Border Banter with Benoit-Leipert: The facts, eclipsed

I was making supper one night when my husband, Shaun, called out from the couch, something to the effect of ‘That’s crazy!’

I knew he was on TikTok, so I was sort of afraid to ask what kind of crazy.

Being a journalist and just a very inquisitive person in general, I have heard some outrageous claims. Most have to do with something on social media. 

Since anyone can put content out there it’s sort of hard to separate fact from fiction. It seems people will do or say anything for views, likes or comments (good or bad).

My first question when one of these far-fetched claims comes about is ‘What’s your source on that?’ If it’s something you’re reading on the Globe and Mail or New York Times’ certified website, then ok. There’s likely merit. 

If it’s a random TikTok of a guy predicting the apocalypse, holding a beer in one hand and a rubber chicken in the other, while wearing a tin-foil hat … well, you may want to put down your phone for a while. 

Anyway, I reluctantly asked Shaun ‘What is it?’ To which he replied, ‘There’s a three-day total eclipse happening soon.’ 

The TikTok he was watching sounded like a news clip from somewhere in Texas, telling people to stock up on supplies in preparation for three days of darkness. (better get your toilet paper folks!)

Well, it didn’t take me long to get to the NASA website and investigate. Supper can wait.

I discovered it was partially true. There is a total solar eclipse that will be sweeping across North America on April 8, but the duration of it is two hours and 40 minutes. A far cry from three days. 

It will be a line from southern Mexico up through the central and eastern parts of the U.S. before proceeding into some of the eastern Canadian provinces. Namely Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, P.E.I., and Newfoundland. 

On average it will only be dark for two minutes in the affected Canadian cities. 

The last time the path of a total solar eclipse crossed Canada was in 1979, and it was visible in the Pacific Northwest and central regions. 

Social media sure can be entertaining, but always remember to do your due diligence or you may be left in the dark.

JEANNETTE BENOIT-LEIPERT