American author Paul Auster, prolific and experimental man of letters and filmmaker, dead at 77

Paul Auster, a prolific, prize-winning man of letters and filmmaker known for such inventive narratives and meta-narratives as The New York Trilogy and 4321, has died at age 77. Auster’s death was confirmed on May 1 by his literary representatives, the Carol Mann Agency, which did not immediately provide additional details. Auster had been diagnosed … Read more

Jay Baruchel explains why he wants to live in Canada ‘as crazy as that sounds’

Jay Baruchel has always defined himself by his love for Canada. The Ottawa-born, Montreal-bred actor lives in Toronto now, where he intends to stay, but even when he started building his career in Hollywood at 18, he was known for his unabashed patriotism. “I went there proud to be Canadian and being there made me … Read more

Liberal and NDP MPs lament departure of longtime Tory MP as status of women chair

Liberal and NDP MPs are lamenting the loss of the longtime Conservative chair of the parliamentary committee on the Status of Women, saying they hope the change doesn’t hurt their ability to work together across party lines. Members of the committee said they were disappointed to learn that Karen Vecchio, lauded as a collaborator, would … Read more

Telecom execs insist wireless prices going down as MPs voice concern over costs

The chief executives of Canada’s three largest telecom companies stressed that phone and internet prices are coming down during an appearance before MPs on Monday, noting that increased data usage and high spectrum costs may be some reasons Canadians feel otherwise. The three CEOs — Rogers Communications Inc.’s Tony Staffieri, BCE Inc.’s Mirko Bibic and … Read more

SaltWire’s money woes a sign of bigger problems in the newspaper business: experts

The recent decision by SaltWire Network Inc., Atlantic Canada’s largest newspaper company, to seek protection from its creditors is another sign of the decline of the business and the growing threat to local journalism, experts said Tuesday. “We’re seeing a resurgence in a steady spate of closings and scaling back of local news operations,” said … Read more

MPs to study controversial prison transfer of killer Luka Magnotta

A parliamentary committee voted Monday to look into why convicted first-degree murderer Luka Magnotta was quietly transferred from a maximum to a medium-security prison. The standing committee on public safety and national security passed an amended motion during an emergency debate to hold one meeting about Magnotta’s transfer. The committee is now calling for four witnesses to appear … Read more

Canada’s comedy legends celebrated in Hamilton as hall of fame dream gets revived

A comic with a dream 20 years in the making to create a Canadian Comedy Hall of Fame is hoping he’ll soon be a step closer, as he brings comedians together to drum up support for the project this week in Hamilton.  The Canadian Comedy Hall of Fame Festival kicked off Wednesday night, with the finals … Read more

Trudeau says Liberals won’t be sidetracked following MP’s leadership review comments

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Thursday his government won’t get sidetracked by “distractions” after one of his MPs walked back comments calling for a leadership review. Trudeau, who was addressing the Liberal caucus in Ottawa, said the party is focused on the House of Commons returning from its winter break next week. “There’s a lot … Read more

A primer on the 2023 Emmy Awards — and why they were delayed

The 2023 Emmy Awards are arriving in 2024. Hollywood’s two strikes meant a four-month delay for television’s annual celebration of itself — the awards were originally slated for last September. But both strikes have now been resolved and the show will go on. The event will be held Monday night at the Peacock Theater in Los … Read more

As U.S., U.K. and EU sanction violent Israeli settlers, Canada hangs back

The Trudeau government still won’t say if it’s considering imposing sanctions on violent Israeli settlers in the wake of travel bans announced by both the U.S. and the United Kingdom in recent days. The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said last week that he will recommend EU sanctions as well.  Canada, like its American, British … Read more