Are you glad “it’s happening here”?

Instead TV hockey, I’m watching dogs hanging out of car windows.

There I was, a few weeks ago, settling into my TV easy chair on a Saturday night, prepared to watch the Leafs play somebody. And suddenly the screen was awash with picturesque images of rural Ontario. Next, there was a guy in a tractor cab.

“Is this a trailer for a CBC series I haven’t seen?” I asked myself.

Then the same guy was offloading sacks from a flatbed near his barn. And there was a lush soundtrack of orchestral music rising behind him. And I realized this was an advertisement.

“It’s gotta be a beer commercial,” I thought, “because they’re the only sponsors who can afford commercial spots on Hockey Night in Canada.” (more…)

“Like-minded” equals “contempt”

In Canada’s court system what Trump said would be considered contempt and prosecutable.

Outside his residence in Florida, several weeks ago, a former United States president made sure the cameras were running, raised his fist in the air and then verbally slammed Judge Arthur Engoron. The justice of the Supreme Court of New York had just handed down his ruling in the civil business-fraud trial against Donald Trump. The former president reacted.

“A crooked New York State judge has just ruled that I have to pay a fine of $355 million for having built a perfect company,” Trump said, and he went on to call New York Attorney General Letitia James, who initiated the case, “totally corrupt.”

If any politician, no, make that if any individual had said that in Canada, she or he would have been charged with contempt. (more…)

Do it locally, or lose it!

What 10 tons of tree did to our garage and car in the derecho.

It was the worst of times for us all. The May 21, 2022, derecho struck Uxbridge, Ont., from the Sixth Concession through the west end of town, across the railway yards, devastating homes, downtown apartments, Second Wedge Brewery and Trinity United Church among many places.

Power was out for days, phone service spotty, and just the goodwill of neighbours got us through. With our garage gone and my car crushed, I turned to my insurers, who told me my car was a write-off. They offered me a cash settlement for the wreck. I agreed. Then, the agent read me the fine print of my policy over the phone.

“The car rental clause (promising six weeks of rental,)” she said, “since you’ve agreed to the sale of your (written-off) car, it ends today.”

In effect, they had terminated my coverage seven days after the storm. (more…)

Does Bell really care about community?

CFQC Radio co-hosts Wally Stambuck (left) and Denny Carr pose in front of Unity, Saskatchewan, grain elevator on Canada Day 1977.

It was one of the first phone calls I made when I arrived at a new job in Saskatoon in 1976. I dialed city hall and asked for the mayor’s office. I explained that I was new in town and wanted to meet with the man to discuss a media opportunity with him. His assistant took down my name and number and said the mayor would get back to me. A day or so later he phoned me back.

“Mayor Cliff Wright here,” he said. “How can I help you?”

“Thanks for returning my call, Mr. Mayor …”

“You can call me Cliff,” he said.

I explained that as a new radio producer of CFQC Radio (part of Baton Broadcasting, owned at the time by CTV) I’d been asked to approach him and offer him a weekly spot on our morning radio show, hosted by Wally Stambuck and Denny Carr. It was part of the station’s initiative to connect with community. (more…)

Behind the brush strokes of history

A moment in history captured by an equally historic painting.

It’s one of those iconic Canadian images – when you’re a Canadian kid growing up with history books and images of Canadiana all around – that registers permanently.

It shows a biplane – really little more than a pair of kite-type wings with a man, Douglas McCurdy, sitting on the lower wing at the controls – flying over a wintry scene. It’s the Silver Dart, flying just a few feet above the frozen surface of Bras d’Or Lake near Baddeck, Nova Scotia, on Feb. 23, 1909. And as iconic as the image is, I only learned this week who captured it.

“I’m Kathryn Bradford Stevens,” said the speaker at the function I attended this week. “I’m the daughter of aviation artist Robert Bradford.” (more…)

Much sole-sourcing. No soul-searching.

ServiceOntario outlet. CityNews.

The last time I went there, I learned something. Remember those Ontario Health cards with the red and white stripes and no head shot? Several years ago, I received notice that I needed to have mine updated with new coding and a photograph. I honestly had visions of lineups, questionnaires, and a long wait to have a new photo taken and an even longer wait for the new card to arrive.

“Nope,” the ServiceOntario representative said. “I already have your photo from your driver’s licence in the file. We can use that for your new health card.”

I was in and out of the service outlet in minutes. My updated card arrived just days later. And I’d discovered that the digital system storing my photo ID actually does work. (more…)

Norm and Alex, the stars they were

Sheriff (Brian Keith) challenges Russian sub with help of Russian sailor (Alan Arkin) in “The Russians Are Coming.”

It’s the early 1960s. The Cuban missile crisis is still fresh in people’s minds. The Cold War is at its peak. A Soviet submarine has run aground on the New England coast. Locals in the closest town think it’s the start of a Soviet invasion of America. The panicking townsfolk – armed to the teeth with shotguns – are lined up on the dock facing an armed Soviet sub.

And the local sheriff stands between the two sides about to open fire. He pulls out his parking ticket pad, looks up at the sub commander and through a Russian sailor translating, says, “All right, let’s have your full name and address.”

The sub commander orders his deck gunners to prepare to fire. (more…)

Putting a face to a name

A personal preference is to GO to the township office, not email them.

For some, the new year means resolutions, diets, workouts or turning over a new leaf. For me, perhaps because I’m a details person, January means ensuring that household services continue to arrive and that I’m living up to annual commitments. Among them, as usual, I stopped by the Township office to pay the annual licence fee for our dog, Jazz. The clerk said the past few years Uxbridge has contracted that service out to Docupet, an online service in Kingston.

“That’s fine,” I said, “but I’d prefer to pay you.”

“It’s easier if you go online,” she said.

“Maybe, but if I pay you locally, in a way I’m ensuring you keep your job.” (more…)

D-Day anniversary tour to JUNO Beach where iconic film shot

It’s the most recognizable film footage of the D-Day invasion. Now, nearly 80 years after Canadians rushed ashore on Juno Beach on June 6, 1944, to begin the liberation Europe, we know the exact location of that filming site.

War cinematographer Bill Grant and his D-Day camera in 1944.

For years that black & white 35-mm movie footage was thought to be shot by a camera mounted in the back of a landing craft in front of Courseulles-sur-Mer. I spent a year helping to give Cdn Film & Photo Unit cinematographer Bill Grant credit for capturing that moment. Now historians have proven the landing spot was at St-Aubin-sur-Mer.

If this story intrigues you, I’ve got lots more. This spring I’m leading a Merit Travel tour to Normandy, Dieppe, Vimy, Ypres & Passchendaele. Here’s all the info: https://www.merittravel.com/d-day-tour?fbclid=IwAR0qbIhlfitv_r1SqTpZV5JMd2t_5Ru6p9VTCSF2GvloPB9e_GqJ6NtFEnI

Boldness. Not belligerence.

Jennifer Botterill confronts Jamal Mayers on fighting in the NHL. Hockey Feed.

It was the end-of-year party for our oldtimers hockey club at a pub in town. After some wings, some beer and a lot of laughs, we got down to the serious stuff of discussing the game we love. And it didn’t take long, before the elephant in the room emerged.

“What’re they going to do about fighting in hockey?” (more…)