Good morning, and welcome to the weekend.
Grab your cup of coffee or tea, and sit down with a selection of this week’s great reads from The Globe. In this issue, we present an excerpt from A Nation’s Paper: The Globe and Mail in the Life of Canada, a collection of history essays from current and former Globe writers all about the newspaper’s lasting impact on this country. The excerpt dives into the life and work of The Globe’s founder, George Brown, his rivalry with fellow father of Confederation, Sir John A. Macdonald, and how their reconciliation saved the Canadian experiment. All of this while the country’s paper of record drove the story, of course.
Also, Niall McGee visits Marten Falls First Nation in Northern Ontario, which may be on the cusp of major transformation as it contends with the promise of riches that the as of yet undeveloped Ring of Fire critical minerals project could bring to the area.
And Adrian Morrow takes a closer look at Harvard University, where the raging debate over the Israel-Hamas war and the recent resignation of the school’s president have plunged the school into turmoil.
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How George Brown helped create Canada in spite of himself
Statue of George Brown, 1963.Boris Spremo/The Globe and Mail
George Brown was only 24 when he and his father arrived in Toronto in 1843 from Scotland via New York to establish the Banner, which championed religious freedom. But Brown was more interested in politics than religion and the next year launched The Globe. The paper was a success from the very beginning, thanks to its honest reporting and Brown’s willingness to invest in improved presses and an expanding roster of reporters. In this essay excerpted from A Nation’s Paper: The Globe and Mail in the Life of Canada, John Ibbitson explores Brown’s – and The Globe’s – involvement in creating the country as we know it today.
More about the book:
How reconciliation is tied up in the Ring of Fire
The Albany River winds through parts of Northern Ontario where peat deposits keep large stores of carbon locked in the ground. Ring of Fire skeptics are worried mining could disturb those deposits.Fred Lum/The Globe and Mail
Bruce Achneepineskum is a busy man. The chief of Marten Falls First Nation, an extremely remote Anishinaabe community on the banks of the Albany River, about 400 kilometres northeast of Thunder Bay, is contending with the needs of his community while dealing with a massive international mining company’s promises about the Ring of Fire project, located on his traditional territories. He’s also working on the construction of an all-season road that would bring with it a massive increase in the standard of living. Niall McGee spends time with Achneepineskum, and explores how economic reconciliation and the Ring of Fire are entwined.
Harvard University remains divided after president Claudine Gay’s resignation
The campus of Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass. on Jan. 2, 2024, the day President Claudine Gay resigned.Sophie Park/The New York Times News Service
In the aftermath of the resignation of Harvard University president Claudine Gay and the turmoil on campus over the Israel-Hamas war, Adrian Morrow looks at some of the tough issues being raised – about racism, antisemitism, plagiarism, political influence and academic independence. The events at Harvard are a reflection of the larger culture wars in the United States, particularly involving education.
Opinion: Taiwan’s sorrow: China, the march of history and the inevitable clash
Taiwanese are constantly wary of war with mainland China. At these drills on Nov. 18, organized by a defence organization, children in New Taipei City take shelter at the sound of air-raid sirens.I-HWA CHENG/AFP/Getty Images
Taiwan’s fate has never hung more precariously, writes Ethan Lou. As the country heads to the polls on Jan. 13, it seems all the more likely that a clash with Beijing is unavoidable. “The world might not even recognize it immediately. But it is coming. For all we know, with Beijing’s disinformation campaigns and menacing war games across the waters, it has already begun. When matters come to a head, the world will recognize it for the inevitable clash that it is. For such is what the march of history has ordained.” Read the full story.
Meet Canada’s accidental cultural curator
John Batt poses for a photo before the first of two live comedy shows at the Owl’s Club, an old legion hall in Toronto, Dec. 2, 2023. Batt made a name for himself via his Instagram account, Canada.gov.ca, which curates stories about popular and obscure Canadian culture for tens of thousands of followers.Galit Rodan/The Globe and Mail
John Batt didn’t set out to be an Instagram sensation. But that’s exactly what happened when he started @canada.gov.ca, the account where he transmits pieces of Canadiana, including everything from Pierre Trudeau’s dating life to the history of ParticipACTION exercise commercials. In showcasing this version of Canada, Batt has become a bridger of people, places and moments – an accidental historian, mystery solver and, perhaps most consequentially, cultural curator. Just don’t call him traditionally patriotic: “This isn’t a pro-Canada account; it’s a pro-Canadian account,” he tells reporter Josh O’Kane. Read full story.
Singer Allison RussellDana Trippe/Dana Trippe
If your list of New Year’s resolutions include making big, bold moves, we’ve got some tips for you. We asked headlining Canadians to reflect on the year behind them and to share their winning perspectives about making their mark in 2024. From Grammy nominee Allison Russell to Olympic-bound surfer Sanoa Dempfle-Olin, here are their thoughts on recovering from failure, facing up to big challenges and, most importantly, being fearless in whatever they chose to do next. Read more.
Jon Montgomery has come a long way since famous Olympic beer walk
Jon MontgomeryPhoto illustration The Globe and Mail. Source photo Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press/The Canadian Press
Former Olympian Jon Montgomery made a name for himself after his impromptu beer walk through the streets of the Whistler Olympic Village during the Vancouver Games was broadcast coast-to-coast in primetime. Years on from that viral moment, Montgomery, who trained as an auctioneer, still talks for a living, as a paid speaker and host of The Amazing Race Canada. But he doesn’t drink much beer anymore.
Bonus: This year’s Golden Globes take place on Sunday, Jan. 7. Who is hosting the ceremony?
a. Jimmy Kimmel
b. Jo Koy
d. Seth Meyers
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