Fiasco over pope's cut civil union quote intensifies impact

ROME — The world premiere of a documentary on Pope Francis was supposed to have been a bright spot for a papacy locked down by a pandemic and besieged by a corruption scandal, recalling Francis’ glory days travelling the world to bless the oppressed.

© Provided by The Canadian Press

But the red carpet rollout of “Francesco” has been anything but bright, with evidence that the Vatican censored the pope last year by deleting his endorsement of same-sex civil unions from an interview, only to have the footage resurface in the new film.

Aside from the firestorm the remarks created, the “Francesco" fiasco has highlighted the Vatican’s often self-inflicted communications wounds and Francis’ willingness to push his own agenda, even at the expense of fueling pushback from conservative Catholics.

That pushback was swift and came from predictable corners: Cardinal Raymond Burke, Francis’ frequent nemesis on matters of doctrine, said the pope’s comments were devoid of any “magisterial weight.” But in a statement, Burke expressed concern that such personal opinions coming from the pope “generate great bewilderment and cause confusion and error among Catholic faithful.”

The kerfuffle began Wednesday with the world premiere of “Francesco,” a feature-length film on Francis and the issues he cares most about: climate change, refugees and social inequality. Midway through, Francis delivers the bombshell quote that gays deserve to be part of the family and that he supported civil unions, or a “ley de convivencia civil” as he said in Spanish — to give them legal protections.

Christopher Lamb of Britain’s The Tablet magazine, noted Friday that in some countries, the rights of gays are a life and death matter, and that Francis was merely positioning the church to defend LGBT Catholics from perhaps deadly discrimination.

“The pope is willing to ‘break a few plates’ to ensure he communicates this Gospel-based message of compassion,” he tweeted.

But the contents of the pope’s words were almost lost in the controversy that ensued over their origin.

At first, film director Evgeny Afineevsky claimed Francis made them directly to him. Then one of Francis’ media advisers said they came from a 2019 interview with Mexican broadcaster Televisa, and were old news as a result.

Televisa confirmed the origin of the quotes, but said they never aired. A source in Mexico said the Vatican, which used its own cameras to shoot the interview and provided raw footage to Televisa afterward, had deleted the civil union quote in question. The source spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the press.

The Vatican has refused to comment and imposed something of a media blackout on the matter. None of the Vatican’s in-house media has reported on the cut quote, and on Friday the Il Fatto Quotidiano daily quoted an email from a staffer in the Vatican’s communications ministry to other staff saying there wouldn’t be any comment, but that “talks are underway to deal with the current media crisis.”

It wasn’t the first time that the Vatican’s communications office has gone into crisis over apparently manipulated images. In 2018, Francis fired the first head of the office, Monsignor Dario Vigano, after he mischaracterized a private letter from retired Pope Benedict XVI, then had a photo of it digitally manipulated and sent out to the media.

In both cases, journalists, who must play by Vatican rules in accepting handout footage of events covered exclusively by Vatican cameras, were misled into assuming the Holy See would abide by traditional journalistic ethics and provide them with unaltered images.

Coincidentally, it was Vigano who first entertained a pitch for a documentary on Francis by Afineevsky, who was nominated for an Oscar for his 2015 documentary “Winter on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom,” which opened the Venice Film Festival that year.

In an Oct. 14 interview with The Associated Press, Afineevsky said he had asked the head of the Venice festival, Alberto Barbera, to help him make inroads with the Vatican, and that Barbera had provided an email of introduction to Vigano in late 2017.

Afineevsky said Vigano, a known movie buff, was already familiar with his work and was open to the idea.

“But he said, ‘Go. Start. Do it. I’m not promising you anything. We will see,’” Afineevsky said.

After Vigano was ousted, his replacement, Paolo Ruffini, kept the line of communications open, as well as the doors to the Vatican television archives.

Afineevsky had free range, and used them to tell the heart-lifting story of Francis’ seven-year papacy, largely through the eyes of the people he impacted. Coming out in the midst of a Vatican corruption scandal dominating Italian headlines for months, the film provided a nostalgic profile of a once globe-trotting papacy that in some ways ended with COVID-19.

About midway through the film, Afineevsky recounts the story of Andrea Rubera, a married gay Catholic who wrote Francis asking for his advice about bringing into the church his three young children with his husband.

It was an anguished question, given the Catholic Church teaches that gay people must be treated with dignity and respect but that homosexual acts are “intrinsically disordered.” The church also holds that marriage is an indissoluble union between man and woman, and that as a result, gay marriage is unacceptable.

In the end, Rubera recounts how Francis urged him to approach his parish transparently and bring the children up in the faith, which he did. After the anecdote ends, the film cuts to Francis’ civil union comments in the Televisa interview.

While it wasn’t clear in the documentary, Francis was merely recounting his position when he was archbishop of Buenos Aires: Then, the former Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio endorsed extending legal civil union protections to gay couples as an alternative to moves to approve same-sex marriage, which he firmly opposed.

As Francis’ biographer Austen Ivereigh recounts in “The Great Reformer,” Bergoglio had ministered to many gay Catholics in Argentina. “He knew their stories of rejection by their families,” Ivereigh wrote, and told gay activists that “he favoured gay rights as well as legal recognition for civil unions, which gay couples could also access.”

The hitch for the pope is a 2003 document from the Vatican’s doctrine office, which states the church’s respect for gay people “cannot lead in any way to approval of homosexual behaviour or to legal recognition of homosexual unions.”

That document was issued after Rome criticized Bergoglio for refusing to speak up strongly when Buenos Aires extended civil union protections to gay couples within the capital region in 2002, Ivereigh wrote.

As pope, Francis had never come out publicly in favour of legal protections for civil unions, and no pontiff before him had, either.

In fact the closest Francis had come before — a 2014 interview with Corriere della Sera in which he spoke in general terms about the need to evaluate such legislation — was followed by a clarification the next day by a Vatican media liaison.

The Rev. James Martin, one of the leading priestly advocates for LGBT Catholics, said the controversy over the pope’s comments would in the end be helpful.

“The intrigue over the video’s origin, and the explosive reaction to the pope’s ongoing support for LGBT people, make the pope’s words look more dangerous, and therefore more powerful,” he said.

Nicole Winfield, The Associated Press

Seth Rogen on fighting cannabis stigma and why pot should be as accepted as beer

TORONTO — When actor Seth Rogen was growing up and smoking cannabis in Vancouver, he recalls there was a constant cloud of shame around the substance that still lingers

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© Provided by The Canadian Press

"I smoke weed all day and every day and have for 20 years … For me, it's like glasses or shoes. It's something I need to navigate my life," Rogen, the star of comedic hits like "Superbad" and "Pineapple Express," told The Canadian Press over a video call on Thursday.

"People have tried to make me feel shame about it over the years or have tried to make me seem like I'm weak or stupid for integrating it so completely into my life, but I'm almost 40 now, I'm married, I have a good job and I have just found that none of the stigmas I was told to be true are true."

And yet, despite recreational cannabis being legalized in Canada two years ago, the stigma persists and the country has yet to do all it can to reverse it, he said.

Rogen is determined to change that. He's been pushing for the expungement of criminal records for cannabis crimes and — with childhood friend-turned-business-partner Evan Goldberg — bringing cannabis products to the masses, so using the substance can become as accepted as alcohol.

The duo just added a lemon-flavoured, cannabis-infused beverage to their line of Houseplant cannabis products made in partnership with Canopy Growth Corp.

Their first beverage, released in May, was a grapefruit sparking water with 2.5 mg of sativa-dominant tetrahydrocannabinol, which has an uplifting impact on drinkers.

They went with lemon this time because consumers had been saying they wanted to try Houseplant products, but weren't a fan of grapefruit. (The grapefruit drink still topped Ontario bestseller lists.)

"That's why my proposed slogan for the lemon drink was 'for people who don't like grapefruit,'" Rogen joked.

The Houseplant drinks join a growing number of beverages on cannabis store shelves with the backing of brands as big as Anheuser-Busch InBev, Molson Canada and Tilray Inc.

The beverages have been making their debut since the start of the year when cannabis edibles were OK'd for sale in the country, making a wave of chocolates, teas and gummies available to consumers.

Goldberg doesn't like that Houseplant drinks fall into the same category as those other products because the brand strives to be sugar-free and create items that aren't going to make you feel bad or crash.

Houseplant would only wade into other categories of edibles if it could produce a healthier product than its competitors can, said Goldberg -- a process he admits "will take a long time."

He and Rogen say time will also be needed for Canada to address the illegal market.

Illicit sellers are still thriving and legal pot prices at the Ontario Cannabis Store only inched towards gaining ground in the fight against their illegal counterparts last month.

Rogen believes the Canadian government's ways of dealing with the illegal market are "not incredibly helpful if their actual goal is to destroy the black market" because they've made it expensive and unenticing to go the legal route.

"There's a reason that we don't buy alcohol illegally anymore. It's because no one has any incentive to sell illegally because they made it very easy to sell alcohol," said Rogen.

"The beer industry has been enabled to thrive in a way that the cannabis industry has not right now and until they are the same, the black market will continue to thrive."

He and Goldberg would like to see a day when alcohol and cannabis products are treated equally, but for now they'll celebrate some small wins like when Goldberg's mom purchased a Houseplant drink last week and loved it.

"Coming from the person who used to scream at me for coming home stoned late at night was a real milestone for me," said Goldberg, a director and producer, who has collaborated with Rogen on films like "Knocked Up," "This is the End" and a forthcoming "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" reboot.

He'd also like to see people replace their bar carts stocked with "bottles of poison" with an array of cannabis products, but knows that is unlikely to happen en masse soon.

Meanwhile, Rogen is waiting for the day that Houseplant products are as easy to obtain as beer.

"It'd be nice if they served it in bars. It also be nice if bars were open, so baby steps."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published October 23, 2020.

Companies in this story: (TSX: WEED)

Tara Deschamps, The Canadian Press

Billy Porter helps examine origins of gay rights movement
2020-10-20

© Provided by The Canadian Press

POST MODERN ZOOT SUIT AND SOMBREO ENSEMBLE 

Billy Porter is busy, pandemic or not.

He’s just appeared in a virtual play about nurses on the front lines. His series “Pose” is returning to production. He's soon to appear in the “Cinderella” remake. He’s writing a memoir — a project he calls the hardest thing he's ever done.

And starting this week, he narrates “EQUAL,” a new docuseries on HBO Max that traces the history of the LGBTQ movement through the Stonewall uprising in 1969.

Porter was born just a few months after Stonewall. He learned about that galvanizing moment for the modern gay rights movement as he grew up. Still. he says, there was a lot about the movement's earlier history that he didn’t know, and was able to learn through the docuseries.

In four episodes, the series, premiering Thursday, looks at the rise of early gay rights organizations like the Mattachine Society and Daughters of Bilitis; the 20th century transgender experience; the role of the Black community in gay rights; and then Stonewall.

Porter sat down recently to speak to The Associated Press about the project, his other work, and how he’s been coping during the pandemic. (The interview has been condensed for length.)

AP: You were born just after the Stonewall uprising; do you remember when you first became aware of it?

Porter: I came out when I was 15, about 1985. The research wasn’t really at our fingertips as it is now, but we found it some way. There were some older survivors who would teach us. It was always nice to know as a baby gay that there was somebody out there who was fighting for our rights. Just as I intersect with the African American community and our civil rights. The two are aligned in many ways for me. It helps remind those of us in the fight on the regular that good is possible. And the work is eternal. Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty is what Frederick Douglass says.

AP: Tell us about “EQUAL."

Porter: It was really interesting for me as somebody who knows a lot about LGBTQ history... there’s a lot of stuff in the four-part series I had not heard about before. So it’s always nice to learn something new. (It’s about) everything before the Stonewall riots. I think there’s a lot of information at the fingertips post-Stonewall, (but) there’s not a whole lot of talk about what came before Stonewall, so it’s really interesting.

AP: You recently did a public service announcement during the Emmys, basically saying that Hollywood is making an effort toward more inclusive representation, but there’s a lot farther to go.

Porter: That is the direct message for the entertainment industry. But in the macro, it’s the message for the world at large. Not just America, for the entire world. You know, it’s time. It’s time to make a change and a change for good. And it’s about people rising up and making that so. So that’s what you’re seeing right now. And I think what’s interesting about this series is that it’s about people taking charge of their lives and rising up and making sure that we live up to what our Constitution boasts, which is that all men are created equal.

AP: The pandemic has changed lives. How has yours changed?

Porter: It’s a global reset, that’s what I’ve been calling it. I’ve really been trying to make lemonade out of lemons. I’ve leaned in to my self-care work. I’ve leaned into boundaries and balance in relation to how I engage in the business and how I protect my relationships, my marriage, my family, everything. You know, I really feel like, as horrible as this is, the silver lining is that everybody is awake. And if you’re not awake now and if you don’t see it for what it is now, you never will. All of the issues have been laid bare.

AP: Your roots are in live theatre, a world obviously in crisis now. What do you you see happening with theatre?

Porter: I don’t know. We’ve never been here before. ‘The show must go on’ has always been the motto. But the show is not going on. It is very depressing to walk through New York City and midtown. I have never seen it like this. I do believe that when it’s time to come back and it’s safe to come back, people will come back. But who’s to say when it’s going to be safe?

AP: Do you see yourself performing live theatre again?”

Porter: Of course. I will always do theatre. Theater is the first love, theatre is the reason why I’m sitting here. So I will always, always return to the theatre.

AP: How about fashion. Where do you see that world going?

Porter: Fashion is art. And art always survives. Art is how civilizations heal. That’s what (late author) Toni Morrison says. Art has to reflect the time that it’s in. What that looks like, I don’t know. You know, that’s up to the artist, personal discretion and personal voice. But I know for certain that it will come back. It actually hasn’t gone anywhere. It’s been flourishing. I was just at Christian Siriano's show at his new house in Connecticut last week. And it was was breathtaking to see the political fashion art that has come out of this. It’s a direct response, an antidote to what we’re living through.

AP: You’re writing a memoir. How has that process been?

Porter: It’s a very difficult process. Yes, it is! It’s the most difficult thing I’ve ever had to do. Because I’m trying to tell the truth and I’m trying to help somebody. So that means digging deep, and it’s hard.

Jocelyn Noveck, The Associated Press

A look inside the disturbing history of K-pop
Caroline Décoste 
They make young girls and boys swoon the world over, but behind K-pop bands lies a dark and secretive industry

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The world of Korean pop (K-pop) is notorious for the immense pressure its artists are put under. Singer SHINee, real name Kim Jong-hyun, committed suicide in 2017, saying that he felt “broken from inside.” Fellow K-pop star Sulli, real name Choi Jin-ri from the band f(x), also committed suicide in October 2019 after having spoken openly about suffering from cyberbullying.

Weighing in both morning and night, having no romantic attachments (let alone sexual relations), not taking drugs, spending hours in the gym and dancing with weights attached to their feet, undergoing plastic surgery, not eating candy or chips and having no time off: this is the kind of routine Korean pop idols are subjected to. It’s also the reality of apprentice idols, who attend “colleges” that train future pop stars.

As K-pop is an extremely lucrative industry, the contracts that artists enter into are not to be taken lightly. They’ve been called “slave contracts” because of their shocking clauses: if an artist wants to leave their record label, they have to repay the investment two or three times over. The same goes for the training schools: they have to be paid back once an act becomes famous. If an artist struggles to fill a venue, they have to pay the difference! All of this in addition to the threat of being replaced at any moment, and a career that expires the moment you turn 30.

Scandals

In 2019, the Korean pop industry was shaken by a scandal involving Seungri, a member of Big Bang. The singer was reported to have provided prostitution services for foreign investors and embezzled funds, as well as having posted videos of a sexual nature filmed by singer Jung Joon-young without the women’s knowledge on discussion forums. The scandal was nicknamed Burning Sun, after the club owned by Seungri.

Not only did Jung Joon-young film young women without their knowledge, but he was also found guilty of gang raping several drunk young women, along with singer Choi Jong-hoon (formerly a member of FT Island). He then posted the videos of these rapes on private forums.

Rigged charts and rigged votes

In South Korea, the manipulation of pop music charts has a name: sajaegi. By tweaking the algorithm, songs are played on a loop by streaming services to inflate statistics and keep songs at the number one spot. Even members of BTS, the world’s most popular Korean band, have called out this practice.

Winners of the TV show Produce X 101, the South Korean band X1 has disbanded amid allegations of rigged votes. The show’s director and producer have been charged with taking bribes worth tens of millions of Korean won to fix the public vote in favour of certain members.

With 'husbands' remark, Trump has sealed his fate with women (opinion)

As President Donald Trump pleaded for the support of suburban women at a Michigan rally Tuesday evening (amidst a pandemic and economic crisis that have caused a mass exodus of women from the workforce), he argued that he deserved their votes because "we're getting your husbands back to work." The implications here -- that he believes all women have or should have husbands and that workplaces are the province of men -- are so sexist and outmoded that they will likely alarm American women who have long become accustomed to inappropriate treatment from their commander in chief.

© Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images LANSING, MICHIGAN - OCTOBER 27: U.S. President Donald Trump addresses thousands of supporters during a campaign rally at Capital Region International Airport October 27, 2020 in Lansing, Michigan. With one week until Election Day, Trump is campaigning in Michigan, a state he won in 2016 by less than 11,000 votes, the narrowest margin of victory in the state's presidential election history. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Before this rally, women were already fleeing from Trump -- in CNN's pre-election polls, Biden's support among White women (the ones Trump is clearly angling for when he says "suburban") is 18 points higher than that of Hillary Clinton when she ran against Trump four years ago. But, with these latest remarks, the President has probably put the final nail in his own reelection chances with many women voters.

Before Tuesday, it would have been hard to imagine how Trump could have offended women more than he already has. The president has, of course, been accused of sexual misconduct by more than two dozen women (allegations he denies) and been caught on tape bragging that he can get away with sexual assault. He has regularly disparaged and demeaned women -- including his own daughter -- by talking about their appearances rather than their accomplishments and by calling them offensive names. But previously, I argued when he called prominent women "nasty," for example, that he was a misogynist but not necessarily a sexist. On Tuesday evening, Trump made clear that he is both.

A man who is a misogynist, according to Cornell philosopher Kate Manne, punishes women who won't do what he wants. Trump's behavior has long made it evident that he fits this bill. Meanwhile, a sexist, Manne says, believes men are better than women at things like business or sports.

Before Tuesday's comments, it wasn't entirely clear that Trump was a sexist; he did put some women in powerful positions in his administration and in the Trump Organization. But by appealing to suburban women to support him because he's helping their husbands, Trump suggested he believes the workplace is the proper domain of men. This is textbook sexism.

Of course, Trump's assumption that all women have -- or should have -- husbands is also terribly retrograde and offensive and will almost certainly be off-putting to single women (among others). Unmarried women are more than a quarter of the country's population, according to the Women's Voices Women Vote Action Fund.

His sexism isn't even the most jaw-dropping of the implications made by these offensive remarks -- that's reserved for how divorced they are from the reality of what American women are really going through. Trump says he's looking out for the husbands, but it's women themselves who need help getting back to work: over 800,000 of the 1.1 million people who left the workforce between August and September were women, according to the National Women's Law Center.

This is unsurprising, since job losses have been especially concentrated in sectors where there are more women, according to the International Monetary Fund, while moms have also been disproportionately taking on the impossible burdens of trying to juggle work, childcare, and home schooling while their kids have been home during the pandemic. Of course, these resume gaps will be devastating to the careers of the women who have lost or left their jobs. According to a 2020 study, Americans with the most employment gaps earn salaries that are 40% lower later on.

But the exodus of this many women from the workplace will also be terrible for the country overall, because it will deprive many organizations of the well-established benefits of women's leadership and influence. Companies with more women and cultural diversity have significantly better financial outcomes, according to the consulting firm McKinsey & Company. But it usually isn't enough to have just one or two women. Studies consistently find that women must make up at least 20-30% of an institution before they actually shape outcomes. The mass departure of women could deprive organizations of this critical mass, which will make it even harder for our economy to recover. It's astonishing that a president who claims to be a successful businessman doesn't recognize this.

Yet while Trump may not understand that the way to help struggling women -- and his floundering campaign -- isn't by focusing on men, his remarks do help women understand the president even better. They suggest that he thinks that it is men who belong in the workplace and that women all are or should be married. I suspect that women will respond on Tuesday by putting Trump in his own rightful place -- and voting him out of office

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© c/o Kara Alaimo Kara Alaimo

Stevie Nicks Admits The TikTok-Driven Resurgence Of Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Dreams’ Has ‘Blown My Mind’

Stevie Nicks admits her mind has been blown to see a Fleetwood Mac hit she wrote nearly 50 years ago return to the charts thanks to a social media app.

CBS Sunday Morning

The 72-year-old singer spoke with Tracy Smith of "CBS This Morning" about how Fleetwood Mac's 1977 hit "Dreams" has received a newfound burst of popularity thanks to a video on TikTok that went viral, of Nathan Apodaca riding his skateboard to work while chugging from a bottle of cranberry juice while blasting "Dreams".

- 16m TikTok views

- 2000% increase in streams of Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Dreams’

- Nathon Apodaca has received $10k+ in donations from fans

- Accidentally created the coolest Ocean Spray advert ever

So many parties have benefitted. pic.twitter.com/jgruxuN2Aa

— Paris (@ParisaParmar) October 1, 2020

"So four decades after 'Dreams' and Rumours came out, they're both in the top 10 again," Smith told Nicks.

RELATED: Mick Fleetwood Surprises Nathan Apodaca From Viral ‘Dreams’ TikTok Video

"I know," Nicks marvelled. "This TikTok thing has, kind of, blown my mind. And I'm happy about it because it seems to have made so many people happy."

Rock star @StevieNicks, in her own words https://t.co/tKtOaPBuHa pic.twitter.com/KHUY94oygI

— CBS Sunday Morning 🌞 (@CBSSunday) October 25, 2020

One thing she's not happy about is being sidelined from performing due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"Time is being stolen from all of us," Nicks said. "Absolutely. Especially if you're 72 years old."

"Does that weigh on you?" Smith asked.

"Yeah, it does. When you're really working, you really stay young. You stay young because you have to," Nicks replied. "But, when you're just sitting around in your house, I think that Old Man Time starts to get ahold of you."

RELATED: Stevie Nicks Joins TikTok By Lacing Up Her Roller Skates To Recreate Viral ‘Dreams’ Video

Smith also asked Nicks if she's had "a great love" in her life.

"Yeah. Three," she admitted. "But it's not easy to be Mr. Stevie Nicks. Even if you happen to be Mr. Really Famous Rock Star Guy."

On #MeToo anniversary, leaders say focus is on inequality

DETROIT — When #MeToo movement founder Tarana Burke thinks about the group's future as the world celebrates its anniversary, her vision is clear.

© Provided by The Canadian Press

It predates the moment that most people know — when the #MeToo hashtag went viral three years ago on Oct. 15, 2017, sparking a global conversation about sexual harassment and assault.

For her, that mission emerged years earlier — in 2006, when Burke, after a career of community service, began working directly with survivors, many of whom were young Black girls and children of colour.

“It sort of triggered something in me because I had experienced sexual violence myself as a child,” Burke said. “What would my life have been like if somebody had intervened at 12, 14 or 16, even just to say that I deserve healing, and that I deserve wellness and wholeness and joy?"

“And so it started off trying to bring those messages, that idea of healing into these young women’s lives and using the power of empathy,” she said.

As the #MeToo movement marks the third year since it received global recognition, Burke is working to make sure it remains inclusive and reclaims its original intent: A focus on marginalized voices and experiences.

She sees that path forward through Dani Ayers, a 39-year-old Black woman who quietly, yet with a bold vision, transitioned into becoming the movement’s CEO in July after joining the organization in 2018.

In a year marked by a nationwide reckoning over systemic racism and inequities that have disproportionately impacted Black Americans, the #MeToo movement is now jointly led by two Black women keenly aware of the inequality that has long existed in America — something they find both empowering and challenging.

“I think it’s a testament and it’s a representation of the fact that there are many movements that have been started by Black women. The Black Lives Matter movement was also started by Black women,” Ayers told the Associated Press in her first joint interview with Burke.

“It’s an opportunity to shine a light. We are absolutely centring Black women and girls, people of colour, queer, trans, disabled folks in our work because we know that solving and interrupting the issue of sexual violence in those communities means ending sexual violence everywhere.”

Several events are planned to mark the third anniversary, including the announcement of the new leadership structure and a survey of survivors that Burke and Ayers expect will reignite momentum behind the movement. Their goal is to create a global network of organizations united behind the movement to end sexual violence.

But after a groundswell of support from celebrities, politicians, marches and more, they said it’s been challenging to keep the spotlight on the need for funding to continue the fight against sexual violence.

As Black women, they said it’s frustrating that many don’t see the intersection of race and the sexual violence women of colour endure.

“We’ve got to make that connection clear for folks,” Ayers said. “We’ve seen money start to be pushed to Black-led organizations and it needs to happen, but sexual violence has not seen that same funding support. And I think it’s because folks don’t automatically understand the intersection of sexual violence and structural racism. And so we really have a lot of work to do.”

They also noted the Breonna Taylor case and the #SayHerName campaign, which brings attention to Black women like Taylor whose cases go unheard or are silenced.

Burke said she herself has dealt firsthand with the erasure that Black women often endure, when people failed to acknowledge the #MeToo movement was started and led by Black women and people of colour.

“I’ve heard people … not acknowledge that there is a Black woman right now trying to hold this narrative, hold this work and push a narrative forward that is opposite of what we’ve heard in the news, about it being about Hollywood and white women, powerful white men, or powerful men, period,” Burke said.

“So as a Black woman, I feel both the pride and the burden of carrying this kind of work forward," she said.

The coronavirus pandemic has also presented unique challenges for the movement.

During the pandemic, the group has seen a 20% rise in intimate partner violence and increased concerns about child sexual assaults, Ayers said, so they've shifted toward offering virtual resources and programming, including a survey that revealed stark disparities.

“We're hearing Black survivors say, ‘I don’t have money to eat,'” Ayers said. “The disparity is just growing as a result of the pandemic and we need to be able to talk about that, not only in a qualitative way but we need the data to be able to help those who have money understand where we need to be pushing resources and why.”

Ayers and Burke also recognize the power that survivors hold — especially in this moment as the nation is just weeks away from selecting its next president after a campaign fraught with divisiveness.

Burke late last year launched #MeTooVoter as a way to galvanize the millions who have supported the movement. Both Burke and Ayers view survivors as a significant voting bloc whose voices deserve to be heard.

While the group has not officially endorsed either candidate, the women said they have serious concerns about what another four years of President Donald Trump would mean for survivors of sexual violence.

“I think we are in a critical moment and survivors’ voices in this moment should be the loudest,” Burke said.

“If we look at the two candidates, for a lot of people, neither of them are their top choice," she said. Trump has faced multiple accusations of assault and harassment, all of which he denies. Earlier this year, a former Senate staffer accused Democrat Joe Biden of sexually assaulting her in 1993, which Biden has denied.

“But this fight that we have will continue, not just for the next four years, it will continue for the next four decades. We have a person right now who won’t even get in the fight, who won’t even engage in the conversation," Burke said. “I think survivors are lined up to get Trump out of office.”

But beyond the election, Ayers is hopeful about the work that remains.

“The survivors, they inspire me every day,” she said. “We’re creating a culture inside this organization that gives people the space to be who they are and to show up as their full selves. There are so many people working to end sexual violence and watching their work inspires me. So there is hope.”

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Kat Stafford is a member of The Associated Press’ Race and Ethnicity team. Follow her on Twitter at https://twitter.com/kat__stafford

Film depicts Black Lives Matter, #MeToo as new feminist wave

LOS ANGELES — The documentary genre’s power of immediacy is evident in “Not Done: Women Remaking America," which includes the still-unfolding possibility of the first Black female vice-president and the loss of Breonna Taylor.

© Provided by The Canadian Press

The film depicts a powerful female-driven advocacy, one represented by Black Lives Matter, #MeToo and other 21st-century movements that have built on and transcended past efforts.

“There is a newfound language around who gets to claim feminism,” Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors says in the film debuting Tuesday on PBS (check local stations for time).

Or as Gloria Steinem puts it: “Now it’s a majority and it’s unapologetic. Now we know it’s a revolution."

While the enduring feminist leader provides context, this era's activists are centre stage. Among the voices: a Native American who's in her teens but already a veteran activist with a global perspective —and gender confidence.

“If I’m not fighting against the climate crisis, I’m fighting for Indigenous rights,” Tokata Iron Eyes says in the film. “If I’m not fighting for Indigenous rights, I’m still a brown person. And then I’m still a woman, which is also like a superpower at the same time.”

“Not Done” is an extension of 2013's “Makers: Women Who Make America,” about the late 20th-century quest for female equality, and a 2014 follow-up series. There's also an ongoing Makers initiative to advance the cause.

“Part of what was becoming obvious about the period we were living through was that women were back in the streets” after settling into complacency, said Sara Wolitzky, the film's director. There's an "awakening that sexism, racism and transphobia are entrenched” and collective action is required.

Women leading the charge is nothing new, although their work often has gone uncredited, Cullors said in an interview.

In America's civil rights movement, “the most visible have always been men.... I think there was an unfortunate perspective that women were to contribute, but not receive any accolades for the contribution that we’ve given,” she said.

There's a who’s who of activists in “Not Done,” which moves briskly from historical prologue through the roller coaster ride the country has been on since Democratic presidential contender Hillary Clinton failed to shatter what she called the highest, hardest glass ceiling.

Her 2016 loss to Donald Trump fueled the nationwide women’s march, which quickly revealed the fractures that haunted the “second wave” feminism of the 1960s and ’70s: what critics saw as a blinkered focus on white women’s issues.

Before thousands of pink hats bobbed down America's streets, the initially white-organized event was called out by women of colour who were giving it “kind of side-eye,” Linda Sarsour recounts in the film.

“I'm supposed to go follow, like, a bunch of white ladies who never marched with us before?" was the reaction, she said. When Sarsour pointed out the need for others to be included, including Muslims, she was among those invited to join as leaders.

When “Not Done" pivots to the issue of sexual abuse, it calls on Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey of The New York Times to detail their reporting that toppled Hollywood powerbroker Harvey Weinstein and propelled the #MeToo crusade originated years before by Tarana Burke.

America Ferrera, Natalie Portman and other celebrities got involved (leading to creation of the Time's Up initiative) and found an unlikely ally: the National Women’s Farm Workers Association, which offered its support over a shared problem.

“It was such a revolutionary act of love,” Ferrera says in the film. “They saw past vast things that divide our experiences in this world, and chose to stand in solidarity.”

There's a retelling of how Black Lives Matter was launched by Cullors, Opal Tometi and Alicia Garza after Florida jurors acquitted the man who killed teenager Trayvon Martin. The three founders insisted on melding feminism and racial justice.

“Patrisse and I and Opal have been very clear from the beginning that it’s all of us or none of us. Black women, black queer and trans folks are disproportionately impacted by the criminal justice system, by policing, by issues of safety, violence, and harm,” Garza says in the film.

“Not Done” also recounts the rancorous confirmation hearing for Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and the rise of female lawmakers. It concludes with footage of Democratic vice-presidential contender Kamala Harris expressing her gratitude to “the heroic and ambitious women before me,” and a portrait of Kentucky police shooting victim Taylor gracing the expanse of an outdoor sports court.

While equality and justice are very much works in progress there is reason for optimism, Wolitzky said.

"The one thing you know for sure is that all of the women that we see in the film are incredibly brilliant, courageous and determined. Women are are not going to be giving up,” she said.

___

Lynn Elber can be reached at lelber@ap.org and is on Twitter at http://twitter.com/lynnelber.

Lynn Elber, The Associated Press

Animals, people rescue each other in heartfelt docuseries

LOS ANGELES — In a new docuseries, a child who uses a walker meets a dog with its own version of wheels. Inmates find solace in training canines for adoption, and pigs strut their stuff in a “body positivity" celebration.

© Provided by The Canadian Press

That and more is part of “That Animal Rescue Show,” an endearing project that reflects its unexpected creators as well as its stars, human and otherwise. All 10 episodes are out Oct. 29 on the CBS All Access streaming service.

“What the series is about is people rescuing animals, and animals rescuing people,” said Oscar-winning documentarian Bill Guttentag ("Twin Towers," “You Don't Have to Die”), one of the big names behind this small gift of touching and quirky stories.

The other: Oscar-nominated filmmaker Richard Linklater (“Boyhood"), who acknowledges that a documentary is a rare venture for him. But he sees a connection to his films, which include “School of Rock” and the bookend romances “Before Sunrise” and “Before Midnight.”

“I’ve often done films about people who are kind of obsessed or passionate people. That’s what you’re looking for in a story,” he said.

He and his collaborators, including Nayeema Raza, Guttentag's writing-producing partner, committed to holding themselves and the series to a high standard.

“Rick said something to us which I thought was just great,” Guttentag recalled. “’What I’d really like to do is come up with 10 little documentaries that could all make it into Sundance (film festival) on their own.’”

An episode of “That Animal Rescue Show,” which had largely completed taping before the pandemic hit, cleared that bar with an episode that was accepted by the Telluride festival before it and others were cancelled due to COVID-19.

Even the title sequence is notable, a nod to the early photographic sequence that captured a galloping horse with all hooves off the ground. Cats, chickens and pigs are among those who get the cinematic treatment here.

The project found a myriad of subjects in and around Austin, Texas, where longtime resident Linklater has a farm and where the idea for the series was born.

Networking credit goes to Dood, the Linklater family pig that drew the filmmaker into the company of the Central Texas Pig Rescue and managing member Dan Illescas, described by Linklater as “kind of a pig behaviourist.”

Besides being schooled by Illescas on pigs — “You want to treat them like dogs, but they’re not dogs. They’re pigs,” — Linklater said he was introduced to the volunteer operation caring for some 200 homeless pigs. (Many are given up by owners who find their so-called “mini-pig” is an underfed animal destined to grow, Illescas says in the series.)

“I met another guy who had a pig rescue and I was like, ’Wow, this is a whole subculture,” said Linklater. Impressed by the commitment of the animal rescuers, “it just felt like something worth sharing.”

Among the gems that are showcased: Safe in Austin, created by a mom who saw a service dog help her son with autism to blossom. It's a haven for a menagerie of abused and neglected animals, visited by children with challenges who “pet, and love and heal alongside the animals,” as owner Jamie Wallace Griner says in the series.

The Guttentag-directed episode that was bound for Telluride highlights the Paws in Prison program at a correctional facility. Dogs in need of adoption are paired with inmates who are given the skills to train them and a shot at new confidence.

And there is, really, a pageant to celebrate porcine heft featured in episode three.

The series' approach is far removed from rote reality TV, Guttentag said, “where they cast you and you play that role, whether or not that’s who you are. In our show, the folks you see, that’s who they are.”

The soundtrack features local Austin bands playing cover versions of tunes by artists including Paul McCartney, Carole King and Willie Nelson — all of whom made their work available at a “very reduced” fee, Guttentag said.

“Once you start moving down this track of trying to show compassion, I think people want to be a part of it,” he said.

Raza offers an expansive and hopeful take on the series' appeal.

“So much of the world right now and the content we’re consuming is about differences, and I think this is really a show about the universal elements of humanity," Raza said. "There’s something equalizing when you know a story is real, and for us there’s something equalizing when you see a human and animal rescue each other.”

___

Lynn Elber can be reached at lelber@ap.org and is on Twitter at http://twitter.com/lynnelber.

___

This story was first published on Oct. 21, 2020. It was updated on Oct. 22, 2020, to correct the name of a Richard Linklater film. The correct title is “Boyhood,” not “About a Boy.”

Lynn Elber, The Associated Press

Maestro Fresh Wes lends voice to charity single on Toronto gun violence awareness
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Maestro Fresh Wes lends voice to charity single on Toronto gun violence awareness


TORONTO — Eight Canadian hip hop artists, including Maestro Fresh Wes and Jelleestone, have lent their voices to a new charity single that speaks out against Toronto gun violence

.

© Provided by The Canadian Press

“Wish I Could” debuted on streaming services today with verses from other Canadian artists, including R&B singer Jrdn and local rappers JD Era, Bizz Loc, Turk and Roney.

The song addresses the senseless deaths and a wish to "bring back the loved ones we lost."

The track was produced by Dub J as the launchpad for an initiative he’s calling “Enough is Enough,” which aims to unite local business and community leaders around the cause and draw nationwide awareness.

The producer says money raised by the single, and donations to an "Enough is Enough" fundraiser, will be distributed to local communities impacted by rising gun violence.

Toronto is expected to surpass last year’s record number of shootings even in the pandemic.

According to police data last updated on Monday, there have been 409 incidents of shootings and firearm discharges this year, with 35 people being killed.

Two years ago, rapper Kardinal Offishall, filmmaker Director X and producer Taj Critchlow met with Toronto Mayor John Tory to discuss possible solutions to Toronto's gun violence.

The meeting came days after two men associated with the local rap scene – 21-year-old Jahvante Smart, also known as Smoke Dawg, and 28-year-old Ernest Modekwe – had been killed in a shooting in the downtown area.

Around the same time, Drake’s producer Noah Shebib took to his Instagram account to express concern that the murders were being framed as all gang-related. He pointed to a “troubling” focus on increased policing, instead of improved funding for community resources.

"Enough is Enough" fundraiser on PayPal: https://paypal.me/enoughisenoughto

Follow @dfriend on Twitter.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published October 23, 2020.

David Friend, The Canadian Press

Tim Burton Pitches Rebooted ‘The Addams Family’ Live-Action TV Series

"The Addams Family" is revving to entertain a new generation.

© Photo: CPImages "Addams Family Values" cast Carol Kane, Christina Ricci, Raul Julia, Carel Struysken, Anjelica Huston, Christopher Lloyd, Jimmy Workman.

RELATED: ‘The Addams Family’ Is Back In First Teaser For Animated Sequel

Tim Burton is pitching a new live-action television series based on the iconic Addams family, according to Deadline.

Burton is currently negotiating to executive produce and possibly direct the entirety of the series. "Smallville" executive producers Alfred Gough and Miles Millar are expected to serve as head writers and showrunners.

If "The Addams Family" reboot comes to fruition, it would be the first major live-action TV series under the helm of Burton. The reimagined series is expected to take place in present time and focuses on the perspective of Wednesday Addams.

MGM TV controls the underlying rights to the IP and has financed the development of the series. Multiple buyers are currently bidding for the project. Netflix is believed to be the frontrunner.

RELATED: Christina Aguilera Drops ‘Addams Family’ Track ‘Haunted Heart’

The original "The Addams Family" TV series aired from 1964 to 1966. It was rebooted with the 1991 Oscar-nominated movie starring Anjelica Huston, before a couple more follow-up movie sequels and "The New Addams Family" TV series in the late '90s.

Then in 2019, the animated movie, starring the voices of Charlize Theron, Oscar Isaac and Choe Grace Moretz, came to the big screen. An animated sequel is set for 2021.

Alyssa Wapanatâhk, A Cree Actress From Alberta, Will Play Tiger Lily In The New 'Peter Pan'

Maija Kappler 2020-10-21

Get used to saying Alyssa Wapanatâhk’s name.

The 22-year-old Cree actress from Alberta was just cast as Tiger Lily in Disney’s upcoming live-action remake of “Peter Pan.” She’s joining as cast that includes Jude Law as Captain Hook, Milla Jovovich’s daughter Ever Anderson as Wendy, and New Zealand newcomer Alexander Molnoy as Peter.

Wapanatâhk’s agent confirmed that she had been cast in the role, but told HuffPost Canada that she’s not yet doing interviews.

But here’s what we do know about her: she was born in Fort McMurray and grew up in Conklin, Alta. She’s a member of the Bigstone Cree First Nation and her reservation is Wabasca, southwest of Fort McMurray in Treaty 8 territory.

Earlier this month, she opted to change her name from Alyssa Alook to Alyssa Wapanatâhk. “Wapanatâhk” was a name she was given at birth, which translates to “first star in the sky” or “morning star,” she wrote on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/p/CGBN9QfBoab/?utm_source=ig_embed

She gave her daughter, who was born in spring 2019, a Cree name, Nitanis, and wants to speak the language with her.

“It feels very right to change my name to this now. I have so much love and respect for my culture and nehiyawewin, the Cree language,” she said.

“It is a part of my goal in this world to bring our language back, and to learn it day by day.”

Last year, she made a short film, “The Boy and the Braid,” about an Indigenous teenager’s relationship with his hair and his cultural traditions. The movie was one of the first-ever recipients of the Telus Indigenous Storyteller Edition grants.

Wapanatâhk’s role as Tiger Lily will be interesting to watch. The character, an Indigenous princess, has been tricky to get right in film. She was certainly written as an offensive stereotype in J.M. Barrie’s original 1904 play, and predictably, Disney’s 1953 animated version didn’t do much to give the Indigenous characters more depth or humanity. (Remember “What Makes the Red Man Red?”)

But Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate, a Chickasaw composer who worked on NBC’s 2014 “Peter Pan Live,” told The Guardian that the character reflects the actor and the culture that continues to re-create her, “and even as a culture we do grow and get better.” Tiger Lily’s bravery, strong will and significant charisma could make her a compelling character, if writers are willing to do the work to understand the cultural context she comes from.

Unfortunately, most of them haven’t, over the course of the half-dozen adaptations we’ve had in the last few decades. The character was cut out of 1991′s “Hook,” and in the 2015 adaptation, she was played by white actress Rooney Mara. The 2003 movie, though, cast Haida actor Carsen Gray, and the 2011 miniseries “Neverland” featured Q’orianka Kilcher, an actor with Quechua roots.

Disney hasn’t yet released any information about the upcoming remake, beyond the casting. But we look forward to seeing what the movie — and Wapanatâhk in particular — have in store.

Over 60 exhibits damaged at Berlin museums, motive a mystery

2020-10-21

BERLIN — More than 60 artworks and artifacts at some of Berlin's best-known museums were smeared with an oily liquid by an unknown perpetrator or perpetrators earlier this month, authorities said Wednesday. They were hopeful that the apparently random damage can be repaired, but said the motive was a mystery. 

© Provided by The Canadian Press

The works at the Museum Island complex, a UNESCO world heritage site in the heart of the German capital that is one of the city’s main tourist attractions, were targeted at some point between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Oct. 3. Investigators said they had watched hours of surveillance camera footage but hadn't found any obvious sign of anyone applying the liquid.

In all, 63 works at the Pergamon Museum, the Alte Nationalgalerie and the Neues Museum were affected, said Christina Haak, the deputy director of Berlin's state museums. There was no thematic link between the targeted works, and “no pattern is discernible” to the perpetrator's approach, Haak added.

The liquid was oily but not corrosive, said Friederike Seyfried, the director of Berlin's Egyptian collection, which is housed in the Neues Museum. She wouldn't give more specific details of the colorless fluid, citing the ongoing investigation.

Carsten Pfohl, a senior official with Berlin's criminal police office, said that more than 3,000 people visited the Museum Island on Oct. 3, a Saturday on which Germany marked the 30th anniversary of its reunification. Complicating investigators' efforts, most of that day's tickets were sold on site and only 1,400 personalized tickets had been booked in advance; all who ordered the latter have been contacted by email to ask whether they noticed anything untoward.

Police said they had decided initially not to go public about the incident out of “tactical considerations related to the investigation.” On Tuesday night, the weekly Die Zeit and Deutschlandfunk radio broke the story. On Wednesday, police called for witnesses to come forward with any accounts of suspicious people or events they noticed on Oct. 3.

It wasn't clear how the liquid was applied to the works, Pfohl said. They appeared to have been chosen at random, and investigators are inclined to believe that a lone perpetrator was responsible, he added — but they aren't ruling out multiple perpetrators.

Pfohl said that police are investigating “in every direction” but wouldn't participate in local media speculation that conspiracy theorists might be involved.

There was no indication of it being “an act that speaks for itself,” he added. “This is a variety of objects that do not have any immediate connection in terms of context ... we have no self-incriminating letter or anything like that, so we have to assume for now that the motive is completely unclear.”

Pfohl said that the incident isn't unique because artifacts in museums in other countries have been attacked with liquids over recent years. Officials weren't aware of any threats. The damage was discovered by museum staff.

Seyfried said the works affected didn't include any paintings and also weren't among the complex's best-known attractions. Those attractions include treasures such as the Pergamon Altar, Babylon’s Ishtar Gate and a famous bust of Egyptian Queen Nefertiti.

Germany's culture minister, Monika Gruetters, strongly condemned the damage to the artworks.

She said in a statement that “there is justified hope that the damage can be repaired," but said that Berlin's state museums once again need to answer questions over their security precautions.

In March 2017, burglars broke into the Bode Museum, part of the Museum Island, and made off with a 100-kilogram (221-pound) Canadian gold coin known as the “Big Maple Leaf.”

The suspects are believed to have smashed a protective case and then lifted the coin out of a museum window before fleeing along a railway track with their haul in a wheelbarrow. It was never recovered.

Haak said the museums' security concept is constantly being reviewed and officials are considering how to improve it, but “100% security for the objects would mean in principle having to withdraw them from public view.”

Geir Moulson, The Associated Press

Hamilton-born artist Kapwani Kiwanga wins France's prestigious Prix Machel Duchamp

2020-10-20

Canadian artist Kapwani Kiwanga has won one of France's most prestigious visual arts prizes.

© Provided by The Canadian Press

The Hamilton-born, Paris-based creator received the Prix Marcel Duchamp, which comes with a cheque for 35,000 euros (the equivalent of roughly $54,000), on Monday.

Her installation, "Flowers for Africa," is being exhibited at the Centre Pompidou in Paris as part of a group show featuring the prize's four finalists.

The work deals with Kiwanga's recurring themes of colonial appropriation and marginalized histories.

Before attending the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris, Kiwanga studied anthropology at McGill University. She often draws from this academic background in her research-based practice spanning sculpture, installation, photography, video and performance.

In addition to having her works exhibited at galleries around the world, Kiwanga won Canada's Sobey Art Award and the U.S.-based Frieze Artist Award in 2018.

The Association for the International Promotion of French Art awards the Prix Marcel Duchamp annually with the aim of raising the global profile of France's top contemporary talent.

This year's runners-up are French-British artist Alice Anderson, Morocco-born artist Hicham Berrada and Chilean artist Enrique Ramirez.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 20, 2020.

Zambian-Canadian Rapper Backxwash Wins 2020 Polaris Music Prize

Becca Longmire 2020-10-20

Zambian-Canadian rapper Backxwash is the winner of the 2020 Polaris Music Prize for the album God Has Nothing To Do With This Leave Him Out Of It.

© Credit: Polaris Music Prize

The Montreal-based artist said of the big win, “Be as honest as you want to be and create the art that you want to."

This is Backxwash’s first Polaris Music Prize honour.

The Prize, which was presented by CBC Music, goes to the best Canadian album of the year based on artistic merit without regard to genre, sales history, or label affiliation.

It was determined by a grand jury of 11 music media professionals drawn from the greater Polaris jury pool of 201 writers, editors, broadcasters, DJs, and personalities from across the country. This was the 15th edition of the Polaris Music Prize.

RELATED: Polaris Music Prize 2020 Long List: The Weeknd, Jessie Reyez, Daniel Caesar 

Backxwash’s victory comes with a $50,000 reward. The nine other short-list nominees, including Caribou, Junia-T, and Pantayo, each received $3,000, courtesy of Slaight Music.

Backxwash’s name was revealed by Polaris 2019 winner Haviah Mighty, live from the stage of Toronto venue The Carlu during the 2020 Polaris Music Prize Celebration broadcast.

Due to COVID-19, Polaris chose not to host a winner gala event this year. Instead, they invited Canadian filmmakers to apply to create commissioned films inspired by each of the short-list-nominated albums. Hundreds of filmmakers applied, with the selected filmmaking teams being commissioned based on input from Polaris staff, CBC Music, and short-list nominee teams.

These 10 short films were streamed during the 2020 Polaris Music Prize Celebration, hosted by CBC Music’s Saroja Coelho.

"It's an incredible and humbling honour to oversee this year's Polaris Grand Jury," said Polaris jury foreperson Melissa Vincent. "Their devotion to discussing and championing the work of an outstanding group of artists is a testament to the vitality of music coming out of Canada. We could not be more thrilled to congratulate the winner of the 2020 Polaris Music Prize!"

Past Polaris winners include Jeremy Dutcher (2018), Lido Pimienta (2017), Kaytranada (2016), Buffy Sainte-Marie (2015), and Tanya Tagaq (2014).

Backxwash wins Polaris Music Prize for her album "God Has Nothing to Do With This..."

2020-10-20

TORONTO — Backxwash has won the 2020 Polaris Music Prize for her gothic rap-metal album "God Has Nothing to Do With This Leave Him Out of It."

© Provided by The Canadian Press

The recording by the Montreal-based artist was selected by an 11-member jury as the Canadian album of the year based on its artistic merit. The recognition carries with it a $50,000 cash prize.

Backxwash is the first transgender female artist to win the Polaris, an award that in recent years has celebrated an array of Indigenous and Black musicians who are often ignored in mainstream Canadian music. Previous winners include Haviah Mighty, Jeremy Dutcher and Kaytranada.

"My existence itself is political, my livelihood is political, and the livelihood of my sisters is political," she said while accepting the prize.

"We just want rights, and we have to go through so many hurdles to do that, and I feel very connected to that struggle."

Backxwash, the stage name of performer Ashanti Mutinta, drew from her own experiences with faith, family and her queer identity growing up in Zambia to create the dynamic reflection of self.

"This (album) is the most of myself that I've been ever since I started living on this earth," she said by webcam from Montreal.

"I think it's very symbolic, the world just kind of telling me to be myself."

She beat out nine other contenders, including First Nations indie rockers nehiyawak, three-time Polaris shortlisted U.S. Girls and R&B-pop singer Jessie Reyez.

Three other nominees this year were previous winners, electronic composer Caribou, DJ and record producer Kaytranada and singer-songwriter Lido Pimienta.

The Polaris was presented this year with a "cinematic" broadcast that replaced the usual gala concert showcase held at Toronto's Carlu event space. Organizers commissioned a group of directors to bring each of the 10 nominated albums to life as short films.

"God Has Nothing to Do With This Leave Him Out of It" stood out from the other competitors for the elements of horror woven into the lyrics, frequently evoking religious imagery.

The album uses distorted samples of metal legend Ozzy Osbourne performing in Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin and "In Heaven" a song from David Lynch's film "Eraserhead," alongside pointed words about her life experiences.

"The first time I heard (the lyrics) out loud was me rapping," she said.

"I was like, oh damn, that's pretty dark... the lyrics come from a really deep place in me."

Mutinta grew up in Zambia, making hip hop beats as a teenager before moving to British Columbia to live with her brother and sister at 17 years old. She set aside music to focus on a computer science degree, before a move to Montreal reinvigorated her love for live music.

"I fell in love with the city, and just, it was a perfect city to express myself," she said.

"So I started to express myself from a gender standpoint and a music standpoint, and the two places just coincided well with the type of art that I was making."

But unlike the threads of her music, Mutinta was beaming after learning of her win.

She supposed she would invest the money in her next album, which she describes as a horror anthology inspired by people from her life.

Follow @dfriend on Twitter.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published October 19, 2020.

David Friend, The Canadian Press

SpiderMable web-swings onto big screen in new film about Edmonton cancer survivor

CBC/Radio-Canada

© Min Dhariwal/CBC Spider-Man joined SpiderMable in 2015 to fight crime for a day in Edmonton.

Five years after the story of an Edmonton cancer fighter took off across social media around the world, a documentary about SpiderMable will premiere next week.

The film, SpiderMable — A Real Life Superhero Story, is about Mable Tooke, a young cancer patient who lived out her dream of fighting crime alongside Spider-Man in 2015, as part of a city-wide manhunt set up by The Children's Wish Foundation.

Kelly Wolfert, the director and producer of the film, said when he started filming the day for Children's Wish and saw how popular it became on Twitter, he thought it would be an interesting subject for a short film.

But he knew it would be an even stronger film once he saw how selfless Mable was in giving back to her community afterward.

"You can't get a better message than what's in this film for what we're going through right now which is basically look after each other," said Wolfert, who was interviewed Tuesday on CBC Radio's Edmonton AM.

The film opens at Metro Cinema on Nov. 5, the opening night of NorthwestFest.

On that fateful day in 2015, Mayor Don Iveson summoned Mable to Edmonton city hall to track down a missing hockey player and capture his kidnapper.

"I just remember waking up and being told 'Get into your Spider-Man costume, we're going somewhere.' The day went by in a wonderful haze," Mable said Tuesday on Edmonton AM.

Mable had been diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, a cancer of the white blood cells, in 2013.

While in treatment, she read comic books. Her favourites were 1960s-era Spider-Man because of how close he was to being human, her mother said at the time.

Mable's mother, Lisa Tooke, said it was odd to see that day through another set of eyes on screen.

The way Mable's journey blew up on social media showed the value of a feel-good story, Lisa said. The day was also helpful in Mable's own journey to recovery, she added.

"She saw a lot more potential in herself than she ever would have," Lisa said. "Because when other people see something in [you], it makes you realize that maybe you can do more than you thought you could."

As for Mable, nowadays she's feeling a lot better. She is 11 years old now and doing her Grade 6 studies online.

"Even if I'm not physically going out in my SpiderMable costume, I'll always have a little bit of SpiderMable in my heart," Mable said.

"It's not something you can let go of."

Pipeline worker struck and killed by equipment in west Edmonton

CBC/Radio-Canada 

© David Bajer/CBC Occupational Health and Safety officials are investigating after a worker was struck and killed by a piece of equipment at this pipeline construction site.

A worker died Tuesday after being struck by a piece of equipment at a Trans Mountain pipeline construction site in northwest Edmonton.

The employee died around 2:30 p.m. in the area of Whitemud Drive and Winterburn Road, a spokesperson for Occupational Health and Safety said.

The death is being investigated by OHS. Spokesperson Natasha McKenzie said no details are available about what happened.

Work at the site has stopped but no stop work orders have been issued, McKenzie said Wednesday.

The worker killed was an employee of SA Energy Group, a general contractor hired to construct portions of the Trans Mountain pipeline in the greater Edmonton area.

SA Energy Group said it is co-operating with investigators.

"We are deeply saddened to confirm a fatality has occurred at the SA Energy construction site in Edmonton," the company said in a statement.

"Our operations have been put on hold, and we are cooperating fully with Alberta Occupational Health and Safety in respect of the incident.

"Our prayers and sympathies are with our employee's family, friends and colleagues during this difficult time."

As of Wednesday morning, work on the site remained halted. Caution tape and plastic tarps surrounded a large side-boom crane.

In a separate statement, Ian Anderson, president and CEO of Trans Mountain Corporation, offered his condolences to the worker's family and colleagues.

"This is a tragic incident and I know that staff and contractors at both SA Energy and Trans Mountain join me in extending our deepest sympathies to the worker's family.

"They remain in our thoughts and prayers at this very difficult time."

ALBERTA GOVERNMENT WAR ON GREENS
Inquiry into Alberta oil and gas critics extended to Jan. 31, with no new money

EDMONTON — A public inquiry into who is funding environmental opposition to Alberta's oil and gas industry has been granted an extension until the end of January.

© Provided by The Canadian Press

Alberta's United Conservative government contends foreign interests have long been bankrolling campaigns against fossil fuel development and in 2019 tapped forensic accountant Steve Allan to lead a $2.5-million inquiry.

Allan's report was initially due in July, but he was granted an extension until Oct. 30 and a $1-million budget increase.

Energy Minister Sonya Savage says Alberta's cabinet has agreed to another 90-day extension to Jan. 31, but it comes with no additional funding.

She says it's meant to ensure potential participants have a fair opportunity to provide input and that COVID-19 restrictions have led to procedural delays.

A lawsuit filed by environmental law firm Ecojustice argues the inquiry is politically motivated, biased and outside provincial jurisdiction.

“Our government has been unwavering in our commitment to stand up for our energy sector, including launching a public inquiry into the existence of a foreign-funded anti-Alberta energy campaign," Savage said in a statement Wednesday.

Alberta Premier Jason Kenney said Saturday during the United Conservatives' virtual annual general meeting that his government would be introducing legislation next year to make it illegal for foreign interests to fund political action committees.

It would also pursue "legal avenues'' to push Ottawa into cracking down on charities that improperly engage in political activity, he said.

Kenney added that the $30-million-a-year Canadian Energy Centre, a war room meant to counter what the UCP government considers misinformation about the oil and gas industry, will ramp up again after the pandemic put it on hiatus.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 28, 2020.

The Canadian Press


BETA

Don Mazankowski, former Alberta MP and cabinet minister, dies at 85

EDMONTON — Donald Frank Mazankowski, a former Tory deputy prime minister, has died at the age of 85.

© Provided by The Canadian Press

Speaker Anthony Rota announced the news in the House of Commons Wednesday and MPs held a moment of silence in his memory.

Whether working as Brian Mulroney’s right-hand man in Ottawa or selling cars in his hometown of Vegreville, Alta., “Maz” was known as a down-to-earth farm boy who got the job done.

The son of Polish immigrants, Mazankowski served in several top cabinet positions including finance and agriculture under Mulroney and transport under Joe Clark.


In 2003, Mazankowski was involved in behind-the-scenes talks to broker a deal to unite the former Canadian Alliance and Progressive Conservative parties.

During his 25 years in Parliament, Mazankowski also served as president of Treasury Board, government House leader, minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board and privatization minister.

Mulroney once called the tall, burly man who could play a mean fiddle and liked to croon old cowboy songs his “minister of everything.”

First elected to the Commons in 1968, Mazankowski strived to keep in touch with constituents in his sprawling rural riding east of Edmonton.

He was so popular that thankful citizens commissioned a statue of Maz in Vegreville before he retired from elected office in 1993.

“For 25 years Don Mazankowski has served his constituency, his party and his country,” reads the dedication for the one-tonne bronze depiction of Maz giving a speech.

“Even though he has risen to great prominence nationally and internationally, he has maintained a humbleness and genuine friendliness.”

Following his retirement from the Commons, Mazankowski remained active in politics and continued to draw the public spotlight.

Former Alberta premier Ralph Klein appointed him to lead a controversial commission to review Alberta’s health-care system.

The commission’s report in 2001 recommended dropping coverage for some medical services and drugs, increasing health-care premiums and expanding the use of private health clinics.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Mazankowski was a champion for his community and the country.

"Don Mazankowski dedicated his life to serving others. As Minister of Transport, of Agriculture, and of Finance, and as Deputy Prime Minister, he contributed a lot to Canada. My deepest condolences to all who are mourning his passing," Trudeau said in a statement.

"Don and his wife Lorraine stayed true to their rural roots, continuing to live in Vegreville, and more recently Sherwood Park," said a statement from Alberta Premier Jason Kenney

Mazankowski "personified the virtues of humility and servant leadership," he said.

“At the heart of his public service was a belief that Western Canada needed strong voices to defend its economic and political interests in the Canadian federation. Maz was such a voice for decades. For that and for all that he did, Albertans are deeply grateful."

Mazankowski was named as a companion of the Order of Canada — the highest civilian honour — in 2013. He had been an officer of the Order of Canada since 2000.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 28, 2020.

John Cotter, The Canadian Press

Greta Thunberg reflects on living through multiple crises in a 'post-truth society'

Oliver Whang 

Since her first sit-in outside the Swedish parliament building more than two years ago, Greta Thunberg’s fundamental message has been clear and unchanging: The climate crisis is humanity’s greatest existential threat and we need to treat it as such. That message inspired millions of young activists to protest for change and led to a series of viral speeches that have defined Thunberg’s global fame. She was Time’s 2019 Person of the Year and was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize two years in a row.

© Photograph by Shane Balkowitsch, Nostalgic Glass Wet Plate Studio
This portrait is titled “Greta.”

Now, though, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic—a global crisis of a much different nature—and the looming threat of the U.S. backing out of the Paris Agreement, the 17-year-old activist is back at school in Sweden. National Geographic spoke with Thunberg via Zoom about how her activism has changed over the past year, and how her message might survive an increasingly complex world. (This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity).

Oliver Whang: A lot has happened in the past half year or so. How has your work changed since the coronavirus hit?

Greta Thunberg: Well, we have moved from lots of physical things, meetings and strikes and so on, to doing it digitally. But, I mean, since we are a movement of people who don't fly because of the environmental impact, we haven't had to change that much in the way we work. And then every country, every local group, differs. Because we are a very decentralized movement. We are not run top-down, but every local group decides on their own what they're going to do. So it's been different from city to city, from country to country

.

© Photograph by Shane Balkowitsch, Nostalgic Glass Wet Plate Studio
Thunberg poses for a photo, “Standing For Us All.”

Oliver Whang: Have any of those countries or cities adapted in a way that's been really successful?

Greta Thunberg: Yeah. Some do weekly digital strikes, which have been successful. And many have done symbolic actions. Some have put up signs or shoes outside the parliament buildings to symbolize that we should be here, but we are home. So there are lots of creative ways people have adapted.

Oliver Whang: Do you feel like the climate change crisis has been kind of forgotten in the middle of all this other stuff?

Greta Thunberg: Well, that's a very poignant narrative because, yes, of course, as have all other issues. In an emergency like this, you have to expect that other things are going to be put on hold, as they have been.

Oliver Whang: One thing that's been striking to me about the worldwide response to the coronavirus pandemic is that a lot of countries and companies have made really big moves. Stimulus bills were passed and companies are developing vaccines quickly. Do you see this kind of response as inspiring some kind of action towards addressing the climate crisis?

Greta Thunberg: Well, we shouldn't be comparing different crises, but it does show that we can treat a crisis like a crisis. And that it will probably change the way we perceive crises and crisis response. And it really proves that the climate crisis has never once been treated as a crisis. It's just being treated as a public and important question, like a political topic. Which it is not, because it's an existential crisis.

Oliver Whang: But has the response to the coronavirus given you more hope? As in, we can have a similar response to the climate crisis?

Greta Thunberg: It confirmed what I already knew. That once we treat the climate crisis like a crisis, we can change things and we can achieve things.

Oliver Whang: Here in the U.S., an election is coming up and our country is scheduled to withdraw from the Paris Agreement on November 4th. Our president has been promising to do this for years—he says that the accord is unfair to America. And there are a lot of people, not most of the people in the U.S., but a lot of them, who agree with the president and agree with that decision to withdraw from the accord. What would you say to those people?

Greta Thunberg: Nothing. Just as I always do, refer to the science. Because people have been trying to impact these people for so long, and they haven't succeeded. So why should I? Why should I be any different? If they don't listen to and understand and accept the science, then there's really nothing that I can do. There's something much deeper that needs to change them.

Oliver Whang: What might that deeper thing be?

Greta Thunberg: That we live in a post-truth society today, and that we don't care that we have lost empathy. We have stopped caring for each other in a way. We have stopped thinking long-term and sustainable. And that's something that goes much deeper than just climate crisis deniers.

Oliver Whang: So do you think in order to address the climate crisis, we might need like a cultural shift or a paradigm shift rather than just passing carbon taxes and legislation, influencing leaders and developing technology?

Greta Thunberg: Well if I say that, then people will take that quote out of context and say that I want a revolution or something. But I mean the climate crisis is not the only problem here. It is just a symptom of a larger crisis. Like the loss of biodiversity, acidification of the oceans, and loss of fertile soil, and so on. And these things will not just be solved by stopping our emissions of greenhouse gases. The earth is a very complex system. If you take one thing and put it out of balance then that will have an impact on things beyond our comprehension. And that goes for equality as well. Humans are part of nature, and if we are not doing well, then nature is not doing well, because we are nature.

Oliver Whang: Does it bother you that you might be missing all these people who maybe accept that climate change is a thing and that it's a crisis, but prioritize joblessness or access to food or other domestic issues over the climate crisis? Do you feel like you're missing them?

Greta Thunberg: No, it doesn't bother me. We have not been made aware of the climate crisis—the climate crisis has never been treated as a crisis, so how can we expect people to care about it? Since we are not aware of even the basic facts, how can we expect people to want climate action? And so that is something that needs to change. We need to understand that we are not fighting for separate causes. We are fighting for one and the same cause even though it might not seem like it. It's the fight for climate justice, social justice. Whatever is the issue, it’s the fight for justice.

Oliver Whang: Do you think that we've made any significant progress towards addressing the climate crisis since you started protesting more than two years ago?

Greta Thunberg: It depends on how you see it. In one way, yes. It feels like the debate has shifted and more and more people are starting to slowly understand the climate crisis more and prioritizing it. But on the other hand, it has still never once been treated as a crisis. And the emissions are still rising. So it depends on how you see it.

But I mean we can't expect that this one movement will change the world. If we think that is the case then we have not understood the climate crisis. People are like, ‘Has your movement failed since you have not accomplished your goals?’ But, I mean, what are our goals? We don't have any goals. Our goal is to do as much as we possibly can to be a small part of a very big shift. To be one of countless of activists who push in the same direction from different perspectives. And that is our goal. We can't expect one movement or one initiative, one solution, to change everything, or to put us in the right direction. Because the climate crisis is very complex. It's not just that simple.

Oliver Whang: Was there anything that you did or that other youth climate activists have done that you think has been particularly successful? Or any sort of manifestation of what you've done in policy or in the economy that you think is an example of your success?

Greta Thunberg: Yes, we have many. Especially local examples. But I think the biggest thing that we have accomplished is to put the focus on the science. We just say, ‘We don't want you to listen to us, we want you to listen to the science.’ This not a question about politics, this is not our opinion. We don't want the emissions to reduce, it's what the science says is needed if we are to stay in line with our commitments. We don't want things to be like this. But unfortunately, that's where we are. And we will continue to push for people to listen to the science.

Oliver Whang: Do you ever have any doubts about your work? Do you ever doubt yourself or what you've been doing?

Greta Thunberg: No, because I know it's the right thing to do. We are at a time now where we must step out of our comfort zones. I feel like I have a moral duty to do what I can, since I'm a citizen. And that makes me part of something and it is my duty, my moral duty, my moral responsibility, to do everything I can.

Oliver Whang: And that's never been in question for you?

Greta Thunberg: No. I mean, I don't want to be an activist. I don't think any climate activist does it because they want to. We do this just because no one else is doing anything, and because we need to do something. Someone needs to do something, and we are somebodies.

Oliver Whang: I'm curious if you feel like your moral duties or your responsibility has changed as you’ve become this more recognized name.

Greta Thunberg: Well, yes. Of course everyone has a responsibility, but the bigger your platform, the bigger your responsibility. And the bigger your power, the bigger your responsibility. The bigger your carbon footprint, the bigger your moral duty. So of course, as I've gotten a bigger platform that also comes with a bigger responsibility. I must use these channels, or whatever you would call them, to educate, to spread awareness.

And the things, all the resources I have, they will disappear one day. I mean, I won't be this person for a long time. Soon people will lose interest in me and I won't be so-called “famous” anymore. And then I will have to do something else. So I'm trying to, as long as I have this platform, use it.

Oliver Whang: How do you see yourself proceeding from here? Do you want to go to university? Do you have any plans?

Greta Thunberg: Well, I don't really know. I just do what I want to do at the moment. And right now, I just started gymnasium (Editor’s note: “gymnasium” is the Swedish equivalent of high school). And there I will be for the following three years. And unless I want to do something else, I mean, we will see. The world changes from day to day. So you just have to adapt, I guess.

Oliver Whang: How do you plan on sustaining this movement? Are there specific things we need to do that are different from what needed to be done two years ago or one year ago or eight months ago?

Greta Thunberg: I mean, it's very complex. But right now we have kind of hit the wall. There are no arguments left. There are no excuses left. Now, it's just, either you try to minimize the crisis or just completely deny it, or you try to distract. We just need to start treating the crisis like a crisis and continue to lift up the science, but now everyone's blaming each other and we are stuck in a loop. We won't get anywhere unless someone breaks that chain, so to speak. Someone needs to do something. I mean, of course, many people have to do lots of things, but unless someone with a big platform or big responsibility does something to start treating the crisis like a crisis—for instance, the media—then we won't be able to move from here.

I am Greta, a documentary about Thunberg’s rise to prominence, begins streaming on Hulu on November 13. The Walt Disney Company is majority owner of National Geographic Partners and Hulu.

Photographer Shane Balkowitsch, based in Bismarck North Dakota, used the wet plate collodion process, invented in 1848, to create these images. More of his work can be found on Instagram @balkowitsch.