My Grandfather’s Legacy

Monday, November 11, 2024

This week from The Walrus:

Finding My Grandfather, a Pilot in the Bomber Command

Mackie’s plane was shot down in 1945. My family is still coming to terms with the loss

BY ERIN MACLEOD

A black-and-white photograph of a man in a WWII pilot uniform, cuddling a baby.

I’ve spent a great deal of time chasing after ways that might allow me to get a sense of who this person was. Though my father was only a baby at the time of Mackie’s death, my grandmother and great‐aunt talked about him all the time—conjuring him up for me and my brother, figuring that the more stories they told, the more we would get to know him. But it seemed to make him less, not more, accessible. As a child, I was convinced that he was this incredible, mystical being—incomparable and incomprehensible at the same time. I learned that he could fly planes, he could play the fiddle, he could dance, he could cook, he was hilarious, he was universally loved, but most of all, he was a war hero, and he was killed in that war. But because I had no access to him, he was a fenced‐off place.

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A blue and white old-timey plate featuring Emily Latimer's farmhouse.

I Can’t Buy a Home, So I’m Fixing Up a Decrepit Farmhouse

In Cape Breton, housing was never an issue. Now I’m priced out—and picking up the power tools

BY EMILY LATIMER

Forget Polite Verse—This Poet Wants You to Feel the Salt and Soil of Newfoundland

Mary Dalton’s fight to preserve her community’s speech

BY NICHOLAS BRADLEY

A hot pink background with black computer keys; one is a tab key, a second is a row of three x's.

How Much Porn Are We Watching? A Lot

And we’re watching more of it in public—buses, libraries, classrooms, and offices

BY ELAINE CRAIG

A photo illustration of a large group of people seen from above, spaced around a large open circle.

We’re Addicted to Being Right

How our need for certainty is poisoning politics

BY MARK KINGWELL

A close up of Donald Trump's face with a faint smile. The background is black.

Why Canada Should Worry about Trump’s Second Coming

The alarming cross-border influence of America’s political turmoil

BY KEN MCGOOGAN

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At The Walrus Talks at Home: Indigenous Perspectives on Belonging, we’ll hear from a panel of leaders and experts from diverse Indigenous nations. They will share stories and experiences of cultivating community, connecting to nature, and growing a shared sense of power and purpose.

Join our online community on November 25 for an evening that will deepen your understanding of Indigenous conceptions of belonging and how the ongoing process of reconciliation can foster more meaningful relationships across society.

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Canadian Time Machine is back!

Kick off the new season with a look at the Royal Canadian Air Force’s 100‐year legacy. Featuring insights from former commanding officer Billy Flynn and Deputy Commander Major General Jamie Speiser‐Blanchet, this episode delves into RCAF milestones, advancements in training, and the evolving role of women in the force.

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This week on What Happened Next, host Nathan Whitlock is joined by Ali Bryan, the award‐winning author of six novels including Takedown, published earlier this year by DCB Young Readers. They talk about their mutual dislike of aspirational novels, the current literary trend against ambiguity in literary fiction, and the elements of a successful and enjoyable book launch. (Spoiler: a ninety‐minute reading is not one of those elements.)

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THE WALRUS THANKS ALL OUR ADVERTISERS. BECOME ONE.

On US election night, I stayed up late with the TV playing and the New York Times Presidential Election page open on my laptop, refreshing constantly for the ballot counts. Odds are, you were glued to the updates too. You know what happened: the stunning comeback of Donald Trump, a convicted felon who tried to overturn the 2020 presidential election.

What made this political season especially exhausting, aside from Trump’s incendiary rhetoric, was the tidal wave of misinformation. As we brace for Canada’s own national election, the need for reliable information is more urgent than ever. If you want a fearlessly independent media source you can trust amidst the bots and billionaires with agendas, you’ve come to the right place.

At The Walrus, we’re committed to delivering fair and fact‐checked reporting that informs, engages, and provokes conversation. But we can’t do it alone. Stand with us to support a future where truth and integrity come first. Donate today.

Carmine Starnino
Editor‐in‐Chief, The Walrus

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