Barris Beat

Bredin’s Bakery – more missing than the name

Written by Ted Barris on . Leave a comment
Bredin’s Bakery during Uxbridge’s recent sign-wars campaign.

They had just finished sprucing up the shop. Walls and trim were freshly painted. They’d replaced some shelving and hung a vintage photograph of family ancestor, Greg Bredin’s dad, who’d originated the business. And probably best of all, they’d re-framed and re-hung some of their favourite bakery puns.

“Sorry for being flakey,” one read after they remodelled. “We’ve been procrusti-baking.”

Some of their slogans were also strategically placed around the bakery counters and display cases, including, “Have you tried a Bredin donut? If not, we understand. They sell out within an hour and a half every Saturday.” (more…)

Barris Beat

What a book cover can uncover

Written by Ted Barris on . Leave a comment
Klaus Keast found mentor on my book cover.

He is a veteran. He is the grandson of a veteran. As important to me as anything, however, Klaus Keast, a total stranger, has found a connection that’s brought us together unexpectedly. He recently wrote me an email requesting an autographed copy of my 2019 book Rush to Danger, about military medics. But in addition, he asked if I could acknowledge the military service of his mentor.

“He (was) a Jewish medic, who not only served in WWII,” Keast wrote, “but he also had to fight to be involved in the war effort when initially refused by (anti-Semitic) recruiters.” (more…)

Barris Beat

Travel by swab

Written by Ted Barris on . Leave a comment
Going into and returning from the U.S., requires a swab. But which one?

There were several of us sitting in the consultation area of a local Uxbridge pharmacy last week – all of us waiting, most of us doing this for the first time, and everybody looking a bit anxious. The woman next to me – well, actually two metres away – was busy texting somebody. Of all those in the waiting area, she seemed the most at ease. I thought I’d seek some assurance.

“Done this before?” I asked.

“Yes,” she said through her mask. “My husband and I travel a lot. So, we’re getting used to it.” (more…)

Barris Beat

Bad history that includes us

Written by Ted Barris on . Leave a comment
Chanie Wenjack – never free to go home.

My first day at a new school nearly scared me to death. In September of 1956, my family and I had moved from a suburb in the east end of Toronto to a village outside the city. So, I had to go to a school I didn’t know, meet a teacher I’d never seen before, try to make friends among strangers, and then, try to blend into the classroom. The fact that I wore glasses, the only one in the class, proved equally terrifying, particularly when my new teacher fussed over me.

“Why don’t you sit at the front desk,” Miss Anderson told me.

I wanted to disappear. I thought everybody would pick on me for having to wear glasses. But the worst fear I faced was that I’d get lost walking home from school. (more…)

Barris Beat

Can we all just get along?

Written by Ted Barris on . Leave a comment
Rodney King asking what seemed the impossible in May 1992.

It goes back 30 years, but I remember this solemn-faced man stepping toward a news camera in May 1992. He was neatly dressed in a jacket and tie. But he looked drawn, upset and extremely nervous. The man chose his words carefully. He looked into the lens and in the most genuine of expressions offered a simple statement and an even simpler question:

“It’s not right. And it’s not going to change anything. Can we all just get along?” he asked.

The man was Rodney King, the African-American construction worker who’d been beaten by four Los Angeles police officers in what they called an arrest for a suspected drunk driving offence in March 1991. (more…)

Barris Beat

The heart. Not the quick hit.

Written by Ted Barris on . Leave a comment

It is arguably the most difficult issue Canadians have had to face since Confederation. It has divided Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in Canada since initial European contact. And it came into sharpest focus this spring when hundreds of unmarked graves of Indigenous children were discovered around several former residential schools.

But when the issue of “Reconciliation with First Nations” was introduced last Thursday night during the Leaders’ Debate – after some introductory remarks from the five leaders, one of them, Justin Trudeau, got this curt instruction from the moderator.

“You have five seconds, Mr. Trudeau,” said Shachi Kurl, the moderator. “Five seconds, sir.”

“We have lots more to do,” Trudeau said. “And we are going to do it.” (more…)

Barris Beat

Summer for women

Written by Ted Barris on . 2 Comments
Marie-Philip Poulin – Captain Canada scores the winner! Toronto Star

On Aug. 31, I joined my daughter for an event to remember. Canada’s women’s hockey team faced its arch rival – the Americans – in a three-on-three overtime period in Calgary for the International Ice Hockey Federation world championship. Just over seven minutes into sudden death, team captain Marie-Philip Poulin broke in on the U.S. goal and put a wrist shot off the crossbar down into the net for the victory. The Toronto Star interviewed former Leafs goalie coach Steve McKichan after the game.

“That’s the Hall of Fame bardown shot in women’s hockey,” and he went on to say in the history of greatest Canadian hockey goals, “it was top-five.” (more…)

Barris Beat

The pandemic politicians need to address

Written by Ted Barris on . Leave a comment
Unfettered playful interaction

A few weekends ago, my wife and I took in some of the grandsons for a sleepover. It was a chance for their parents to enjoy a summer getaway. It was a chance to wean the grandkids away from Mom and Dad. It was a chance for us to get better acquainted with a bunch of boys under our roof for two or three days. On the first day, we outlined an in-house rule.

“No iPhones, tablets or computers until after 4 p.m.,” I announced.

“That’s the curfew at home,” one of the boys said.

“Same rules here,” I said.

I find it quite amazing that these children – after a year of virtual on-line learning (that is, eyes glued to laptop or desktop computers from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., five days a week) – still have such voracious appetites for video-game content. The topic does not appear in the policy literature of any of the federal political parties. (more…)

Barris Beat

For want of bats in my belfry

Written by Ted Barris on . 1 Comment
Bats by the millions have died of disease, lack of habitat and thanks to human impact on their environment. Phys.com

I sat on our back porch after sunset one evening this week. I was looking for them. The light was dying fast, which was why I was there. I kept scanning the skies over our backyard and our neighbours’ yards, looking, looking. One of my grandchildren was with me and wondered what I was doing, why I was so intent.

“They should be here by now,” I said softly.

“What should be here?” he asked.

“The bats,” I said. “I haven’t seen them this year.” (more…)

Barris Beat

She-covery and she-lection

Written by Ted Barris on . 1 Comment
Surviving the pandemic requires women (such as my daughter, left) to make career-altering decisions.

Some months ago, I met a friend by accident. We stopped, distanced, masked and got caught up. We talked about vaccination, isolation and the state of the nation, all in one meeting. I was surprised, however, when the subject of the CERB (the Canada Emergency Response Benefit) came up, that my friend thought federal spending of that magnitude ran the real risk that everyday citizens would abuse it.

“There’s too much cheating,” my friend said. “Too much money squandered.” (more…)