Alberta Votes 2012

Election season is upon us here in Alberta, and as this is my first provincial election as an Albertan, I am paying particular attention to the platforms and candidates. The parties have staked their lawn signs and their members are putting the word out, but it can still be difficult to track messages, policies, and make a final decision come election day on April 23rd.

Here are a few resources I’ve found useful generally, but also specifically for writers and others engaged in the ‘arts economy’ here in the Sunshine Province:

• Vote Compass on the CBC website (please keep in mind it only includes the four biggies – not the Alberta Party, Evergreens, etc)
• Edmonton writer Myrna Kostash’s essay, “Alberta Artists: Who Should You Vote For?”
• The Alberta Party’s recently posted ‘Creative Industries Policy’
• Change Alberta, which gives those who want an alternative to the PCs and Wildrose Party information, strategies and tools
• And for those of you in my home riding of Edmonton-Mill Woods, please check out this recent Edmonton Journal profile of the race and local candidates

Regardless of how you choose to vote, I just hope you’ll take the time to do so. Apparently the turnout at the last provincial election was an abysmal 40%… If you can do it with as much awareness as possible, all the better!

CTV Edmonton Morning Live Interview

This morning I did my first-ever tv interview! Nerve-wracking but exciting, and Rob, Melissa, Amanda and the CTV crew made me feel at ease. In the end, I had a great time chatting about writing, aviation, the Canadian Aviation Historical Society and the big news in my personal life…

Check it out at the following link:

CTV Edmonton Morning Live Interview

Artist Takeover in Edmonton

Me and Natasha Deen taking a break

 Through PA announcements and us physically going to round people up, we got a solid audience of all ages and backgrounds. I’m sure it didn’t hurt that Natasha had snagged oodles of prizes from Chapters-Indigo,  Metro Continuing Education, the Writer’s Guild of Alberta, and more. And of course, all the participants donated at least one book or piece of art!

Our full line-up included:

• Me,  For the Love of Flying
• Natasha,  True Grime
• Caitlin Crawshaw, who read a romantic short story involving a spider
• Gail Sidonie Sobat, A Chance to Dance for You
• Mary Pinoski, performing some of her slam poetry
• Rosemarie Boll, The Second Trial
• Joan Marie Galat, Dot to Dot in the Sky
• Hal Friesen, a Sci-Fi writer who regaled us with a Dr. Seuss-style poem about physics

Natasha - like the audience - is captivated as Joan Marie Galat explores the mysteries of astronomy through science and myth.

Edmontonians Sizzling 20 Under Thirty

L-R: Erinne Sevigny, me, Doug, Ash Dryburgh, Dana DiTomaso, Gayle Lee, Caitlin Crawshaw

• Keltie Brown, General Manager of Workshop West Theatre
• Sheldon Casavant, Magician
• Krista (Chase) Chileshe, account manager at HSBC
• Kyle Ferbey, Director of CDI College
• Jacqueline Greenly, Anchor at Shaw Television
• Dr. Jan Kowalczewski, Chief Tech Officer at Angeltear Solutions Inc.
• Patrick Lundeen, Artistic Director of Avenue Theatre
• Margeaux Morin, Professional Dancer/Choreographer
• Celine Nolette, Owner of Creative Coco’Nuts
• Keenan Pascal, Owner of Ladaut Renovations
• Kimberley Poong, Care Manager at AB Health Services
• Joel Reboh, Investment Advisor for TD Waterhouse
• Lauren Ritchie, Principal of RISE Productions
• Trevor Ross, President of Grasschopper Landscaping Ltd.
• Dr. Abdullah Saleh, Founder/Manager of ICChange
• Stephanie Szakacs, General Manager of Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market
• Erica Viegas, Singer/Songwriter
• Michael Wheeler, Operations Manager and Owner of Canadian Brewhouse
• Graham Wood, Owner of Titan Alarm

A Conscientious Canadian Maverick

According to their criteria, women in this category are “Trailblazers, pushing boundaries socially, politically, creatively or in business.” Several of the other finalists in this category are political powerhouses: Eva Aariak, premier of Nunavut; Sheila Fraser, former auditor general; Elizabeth May of the Green Party. Then there’s Buffy Sainte Marie, a folk singer and activist without equal. Last but not least are two high-ranking military women; the first female pipeline worker in Canada; and a motorcycling editor.

Buffy Sainte Marie

I guess by virtue of writing about Canada’s aviation history and being the first female president of the CAHS I am a little out of the ordinary. I certainly stand out in an aviation history crowd, but that’s slowly changing through groups like the Canadian 99s, Women in Aviation International, and writers like Shirlee Smith Matheson. Being an under-30 historian is also a little outside the norm (although I love elbow patches on tweed jackets!).

But based on the definition of maverick, I don’t think I really fit: I’m not a “lone dissenter,” or necessarily “pursuing rebellious, even potentially disruptive, policies or ideas.” No loose cannon here, I hope!

I would have to modify it by saying I’m a conscientious Canadian maverick. The very idea of a “maverick” is pretty American, I think. I envision a rugged individualist on a ranch in Wyoming (where I did live for two years). Being a Canadian, I’m a little more predisposed to social order and cohesion. Also, my main goal is preserving Canadian stories – in all their complexity – in a scrupulous and careful way. I try to be sensitive to all involved, and would never run roughshod over the people who entrust me with their photos, documents, and memories.

On Women and Work

I’ve been busy organizing and running a conference the past month (more on that soon), and so have been remiss in my blogging, but that doesn’t mean the world stopped or the ol’ wheels in my head ceased turning.

Lately I’ve had a string of encounters involving women of all ages, that has made those wheels work overtime:

1. There was the women writers evening I felt got a little too man-hatey for my taste, especially when one woman half-kiddingly told me I was complicit with men for writing about aviation history. I “half-kiddingly” told her to back off and get to know me and my work before making such statements. Oh, and that maybe she should remember the incredible women who have been involved in aviation as pilots, engineers, mechanics, etc.

2. Then I was chatting with a young woman around the 3o-year-old mark who did not obviously belong to a religous cult who said, when I asked what she did, “Oh, I’m a wife.”

3. Finally, this morning at the dog park I was chatting with two women approaching 50 who felt they had lost the opportunity to pursue their dreams (police/RCMP officer in one case) to raise children and support their husbands.

These encounters and the books I’ve been reading lately (Doris Anderson and Myrl Coulter’s memoirs; Margaret Atwood and Margaret Laurence’s bios; and various other titles), are still swirling around in my mind, and I don’t have fully formed thoughts yet. But I know that I’m deeply uncomfortable with anyone defining herself solely in relation to someone. (And I use the feminine pronoun because I have rarely heard a man say “I’m a husband” or “I’m a stay-at-home dad” without some qualifier.) What happens if you get divorced? What happens when your children leave home?

As a third-wave (anti-racist) feminist, I think it’s important to explore inequality between the sexes, but that it’s also critical to show how these roles/definitions affect everyone in society. For example, I think the 1950′s model often leaves retired people in the dust, even though they can be the most active volunteers, mentors, and knowledge-holders. It also ignores the tremendous domestic labour many women perform outside the paid workforce that allows our society to function. And it boxes men into a definition of masculinity based on bread-winner status or a particular profession.

One of the things I like best about our online world and social media is the way people are identifying themselves. On Twitter, for example, I follow two people with the following “taglines”:

Dave: “Retired. Married. 2 grown children, 2 grandsons. Chairman and 2 TAF Medium Bombers Ass’n Cdn Wing. Frequent volunteer at Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum.

Cerina: “Motivational small business advisor, writer, speaker, editor, fitness coach, entrpreneur, mom. My Gemini soul loves books, dogs, learning, teaching.”

Let’s stay complex, keep our identities and relationships multi-faceted, and always strive for self-actualization. It’ll make for some interesting future encounters.

We don’t need no education

I’ve had education on the brain quite a bit recently.

After all, I was just involved with the Young Readers’ Conference at a local Junior High last Friday, and really impressed with the innovative teaching happening there. Although, a couple of weeks ago I chatted with a disillusioned friend (M.Ed) trying to teach critical thinking and social responsibility to her grade school-age students, only to be attacked by a soccer mom who doesn’t want to think about where her coffee comes from (and reprimanded by her superiors).

And of course much of what’s happening in Egypt, Libya, and Wisconsin can be linked to education issues. In the first two, it’s educated young people who have largely been leading the push against dictatorships (as the NY Times, Colbert, and Stewart have shown). In the latter, teachers are at the centre of the maelstrom over Republic Governor Walker’s proposed bill to eliminate collective bargaining rights and cut health benefits.

Every day, in every way, I’m learning. By reading the bite-sized news blasts on Twitter. By getting my daily dose of the Daily Show and Colbert Report. And by opening my inbox, apparently (after all, it’s not procrastinating if you’re learning something!):

1) A drag-and-drop map of the Middle East to test your knowledge of North Africa through to the “Stans”… I didn’t do too badly – except for the “Stans” – I guess I need to go back and watch Borat again! Click here to get the map.

2) A 2005 Dominion Institute Canadian History quiz, which as a Canadian historian I thought I might do pretty well on. Turns out the quiz is slanted against you if you were born in the 1980s, since many of the questions deal with the 1980s and later. Since I was too young to read newspapers or be aware of my surroundings then, and since these didn’t count as historical periods when I was in school (poli-sci territory), I only got 15/20. But I rocked New France through to the first half of the 20th century. Booyah!

Berton House Top Ten

It’s that time of year. The time of year when magazines, tv shows, internet sites, and everyone else make top ten lists. So I will too. About my time up north (although it’s very hard to pick just ten!).

Here they are in no particular order:

1. Working, reading, watching tv, chatting, and napping at Berton House on the sectional snuggled up in the HBC blanket.

2. Experiencing ice fog in minus 40-degree weather in Dawson. Yep, I’m a little strange.

3. Doing the sourtoe cocktail with friends at the Dowtown bar in Dawson.

4. Going curling in Inuvik and hanging out in the curling club post-game. Best place in town on a Friday night!

5. Hiking up Dome Mountain in Dawson in December – and then sliding down on my backside!

6. Finding out I had family in Whitehorse and getting to spend great times with them. Thanks so much, Judy, Bruce, Ben, and Charlie!

7. Hanging out at Bombay Peggy’s and being there for close-down on November 10th!

8. Doing old-timey portraits with the gals in Dawson: Easy-laine, Diamond Tooth Sandy, and Jailbait Jenny. Oh yeah, and I’m Dawson Dani (the one with the gun).

9. Visiting Old Crow and getting to attend a community feast. Such a friendly town and glad I got the chance to go twice!

10. Skagway, AK in September: delicious food, good hiking, and seeing that the Sarah Palin store actually exists!

Yukon’s northern charms hard to resist

The Edmonton Journal featured an article about the Yukon in its Saturday travel section and a friend forwarded it to me. Of course I couldn’t resist writing in! My letter was published today (but the photo’s my little blog addition):

I arrived in the Yukon Sept. 23 just as a blizzard moved into the territory. Tourist season was definitely over: The SS Klondike was dry-docked; the White Pass railway was shutting down; and many spots from Whitehorse up to Dawson were boarded up, their owners having gone “outside” for the winter.

Now that I’ve been here for three months as writer-in-residence at Pierre Berton’s childhood home, I feel I’m halfway between the “Cheechako” and “Sourdough” Renton talks about. I’m still excited by the Air North service and food, and now I know the de-planeing drill for refuelling on the “milk run” between Whitehorse, Dawson, Old Crow, and Inuvik (and use the “seat taken” slip like a pro).

I’ve seen the Yukon River freeze up and gone to Bombay Peggy’s for season close down. I’ve done the Sourtoe Cocktail, driven part of the Dempster Highway in whiteout conditions, and spent a night at Muktuk Adventures being serenaded by 130 huskies. So far the aurora borealis have been elusive, but I’m hopeful I’ll catch a glimpse before I leave: with sunrise at 11 a.m. and sunset at 3:30 p.m., there is plenty of night sky to scan.

While I’m looking forward to being in Edmonton in time for the holidays, I’m already planning a visit back “up here” next year. These northern charms are hard to resist!

Danielle Metcalfe-Chenail, Dawson City, Yukon

© Copyright (c) The Edmonton Journal

Read more: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/Yukon+northern+charms+tough+resist/3936945/story.html#ixzz17RVPcqrP

Beaming into the Berton House Gala

When technology works it’s a glorious thing.

No, the Writers’ Trust of Canada hasn’t managed to snag a Star Trek teleporter, but they did use Skype to successfully beam me all the way from Dawson onto a 15-ft screen at the Berton House Gala in Toronto last night – which, if you’ve had any experience with Skype, is nothing short of incredible.

Apparently I came in loud and clear to the host, Vicki Gabereau (below), and the 200-odd attendees. And I could hear Vicki great too, but it was really eerie not being able to see anyone while I was up there on the big screen…

I was pretty nervous leading up to my interview, even if it was only to last a few minutes. After all, I used to watch Vicki’s talk show all the time in university and have always admired her. I’d also heard I’d be following a slideshow by Charlotte Gray about her time in Dawson and her recently released book, Gold Diggers: Striking It Rich in the Klondike. Gulp…no pressure, eh?

I don’t actually recall much of what I said – which is often the case when adrenaline and nerves are at play – but near the end I did gather my thoughts enough to give a shout-out to my wonderful mentor Dr. Desmond Morton (sketched below), who was in attendance. And I mentioned that I’d carefully squeezed my book in next to Charlotte’s on the Berton House bookcase. Dorky, but true… and something about snowpants, I think. Double dorky.

The amazing thing is a few minutes after I signed off with Vicki my phone rang. And it was Charlotte on the line! Again, I was so starstruck I don’t really remember what she said, but I’m pretty sure the phone call actually took place.

They also let me hang out on Skype afterwards, and I listened to a recording of Pierre Berton reciting Robert Service’s poem, The Shooting of Dan McGrew, and David Warrack on the piano entertaining folks as they mingled after the program was done. It was quite magical, and if the people physically there enjoyed themselves half as much as I did virtually, the night was a smash success.

(Thank you Elsa, Nigel, Joel and the other folks who made my skype attendance possible!)