Doc Project with Acey Rowe
Latest
Becoming a pro wrestler helped this B.C. woman embrace her Carrier First Nations culture
Dawn Murphy, a.k.a. Princess Delta Dawn, fought in the pro-wrestling circuit in Canada, going on to compete in Japan. Murphy says she was able to reconnect with her Carrier First Nations culture, thanks to wrestling.
After a year of pandemic isolation, have we seen the last of Canadian drag legend Michelle DuBarry?
Russell Alldread, the man behind drag queen Michelle DuBarry, turns 90 years old this year. Friends want to get his drag alter ego back on stage after the pandemic.
Personal Essay
My grandma sang her way to Canada at a time when Chinese people were barred entry
Gar Yin Hune travelled with her Cantonese opera troupe when the Chinese Exclusion Act was in place, and never left.
How a 'laundry emergency' brought teen sisters together during the pandemic
When two teen sisters suddenly found themselves in confinement together at the beginning of the pandemic, they couldn’t stand it. A frequent sticking point: Laundry. Then came a diagnosis that changed everything — and cast those laundry emergencies in a new light.
How my epic fail of a preteen makeover made me a star. Sort of.
When Jennifer Warren's Grade 6 haircut went horribly awry, it led to an even more disastrous theatrical debut.
Rescue dog's philosophical musings on farm life spread joy online
Leonard the giant Lab mix 'has the heart we all need,' says owner Maureen Wilson. And the pooch's regular pup-dates are all the more amazing when she thinks of how his life could have gone.
Bean there, done that: Why Albertans build giant roadside attractions
Alberta has a penchant for building big things: the world’s largest pysanka, the largest sausage, and the largest pinto bean. But what’s the obsession with these massive structures, and are they telling diverse stories?
This man threw himself a 'coming out' party, 40 years after first declaring his sexual orientation
This past April, Alan Gotlib decided to publicly celebrate his 1981 coming out to provide hope for 2SLGBTQ youth.
First Person
Did I buy a condo on stolen land? How purchasing my first home made me question property rights
Last fall, Craig Desson bought a condo in Montreal’s Mile End with his partner. However, one thought lingered: Montreal lies on unceded land, as it was settled by the French without the permission of Indigenous peoples who lived there. Does that mean he effectively bought stolen property?
Black Prairies
How the mbira — an instrument with a complicated history in Zimbabwe — found a following in Western Canada
The desire to take the road less travelled led Chaka Zinyemba to pick up the mbira as a teenager in Zimbabwe.
Making hip hop in the Prairies may be tough, but Super Duty Tough Work is ready for their breakout
Winnipeg hip-hop act Super Duty Tough Work has enjoyed local success and critical acclaim, but frontman Brendan Kinley says it’s been challenging to find national support. However, with the rise of BLM, their politically charged party tunes are more relevant than ever.
This couple left white-collar jobs in China and became farmers in Canada
When Sun Shan and Li Bo became farmers on moving to Canada, they had some explaining to do. Their families in China didn't understand why they would choose such a lowly profession. Now the couple are sharing their knowledge and culture through their Ottawa farm.
Plants bring peace to gardeners grappling with grief, depression and anxiety
In a second year of pandemic uncertainty, garden centres and seed producers are running out of supply because people are flocking to the pastime of gardening. But for many people, gardening isn’t just a way to pass time, it’s a healing process to manage mental illness like depression, anxiety and stress.
First Person
I was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult. Now I realize how misunderstood this condition is
CBC producer Allie Jayne's recent attention deficit hyperactivity disorder diagnosis made her realize how pervasive the myths about the condition still are — and how those myths may be stopping other people from getting the diagnoses, treatment and acceptance they need.
At the World Porridge Championships, quick-cooking oats need not apply
When Johnny Spence was given a "spurtle" - a wooden porridge-stirring tool - he ended up in a tiny Scottish village, populated with rabid oatmeal enthusiasts from around the world.
First Person
How an enigmatic salesman sent me on a musical quest for the perfect towel
After the horrors of terrycloth are revealed to Tom Howell by an enigmatic poet-salesman, a new paradigm emerges.
How artists are making new music inspired by the mysteries of whalesong
In a jazz workshop led by renowned whale scholar Katy Payne, musicians were inspired by humpbacks' rich sonic world.
Trains, cars and people make Banff 'a hard place for a wolf'
In Banff, Alberta, people and wolves have a complicated relationship. Wolves have been wiped out from the area numerous times over the past 100 years. After a deadly year in 2016, the local wolf pack nearly disappeared. By 2020, the pack was back to eight wolves, but down to six by 2021. What is at the heart of this difficult relationship?
This artist wrote 30 thank-you letters for his 30th birthday, some to complete strangers
Artist Aquil Virani wrote 30 thank-you letters to people as a way to celebrate his 30th birthday and break pandemic isolation.
The Doc Project
After this carpenter died, his family found a trove of mysterious tapes in the attic
Pat Maloney was a gifted experimental musician in the 1970s, until he suddenly stopped playing entirely.
I learned about my late father's escape from Tibet through the writings he left behind
In 1970, Tsering Wangkhang was one of the first two Tibetan refugees to arrive in Canada. His son, Rignam, was 10 years old when his father died. Rignam doesn’t have many memories of his dad — but he has his father’s unfinished memoir. A memoir Rignam has never read … until now.
The opioid crisis: How one man is fighting to prevent overdose deaths in Saskatchewan
Jason Mercredi fought to open Saskatchewan’s first supervised consumption site last fall. He's still fighting for provincial support.
Personal Essay
As a newcomer to Canada, should I try to lose my accent?
When Gretel Kahn was growing up in Panama, she wanted nothing more than to speak English like the actors in American movies. Her tongue, however, did not co-operate.
Confronting racism: How a white discussion group found a home at a Black community association
The West Island Black Community Association in Montreal has created a discussion group exclusively for white people to confront racism within themselves and their communities. It's a program led by Rachael Seatvet, a white woman who pitched the idea to WIBCA.
Toronto tenants unionize to demand rent relief in the face of looming pandemic evictions
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to put the squeeze on more people's income and job prospects, a growing number of renters have formed grassroots tenant unions to collectively speak up against landlords and stave off the threat of possible evictions.
