Canadian Crossing

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

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

Come From Away tells the story of Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador and how the town responded to an influx of sudden visitors after the 9/11 attacks in 2001.

Planes were flying to and from Europe and Asia from Canada and the United States. With U.S. airspace restricted, the planes had to land somewhere. That somewhere was Canada.

Operation Yellow Ribbon process had 256 planes in Canada in 17 different airports. Gander took in 38 airplanes while Halifax had 40 planes. Other transatlantic flights ended up in St. John's, Moncton, CFB Goose Bay (Labrador), and Stephenville, NL.

Vancouver and Winnipeg handled the majority of flights coming from the other direction. Edmonton and Calgary airports helped out as well.

Transport Canada didn't want flights coming into Toronto, Ottawa, and Montréal. Despite this announcement, some planes did land at Pearson International Airport in Toronto and Montréal–Mirabel International Airport and Dorval (now Pierre Trudeau) International Airport in Montréal.

The Broadway musical Come From Away touring the United States takes us through the anxieties of those traveling and wondering where they were as well as the dilemmas of those in Gander about how to accommodate the influx of travelers.

They landed with little news about what had happened and had to stay on the planes for awhile. Once they exited the planes, the passengers and crew had a lot of disorienting confusion and concern. They were also greeted with warmth, love, and lots of food.

The townspeople were settling into an ordinary day when called upon to help those trapped by events in the United States.

The show is filled with ordinary details such as a school bus strike temporarily lifted to help get large amount of people to destinations. At one point, a woman is happy to be there but still wants to go home.

A gay couple try to hide their relationship because they aren't sure about whether these people will understand. Turns out gay people are everywhere, even in Newfoundland.

They see a moose at one point. We hear Newfoundland lingo. Cod tongues were mentioned. There is even a song about the screech ceremony, which might have seemed unusual even if the passengers had been to other parts of Canada.

The warmth, friendliness, and generosity of the people of Gander and Newfoundland is apparent, obvious, and loved. The lasting friendships of those people in the play and in real life are awe-inspiring.

There are Canadian references such as Tim Hortons (which got a big laugh at the show I attended in Chicago) and Shoppers (Drug Mart). Even if you didn't know what Shoppers was, you soon figured it out.

The deterioration of the U.S.-Canada relationship ties back to September 11, 2001

There might be a concern about seeing or laughing at a musical that has to do with 9/11. The show has little to do with the actual attacks but more about the people temporarily in a foreign land and their triumphs and struggles. The show might trigger such moments if you are more sensitive about what happened that fateful day. Your feelings are more than valid. We do not judge.

The Chicago audience had a chance to learn more about what happened during a Q&A session, featuring Lt. General Rick Findley from North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD); James Earl Jones II, a Chicago native who is in the show; and Beverley Bass, the first female American Airlines pilot who features prominently in the musical.

Even for those who landed in Canada but closer to the United States, Findley reminded the audience that the Canada-U.S. border was closed for awhile. The musical makes a note about showing how long it would take just to get to the U.S. border from Gander.

Jones told the story of taking an initiative to visit Gander. The touring company only had a single official week off in the year. Jones took that opportunity to go to Gander.

His plane didn't arrive until 3:15 am yet Jones were greeted upon his arrival in Gander. Jones said Gander has a Wal-Mart, mom/pop shoppes, and an open door policy. He said they took him everywhere and he was immersed in the community. Jones mentioned the Bread Box and noted the "mug shot" there is having your picture in front of a wall of mugs.

Jones got an offer to chase icebergs where a woman was driving a random stranger (Jones) for several hours to see icebergs. He said the people there never wanted a thank you or money for their help for Operation Yellow Ribbon.

He told the audience that Gander is now up to 12,000, up from 9,000 in 2001.

Come From Away wins a single Tony award for best direction

Come From Away earns 7 Tony nominations

Come From Away hits Broadway, shows how Canada helped out after 9/11

CanadianCrossing.com Newfoundland and Labrador coverage

Beverley Bass arrived late with a delayed flight the night of the discussion. Bass said her plane was the 36th of 38 planes to land on September 11. Her September 11 day started in Paris and was scheduled to end in Dallas.

The passengers on her flight were forced to remain on the aircraft with limited news. Bass said the passengers and crew didn't leave the airplane until 7:30 am on September 12. They stayed in Gander for 5 days.

When they did leave the airplane, they went through a tiny terminal. Bass remembered the tables full of food that the people of Gander had cooked up the previous night. They handed everyone a plastic bag full of food.

I asked Jones how much he knew about the story before doing the play: "Nothing." He didn't know Gander existed and had never been to Canada. Jones didn't even know about the Tom Brokaw Operation Yellow Ribbon video (above) that NBC News ran during the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

Jones said the story blew my mind and "you will be compelled to find out about Gander once you've heard the story."

Location might be a factor in seeing this musical as opposed to where you see Hamilton. Jones said the Toronto Come From Away shows felt like a party. He was reminded in the Q&A that a lot of Newfoundland people live in Toronto (not just Q's Tom Power).

If you don't get a chance to see the musical, you can find out more about the experience through a documentary You Are Here. Jones mentioned the documentary in his presentation and noted that the documentary is already available in Canada.

There are screenings in 800 theatres across the United States on September 11.

Come From Away is based on a true story, a story that Americans should know about how Canada responded at America's lowest modern moment.

map credit: Google
photos credit: me
video credit: NBC News

Canadian film review: Take This Waltz

I see a lot of Canadian films. I've written a lot about Take This Waltz, but haven't given the film a full review.

Take This Waltz came on the heels of Away From Her from Sarah Polley. She earned an Oscar nomination for her adapted screenplay based on the Alice Munro short story The Bear Who Came Down a Mountain. Polley wrote and directed Take This Waltz.

Lou (Seth Rogen) is a cookbook author making a lot of chicken. Margot (Michelle Williams) is his wife, a part-time tourism writer. Margo has a chance meeting with Daniel (Luke Kirby) while on assignment in Louisbourg, Nova Scotia on Cape Breton Island.

Margo and Daniel think they know each other but can't place where and how. They find out when taking a cab back home that they live on the same street on the west side of Toronto.

Relaxed nudity would make Canadian films stand out

Seth Rogen, Sarah Silverman proved they could do drama in 'Take This Waltz'

2013 TIFF Canadian film preview

Polley wrote an incredible seduction scene just with words that would rival most Hollywood seductions. "I want to know what you would do to me," Margo asks Daniel, even though that would never happen.

Take This Waltz has a realistic portrayal of the ramifications of what happens when a relationship is torn apart. Polley uses the imagery of water in such a beautiful fashion. Nearby Lake Ontario is only part of the woven imagery.

We did profile this earlier but worth repeating: Seth Rogen and Sarah Silverman showed in this film that they could take on serious roles on the big screen. When they later went on to do other serious roles, neither got the credit for their performances in Take This Waltz.

Toronto is a co-star in the film. The city has a lot of filmmaking but few capture the city like this film: Lake Ontario, Kensington Market, College Street with the Royal Theatre (showing Mon Once Antoine), the Scrambler ride at Centreville Amusement Park on Centre Island and the Toronto ferry, Peter Mansbridge on The National, and Trinity Bellwoods Park.

The cast is peppered with noteworthy Canadian actors such as Jennifer Podemski and Graham Abbey. The title Take This Waltz comes from the Leonard Cohen song.

'Take This Waltz' showcases a real Toronto neighborhood

'Take This Waltz' now available on Xfinity On Demand

This fall's Canadian film crop: will they come to the United States?

Canadian film preview 2011: hopefully coming to a U.S. theatre near you

CanadianCrossing.com film reviews

CanadianCrossing.com film coverage

Outside of Alias Grace, Sarah Polley has done very little lately. That is a statement without judgment. See her wonderful filmmaking approach. This film is also one of the best Canadian films I've seen in the last decade. We are not about superlatives. You don't even have to tell your friends the film is Canadian. Let them enjoy the film without having to reflect.

video credit: YouTube/StudiocanalUK
photo credit: Take This Waltz film

Book review: The Art of Diplomacy

Kelly Knight Craft may not be the U.S. Ambassador to Canada for much longer, but she should read The Art of Diplomacy from Bruce and Vicki Heyman. Craft might learn what an ambassador does or even to find out there are cool places in Canada.

Bruce Heyman was the U.S. Ambassador to Canada under President Barack Obama from 2014-2017. With Craft's hundreds of reported absences, Heyman has served as a de facto ambassador in numerous TV appearances.

The Art of Diplomacy makes clear that Bruce and Vicki Heyman were both ambassadors, staying away from the co-ambassador concept. The chapters alternate between the voices of Bruce and Vicki. This is important to remember: otherwise, you might think Bruce got on the back of a Vespa scooter with Sophie Gregoire Trudeau at the helm.

The book is described as a "love letter to Canada, our neighbor and best friend." The couple, when approached for a ambassadorship, wanted to put Canada for each of the top 3 choices. This is a surprise since at the time, all we knew about Bruce Heyman was Goldman Sachs.

Turns out Vicki's great-grandparents on her father's side came from Belarus to Canada. Bruce's work also took him to Canada.

Even if they knew a bit about Canada, Bruce's strategy was to ask several U.S. departments to "tell me what you know about Canada." They had a lot of downtime to prepare since the process took a year from nomination to confirmation. U.S. ambassadors have to go to Charm School in the Virginia suburbs of the U.S. capital.

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

Kelly Knight Craft may leave U.S. Ambassador to Canada post for promotion

Bruce Heyman confirmed (finally) as U.S. Ambassador to Canada

Bruce and Vicki try to get off to a good start by bringing Timbits and coffees to the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa. Bruce talks about the 2-mile (3.3-km) walk from their residence near 24 Sussex Drive to the U.S. Embassy. I've walked that route when I was in Ottawa. His story brought back a nice memory of that walk in the Canadian capital.

There were certainly mistakes and other oddities: all part of the story. They describe how the Harper Government froze them out over not approving the Keystone XL pipeline.

They took advantage of being frozen out by the Harper Government to travel in Canada. They went to the 7 consulates in Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg, Toronto, Montréal, Quebec City, and Halifax. Their first trip through Canada went to 7 provinces and 15 cities in 21 days. They talk of adventures in the Yukon; Tuktoyaktuk (700 miles north of Yellowknife); Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug First Nation (3-hour plane ride north of Thunder Bay); and Kenauk, Quebec.

They talk about meeting and talking with Ken Taylor, the Canadian ambassador to Iran who rescued the Americans during the hostage crisis. They sought out friendship with then Liberal Party leader Justin Trudeau and his wife, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau. Bruce spoke of the protocol to first dine with the prime minister and spouse but they had been frozen out by the Harpers. 

The Harpers finally invite the Heymans only after the 2015 election cycle started. The couples ended up bonding over hot sauces. Gardens, bees, art, and hot sauces serve as ways to tell the story about their adventures in Canada.

2019 Canada Day notebook: More delays with edibles

New U.S. ambassador to Canada debuts his blog

CanadianCrossing.com Canadian politics coverage

We were impressed when David Jacobson started a blog about Canada as President Barack Obama's first U.S. Ambassador to Canada. The Heymans stepped that up with their interaction with Canada.

We have been critical of U.S. Ambassadors not having much of a connection with Canada. Turns out Bruce and Vicki Heyman made up for that lack of Canadian connection. Bruce Heyman has also been an asset for the relationship between the countries in the last few years when American voices were invisible or incendiary.

As for The Art of Diplomacy, the book gives an insight into the world of being an ambassador, ups and downs. The pace of the book is very conversational with a very easy read. The book then becomes a resource to remind ourselves of happier times in the U.S.-Canada relationship.

Disclosure: I met Bruce and Vicki Heyman at a Canadian Thanksgiving event two years ago. I did meet them briefly at a book signing. I'm not sure either of them would remember meeting me.

photo credit: The Art of Diplomacy book

2019 Canada Day notebook: More delays with edibles

Editor's note: We take a moment before the Canada Day celebration to reflect on recent Canadian stories. Canada Day is July 1 on Monday, so we run this today. Have a safe and wonderful long weekend.

The impact of edibles can change marijuana tourism in Canada. Unfortunately for marijuana tourists, that impact is reduced and delayed.

The original idea was that October 17, forever known as marijuana legalisation day, would be the target date for edibles. Existing federally regulated processors can apply to Health Canada on July 15. The October 17 deadline marks 60 days before edibles can be sold in Canada. So Christmas sales, yes, but supplies will be limited.

Each individual package will be limited to a maximum of 10 mg of THC. My expert friends find the 10 mg standard to be a joke. If you are not an expert, 2.5 mg is a good starting point. The types of edibles will be scrutinized by Health Canada. So no to gummy bears if they are appealing to children. Cannabis extracts and topicals (ointments, oils, makeup) will also be available in mid-December.

Edibles will not have alcohol, tobacco, nicotine, or caffeine with exceptions for low amounts of naturally occurring caffeine, such as chocolate.

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

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

As someone who went to California over the winter and legally bought edibles, the Trudeau Government is going way overboard in every element. Safety should be a factor and children shouldn't ingest any sort of marijuana product. Education is important but structuring that is difficult when people don't know what the product will look like.

Anna Maria Tremonti to leave The Current this week

The Trudeau Government approved the Trans Mountain pipeline. I learned from The Current series on CBC Radio One that the Trans Mountain pipeline will run parallel to the current pipeline but somehow triple the capacity. The primary issue will be tanker traffic in Burnaby and the difficulty to get the oil to the West Coast. The tankers would have to sail through Vancouver Harbour under the Lions Gate Bridge into the Burrard Inlet.

The argument is that the Liberals aren't pleasing anyone with the decision (lots of pipelines vs. no pipelines). So Jason Kenney and the UCP in Alberta are upset about oil not getting to the West Coast but the current Trans Mountain pipeline gets to Burnaby, the same place the expansion will also end.

Andrew Scheer released the Conservative Party take on climate change. The carbon tax is a conservative idea that isn't that effective in fighting climate change. The conservatives have been fighting the carbon tax, even though households will get reimbursed for most of that money. Scheer's ideas are fine but will have far-less of an effect than even the carbon tax.

I also don't get why they have to send raw bitumen through the pipelines instead of refining the oil in Alberta (more jobs). British Columbia has expressed that concern from an environmental standpoint since bitumen spills are more costly to the environment than regular oil spills.

I really want to understand all of these rationales. I don't know if Canadians know the answers and so the news doesn't talk about it or I am the only one who is curious on either side of the border.

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

Kelly Knight Craft may leave U.S. Ambassador to Canada post for promotion

We thought that Kelly Knight Craft seemed extra invisible in her limited time as U.S. Ambassador to Canada. Craft is the nominee to be the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.

Under questioning in front of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, we learned that Craft was gone from her post more than 300 days over 19 months. We also learned that Craft posted social media messages from outside of Canada at times where there was no record of travel. Craft was absent 45 of 54 days between March 21 and May 13; some of her absences involved visits back home to Kentucky.

Craft cited visits to Montréal and Washington, where she said she was part of U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer's negotiating team. Montréal trips aren't a concern; Washington trips can be justified. Her presence on the trade negotiating team, if that is true, should be alarming to Canada and the concept of being an ambassador. The ambassador role should be a go-between with the two countries. Her presence on the trade negotiating team is the equivalent of the butcher having a thumb on the scale.

Craft told the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee that she received approval for her travel. That means little, especially if those trips were to go back to Kentucky.

The U.S. Ambassador to Canada is supposed to be about Canada. Craft couldn't even pretend otherwise. Her arrogance should be grounds not to get a promotion but the problem for Canada is that she might have to return to Lexington, er, Ottawa to continue to do a poor job in her current position.

CanadianCrossing.com Canadian politics coverage

Bill 21 is law in Quebec though the law is being challenged. The bill would ban religious symbols from public servants, defined to include teachers, lawyers, and police officers, while at work. You might remember the previous Liberal government pushed a less severe version of the bill.

Quebec Premier François Legault’s CAQ government along with the Parti Quebecois voted in favour while the Liberals and Quebec solidaire were opposed. The primary target is Muslim women for the hijab or niqab but also affects Sikh men and Orthodox Jewish men. A provision was made for teachers as long as they remain in their position at their school.

The tug-of-war is about secularism vs. targeting religious minorities. The idea of a "secularism police" is remnant of the "language police" of previous times in La Belle Province.

Whatever you might think about these religious symbols, we think that governments requiring them is reprehensible. Having a government say you can't wear something also feels reprehensible.

CanadianCrossing.com travel coverage

Air Canada tells us the Tiffani Adams story is true, though you would have a hard time believing the story. We definitely advocate for traveling to and within Canada. Just be aware of your surroundings, whether you are the passenger or the carrier.

Canadian sports notebook: Record number of Canadians in the 2019 NBA draft

We normally put several sports stories in the Canada Day notebook. We had too many stories in the sports notebook so we gave them a separate notebook on Wednesday.

photo credit: me
video credit: CBC News

Oakland, Green Bay to play NFL preseason game in Winnipeg

We finally have a confirmation of a NFL preseason game in Winnipeg on August 22 at 7 pm CDT with the Oakland Raiders as the home team against the Green Bay Packers. 

The Raiders are in the process of moving from Oakland to Las Vegas. There was a conflict with the Oakland A's over the Week 3 NFL preseason game.

The game at IG Field (formerly Investors Group Field) in Winnipeg will be the first NFL game in the province of Manitoba, and only the second game ever in western Canada. Outside the Buffalo Bills series in Toronto, the last NFL preseason game in Canada was on August 15, 1998 when the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks played at BC Place in Vancouver.

Tickets go on sale Saturday at 10 am CDT. Prices range from $75-$340 Canadian. If you are going to the game, the sightlines are rather good there. Even the end zone seats are pretty nice.

NFL exhibition games in Canada used to be more common. Previous NFL exhibition games in Canada have primarily focused on Eastern Canada in Toronto, Montréal, Ottawa, and Hamilton.

American fans of a different kind of football will be familiar with what was then called Investors Group Field when the 2015 U.S. Women's World Cup soccer team played in Winnipeg. The stadium got some NHL focus with the 2016 Heritage Classic. IG Field also hosted the 2015 Grey Cup.

See you soon, Canada. 🇨🇦

We’re heading north of the border for the first time ever, hosting the Packers in Winnipeg this preseason.

Release » https://t.co/mSRqNCFJTH
Learn more » https://t.co/tJgQbKrUPb@NFLCanada | #RaiderNation pic.twitter.com/a6aVF1CoUz

— Oakland Raiders (@Raiders) June 5, 2019

The Week 11 CFL schedule was a determining factor. Winnipeg is in Edmonton on Friday that week. The Blue Bombers did not want the NFL game to be on the same night as the CFL game.

Oakland's first choice was Mosaic Stadium in Regina, home of the Saskatchewan Roughriders. The Roughriders, hosting Ottawa on Saturday night, felt the field conversion would cut too close. The Raiders then looked east to Winnipeg.

Touchdown Atlantic is Sunday so the CFL didn't ideally want a game in Canada opposite the game in Moncton.

The Valour FC Canadian Premier League soccer match for August 22 at IG Field will have to be rescheduled.

After seeing Winnipeg on TV, you should go see for yourself

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

2015 Women's World Cup notebook: Canada on the world stage

Aaron Rodgers may be the biggest name to play in the game, but the loudest cheers might be for Luke Willson, actual Canadian NFL player. Willson played mostly with Seattle but played for his nearby hometown team Detroit last year. Willson is from LaSalle near Windsor in Ontario. The Oakland Raiders signed Willson in March.

CanadianCrossing.com NFL coverage

CanadianCrossing.com CFL coverage

The game will be carried by the Oakland and Green Bay local networks. U.S. fans should get a tape-delayed version of the game via the NFL Network. TSN and RDS will have the game live in Canada.

photo credit: me
Twitter capture: @Raiders