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, Patrick White heads to the Teme-Augama Anishnabai land around the Temagami area where the Métis Nation of Ontario (MNO) has sought to establish that it has roots – much to the dismay of the TAA and other First Nations, who believe the only Métis homeland is on the Prairies.
Patrick has been intrigued by the Métis since he was in school, and got a chance to further explore their unique history of struggle and controversy while reporting this story. “Through historical censuses, other government records and interviews, I learned that it was routine for Indian agents and other state actors to pick and choose who got status and who did not, seemingly at random,” he said, noting that arbitrary classifying and reclassifying Indigenous peoples is what broke up families and First Nations in the past. His research led him to the story’s ultimate question of who would be considered Métis as the MNO sought to expand.
Mark Richardson writes about his time on the Trans Canada highway, and about the daredevils and disputes that built it.
And David Shribman examines America’s transformation from the home of the brave to the home of the fearful.
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Forgotten history, or identity theft?
A narrow bush road leading to a cabin being constructed beside Pond Lake near Lake Temagami, is photographed on May 24, 2023.Fred Lum/The Globe and Mail
Since its creation in 1993, the Métis Nation of Ontario has worked to write the story of its forgotten people. It has convinced judges and politicians that there is a long-standing Métis occupation throughout much of the province, bringing constitutionally protected Aboriginal rights for modern-day descendants. But as the MNO is trying to draw up a map of its traditional homeland, First Nations in the area worry about the consequences. The dispute is raising a significant question: Who should be considered Métis?
Kicking Horse Canyon Project is a 4.6 kilometre section of the Trans Canada highway under maintenance just east of Golden, British Columbia, Oct. 1, 2022.Taylor Roades
For Mark Richardson, there are few physical symbols of Canada’s unity greater than the Trans-Canada Highway, which spans more than 7,700 kilometres, linking each province. The road, often taken for granted by drivers idly passing through, was built after decades of squabbling between the provinces and the federal government, as detailed by David Monaghan in his 1996 paper, Canada’s New Main Street. Follow Mark as he drives the full length of the Trans-Canada Highway for a seven-part series with The Globe.
Russian President Vladimir Putin listens the report of colonel general, at the Hemeimeem air base in Syria, on Dec. 11, 2017.Mikhail Klimentyev/The Associated Press
Last weekend’s abortive rebellion in Russia is being studied with a mixture of optimism and fear by the region’s other would-be revolutionaries. The winds of change come infrequently to Eastern Europe. When they do come, they often blow violently. As Mark Mackinnon reports, warlord Yevgeny Prigozhin may not have intended to challenge Russian President Vladimir Putin, but the fact that his column of mercenaries was able to get within 300 kilometres of Moscow – with the Russian capital looking ill-prepared to resist before Prigozhin suddenly backed down – has caused others to wonder if the next gust could sweep away Putin’s suddenly brittle-looking regime.
Entrepreneurship in Canada is still struggling after the COVID-19 pandemic
Bank towers are shown from Bay Street in Toronto's financial district, on June 16, 2010.Adrien Veczan/The Canadian Press
Entrepreneurs aren’t back, at least not at anywhere close to the level of activity we saw before COVID-19 – and the evidence is mounting that entrepreneurship could be in danger of further stagnating under the intense economic pressures in Canada. As Jason Kirby and Chris Hannay report, the ability of someone with a good business idea to launch and scale an enterprise, support themselves with it and build wealth for their families and their communities, is much harder than it used to be.
What are you afraid of, America?
Emma Rousseau of Oakland, N.J., her mouth bound with a red, white and blue netting, attends a rally on the Fourth of July to protest for abortion rights, at Lafayette Park in front of the White House in Washington, July 4, 2022.Andrew Harnik/The Associated Press
As the United States prepares to mark Tuesday’s 247th anniversary of its Declaration of Independence, the country no longer conforms to the boast in its national anthem that it is the home of the brave. It is instead the home of the fearful. The fear of violence. The fear of immigrants. Of minorities. Of attacks in schoolyards and workplaces. Of books. Of disquieting discussions in university classrooms. Of gay and trans people. Of climate change. Of conservatives. Of socialists. Of political violence. Of Donald Trump. David Shribman asks why.
Sober curious and alcohol-free, young Canadians are changing drinking culture
Use some rhubarb shrub in a booze-free Rhubarb Lime GimletGreat Cocktails/Unsplash/stock
Alcohol is losing its lustre among Canadians. They’re drinking less, or not at all – and going sober is apparently bringing on a better buzz. Gayle MacDonald reports on a sober-curious world, highlighted by recent data that suggests many young people see sobriety as something to be proud of – a badge of honour that reflects their commitment to a healthier lifestyle. This is a stark contrast from their elders, who still view not drinking as a sign of weakness, the implication being they must have had a “problem.”
Why I believe in Canadian content
Canadian content rules produce the occasional puzzling anomaly – Why is Handmaid’s Tale, a TV series shot in Canada and based on a celebrated Canadian novel, not considered Canadian content?George Kraychyk/Courtesy of manufacturer
In the past, Canadian content has been defined as content that is made by Canadian creators, namely actors, writers, directors and producers. The problem with that? Producers usually retain the copyright on their projects and foreign streamers want to control that themselves. After the passage of the Online Streaming Act, meant to give more power to Canada’s broadcast regulator, Kate Taylor explains why she believes Canadian content matters and why our screens will offer precious little domestic programming unless we insist on it.
Drawn from the headlines
Trudeau off to Iceland to meet Nordic leaders ahead of NATO, amid Arctic uncertainty. The Canadian Press, June 25, 2023 as drawn by Graeme MacKay for The Globe and Mail.
Illustration by Graeme MacKay for the Globe and Mail