows the shadows of dark Canadian humour

They also take off for the Toronto Islands in hopes of finding McKellar based on the fact that Season 2 of Sensitive Skin was filmed on the islands.

'Twitch City' is where my love for Canada started

'Twitch City' on DVD

Canadian film review: Highway 61

'The Grand Seduction' matches up well with Quebecois version

McKellar is a triple threat as writer, director, and actor. The film honours his achievements in all these categories.

As we've noted, I first discovered his talents through Twitch City.

Americans can find McKellar's talents as a voice actor in Window Horses and in Mina Shum's Meditation Park as well as The Grand Seduction, all on Netflix.

CanadianCrossing.com television coverage

CanadianCrossing.com film reviews

CanadianCrossing.com film coverage

Gordon and Hoffman use Finding Don McKellar to draw attention to Canadian film as well as Canadian television. Extending this to a full-length film might be more than enough time to go through McKellar's career but could be a good way to draw attention to the wonderful world of Canadian film.

Canadian film review: Women Who Act

Though this film takes a different path from Women Who Act, both do a fine job with giving insight into Canadian film.

Finding Don McKellar would be a good opening short film before you watch Last Night. You could pair this film with Your Mother and I, a short film from Anna Maguire featuring McKellar and Julia Sarah Stone.

video credit: YouTube/Ben Gordon
photo credit: Finding Don McKellar film