FILM FREE ARTS Vol. 12 No. 12 MUSIC DECEMBER FOOD 2021 CULTURE thewalleye.ca
Holiday Gift Guide Local Picks for Everyone on Your List
UNCOMMON BAKED GOODS 36
JACOB MARLEY’S CHRISTMAS CAROL 44
SPREADING THE WARMTH FOR 15 YEARS 80
JOHNNY CASH TRIBUTE 94
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■ 7 TheTOPFive FEATURES Editor-in-chief Darren McChristie Editor Adrian Lysenko adrian@thewalleye.ca Assistant Editor Rebekah Skochinski Senior Editor Tiffany Jarva Copy Editors Amy Jones, Bonnie Schiedel
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Editorial Assistant Sara Sadeghi Aval Marketing & Sales Manager Alaina Linklater alaina@thewalleye.ca Photographers Patrick Chondon, Kevin Dempsey, Damien Gilbert, Aelin Foster, Chad Kirvan, Dave Koski, Kay Lee, Shannon Lepere, Marty Mascarin, Darren McChristie, Sarah McPherson, Laura Paxton, Keegan Richard
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Holiday Gift Guide The Trendsetter The Connoisseur The Music fan The Adventurer The Health Crusader The Animal Lover The Collector The Entertainer The Rugrat
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THE GRINNING BELLY DRINK OF THE MONTH BREW IT YOURSELF Bistro One SUPERIOR SIP Uncommon Baked Goods A New Development on Cumberland Woodside Bar Atlas Express
FOOD
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FILM&THEATRE
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Art Directors Steve Coghill, R.G.D., Dave Koski, R.G.D. production@thewalleye.ca
Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol Interconnect THE SECOND MOST PLEASURABLE THING WE DO IN THE DARK. A COLUMN ABOUT MOVIES Confessions Of a Drag Dealer
Ad Designers Dave Koski, Keegan Richard, Miranda van den Berg
THE ARTS
The Walleye is a free monthly publication distributed on racks throughout Thunder Bay and region.
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Indigenous Ingenuity Where Woodland Meets Pop Culture A THOUSAND WORDS In Search of the Favourite Tree Trimmer FROM THUNDER BAY ART GALLERY’S COLLECTION Heron Ling
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Take on the Mountain
■ 69 ■ 70
CANNABIS CORNER GO LOCAL Thunder Bay Country Market
Reproduction of any article, photograph or artwork without written permission is strictly forbidden. Views expressed herein are those of the author exclusively.
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OUTDOOR
Copyright © 2021 by Superior Outdoors Inc. Editorial and Advertising: Submissions must be accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Superior Outdoors cannot be held responsible for unsolicited material. Superior Outdoors Inc. 242 - 1100 Memorial Avenue Thunder Bay, ON P7B 4A3
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Telephone (807) 344-3366 Fax (807) 623-5122 E-mail: info@thewalleye.ca
Ad Deadline for our January Issue December 15th
Bookshelf THIS IS THUNDER BAY The Big 4-0 WALL SPACE: From Flood to Finish Spreading the Warmth for 15 Years EYE TO EYE: With Sean Vanderklis Ungalli Clothing Co. Empowering for 50 Years THE ENTHUSIASTS GeekFestivus Ho! Ho! Hold Up!
MUSIC
■ 94 Johnny Cash Tribute ■ 96 Back to Bass ■ 98 Uprooted ■ 100 BURNING TO THE SKY ■ 102 Good Lovelies ■ 103 The Record Box ■ 104 Michelle Zapf-Bélanger ■ 108 Breakout ■ 110 OFF THE WALL REVIEWS ARCHITECTURE
■ 112 Transformation Church ■ 114 Tbaytel DECEMBER
EVENTS GUIDE ■ 116 LU RADIO'S MONTHLY TOP 30 HEALTH
■ 119 Getting into the Holiday Spirit Without the Spirits ■ 120 Alcohol Use GREEN
■ 123 Gift-Giving for the Love
of People and the Planet
THE WALL
■ 124 Choosing TBay First Means Choosing TBay People
■ 126 HOROSCOPES ■ 129 THE BEAT ■ 130 THE EYE
Randle’s Candles a We Pour One Candle at a Time
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TheWalleye.ca Where can I find The Walleye? thewalleye.ca/where-can-i-find-the-walleye/
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CITYSCENE
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Contents
Christmas fragrances include:
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Snowberries Santa’s Kitchen North Pole
At the Thunder Bay Country Market
Holiday Kisses Stop in and see what’s new! Winter Wonderland 807-627-6827 randles.candles@hotmail.com Serenity
The Walleye
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From Our Instagram Feed
Flinging Kutya
A
side from the obvious opening of presents, one of my favourite customs on Ukrainian Christmas Eve was flinging kutya. Made of boiled wheat berries, honey, and poppy seeds, kutya is the first of 12 meatless dishes served during the traditional dinner (and admittedly not the most appetizing, in my opinion). But I did enjoy taking a spoonful of the dish and flicking it to the ceiling. Originally done during winter solstice, the practice originated with the Pagans and it was believed that if the kutya stuck to the ceiling, it’d be a prosperous year. As our son celebrates his second Christmas this year, I can’t help but feel a bit of a revitalization during the holidays by sharing traditions. And yes, one of them will be flinging a mixture of boiled wheat at our ceiling. Speaking of traditions, we're happy to present our annual holiday gift guide. With nine categories including connoisseur, adventurer, and music fan, we present over 70 gift ideas available locally for those on your naughty or nice list (we don’t judge). Plus, we’ve compiled a list of books from local authors and albums from local musicians that are perfect for stocking stuffers. In addition, sommelier Jeannie
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The Walleye
Dubois provides some tasty suggestions as well. Keeping with the holiday spirit, Chef Rachel Bayes serves up a scrumptious mushroom tart recipe, film columnist Michael Sobota shares his picks for films about winter holiday origin stories, and we get a sneak peek at Magnus Theatre’s production of Jacob Marley's Christmas Carol. Also in the pages of the December issue, Asia Gustafson speaks with the Good Lovelies about their Sleeping Giant Folk Music Society concert, Ayano Hodouchi explores the Thunder Bay Art Gallery’s joint exhibition with Science North, Indigenous Ingenuity, and we go Eye to Eye with the new host of CBC Radio’s Superior Morning, Sean Vanderklis. As always, we owe our success to the support of our past and present advertisers and our team of dedicated and talented contributors. And a special thanks to our readers, who support the individuals, organizations, and businesses featured in the magazine. Happy holidays and may your kutya stick well into 2022! - Adrian Lysenko
Featured Contributor Michael Sobota
To call Michael Sobota a film buff would be an understatement. This year, the film columnist has seen or rewatched 123 movies. Originally from Wisconsin (he was born in his grandparents’ house during a blizzard), he moved to Thunder Bay in 1969. Since then, the writer and playwright has been deeply involved in the community, whether through arts or activism. In 2019, he was bestowed the title of Grand Marshall of the Pride Parade. Check out Michael’s column The Second Most Pleasurable Thing We Do In the Dark on page 49 and his review of Cup Confidential on page 110.
On the Cover Santa swaps his sleigh for skis for a run at Mount Baldy Ski Area. Special thanks to Dan Kardas. Photo by Darren McChristie
The Walleye
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C A O L L S TAY
S E Y A A S D I ON L O H THIS
SHOP, E AT AND PL AY IN THE WATERFRONT DISTRICT
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The Walleye
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Waterfront District’s TheTOPFive
Willow Springs Christmas Market
December 2–5, 9–12, 17, & 18 Willow Springs Creative Centre
The holly jolly holidays are here! And nothing gets us more into the spirit of giving than holiday markets. We especially love the festive atmosphere and nostalgia of a country Willow Springs Christmas Market—it’s like stepping back in time. Sip on cider and sample some baking while you shop for locally made artisan gift items including pottery, cosy woolen mitts, hats and scarves, jewelry, cards, soaps, body products, and more. This year, the market is celebrating birds and will have bird houses, feeders, and kits for decorating an outdoor tree with edible ornaments for our favourite feathered friends. Plus, there will be loads of homemade baking, treats, premade foods, teas, coffee, spices, and gift baskets. It’s one-stop shopping! From noon to 5 pm. willowsprings.ca
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Parade of Lights
December 4
Parade Route
Light it up! Kids and kids at heart love the annual Parade of Lights, which happily returns this year to spread some Christmas cheer. This volunteer-organized event raises funds for charities that benefit children, youth, and young adults with special needs. Plus, it’s a great social event to kick off the holiday season. Just make sure you dress warm and stake out your spot along Parade of Lights - Thunder Bay/Facebook the parade route, which begins at Manitoulin Transport and ends on Water Street. There will also be a sensoryfriendly area on a portion of Fort William Road. This year’s parade marshal is 17-year-old Ivy Dick, who is representing Autism Ontario. There will also be parade walkers stationed along the route who will be collecting donations—give what you can! Starts at 7 pm. facebook.com/paradeoflights.thunderbay
4 Prelude to Christmas December 10 & 11
Hilldale Lutheran Church We remember when rock was young, me and Suzie had so much fun! Looking to add a little crocodile rock to your Christmas season? Of course you are! And so are we. And so is the Fort William Male Choir, who are bringing back their annual holiday concert in a big way: with the musical stylings of one Sir Elton John. Since 1930, this choir has been delighting audiences with their four-part harmony. Celebrate the joy of the season with a side of rock and roll as these “men of music” entertain you along with a variety of guest performers. Tickets are $30 for adults and $15 for youths and in addition to the evening concerts, there will be a 2:30 pm matinee, which is new for this year. Order tickets online or by calling their ticket maestro at 767-3612. fwmc.ca
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Good Lovelies
December 11
Port Arthur Polish Hall Welcome back! The Sleeping Giant Folk Music society has been counting the days (645 to be exact) since they last hosted a live music event at the Port Arthur Polish Hall. The return to live music will feature none other than the Good Lovelies—a Canadian folk/ country harmony trio whose music includes tinges of pop, roots, jazz, and even some hip hop mixed in. We’re big fans. For this concert they’re putting on a wonderful Christmas show and will be playing classic holiday songs and timeless winter selections as well as original material. Accompanying the band will be Robbie Grunwald, one of Canada’s finest musicians. Don’t miss this toetapping, hand-clapping sing-along. We can’t think of a better way to ring in the holiday season with friends and family. Tickets are $30. sleepinggiant.ca
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Northern Ghost
December 11 & 12
Italian Cultural Centre
We’re huge fans of singer and songwriter Nick Sherman at The Walleye—he graced the cover of our music issue in 2020. We’re also huge fans of the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra. So we’re especially thrilled that this December you can see these two talents together once again in concert. Sherman’s most recent album, Made Of, is described as “evocative” and “blistering,” one that “tells stories of the remote north, celebrating the tenacity and resilience it takes to survive it.” His music represents a hopeful voice for those who have faced the hardest of life’s challenges. Combining a gospelinformed folk-rock sound with his signature velvety voice, this will be an evening of entertainment that will linger long past its final notes. Tickets are $45. tbso.ca
The Walleye
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r e a a e f s ew e h t of
our favourite things
find the perfect gifts for the fresh air obsessed on your list 7 1 0 BAL MORAL S TREE T 8 The Walleye
FRES HA IR.LOCALLY.C O M
CoverStory
Holiday Gift Guide
Local Picks for Everyone on Your List One of the wonderful things about living in northern Ontario is we’re that much closer to the North Pole! Not only does that mean we often have a white Christmas, it also means we have Santa’s workshop on speed dial. This year our elves were hard at work compiling our annual gift guide from our many local businesses, shops, and makers and we think you’re in for a treat. We’ve also changed the categories a bit and added a list for the little ones, who are the best at reminding us about the magic of the season. Happy holidays from all of us at The Walleye to all of you! -Rebekah Skochinski
The Walleye
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CoverStory
The Trendsetter
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trend-set-ter a person who leads the way in fashion or ideas By Rebekah Skochinski 1
Luggage
Do you remember travel? Travel remembers you. Whether for business or pleasure, for leisure or labour, this piece of luggage from Filson will fit in like a handsome, easy-going friend. It’s water repellent and made of sturdy abrasionresistant nylon with trolley straps and large exterior pockets so that everything you need is right at your fingertips. Plus, the padded sleeve fits a 15” laptop. Versatile and stylish, just like its owner. J.B. Evans Fashions & Footwear $265 2
Persian Pin
Pink-iced cinnamon doughnuts are a Thunder Bay staple, and this happy lil’ persian pin made by local artist extraordinaire boy Roland is a real sweet piece. Decorate a backpack, denim jean jacket, lapel, or hat—this fashion accessory has a personal connection for those who call this city home, and for those who have departed for greener pastures (ssssh, we know there’s no such thing). Pretty Fly co. $10 3
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Yo Sox Socks
Step out with confidence at any holiday gathering with a pair of snazzy socks that will do the introductions for you—just because you’re gorgeous doesn’t mean you’re not shy. Yo Sox are made of double spun cotton, so they will retain their shape, like the reinforced deep pocket heel and toe—and they’re anti-microbial to boot! There are plenty of original designs to sift through for men and women, but really, as long as the sock fits, it’s fair game for all.
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Bloomers & the Brownhouse $10 6
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Boxers
Not since Kenny G have we been this excited about sax. These Saxx boxers are smooth, super-soft and breathable, moisture-wicking with a ballpark pouch (we’re not touching that one), and feature flat out seams and an anti-roll waistband so everything stays put. We can’t resist this classic striped pair, but there are a tonne of patterns to choose from should the man on your list like something a bit more jazzy.
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Perfect Fit Lingerie
Gloves
Comfort isn’t going anywhere, but what we want with our comfort is some pizzazz. Keep the bulky mitts at home and slip on these gorgeous microfibre suede gloves when heading to the symphony, meeting your plus one for a nightcap, or whenever you’re feeling extra. Frivolous meets function here with the vibrant multi-coloured plush Angora pom-pom, and touchscreen tips so you can still watch TikTok. Irma’s Bridal Boutique $30 4 Toque
Colour is cool, but if you need to ease into those rainbow waters might we suggest a pop of pigment on top? These toques are touted as an everyday essential for everyday adventures and we couldn’t agree more. A sleek style that will easily transition from city to country, from outdoor bonfire to indoor soiree, they’re made of 100% acrylic so they won’t itch like wool, either. Available in several vibrant hues like canary yellow or this one, in neon pine, which we’re totally pining for. mars. clothing $25
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$Various 7
Feel like you’re still cocooned in a blanket circa 2020 and look runway ready with this beautiful chunky cowl sweater from The Loop. Made with a recycled mix of yarns, it’s incredibly soft and features a ribbed wide neck for comfort with wrist cuffs that can be worn straight, folded back, or scrunched. It’s an ideal piece to throw on over whatever you’re wearing for effortless on-the-go glam. Available in fashion colours or neutrals like black, moss, or lake blue. The Loop $120 8
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Cologne
Scent, emotion, and memory are intertwined, which makes this time of year especially nostalgic and wonderful. Gift that olfactory-obsessed someone this seductive scent from Ritual Skin. Suitable for day or night, it contains notes of tobacco, leather, bay rum, and barber talc. This rollerball is convenient for dabbing on pulse points when the mood strikes. Long lasting and long loving. Ritual Skin Co. $20
The Walleye
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Cowl Sweater
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CoverStory
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The Connoisseur con-nois-seur an expert judge in matters of taste 2
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By Tiffany Jarva 1 Authentic Hoito Pancake Mix
5 Island Pottery Pine Trees Teapot
Many Thunder Bayers near and far continue to be nostalgic about the Hoito—and now the historical restaurant’s signature crepe-like Finnish pancakes can be gifted as a pancake mix this holiday season. Each package has step-by-step instructions, Canadian ingredients, and makes about 18 pancakes, and $3 from each bag supports the effort to re-open the Hoito.
For the pottery collector in your life, gift this woodfired teapot handcrafted by local potter Tim Alexander. The design helps to capture the simple beauty of living in Northwestern Ontario’s boreal forest and is perfect for steeping tea to share during the holiday season and beyond.
facebook.com/FinnCoopTB $9 2
Biscotti
Whether it’s a sidekick with your lateafternoon tea break or a luxurious treat worthy of dipping into your morning coffee, this local biscotti is a North American take on a recipe that goes back to the days of the Roman empire. Today, these reimagined cookies are a little bit softer and have a most delicious crunch. Made with highquality ingredients, they feature a wide range of flavours including chocolate chip, pumpkin spice, Key lime, and even a nod to the local persian. 5
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Sleeping Giant Biscotti Company $12.99/six-pack 3
Bûchette aux Fleurs
The cheese connoisseur on your list is sure to appreciate the bright creamy texture of this Loire Valley pasteurized goat’s milk from France. Coated in dried flowers, it is so pretty that it seems like art, and a shame (almost) to eat. With its herbal and grassy notes, it is a dream cheese lovely as a spread on crackers or paired with honey on a crusty French baguette. The Cheese Encounter $10.99 4 Coffee Samplers 7
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Give the java lovers you know something new to discover over the holiday season. The Wolfhead Coffee Sampler offers four quarter-pound bags of locally roasted coffee to try. There are nine different options to choose from including black and tan espresso, cinnamon applewood smoked coffee, hickory mesquite, Mexican decaf medium dark roast, and more. All coffee is locally roasted and smoked in small batches at a custom-designed roastery.
International House of Tea $140 6 Maple Syrup with Forgotten Lake Blueberry
The foodie on your list will love to experiment with the depth of flavours found in this syrup, inspired by Lake of the Woods Brewing Company’s Forgotten Lake Blueberry Ale. Made with northern Ontario blueberries and regionally tapped, it’s delicious poured over pancakes or French toast as part of a holiday breakfast, or stirred into your morning coffee for a special maple kick. Canada West Maple $9.50 7 100 Club Membership
What better than an annual Red Lion 100 Club membership for the craft beer enthusiast on your list? Each 100 Club member receives a numbered mug, which means all 16 oz pints are topped up to 20 oz for no extra charge. It also means a free mug of beer every Tap Takeover Wednesday and on birthdays. Membership also means you get exclusive patio reservations when the weather is warmer and 10% off ticketed events like Beer & Yoga and Chef’s Tables. Memberships start January 1 and cost $50 to renew after the first year. Red Lion Smokehouse $100 8 Smoked Cracked Black Pepper
Those who appreciate pepper will thank you for this tiny-but-mighty-in-flavour gift, perfect as a stocking stuffer. Try it on steaks, eggs, salads, or anything you might want to pepper up! Bay Meats Butcher Shop $7
Wolfhead Coffee $30
The Walleye
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The Walleye
Wishing our Clients & Community a Happy and Safe Holidays!
We look forward to assisting you with your legal needs. For more information about our team and what we do, please visit ericksonsllp.com Ph (807) 345-1213 | TF 1-800-465-3912 | info@ericksonsllp.com Geraldton
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CoverStory
The Music Fan
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mus-ic fan a person who believes that music makes the world go ‘round; a toe-tapper By Adrian Lysenko 1 The Honest Heart Collective’s More Harm Deluxe Bundle
In a day and age of digital streaming, it’s nice actually to hold music in your hands— and it’s a bonus if that music just so happens to be local. Thunder Bay’s own rockers The Honest Heart Collective have pressed their latest critically acclaimed album More Harm on wax. A limited number of bundles include an exclusive embroidered T-shirt, enamel pin on a backing card, lyric sheet, die-cut stickers, and matchbox. Sure to become a collector’s item, More Harm will be a great addition to that special music lover’s collection.
5 Kala Ukulele Bundle
In the words of Eddie Vedder, a ukulele is “less strings and more melody,” which makes it the perfect gateway instrument for a budding musician. Considered the best entry-level ukulele on the market, this great bang-for-your-buck bundle includes a gig bag, clip-on tuner, strap, and an extra set of Aquila Bionylon strings. In no time that special someone will make it sound like a Hawaiian summer (despite it being minus forty outside). Backstage Music $135.99
store.honestheart.co
6 Symphony Tickets
$75
Not only is the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra celebrating their return to the stage this season, but it’ll be their 60th year of bringing beautiful music to our city. Upcoming concerts include Celebrating Genius featuring Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony (arguably the most wellknown piece of music ever written), Piano Men, showcasing the work of Billy Joel and Elton John, and the always popular Jeans ‘n Classics, featuring songs by Annie Lennox and Stevie Nicks.
2 The Sleeping Giant Folk Music Society’s Unisex T-Shirt
The Sleeping Giant Folk Music Society has been presenting live, professional folk music concerts in Thunder Bay for 10 years, so why not let that certain music fan proudly wear their support? The T-shirt features the society’s fireside logo crest and with a stunning new fox design on the back. It’s also made from a high quality cotton-poly blend printed right here in Thunder Bay. sleepinggiant.ca $25 3
“What you want, baby, I got it. What you need, do you know I got it?” Get the exclusive Blu-Ray + DVD combo of the critically acclaimed film Respect, about the life of legendary R&B singer Aretha Franklin. It’s perfect for that loved one who’s always belting out tunes by the Queen of Soul. Sunrise Records $24.97 4 Hohner 1896BX-C
Harmonica Marine Band For that musician looking to get into the blues harp, look no further! The Hohner 1896BX-C Harmonica Marine Band has been made famous by Paul Butterfield, Little Walter, Bruce Springsteen, and even Neil Young. With over 100 years of tradition and German craftsmanship, this harmonica is known for its full tone, wooden comb, and is still the number one choice of top professionals all over the world. Music World Academy Ltd. $66.99
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The Walleye
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Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra $Various 7 Humm Bug
Respect Blu-Ray + DVD
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Canadian Edition Whether it’s in the shower, car, or at the checkout lane, do you know someone who loves to hum a tune? Well, make them a living room superstar with the best-selling Humm Bug game. Bonus is that it's the Canadian edition, featuring songs from Michael Bublé, Gordon Lightfoot, and Drake.
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Toy Sense $24.99 8 Bose QuietComfort Earbuds
When it comes to earbuds, Bose’s philosophy is “better sound begins with better silence.” Designed with acoustic innovations and cutting edge noise cancelling technology, the QuietComfort Earbuds produce crisp, clear audio and rich, deep bass, allowing listeners to pick up details never heard before in their favourite songs. Also, they’re sweat- and water-resistant, making them perfect for jogging or on the cross-country ski trail. The Power Centre $349
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CoverStory
The Adventurer
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ad-vent-ur-er someone who seeks dangerous or exciting experiences: a person who looks for adventures 1
By Michelle McChristie Camelbak Hydrobak Light Hydration Pack 3
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There’s no need to stop or slow down to take a sip of water with this sleek and ultra-light hydration pack. The low-profile design has the capacity of two 1.5 L water bottles and features an Air Support™ Light Back Panel and a ventilated harness for ultimate breathability.
Given the need for a toque in all seasons, can a person really have too many? Local company Stony Wilds may be known for their highperformance golf apparel, but they also make stylish and functional headwear, like this beanie made from soft and breathable merino wool.
3RIDE Bicycle Co. $85
Nature’s Giant 2022 Calendar 2
Photographer James Brown has selected 13 stunning photos to showcase the beauty of the Sleeping Giant in this 16-month calendar. The calendar measures 43 x 28 cm (17” x 11”) when open, so there is plenty of space to scribble appointments and reminders.
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Thunder Bay Country Market $19.99 3 Thunder Bay 3D Satellite Map 7 6
Created by a local cartographer, this map depicts the rugged topography of the Thunder Bay area. In this rapidly evolving digital world, paper maps add a welcome sense of permanence and are just as much about where we are going as we have been. Chaltrek $19.95 4 Kuma Lazy Bear Chair
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Logan Toque
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This super comfy all-season chair is perfect for backcountry (or backyard) adventures. True to its name, it is rated to 160 kg (350 lbs) and includes padded seating and arm rests, an insulated drink holder, a phone holder, and a carry bag. Gear Up $149.99
Goods & Co. and J.B. Evans Fashions & Footwear $50 6 SOL Scout Survival Kit
We know what you’re thinking, but in this case SOL = Survive Outdoors Longer with help from this compact kit. With eight essential items packed in a waterproof bag, the Scout covers the priorities in a survival situation—escape the elements, stay warm, and signal rescuers. KBM Outdoors $39.99 7 Fjällräven Keb Trousers
These Swedish trousers are on par with a Swiss Army knife in terms of their clever design, durability, and performance. They are sustainably made from water- and windresistant stretch fabric and have classic large pockets, generous ventilation zippers, and openings for knee pads (an accessory). Available in men’s and women’s cuts. Fresh Air $250 8 Yeti Rambler
This 591 mL (20 oz) tumbler is made from durable stainless steel with double-wall vacuum insulation that will keep your hot bevvies hot for about 4.5 hours. It is easy to clean (dishwasher-safe!) and, most importantly, available in a variety of dapper colours. Fresh Air $39.99
The Walleye
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Walking Through A Westfort Wonderland
RT FO ST WE
MEET SANTA. ENJOY SNACKS & REFRESHMENTS. GIVEAWAYS. BA_Walleye Ad.indd 1 16WestfortThe Walleye
Thurs Dec 9th
6-8pm
FOLLOW US FOR MORE DETAILS
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CoverStory
The Health Crusader 1
By Sara Sadeghi Aval 1
Copper Plated Bucket and Ladle
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Let the Bed Buddy massager ease that special someone’s troubles (and the knots in their back) with shiatsu rollers and built-in infrared heat. This versatile wireless massager can travel from their bed to their car, and even to camp. The massager is also perfect for hips, hamstrings, feet, and hands for a full body relaxation experience. Give the gift of relaxation to a loved one (or yourself) this year.
Finn Origins
$99
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Bonobo’s Gift Card
Does the vegetarian/vegan in your life feel left out on wings night? No fear, Bonobo’s is here! Gift a friend a gift card denomination of your choosing and share in their love of food. With non-dairy products, vegetarian meat substitutes, and the best bean burger in the Bay, Bonobo’s is sure to have everyone’s dietary needs covered. They also offer an array of locally sourced products in store that are created with your body in mind. Bonobo’s Foods $Various 3
Kombucha DIY Kit
If you know someone whose New Year’s resolution is to be healthier, a do-it-yourself kombucha kit is the perfect start. The full kit is provided by Kumbaya Kombucha, a local brewery that offers an array of fermented products. Kombucha is a fermented tea made from a blend of green and black teas. The natural carbonation makes it a refreshing drink, and the powerful probiotics and vitamin B complexes promote digestion. The kit includes a free lesson on creating your kombucha. Flavours include raspberry, pineapple, and strawberry. Kumbaya Kombucha $TBD 4
Bodymind Centre
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The Midlife Cyclist
In The Midlife Cyclist, author and biomechanics pioneer Phil Cavell offers a practical guide for the mature cyclist who wants to stay active and take care of their body. This read is sure to educate older (and newer) cyclists. With an increase in mature cyclists, the refining of sport activity has become a necessity and a new way to enjoy the popular sport has emerged. Meant to be a “road map” for cyclists 40-plus, the guide offers medicinal advice, biking modifications, and a look at the mental obstacles that come with training professionally. Perfect for the active parent, favourite trainer, or your trail-loving friends.
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Entershine Bookstore $26.99 7
Vivomove 3S
Looking fashionable while staying fit has never been easier than with the Vivomove 3S smart watch from Garmin. The Vivomove has all the best parts of a traditional wristwatch, like moving watch hands and stainless steel hardware, while hiding a touchscreen display that is compatible with any smartphone. Available in a variety of colours, the Vivomove will last up to five days in smart mode and an additional week in its watch mode. Perfect for the fitness fashionista in your life.
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Lakehead Communications
G.M. Collin Skincare Set
For that person on your list who struggles with dry skin, tightness, and keeping that summer glow during the winter months, the Collin Skincare set makes a perfect gift. The phyto stem cell formula is the result of five years’ worth of research and development, holds seven global patents, and is loved internationally. Consistent use of the set visibly reduces signs of aging, and the stylish packaging will add the perfect boutique look to any vanity. Included in the luxury set are the phyto stem cell serum, eye contour, and cream. Canada Microblading $270
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Bed Buddy Massager
It’s no surprise that December brings cold weather, and what better way to battle the winter blues than with a warm, inviting sauna. Finn Origins has all your at-home sauna needs set with their copper plated bucket and ladle. The long, coated handle on the ladle is capable of withstanding high temperatures while remaining safe for touch. Boasting a stylish copper finish, the bucket is sure to add a chic touch to your steam time. $74.95
Keegan Richard
heal-th cru-sa-der a person who is focused on well-being and likes to keep an eye on their pulse
$249.99 8
BlenderBottles
Shake up a loved one’s smoothie routine with these special edition colourful and cartoony blender bottles. Created for an easy grip and leak-free lids, these bottles are perfect for travelling or the breakfast table. The original BlenderBall wire whisk is ready for use and dishwasher safe. Like original BlenderBottles, the Foodie collection also boasts BPA-free plastic and 28 oz of fluid capacity. Tim’s Whole Health
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$12.99 8
The Walleye
CoverStory
The Animal Lover
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an-i-mal lov-er a person who feels great fondness for non-human creatures 2
By Amy Jones 1
Adopt Don’t Shop Hoodie
The Thunder Bay & District Humane Society has been providing care and shelter for the region’s animals in need since 1994. And there’s no better way to show your support for all the amazing work they do than gifting the animal lover in your life this cosy hoodie, featuring a cute I Support the Thunder Bay & District Humane Society design on the back, and the Adopt Don’t Shop logo on the front. Because we all know that rescue pets make the best pets! Thunder Bay District Humane Society 3
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$25 6 Nikon Binoculars
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Rattan Ball Pet Bed
Who says pet beds can’t also be stylish? With its boho-inspired rattan frame and comfy interior cushion, this pet bed from Hygge Loft is a perfect, elegant addition to any living space, and a cute and cosy place for a cat or small dog to curl up next to the fire. Gift it to your most fashionable pet owner friend—or put a bow on top and surprise your own pet on Christmas morning!
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Bat House
You might not have heard, but bats are having a bit of a moment. And it’s no wonder—not only are they a hugely important part of a healthy ecosystem (and will eat up to 1,200 mosquitos an hour!), they’re also pretty hecking cute. These houses, made right here in Thunder Bay by Canadian Bat Houses, will not only provide a safe space for bats to spend the summer, they will attract more bats to your property—and with them, their superhero pest control powers. If there’s a better gift to give someone than fewer mosquitos, we’re not sure what it is! Maier Hardware $189.99/$239.99 4 Bush Jacket Dog Collar
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Northern Design Co.
For the birder or wildlife enthusiast on your list, these binoculars are a must. Compact and lightweight, with a rubber armouring to provide protection from drops and impacts and comfortable magnification that brings your subject up close without severely limiting your field of view, they give you the performance to enjoy any wildlife watching adventure, from birdwatching at Sleeping Giant to spotting moose along the 11/17.
$195
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Dog Sign
$45
Hygge Loft
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We love art, and we love dogs—doesn’t it just make sense to combine them? Made with a wooden frame, these 8 inch x 8 inch signs from Northern Design Co. can be personalized with any dog’s name and portrait, making them a great gift for anyone who is obsessed with their dog (which, honestly, is probably every dog owner you know).
Let’s face it, our pets don’t have a lot of opportunities to be fashionable—really, the only article of “clothing” they wear consistently is a collar. We love these cute bush jacket dog collars from Blue Trail Collars for their quality and versatility, but also because they are reminiscent of that pinnacle of northern fashion (and because they’re the perfect gift for someone who wants to have a twinning moment with their canine BFF).
Imagetech $109.95 7 Chicken Breed Christmas Ornament
Backyard chickens are growing in popularity not only for their contributions to a local, sustainable food system, but also because they make lively pets. Available for every breed of chicken under the sun, from Ancona to Wyandotte, and customizable with up to four separate chicken names, these sweet Christmas ornaments from Dragonfly North Studio will be sure to bring a smile to anyone who has ever kept a coop. Dragonfly North Studio $15 8 Bird and Circle Earrings
You can’t go wrong with giving jewelry as a gift—including to an animal lover. These gorgeous sterling silver, long earwire dangle earrings from Exquisite Jewelers, featuring an on-trend bird and circle design, make a great gift for the bird lover on your list. Exquisite Gold & Gems $39
Blue Trail Collars $14
The Walleye
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The Walleye
Pick-a-Gift
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CoverStory
The Collector
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col-lec-tor a person with an affinity for art and other unique gifts By Kat Lyzun 1
Ceramic Vessel
For the discerning collector, this beautiful and unique piece from Stratford, Ontario artist Shane Norrie would be a perfect addition to a modern or minimalist home. Norrie’s work has been featured in several home design magazines and TV shows, and his ceramics are part of the permanent collection of the Sanbao Ceramic Institute in Jingdezhen, China. Chenier Fine Arts $240
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Lake Superior Puzzle
Puzzles have had a real moment this past year, and they always make great family gifts. The new vintage-style map of Lake Superior puzzle from North Shore Puzzles will be both challenging to complete and beautiful when done. Check it out along with other great scenic puzzles at northshorepuzzles.ca. $39.99 6 Pagoda Ornament
A great gift for sauna lovers and lake lovers alike, these unique thermometers from local artist Vik Wilen add some flair to the beloved traditional sauna. Fun, fresh designs like The Boreal and Lake Life are done in ink on pine wood and finished with a waterproof gloss. Pick them up at Wilen Art & Supply at the Goods & Co. Market, or order through vikwilen.com.
Add some nostalgia to that special someone’s tree with these adorable, handcrafted wooden Pagoda ornaments created by local artisan Wendy Aaltomaa. They’re available with or without polka dots, depending on which side of the debate you fall on. Aaltomaa’s Wild Bramble Berries ornament collection also includes a miniature Silver Islet General Store, a camping trailer and a classic snowmobile scene.
Wilen Art & Supply
Fireweed Crafts
$43.50
$35
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Sauna Thermometer
Scenic Stickers
Stocking stuffers! These cool stickers from SGBC feature classic landscapes like Ouimet Canyon, Mount McKay, Kakabeka Falls and, of course, the Sleeping Giant. Stick them to your laptop, cooler, water bottle or notebook—perfect for students basking in the glow of being home for the holidays. Sleeping Giant Brewing Co. $3.50 4 Christi Belcourt Book
Christi Belcourt is a Michif visual artist whose ancestry originates from the historic Métis community of Manitou Sakhigan (Lac Ste. Anne) in Alberta. This is the first book devoted exclusively to Belcourt’s life and work: her early paintings showcasing the natural world’s beauty and interconnectedness, her monumental flower beadwork paintings, and her recent collaborations with Isaac Murdoch, an Anishinaabe knowledge keeper. This is a beautiful, richly illustrated book that would be treasured by any art lover.
Heather Peden is a writer and photographer with a passion for capturing the beauty of northern Ontario. Many of her pieces are from areas around Lake Superior and heading west toward Atikokan, and would look lovely in that special someone’s home, office or camp. She also has a calendar and greeting cards available. You can find her work at the Thunder Bay Country Market and at heatherpeden.com. Heather Peden Photography $25
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8 Christmas Village Sweet Shop
Thunder Bay Art Gallery $45
Victoria’s Cupboard $124.50
The Walleye
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7 Nature Print
If you have a Christmas lover on your list, Victoria’s Cupboard is a must visit. They have hundreds of pieces for dozens of new and vintage Christmas Village scenes from Department 56, including classic English scenes with the Dickens’ Village and Downton Abbey. This timeless Snow Village Christmas Sweets shop is sure to delight a new collector and kids alike.
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North Shore Puzzles
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CoverStory
The Entertainer
en-ter-tain-er a person who is always ready, willing, and able to throw together a soirée
1
By Kelsey Raynard 1
Power Blender
Every great host has their own repertoire of signature cocktails. Now, they can add piña coladas and daiquiris to the list (rum optional) with this Zwilling Enfinigy Power Blender. Sporting a 1400W motor and high carbon steel blades, this beautifully functional kitchen appliance is available in both black and silver. Bottoms up!
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Kühl Interiors 4
$469.99 2
60 oz. Pitcher
What better way to share Christmas cheer than by sharing a pitcher of ice cold beer? This 60 oz glass pitcher from Lake of the Woods Brewing Company is a stylish gift for the beer-loving entertainer on your list. With free Thunder Bay delivery on orders over $60, you can pair this glassware with a few cans of Sultana Gold or Forgotten Lake Blueberry Ale. Lake of the Woods Brewing Company
Authentique Gift Shop $49.99 6 Breeo Smokeless Fire Pit
Keep the party going all year round with this smokeless fire pit from Breeo. This sleek, convenient fire pit is the perfect size for small backyards, with the portability to take wherever you go. Backed by a lifetime warranty, the entertainer in your life is sure to enjoy this for years to come. Creekside Nursery & Garden Centre $579.99
Small/Medium Designer's Cut Bouquet
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Let someone know you are thinking of them this holiday season with a beautiful designer’s cut bouquet from Thuja Floral Design. With multiple sizes, prices, and delivery options for Thunder Bay and the surrounding area, this gift is perfect for the entertainer who appreciates a stylish (and thoughtful) centrepiece.
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Even a tea party needs a good host! This set of four fine bone china mugs is a great gift for the entertainer who always keeps their door open and their coffee (or cocoa) hot. Produced by McIntosh China, this collection is sure to keep someone warm this winter.
$25 3
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5 Group of Seven China Set
Thuja Floral Design $30–50
Wood Wick Candles
Help the host in your life set the mood with a hand-poured wax candle from Peace & Quiet Candle Co. Available in a variety of holiday-themed scents, these locally produced gifts make an excellent stocking stuffer. Bonus: the crackling wooden wick is the perfect soundtrack for your Christmas morning. Peace & Quiet Candle Co. $38
8 Resin Art Bamboo Sony Xb13 Extra Bass Serving Paddles Portable Wireless Speaker 4
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For the person who insists on DJing every party, this gift is sure to make them sing. The Sony Xb13 is equipped with a sound diffusion processor, 16 hours of battery life, and Bluetooth/ Fast Pairing technology. Durable, portable, and waterproof, this small speaker packs a big punch. The Power Centre $79.99
A holiday party just isn’t complete without a good snack spread. This gorgeous, one-of-a-kind board by H. Creations Co. is the perfect gift idea to be displayed on a table or used while entertaining guests. Waterproof and 100% food safe, this board will ensure the host in your life is dining in style all season long. Waxxed Candle Co. $40
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CoverStory
The Rugrat
rug-rat a small curious human under the age of six
1
By Bonnie Schiedel 1
Baby Bear Toque
Made in Canada, this acrylic rib-knit toque from North Standard Trading Post is just right for pint-sized winter adventurers up to age two. It comes in a variety of colours to suit discerning young fashionistas and the bear patch gives it northern cred. J.B. Evans Fashions & Footwear $22 2
Frosty the Bath Bomb
Who wouldn’t want to take a fizzy bath with Frosty? This seasonal favourite is hand-painted by Lovely Body and has a brown sugar scent. Wrapped in biodegradable packaging, it contains kid-friendly vegan ingredients, including skin-soothing grapeseed oil. Lovely Body $9.50 3
Peppa Doll
This bunny is more than just adorable: known as a “bonding aid,” it’s made of certified organic muslin in a range of colours, with soft wool inside the head that retains familiar scents of parents and home to help a kiddo feel secure. Each is made by hand under fair trade conditions in India. Finnport $30 4 Toniebox Starter Set
This new screen-free, ad-free audio system is designed to be durable, safe, and engaging for kids. They can listen to its existing song files, their grownups can download new ones, and family members can add their own voices in custom songs or storytimes. The starter set includes a soft-covered speaker, headphone jack, and easy controls. Toy Sense $139.99
5 Scoot and Ride Highwaykick 1
Rugrats on the go will love this Austrian-designed ride that starts out as a ride-on toy and can be transformed to a scooter with three adjustable height settings. Features include an ergonomic handle, comfortable seat, anti-slip deck, and safety pad at the front to minimize tipping over. Available in four contemporary colours, this is mobile fun for kids aged one to five.
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Lullaby’s Boutique $159
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6 Thunder Bay T-Shirt
Kids can show their love for their hometown with these stylin’ madein-Canada T-shirts made from 50% organic cotton and 50% recycled polyester derived from plastic bottles. These youth shirts are available in red and white in sizes extra-small to extralarge (and pssst, there are adult sizes and baby onesies too!)
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Ungalli Clothing Co. $29 7 Beluga Baby Wrap Carrier
The parents-to-be on your list will definitely appreciate a hands-free way to keep their babe close. Crafted in Vancouver from four-way stretch fabric made from sustainable bamboo as well as cotton and a touch of Spandex, this comfy wrap is suitable for babies from newborn up to 25 lbs. Choose from a wide variety of patterns, including this fierce leopard print. Lullaby’s Boutique
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$79.95 8 Superior Chew Toy
Sometimes, you’ve just gotta chomp. These unique chew toys, ideal for little teethers, are fashioned in the shape of the greatest Great Lake, and are made in Alberta from Canadian white maple. They are left untreated with no coatings or chemical additives, and will not crack or splinter. For an extra fee of $13 they can be personalized with a silicon letter bead loop. Keiki Collective $15 8
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The Walleye
Holiday Gift Guide For Baby
• Handwoven Bassinets • Teethers • Rattles • Pacifiers • Clothing / Shoes • Books
For Child • Scooters • Stuffy
• Books
• LEGO Trays • Clothing
• Toy Inside Bath Bombs
For Momma (to-Be) • Diaper Bags
• Baby Wrap Carriers • Belly Butter
• Mama Wristlets
• Maternity & Nursing Clothing
• Sassy B Tumblers
• Foaming Milk Bath
• Haakaa Breast Pumps
For more locally made and other great gift suggestions go to our website at lullabysboutique.ca Our local vendors include: • Hankerchews • North and Little Loveables • Babes and Blends • Handmade by Anna H
• Baby Sugar Butt • Ninny Ham • Willow and Whimsy • Valleywood Design • H. Creations • Sugar + Scrubs
• Harding Handicrafts • Handmade Crafts TBay • Sassy Bitch Designs • Mclyn • Pout Beauty • WoodenHead Woodworks
21 CUMBERLAND ST SOUTH PH 343-0105
SHOP ONLINE AT
lullabysboutique.ca The Walleye
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CHRISTMAS IS COMING
Stock up on: Crab Lobster tails Shrimp Scallops Salmon Appetizers & lots more!
595 Arthur St. West in the Brentwood Plaza Call us at (807) 577-6111
Great Stocking Stuffers: Gift Cards Greek Dressing Baby Bibs
118 Frederica Street W. thesalthunderbay.com
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Ball Caps Coffee Mugs
(Not Burgers)
Best Wishes for the Season REAL ESTATE & MORTGAGES | FAMILY LAW, DIVORCE & MEDIATION WILLS & ESTATES, POWER OF ATTORNEY | CORPORATE LAW | NOTARIES *ACCREDITED FAMILY LAW MEDIATOR
Daniel R. Filipovic, B. Admin., LL.B., AccFM* Samantha A. Filipovic, B. FA. (HONS), LL.B. John P. Filipovic, B. A., LL.B., (1929-2019) Michael D. Conway, B. A., LL.B., Retired
807-343-9090
www.filipovic.ca | 1020 E. Victoria Avenue The Walleye
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Food
Mushroom Tarts makes about 24 tarts*
2 large onions, chopped 1 Tbsp olive oil
THE GRINNING BELLY
1 Tbsp butter
¼ tsp salt 1 tsp brown sugar 8 oz mushrooms, chopped finely 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 Tbsp dried parsley 2 tsp lemon juice
Stir into oniony mushroom mixture.
1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
Unfold the pastry on a floured surface and roll out to a 18” x 9” rectangle. Cut into 18 3” rounds (or squares). Press pastry scraps into a ball, roll out again, and cut six or so more. Press the cut-outs into muffin-pan cups (*or you can use smaller cut-outs and mini-muffin pans.) Use a toothpick to poke holes in the centres of the puff pastry cups to make sure they don’t puff too much while baking.
By Chef Rachel Bayes
I
love me some appetizers! But I come by it honestly. Growing up, we’d have these big Doherty family dinners during the holidays, where the large dining room table would be loaded with meat and cheese trays, pickles, veggies, crackers, dips, chicken wings, spareribs, and always suolakala on rye (Finnish saltfish). This was all laid out for perusing while the turkey/ham/ roast beef (with all the trimmings) was being prepared in the kitchen. Usually, I’d eat too many nibblies during the afternoon to even think about dinner. Oof. Even now, when I go out to eat, I like to order a few different small plates to share rather than a main course. One of my very favourite appies of all time is mushroom tarts.
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The Walleye
They may seem very 1970s, but for me, so nostalgic and like a warm hug on a cold day. These bite-sized treats are basically puff pastry (look in the frozen food section), mushrooms (cremini, button, or shiitake), and a good Alpine-style cheese (like Gruyère, fontina, or Asiago). You can really zhuzh up your recipe, adding and swapping out flavours as you like. I do recommend keeping the caramelized onions, though, as they add a rich umami flavour. The herbs and cheese are up to you! Make ahead: This recipe freezes well—just assemble, bake, and reheat at 350°F for about five minutes. Or you can assemble the tarts in muffin pans and refrigerate, ready to pop in the oven as your guests arrive.
Stir the salt, sugar, and mushrooms into the onions. Cook until the mushrooms are softened and have released their liquid—maybe 10 minutes Stir in garlic and herbs (sub in rosemary or Italian seasoning if you’d rather). Cook a couple minutes more. Turn off the heat.
½ tsp dried thyme
Merry Christmush
Add onions to oil/butter and cook on medium-low for a loooong time, stirring often, until they are deep golden brown. You want them to cook slow and low to caramelize and deepen the flavours.
1 egg 1 Tbsp water
1 c finely shredded cheese (such as Gruyère, fontina, Asiago, Emmental, taleggio)
Beat egg and water together. Brush on pastry cups. Spoon 2 Tbsp mushroom mixture into pastry cups (or 1 Tbsp if using minis). Top tarts with ½–1 Tbsp cheese and bake in a preheated 400°F oven until they’re golden brown, 18–20 minutes for the large ones, and less for the minis. Remove from pans and garnish with chopped fresh thyme or parsley.
Food
HEALTHCARE CAREER INITIATIVES
DRINK OF THE MONTH
Mistletoe Gin Fizz In Common
Story by Rebekah Skochinski, Photo by Adrian Lysenko
A
longtime symbol of love—or at least some amorous activity— mistletoe is an excellent excuse to get cosy with your favourite familiars. In Common’s newly renovated digs adorned with local art and a stunning wall mural by Kevin Belmore is, as their sidewalk sign attests, a safe place for food, drink, and friends. So head on over! We like to think they dreamed up the Mistletoe Gin Fizz especially for us, but truthfully, it’s for everyone. The cocktail contains the super trendy (and tasty!) Empress 1908 gin, fresh lemon juice, a housemade cinnamon cranberry orange syrup, and ginger beer. It’s spicy and fizzy and delicious and if you feel brave enough to scoop out the gin and ginger-soaked cranberries you are in for a tart treat. Garnished with cranberry sugar-crusted skewers, stemmed thyme, and a sliced orange round, it’s like unwrapping the perfect present—because it is!
Fully-funded training opportunities in:
In Common 40 Cumberland Street South 344-4450
Home and Community Support Worker (HCSW) Personal Support Worker (PSW) Medical Laboratory Assistant (MLA)
Where your opportunity begins
• Tuition, books and supplies at no cost for qualified applicants • Guaranteed jobs after graduation • Flexible school schedules • New programs start frequently SAOhealthcare@confederationcollege.ca 807-475-6353
confederationcollege.ca/hci
W A P P LY N O
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This year, every moment deserves to be celebrated - big and small. Give loved ones a gift that’s a perfect match for a holiday season as extra special as this one. Keg gift cards are available to purchase at the Thunder Bay Keg or online at thekeg.com 735 Hewitson Street | 807.623.1960 30
The Walleye
Food
The History and Variety of Christmas Brewing By Josh Armstrong, PhD, Certified Beer Judge
Y
ou might think that Christmas ales are simply a hipster trend, invented by American craft breweries to drive up holiday sales. Or perhaps it was industrious homebrewers who concocted the idea for an excuse to get another brew day in before the holidays? While there might be some truth in both of those statements, Christmas ales and other holiday brews have a long and varied history. In fact, beer cultures from around the world—Norway, Belgium, Germany, England, and America— each have historically produced their own style of specialty beer just for the winter holidays. In Norway, brewing beer for Christmas (known as juleøl) is a tradition that goes back to the Viking Age. It was a Pagan custom that those who brewed beer had to brew a special batch for midwinter and the coinciding Yule time feasts. This Viking culture remains today, with Norwegians being particularly fond of Christmas ales. Modern-day juleøl is typically a strong, dark ale made for consumption every December. In Belgium, Christmas beers are also very popular. Most Belgian breweries, including the Trappist Breweries, release a specialty beer just for Christmas celebrations. These brews vary in style but tend to showcase Belgian yeast strains while also being strong and dark, and often brewed with holiday spices like cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, or allspice. Back in 1926, Stella Artois was actually launched in Belgium as a Christmas beer (“stella” is latin for star). Nowadays, Stella is a pilsner-style lager that is brewed and widely enjoyed year round. In the U.K., Christmas ales usually leave out the warming spices but include higher levels of alcohol and malt character compared
to their typical daily pints of bitter. Common styles produced by English breweries for Christmas include barley wines, winter warmers, and other forms of strong dark ales. These beers are often bottled and characteristically shared amongst friends and family at holiday gatherings. The English custom of Christmas beer evolved from the drinking of wassail during medieval parties. Wassail comes from the Old Norse words meaning “be of good health” and was a strong ale or cider heated up, flavoured by spices and apples, and served in a large wooden “wassail bowl.” German beer for Christmas is more restrained due to the Reinheitsgebot Beer Purity Law of 1516. This “law” commanded that all German beers include only water, malt, and hops… no spices allowed! Due to this, German Christmas beers are more subtle than their European neighbours. They are mostly just the same as their everyday drinking lagers, just brewed a little stronger and darker. For example, Doppelbocks like Ayinger’s Celebrator are a perfect match for any German-themed Yuletide celebrations. Christmas beer in America has much less tradition to base their recipes on. American Christmas beer can vary widely in style. Many are similar to the ones found in Europe (strong, dark, malty, spiced), but others take on truly American approaches to their holiday brews. The quintessential American craft Christmas beer is from San Francisco. Since 1975, Anchor Brewing has released a unique dark rich spiced ale for Christmas. While the recipe changes from year to year, the intent of the is always to celebrate the festive season with big, warming flavours. Also from California, Sierra Nevada Brewing
BREW IT YOURSELF
Co. takes a widely different approach for Christmas. They have been brewing a fresh-hopped Holiday IPA for the last 40 years called Celebration Ale. Rather than go dark and spiced, Sierra Nevada produces a dank and resiny heavily hopped beer. If you have never tried a Celebration IPA, try to pop across the border to Grand Marais (maybe wait until next year?) and pick up a case for some hoppy holidays. Here in Ontario and generally across Canada, we really don’t make that many Christmas ales. And similarly to Americans, we don’t have too many Christmas brewing traditions, leaving it open for brewers to decide
on their own how exactly to craft their Yuletide gifts to the public. Some Canadian holiday beers that I’ll be sharing with my friends and family are: • Sleeping Giant Brewing Co.’s Snow Goose (vanilla and Wolfhead Coffee porter) • Flying Monkeys’ The Chocolate Manifesto (triple chocolate milk stout) • Muskoka Brewery’s Winter Beard Double Chocolate Cranberry Stout • Unibroue’s Ce n’est pas la Fin du Monde Happy and hoppy holidays to you and yours!
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Food
Bistro One
Restaurant Goes Back to Their Roots Review by Susan Pretty, Photos by Adrian Lysenko
W
hen The Walleye caught up with Bistro One’s general manager, Kyle Melnyk, there was no shortage of things to talk about. This acclaimed upscale restaurant has been around for over 20 years, with its humble beginnings on Cumberland Street. Quickly outgrowing that space, the restaurant found a new home on Dunlop Street with a larger dining area to keep up with the demand. In the fall of 2019, Bistro One
underwent a change of ownership and rebranding, but remains committed to its roots. “Retaining core team members was inherent to the continued success,” Melnyk says. Executive chef Glenn Strasdin has been with Bistro One since the early days, and is still going strong. He’s seen many changes to the eclectic menu, yet some classics still remain—Cognac-flamed duck anyone? “That’s the fun part of going out for dinner, is trying something
new,” Strasdin says One item that has earned its keep on the menu is the sautéed garlic and maple sea scallops. Almost dessert-like in nature, the champagne sauce just begs to be mopped up with bread. “We don’t offer our bread service at lunch,” Melnyk says. “But we serve this dish with some garlic toast on the side.” And quite rightly. The tender seared scallops are a perfect foil for this zingy sauce. New to the menu is the blackened halibut—and let’s hope this one’s a keeper. Served with parmigiano and brioche crostini, lemon chipotle cream sauce, broccolini, and zested lemon, this dish is like no other. The crostini serves as a
Blackened halibut
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base for the halibut to rest on, and it is almost stuffing-like in its taste and texture. It combines beautifully with the seasoned, flaky fish and would be most excellent paired with a crisp white wine of sommelier Cale Graydon’s choosing. The Cubano pepper Angus filet mignon is a thing of beauty. “While your steak is cooking, that’s when I’m making your sauce,” Strasdin says. Served with Cubano pepper puree, roasted potato medallions (if a potato can be perfectly al dente, this is it!), peppers, and a demi-glace sauce, it is, for lack of a better word, incredibly yummy. The sauce is infused with layers and layers of flavour. It’s a two-day process, executive chef Chris Barnes says, that starts with roasting bones. If you haven’t heard the news, the rumor is true—a sister restaurant, Selar, is opening this month, occupying the old Silver Birch spot on Cumberland Street. The menu is described as seafood with a French flair. The ambiance will be soft, warm, and welcoming, with a view over the harbour, a private room, fireplace, and cosy booths. Barnes, who hails from Truro, Nova Scotia., looks forward to his new station and sharing some East Coast flavours with Thunder Bay. Bistro One is open for lunch Tuesday–Friday, 11 am–3 pm, and for dinner Tuesday–Saturday, 5–10 pm. Visit bistroone.ca for more info.
Sautéed sea scallops Grilled Angus filet mignon
Give the Gift of Golf This Year! Trackman Golf Simulators at Landale Gardens Easy & Convenient Gift Packages + Punch Cards Use towards Golf Lessons, Practice Time or Play Time! Used by PGA Champions & Thunder Bay’s Mackenzie Tour players Evan DeGrazia and Jamie Deperio!
1230 Hawker Rd. 807-577-5807
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Food
SUPERIOR SIP
Wishful Thinking
Gracious Holiday Drinks Paired With Local Love
By Jeannie Dubois, Certified Pommelier and Sommelier
T
he holidays are fast approaching in what will soon be a winter wonderland here on our great North Shore. Besides the soon-to-pass hibernal solstice, where we can celebrate the days once again lengthening, there is so much to be thankful for today and each day that brings us closer to the festivities.
Whether looking for a thoughtful gift for someone fondly in your community or searching for a tasteful wassail for yourself, there are a plethora of holiday packs available for every taste and occasion. Just add a locally sourced sidebar for extra love, et voila–holiday cheer! Think:
For the classic cocktail lover:
For the craft cider connoisseur:
For the beer community maestro:
Ernest Cider Holiday Pack 4 x 473ml – LCBO No. 17064 – Ontario, Canada - $19.55 – Includes two cans of Rubee cider and two cans of wild blueberry cider, as well as an Ernest cider glass.
Society Beer Squad Pack 2 x 473ml – LCBO No. 21497 - $13.95 – Ontario Canada – Thoughtfully put together by the Society of Beer Drinking Ladies (holler!), this twopack includes a can of New England IPA and Hibiscus Pale Ale (made by tastemakers Henderson Brewing Co.) plus a branded glass.
Matt & Steve’s Tasty Bev Co Caesar Time Kit 8 x 473ml - LCBO No. 21911 – Ontario, Canada - $34.95 – Includes four lightly spiced and four hot & spicy Caesars, plus a glass, a tin of rimmer, and a jar of Extreme Beans for garnish. Pair with: The other, other garnish—none other than locally made beef jerky in a host of Caesar-pleasing flavours from Heartbeat Hot Sauce Co.’s pineapple habanero hot sauce to Rose N Crantz coffee. Find at: George’s Market 14 Balsam Street
Pair with: A warm, glowing, and softly scented candle made locally with coconut wax and scented with essential oils, such as the Cardigan candle, which boasts cinnamon, chrysanthemum, apple, berry, green leaves, pecan and cedar. Find at: Waxxed Candle Co. 16 Cumberland Street North
Pair with: A great new book to curl up with, such as Canadian author Louise Penny’s new Chief Inspector Gamache novel, The Madness of Crowds, set in the snowy and sleepy fictional Quebec town of Three Pines. See if you can solve the crime before your beer gets warm! Find at: Entershine Bookshop 196 Algoma Street South
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For the official wine whiz: Donnafugata Sul Vulcano Red Duo – Nerello Mascalese Blend 2 x 750ml – LCBO No. 21871 – Sicily, Italy –$97.95 – A rich and voluptuous red with profound character from the volcanic soil surrounding Mount Etna that the vines are grown on. Pair with: Grana Padano, Italian unpasteurized, semi-skimmed cow’s milk cheese from two milkings with a firm, thick, strawcoloured rind and flaky, dry interior. Find at: The Cheese Encounter 198 Algoma Street South
All the best this holiday season, Thunder Bay!
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Food
Uncommon Baked Goods Born, Bred, and Baked in Thunder Bay By Marcia Arpin
Jacqueline Johns, chef and owner of Uncommon Baked Goods, a bakery at Goods & Co Market
I
n 2020, Jacqueline Johns returned to Thunder Bay for Christmas to be with her family during the COVID-19 pandemic. A professional chef, she started an Instagram page that showcased her baking adventures for friends and family over the holidays. The reception she received from these picture-perfect creations was so encouraging that Johns began to create more and more. It didn’t take long before her sourdough bagels, cakes, pies, bread, brownies, and truffles were desired by devoted followers and customers. As the Instagram account gained traction in 2021, Johns decided to take a leap of faith and transition to a brick-and-mortar space. She is now the sole chef and owner of Uncommon Baked Goods, a bakery at Goods & Co Market in downtown Port Arthur that features her baked goods and classic cookies
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like peanut butter, shortbread, chocolate chunk, and gingerbread. Uncommon Baked Goods makes celebrating holidays sweet and gift giving easy with their selection of cookie and dessert boxes. However, the bakery also offers something delicious any day of the year, with no occasion required. “Throughout my career, I’ve always gotten a bit of attention for not being the most traditional pastry chef with flavour combinations, ingredients, or plate ups, so I just decided to embrace that. The name for the business is a play on that: Uncommon Baked Goods,” Johns says. Johns describes herself as being, “born, bred, and baked in Thunder Bay,” and one of her first jobs was at Caribou Restaurant. She left Thunder Bay for university and lived and worked throughout the U.S. and Canada—everywhere from high-end resorts in Aspen, Colorado
to the fast-paced Rogers Arena in Vancouver, where she was living prior to making the official move back to Thunder Bay this fall. Her education and experience are in hospitality and restaurant management and professional pastry. “I had always dreamed of having my own spot, but it never seemed like a feasible move to make until I was contacted by Maelyn Hurley, the owner of Goods & Co.,” Johns says. “I am so excited about the amazing local community that has developed here in Thunder Bay,” she adds. “I'm truly thrilled to meet and be working with other local businesses and to become involved in the community in whatever ways I can.” For more information, find Uncommon Baked Goods on Instagram @uncommon.bakedgoods.
Hap py Holidays!
Wishing you a joyful holiday season with family and friends.
Happy Holidays! Wishing you a joyful holiday season with family and friends.
Sincerely, Sincerely, Whether you’ve been naughty or nice, the team at Cheadles is wishing you a safe and happy holiday season. P: (807) 622-6821 | www.cheadles.com | E: info@cheadles.com Since 1953, Cheadles has proudly provided client-focused legal services in Thunder Bay and across northern Ontario.
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Food
transformed dramatically in the 10 or 12 years since Simpson started working in the neighbourhood, first at the Sovereign Room, and then at Tomlin. “I’ve been pretty thrilled with the development of the downtown core. Anyone who’s got a great idea and great plan to make our downtown area better, I’m excited for whatever they want to do.” He’s confident Thunder Bay will love having a casual beer hall in the neighbourhood as well. Simpson says he can’t give an opening date yet, as they are still waiting on some delayed equipment to arrive, but hopes it will be early next year. The best place to find out would be Tomlin’s Instagram account, he says, adding that they’ve created a separate account, @tomlin.subdivision as well.
A New Development on Cumberland Trendy New Pizza Coming to the City’s North Core By Ayano Hodouchi-Dempsey
T
omlin Restaurant is expanding. The popular restaurant on Red River Road is opening up a new location, called Subdivision, on nearby Cumberland Street. Co-owner and chef of Tomlin, Steve Simpson, says the new venture is a collaboration with new craft brewery Lakehead Beer Company. The brewery is in the space formerly occupied by the Red Lion Smokehouse, and Subdivision will be going in next door. The two businesses will be connected inside, meaning people in the taproom can just saunter over to Subdivision’s counter and grab food to enjoy with their pint. Subdivision’s menu will be geared towards take-out as well. “We’re doing Detroit-style pizza,” Simpson says. “They’re rectangular, and baked in blue steel pans. People at the Ford plant would go to
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this neighbourhood bar, where they didn’t have much food, and they started pizza but didn’t have much to bake it in, so the workers brought tool pans from the plant.” “Detroit-style is sauce on top of the cheese, instead of underneath,” he explains. “Everything goes right to the edge, gets crispy against the blue steel pan. It’s crunchy-crispy outside, and light and fluffy inside. No one else does it in Thunder Bay, this will be the first. It’s currently a pretty huge trend outside of Thunder Bay.” There will also be plenty of other choices on the menu that go well with beer: subs, wings, fried chicken, “all that good stuff,” the chef chuckles. “And in the spring, summer and early fall, there will be a beer garden outside as well,” he adds. The city’s north core has
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Food
Woodside Bar
Modern Bar Opens in Goods & Co. Story by Sarah Kerton, Photos by Jamie Dawn Photography
W
oodside is a name associated with creating the future in Thunder Bay. “It powered the local market,” says Dane Newbold, owner of the downtown’s newest addition for imbibing in style. He’s referring to the Woodside Brother’s Foundry, also known as the Port Arthur Ironworks, which operated for a century from 1883 and generated the first electricity in 1888. It was such a successful novelty that soon the Foundry was powering the local dry goods store. Likewise, the Woodside Bar is the heart of the new Goods & Co. market and will doubtlessly power many a shopping spree, and a vibrant future for Goods & Co. The modern bar oozes style and follows the 180-degree wrap-around window on the corner of Red River Road and Court Street. This new social hub mixes its concrete and industrial roots with art nouveau and art deco schemes that will have everyone swooning over their cocktails. The Woodside Bar is Newbold’s latest endeavour, as he also owns and operates The Foundry across the street. His partner Maelyn Hurley is creator of Goods & Co.
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“Early on in the process of developing the market, she knew she wanted to have a bar,” says Newbold—one that was similar to those open local markets that they had experienced in their travels together. “A bar was part of the elements that made our favourite marketplaces work. In Goods & Co., you can walk around and have a drink, do some window shopping.” You can’t enter individual vendor booths with alcohol, but there are places to stop and chat and socialize throughout the market floor plan. Woodside does not serve food, but is flanked by a handful of small artisanal food bars where patrons can pick up charcuterie or sushi to enjoy with their drinks. Woodside will share staff with The Foundry, as well as Newbold’s sushi bar Humble Fish. Heavy on the cocktail program, Newbold looks forward to the innovation and creativity Woodside will afford his staff in their creation of top quality drinks for Goods & Co. patrons. They will also offer cans of beer and other beverages. For more information, find them on Instagram @thewoodsidebar.
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Food prepared every week and delivered Mondays. Everything is done for you and all you need to do is heat and eat. With Skip the Dishes, there is an individual meal option “if you’re hungry and looking for something out of this world,” says Hanafe. Please visit the Atlas Express website for more information on alternative meal plans that are available for weight loss or gain and vegan options. There is truly something for everyone who is looking for a taste of the Silk Road and beyond. For more information, visit atlasexpress.ca.
Atlas Express
Take a Local Journey Down the Silk Road Through Your Taste Buds By Wendy Wright
O
ne year ago, Abdul Azeez Hanafe decided it was time to introduce Thunder Bay to some more international cuisine choices. As an aerospace student at Confederation College, he saw the industry seemingly collapsing under the weight of COVID-19 and he decided to branch out and share his love and knowledge of ethnic cuisine with the area. “We communicate through food,” Hanafe says. “I grew up in a diverse housing area in Toronto and learned many different languages, cultural foods, and cooking.” Bringing these flavours to Thunder Bay was an endeavour arising from knowledge, heart, and missing the flavours of his upbringing. At present, Atlas Express has a meal prep service, which is available to pre-purchase and heat at home, and prepared food delivery through Skip the Dishes. Each month focuses on a different world region, and each week a different
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meal from that area comes into focus for its turn under the dinner table spotlight. Using the ancient trade route which connected Europe with the Far East, all these options are strung together along the path of the Silk Road—a tasty path indeed. Along with these options, Hanafe’s background also brings hints of Portugal, South America, and other regions to this vast world of taste. “I want to bridge the cultural gap in Canada through international cuisines, and I wanted to start in the heart of the north,” he says. So far the interest has been great and the more folks hear about Atlas Express, the busier the company gets. The subscription service available on the website is varied, with options for families and individuals to get a taste of diversity delivered weekly. Meals have included Turkish adana kebab, traditional Moroccan couscous, and Zanzibari goat biryani. These meals are
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FilmTheatre
Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol Modern Twist on Dickens’s Classic Comes to the Stage By Sara Sadeghi Aval
R
arely does a Dickensian classic get a unique, modern twist, let alone a frightening one at that. Written by American actor Tom Mula, Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol is the flipside look at the beloved Christmas story that focuses on Scrooge’s long-dead partner, Jacob Marley, and his own revelations with the afterlife. A fusion of old and new, sweet and scary, the play is perfect for ages 10 and up. The Magnus Theatre production will run December 2–18: three weeks of frightful cheer up until Christmas. “Our star is Jacob James. He’ll be doing a one-person show,” says Thom Currie, artistic director. James will be playing not only Jacob Marley, but 29 of the classic Dickens characters like Tiny Tim and Bob Cratchit. James previously worked with the theatre in the spring of 2019 and is the first actor from outside Thunder Bay to be cast in Magnus’s new season. Currie picked the script after learning Mula wrote the play while playing Jacob Marley onstage himself. A young patron in the audience exclaimed their disappointment in Marley’s character’s short appearance in the classic version, and so Jacob Marley’s story was born. “It’s really
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Jacob James about what happened in the other room while Scrooge’s story happens. We get to see what Marley was doing after his introduction in the original,” Currie says. Currie knew Jacob James was also a fan of ghost stories and after reading the play, James was on board. Magnus’s new traverse stage will still be in effect for this production, allowing James to move around the audience and create a more intimate evening of storytelling. Although a one-person show, Currie assures us the backstage crew is still hard at work creating light projections, set design, and the perfect atmosphere for Marley’s story. “A Christmas Carol in North American theatres is one of the most popular shows at this time. In fact, we did a production of the original three years ago. Revisiting the story in a different way now is interesting,” explains Currie. “[Marley’s version] puts you on edge and still keeps up with the spirit of Christmas.” Although the theatre plans on being back to 100% capacity in January, they will be maintaining a reduced capacity for the rest of 2021. Visit magnustheatre.com for more information.
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FilmTheatre
S
With the various sloped landscapes around the city, Poulin hit the streets. “For those who are unfamiliar with street snowboarding, just imagine a ski resort terrain park filled with jumps, handrails, and other features, except there’s no chairlift,” he says. “You have to build your own takeoffs and landings, and there isn’t always natural speed and slope so you have to use a bungee, winch, or even a car tow.” Once Thunder Bay wasn’t receiving any more snow and the season was in its second half, Poulin headed west. “[I] drove myself to Calgary, following federal COVID-19 health recommendations, so that I could continue to film a bit more street snowboarding for another week or so,” he says. “Then finally made it to Whistler, British Columbia only for the B.C. government to shut the
Freestyle snowboarder, Patrice Poulin, in Calgary whole resort down just three weeks after I got there. Nonetheless, I still managed to get some quality boarding in and be productive while filming for the movie.” For the film, Poulin says he tried a wide range of tricks and different styles of riding to showcase his skills. “[I] definitely learned what it takes to make a full-length video part, which was only about three and a half minutes long,” he says. “Going through the sometimes painful but rewarding experience was fully worth it.” Aside from Canadian riders,
Noah Tuomisto
Noah Tuomisto
ometimes you have to improvise to pursue your dreams. This happened to local snowboarder Patrice Poulin after he received an invitation from Montreal director Hugo DubéBouchard to be featured in the film INTERCONNECT. “For me, I saw this as a legitimate chance to showcase my snowboarding to the world,” Poulin says. “I’ve never been in a fulllength snowboard movie before so I jumped at this opportunity.” But the hurdle that competitive snowboarder faced was that there were no local ski resorts open in the province at the time because of COVID-19 restrictions. “Basically, my friends and I roamed the streets of Thunder Bay and surrounding areas in search of unique locations to snowboard on.”
Mike Hopkins
By Adrian Lysenko
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INTERCONNECT features snowboarders from the United States, Europe, Japan, and Russia. “It's definitely one of the coolest things I've been a part of,” Poulin says. “The movie gives off a sense of community between us snowboarders even though I haven’t met most of the people involved. Everyone in the film is from a different part of the world hence the title INTERCONNECT, we're all connected by our love of the sport.” To watch the full film, search INTERCONNECT on YouTube.
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Local Rider Featured in Globally Produced Snowboard Film
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If you choose not to find joy in the snow, you will have less joy in your life but the same amount of snow! WISHING A MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OUR PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE CLIENTS! Donations have been made to Roots To Harvest and Elizabeth Fry Society.
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FilmTheatre
Winter Holiday Origin Stories By Michael Sobota
A true selfless act always sparks another. - Klaus (J.K. Simmons) in Klaus
I
n the two months between the end of November and the end of January, there are some 14 different winter holidays. These are celebrated by different cultures and different faiths in many different parts of the world. Some are religious (like Christmas), others are not (like Kwanzaa). Almost all of them involve a tradition of gifting. Here are movies that celebrate the origins and traditions of these diverse winter holidays.
Winter Solstice (2004) The actual winter solstice takes place on or around December 21, marking the shortest and darkest day of the year. This movie, written and directed by Josh Sternfeld, takes place in summer. It is about a single father (Anthony LaPaglia) raising two youngadult sons (Aaron Stafford and Mark Webber). Dad owns a landscaping business. The younger son has trouble in school and has to repeat summer school. The older son works listlessly in a market warehouse. The three of them live together in a suburban home without the presence of mom. Sternfeld’s gentle, quiet script takes its time with this exposition while gradually revealing that this trio is suffering and on the brink of rupture. They are sliding toward the darkest day of the year, perhaps their lives. In a finely performed, explosive scene where the elder son decides to leave and strike out on his own, we learn that the three of them have been struggling with the death of the wife/mother five years ago. The gift in this story is a newly arrived neighbor (Allison Janney), bringing muted light and transition to their lives. This is an indie gem.
The Black Candle – A Kwanzaa Celebration (2008) Directed by M.K. Asante and narrated by Maya Angelou, this quasidocumentary follows a Black American family. It gives us the origin story of how Kwanzaa came to be the major winter celebration for AfricanAmericans in the mid 1960s, and today is celebrated by millions of Black citizens all over the world. Kwanzaa has seven principles represented by seven candles (reminiscent of a menorah and Hanukkah). It is not a religious celebration, but rather a sharing of cultural elements (unity, selfdetermination, cooperative economics) that also includes gift-giving. Gifts are often homemade (food) or educational (books, games). One of Kwanzaa’s prime motivations is to move away from the enormous commercialization of Christmas. One of the gifts in this movie is Maya Angelou's voice. Sometimes it is straight narration. Sometimes it is poetry. And why this movie works is because she invites us to get to know Black culture while visually it plays out in front of us. It's not a lecture. It's a celebration.
La Befana vien di notte (The Legend of the Christmas Witch) (2018) This is a modern retelling of the legend of Befana, the old Italian woman who brings gifts to good children. In Nicola Guaglianone’s screenplay, Miss Paola (Paola Cortellesi) is a grade school teacher much loved by her students. At night she transforms into La Befana, an aging witch, complete with broom and zoom. She brings gifts to good children and leaves bad things with bad children. One of those bad kids, Giovanni (Stefano Fresi), now grown into a bad adult, Mr. Johnny, kidnaps Miss Paola in a convoluted plot to rule gift-giving. A student accidently sees the teacher’s kidnapping and the movie then turns into a rescue adventure by the rest of her class. With some very strong language (expletives), the movie is sort of an adult rom-com, but made to appeal to kids. It entertains and reveals another winter legend not wellknown to the rest of the world.
THE SECOND MOST PLEASURABLE THING WE DO IN THE DARK. A COLUMN ABOUT MOVIES
Klaus (2019) Co-directors Sergio Pablos and Carlos Martínez López invent an animated origin story for that guy in a red suit and the tradition of gift giving in winter. Who knew that it all started with feuding families in a town called Smeerenburg on an island above the Arctic circle? This is neither Pixar nor Disney, but rather a fresh animation style that is thoroughly engaging. Resolution for the volatile families is provided by a naive postman (voiced by Jason Swartzman), newly arrived on the island, who befriends a grumpy elder toymaker, Klaus (voiced by J.K. Simmons). The postman convinces Klaus to give the enormous number of toys he has accumulated to the growling and snarling islanders. I admit some of the best quips and spits come from the curses the families hurl at each other. This is a refreshing alternative holiday story.
And here are six more to discover or rediscover before opening your own gifts: The Lion In Winter (1968), Prancer (1989), Krampus (2015), A Christmas Village (this is one of those Hallmark Holiday movies starring Thunder Bay’s own Neil Paterson, 2018), Let It Snow (2019), and Happiest Season (2020).
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FilmTheatre
Confessions Of a Drag Dealer Drag Shows 101 – Part 4 By Jimmy Wiggins, Photo by Rachel Macsemchuck
W
e’ve covered a wide range of topics in this series, from the kinds of performances you can expect to see at a drag show, to common styles of drag, to how to be an active member of the audience. We’re going to close out this series by getting a little perspective from the performers themselves. We’ve asked local drag artists Mz. Molly Poppinz, Amber Ail, and Ivan Love their thoughts on being in a show as well as some of their favourite and least favourite moments about drag shows. What is your favourite part of being in a drag show? MMP: I really love it when a longtime fan rushes the stage at the end of the night to introduce their friend who’s never been to a drag show. [It’s] that moment of excitement in their eyes when they say something like “I’ve been telling my friend about this show for weeks and they finally came out and we had such a great time.” There’s something really cool about seeing someone who loves what you do and gets to share that with someone else. It’s like watching someone watch your favourite movie and really enjoy it. It’s magic. AA: I love the crowd reactions. It’s why I use so many reveals and gags during my numbers. I live for when the crowd erupts. That feeling that you just made a “moment” for everyone in the room makes me love performing. IL: My favourite part of being in a show is definitely the audience interaction. I love connecting with the fans. What is your least favourite part of being in a drag show? MMP: There are nights when everyone comes out, has a great time, and we don’t have issues at all and it’s great, but then there are those nights
(L–R): Amber Ail, Ivan Love, Sienna Diamond, Mz. Molly Poppinz when a few people who show up, are acting foolish or get too drunk and have to be taught a few lessons on how to act in public. As a host, it makes me feel like a babysitter or everyone’s mom. AA: Getting ready for the next number. Trying to change my outfit and get all my props in order while antsy isn’t fun. I’m that “five more minutes” diva every show. IL: This one is tough but I guess my least favorite part is hauling around and keeping track of my costumes, props, extra makeup, etc. I try not to bring on stage anything I wouldn't want to part with. What was your favourite show that you were a part of, and why? MMP: I think my favourite show ever was the first time we did DriveBy Drag. We really didn’t know what to expect and neither did the audience because we’d never done that kind of show before. But everyone was so excited to see each other. There was this genuine sense of community at every single stop and I loved all of it. AA: We did a show in Dryden a few years ago and it will always be my favourite show. It was one of my first out-of-town shows and the crowd
treated us like rock stars. They were so amped up and the energy was insane. It’s so much easier to give it your all on stage with a crowd like that. IL: One of my favorite annual shows to perform at is our Cirque Du So Gay Freak Show. Being trained in circus arts, it’s a theme and esthetic that I really resonate with in drag and as a performer. What is your favourite backstage moment? MMP: I’m almost always hosting so I’m very rarely backstage. AA: I love performing with Lady Fantasia (LaPremiere) because she always does a little pre-show huddle. Gets us all to hold hands, gives us good vibes, and invokes some of that drag magic to get us all amped up. She did that the first show I was ever in and it put a lot of worry at ease that night. IL: There are so many ridiculous, amazing moments between performers! We all come together to help each other out, make sure to lift each other up and make sure everyone is hitting the stage feeling their best! The love, the jokes, the sharing—it's hard to pick just one moment.
What would you say to convince someone who’s never been to a drag show to attend the next one? MMP: It’s the best parts of every kind of live show all at once. All the best parts of theatre, live music, comedy, and dancing mixed with a night out with your best friends and a trip to the circus. It’s fabulous and you’re doing yourself a disservice by not going. AA: You’ll get a little bit of everything, and you’ll never know what to expect. For local shows especially, there’s such a variety of talent in the Thunder Bay drag scene that it will never be one-note. IL: Unless you're allergic to fun, you will find something to love at a drag show. We aren’t just for the LGBTQ+ community; everyone is invited to our party. We will make you laugh and cry, we will be beautiful and sometimes we will be hideous, we will make you think and we will be the stupidest things you have ever seen. Coming to a drag show will open your mind and melt your heart. No other form of entertainment has the spirit of a drag show. It is such a special and sacred place. I know you will love it.
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Indigenous Ingenuity is an interactive exhibit about Indigenous inventions, including the kayak
Indigenous Ingenuity
Thunder Bay Art Gallery Presents a Science-Based Exhibition Perfect for the Whole Family By Ayano Hodouchi-Dempsey
T
his winter, the Thunder Bay Art Gallery is hosting a unique show, Indigenous Ingenuity, an interactive exhibit of Indigenous technologies as seen through the lens of western science. Indigenous Ingenuity will be open from December 9 to Family Day (February 21, 2022). The exhibit, originally created by the Montreal Science Centre, looks at the diversity and wealth of North American Indigenous knowledge and innovation. Indigenous elders and writers from more than a dozen First Nation, Métis, and Inuit communities across Canada contributed to the 500- square-metre interactive exhibit. Visitors get an RFID
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bracelet, which enables them to engage with the exhibit in a multitude of ways, such as playing a game or watching a video. Emily Kerton, the project lead of the NW Expansion Project at Science North in Thunder Bay says she first saw the exhibit in Montreal in 2018. “I was blown away with how beautiful it is,” she recalls. “Most science exhibits, you don’t look at them and see them as being beautiful. But they’ve done such an amazing job weaving art with Indigenous science and contemporary science.” Indigenous Ingenuity is family-friendly, with activities appropriate for people “two to 99 years old,” Kerton says. There is an area where
TheArts
A virtual reality headset for experiencing riding a dog sled you can build an igloo using blocks, try out various types of snowshoes, and play a game of spearing fish. There is even a virtual reality headset so that you can experience riding a dog sled. Visitors should budget at least an hour to experience everything the exhibit has to offer. The exhibit came to Sudbury this summer, where 29,581 visitors attended, Kerton says.
After Thunder Bay, it will go to Saskatchewan next, but communities in northern Ontario will get to experience a smaller, 100-square-metre exhibit in their communities next year. Science North is partnering with Indigenous Tourism Ontario to take the small exhibit to more than 20 communities, including Dryden, Kenora, Sioux Lookout, and Rainy
River First Nation. Indigenous Ingenuity is a pan-Canadian exhibit, but the Thunder Bay Art Gallery will be adding a local element to complement it, says Penelope Smart, the curator at the AG. “Some pieces from Anishinaabe and Métis artists in our permanent collection will be on display,” she says. “That’s one way we’re hoping to showcase more
Anishnaabe ingenuity, and speak more to our region here.” Admission to Indigenous Ingenuity is the same as to the rest of the Thunder Bay Art Gallery: a pay-what-you-can donation ($5 is the suggested donation amount). Visit theag.ca for more information.
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William Knifeman
Where Woodland Meets Pop Culture How Blake Angeconeb Went from Art Obscurity to a Household Name By Michael Charlebois
B
lake Angeconeb never wanted to be an artist. In fact, just ten years ago, the now 32-year-old had yet to put his name to any piece of art. Now he’s gained popularity for his pop culture/Woodland style crossover and is collaborating with some of the biggest names in the industry. “I didn’t truly appreciate art, or even notice it growing up,” Angeconeb says. “One day, I decided to paint with my little niece to pass the time. We painted Hello Kitty. The whole process of going through and making something, that’s when I got hooked.” Angecomb says his inspiration comes from a mix of traditional Woodland icons like Norval
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Morrisseau and Carl Ray, and more modern artists like American David Choe and Fort William First Nation artist Christian Chapman. He first started working on his art as a means of relaxing after finishing his day job. Gradually, his portfolio started to build and he began to sell his work. In 2020, he quit his job and decided to pursue art full time. “I told myself if I make a certain amount of money in a year then I’m going to do it,” he says—a decision in which Angeconeb says he had so much doubt about, he didn’t tell his parents for a number of weeks. His decision appears to be paying off. Angeconeb’s work has been featured in the Globe and Mail and appeared on a Jagmeet Singh Twitch
stream. He also delivered the resonating visual for Canadaland’s Return to Thunder Bay podcast. His Instagram page, which features over 300 posts mostly related to his art, is flooded with references from Drake to The Simpsons and everything in between. “I think it resonated with a lot of people,” he says. “You don’t need to like art so much to connect with a cartoon character you grew up with.” Although Angeconeb continues to fuse pop culture references into his work, he says his next chapter will be to focus on more traditional pieces. “I guess long-term […] my goal is to get into galleries and more upscale art.” If collaborating with Indigenous art icon Buffy Sainte-Marie is any indication, Angeconeb is well on his way to becoming one in his own right. “Last year I actually did a painting of her because she’s an icon and I look up to her,” he says. “A year later I’m working alongside her. […] It’s just crazy. It doesn’t feel real still.” To see more of Blake Angeconeb’s art, find him on Instagram @blakeangeconeb.
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APPLY TODAY! OR CHECK OUT JOB OPENINGS AT:
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A THOUSAND WORDS
Above and Below
Chris McEvoy’s Photography Takes Him to Cliff Tops, Lake Bottoms, and Everywhere in Between
Dark Forest Photographic
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Divers preparing to dive on the Gordon Gauthier
Story by Bonnie Schiedel, Photos by Chris McEvoy
W
hat is it like, photographing shipwrecks 20 feet below the surface of Lake Superior? “It’s cold, dark, and deep,” says Chris McEvoy of Thunder Bay’s Rusty Anchor Productions. “It’s a lot of fun!” McEvoy’s work focuses on nature and conservation, and his favourite thing to shoot is “probably anything underwater,” he says. “It’s a different perspective that a lot of people don’t see and it’s a lot of fun
to do. It’s challenging. It’s hard. You know, early mornings, you have to go put your equipment on, go scuba diving or snorkeling, to really know the situation with light. […] You’re pushing the cameras to their limits; you’re pushing yourself to the limit.” The challenge is part of the appeal for him. “On one hand, it’s really exciting, because you’re on a shipwreck, you’re scuba diving! On the other hand, you’re trying to
“Thunder Struck,” Porphyry Island, Lake Superior
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Ribs of an unidentified shipwreck A polar bear travels across the coast of Hudson Bay, near Churchill, Manitoba
TheArts micromanage your gear, and try to chase light while at the exact same time paying attention to your dive, right? You have to manage your air; it’s a safety thing.” His dives last between 15 and 45 minutes, at depths between 20 and 100 feet. Lake Superior isn’t as clear as you think, he says. “It depends where you are on the lake. Especially within the larger Thunder Bay area, we have multiple river systems that deposit into our bay. And that creates a lot of issues when it comes to visibility. You get a lot of sediment. There are some days for sure where there’s little rain, little wind, and then you get like 100foot visibility. But many days have 15 to 20 feet of visibility or even five or 10 feet of visibility. So it can be challenging because you don’t want a lot of sediment and a lot of debris hanging in the water column, because that just makes the image ugly.” McEvoy’s favourite photo? “The next photo is always the favourite one.” McEvoy has been interested in photography since 2007, when he borrowed a camera for a trip to Panama but became frustrated when he couldn’t figure out how to use it properly, and vowed to learn more. Learning photography, via courses and online tutorials, coincided with getting certified in scuba diving, so it’s perhaps not surprising that he
Red fox, Sleeping Giant Provincial Park
often combines the two. McEvoy is also a technician with the department of anthropology at Lakehead University, and specializes in underwater archeology, which involves more than just sunken boats and barges. “I’m trying to go down there and capture essentially what is submerged cultural history and kind of bring it to the forefront,” he notes. “From an archaeological perspective, a lot of the landscapes around us have been submerged due to various environmental changes. And that has resulted in Indigenous cultural landscapes being submerged. So there’s a real big push from the archaeology community to start examining the underwater world, essentially, to try to look at, find, and conserve places.” Follow @rustyanchor_productions on Instagram or visit rustyanchorproductions.com.
A lonely Giant
Tech specs Nikon D850 Nikon Z6 Underwater housing specific to each camera 20mm prime lens “Big Boy,” Mission Island Wreck of the MS Ithaca, located just outside Churchill, Manitoba Submerged shot of a wrecked vessel
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Items for sale in The Clay Collective storefront, featuring a Sleeping Giant teapot by P0Ts2G0
Sara Peters at the potter's wheel
In Search of the Favourite Tree Trimmer
among the potters, starting December 1. Potters are invited to submit their favourite self-made ornament. The winner will be decided through head-to-head elimination rounds on Instagram and the prize is bragging rights. “We see this as an opportunity to engage ceramic artists who are not regular members of our collective as well as give something back to the community,” Peters says. She also says that the first day in the new venue was nothing short of incredible. “The energy in the Goods & Co Market was amazing— like a huge craft market, but fancier. It was gratifying to open our doors after all the work we have put in planning this year.” It was also a sweet and nostalgic trip down memory lane. Peters’
nana, Pat Ochrymowicz, who passed away recently, was a longtime Eaton’s employee who loved to give family members special ornaments for Christmas. Find The Clay Collective on Instagram @claycollectivenwo.
Tree tumbler by Melesa Hane
Strawberry gingerbread ornaments by Sara Peters
Ceramic Artists Stage Christmas Ornament Contest By Pat Forrest
T
he announcement of the plans to open Goods & Co. in the old Eaton’s building has generated a lot of much-needed happy anticipation. For potters Sara Peters, Melesa Hane, and Crystal Sohlman, founders of The Clay Collective NWO, it also presented an opportunity that they would not otherwise have had the chance to realize. “We formed The Clay Collective when we heard of the possibilities within Goods & Co. It seemed like an incredible opportunity, and we knew that opening a brick-andmortar store was something that we couldn’t imagine as individuals but could potentially do as a team. We recruited other potters to join us, and have formed a solid group of nine, with more expected to join in the new year,” Peters says.
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All nine are potters/ceramic artists. To be a part of the collective, the artisans’ primary medium must be ceramics and they only sell ceramic goods. In their store, you will find a wide variety of mugs, plates, platters, bowls, butter dishes, tumblers, travel mugs, candle holders, match holders, magnets, jewelry, and some special items like ceramic straws and forever calendars. For a limited time you will also find unique Christmas ornaments. The collective’s ornament sale started November 15 and they have invited potters from all over Northwestern Ontario to submit ornaments for sale. A portion of the proceeds will go to Dilico’s Christmas gift fund, which puts together holiday gifts for kids in their programs. There will also be a competition
Holiday trees by Melesa Hane
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Located at 1265 East Arthur St. For full details please contact Brian @ (807) 632-1566 /(807) 622-7377 or email brianphillips2007@icloud.com
TheArts
Snowshoe Chairs By Penelope Smart, Curator, Thunder Bay Art Gallery
Artist: Unknown Title: Snowshoe straight back chair Date: 1980 Medium: Wood, hide, varnish Dimensions: 90 × 54 × 83 cm A well-crafted chair is a beautiful thing. In the design world, a chair can not only act as a calling card for a designer but can signal an entire era or style movement. Our permanent collection has two chairs full of place, character, and craftsmanship. Known as the “snowshoe chairs,” their design combines the practicality and ingenuity of traditional wooden snowshoes—most strikingly the lacing or webbing—within the frame of a rocking chair and table chair. The
FROM THE THUNDER BAY ART GALLERY’S COLLECTION
Artist: Unknown Title: Snowshoe rocking chair Date: 1980 Medium: Wood, hide, varnish Dimensions: 91 × 57 × 80 cm result is a distinctive blend of design and raw materials referred to (at least in design catalogues and vintage websites) as snowshoe furniture. Akwesasne Mohawk Handicrafts is mentioned in the exhibition catalogue for From Our Hands, the touring exhibition in the 1980s that originally brought these chairs to Thunder Bay (the exhibition also included a snowshoe loveseat, which sounds fantastic). It’s unfortunate that we don’t know the names of the
person or people who made these chairs, though, because they had a skilled hand and creative mind. The hardwood (usually ash) and varnished hide laces give the chairs a warm, welcoming look. There’s also the fact that the rawhide on snowshoes absorbs moisture when used in the snow, but dries later to tighten and provide a cushioning effect as you walk in the snow. Cushioning is great for a chair seat. These chairs will be part of a
Collection of the Thunder Bay Art Gallery, From Our Hands Collection, Gift of the Ontario Government, 1985 selection of objects from our permanent collection as part of Indigenous Ingenuity, a new, interactive exhibition this winter presented by Science North and developed by the Montreal Science Centre.
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Heron Ling
Artist Celebrates the Smaller Things in Life Story by Leah Morningstar, Photos provided by Heron Ling/Erin Thompson
H
er dad wanted to name her Duck when she was born. He thought the idea of a child named Duck Ling was hilarious. Her mother didn’t agree. But they both wanted something different and thought a bird name was a grand idea. When their little baby came out deprived of oxygen and looking a little blue, the Great Blue Heron Ling was born. Ling moved to Thunder Bay about four years ago. She wanted to attend Lakehead University, but found the move from Toronto to a smaller city to be a bit challenging. “Moving to Thunder Bay as a 19 year old was a bit of a culture shock to be honest,” Ling says. What helped her feel more at home was finding “her people.” Ling started attending classes (environmental studies), got a part-time job at Sleeping Giant Brewery, and began looking into the art community. “Thunder Bay has become a different place for me now. I feel really privileged to live in a place surrounded by such beautiful landscapes; a place where people love supporting their community.” When she’s not attending classes and working at the brewery, Ling is
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almost always making art. Growing up as an only child, Ling remembers art was a big part of life, encouraged by her parents and always supported. Her father, Jungle Ling, has always made his living as a professional artist and is well known in the Toronto scene for his sculpture, welding, and large-scale interactive installations. Ling has watched her father making art since she was born and has always known she would grow up doing the same. It’s not largescale installations for this young artist though, it’s smaller- scale sculpting and painting—lots and lots of painting. Being a student on the move, sometimes unsure of the next destination, it’s imperative that Ling’s art supplies be easily transported. Carrying around a sketchbook and paints is easier than lugging around a potter’s wheel or a welding torch. Sometimes Ling enjoys working with watercolour, but more often she gravitates towards acrylic paints. She has a small studio space set up in her apartment and loves to spend her spare time creating colourful and quaint scenes taken
A cold morning walk from everyday surroundings. Ling often paints what she sees around her and frequently feels inspired by the natural world and local landmarks. She’s painted the Sea Lion, Anemki Wajiw (Mount McKay), grain elevators, plants and animals, and even the old Hoito restaurant before construction started. Over the summer Ling participated in a city-wide drive-by art gallery event, wherein citizens were encouraged to drive around to various outdoor locations to view (and purchase) art from dozens of local creators. Last month, Ling participated in her first ever fall Craft Revival and hopes to participate in future craft sales as well. Does she have any long term
goals as an artist? It’s hard to say. Ling isn’t sure if she’ll stay here after graduation or go back home or move on to somewhere new. “I do miss the diversity of culture and art in the bigger city, but it has also been so amazing to see how the Thunder Bay art and culture community has grown, even during my four short years here.” She’s come to love this community but is open to just about anything. Being flexible is important when you’re a student unsure of what the future holds. But one thing is certain, Ling will continue making art, no matter where she ends up. Find the artist on Instagram @heron_art.
All of us at Edwards Bell are thrilled to welcome baby Natalia! Congratulations to proud parents Lindsey Torma and Andrew Frankow! Lindsey has been with our firm since she was a law student at Lakehead University. She then joined Edwards Bell as a lawyer after getting called to the bar in 2020. We are so happy to have her as part of our team, and we look forward to seeing little Natalia scampering around the office in the years to come. Lindsey is currently on maternity leave. In the meantime, the rest of the team at Edwards Bell is available to meet your employment law, human rights, litigation and contract needs. Call us at 807 344 1112 or visit our website at www.edwardsbell.ca.
805 Miles Street East Thunder Bay, ON P7C 1J8 Tel: 807 344 1112 | Fax: 807 344 1114 Excellent service. Nice people. Trusted legal advice. www.edwardsbell.ca Excellent service. Nice people. Trusted legal advice. The Walleye
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Outdoor
Take on the Mountain The Thunder Bay Freestyle Ski Club
Story by Amy Sellors, Photos by Darren McChristie
R
ejuvenation is the perfect word to describe what is happening to the Thunder Bay Freestyle Ski Club. It’s becoming cliché to say that COVID-19 sets the stage for a fresh start, but that’s exactly what has transpired. This year new leadership, new coaches, and more time at a second location are creating new opportunities for this club to grow. COVID travel restrictions put the brakes on freestyle
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skiing competitions across North America—with borders closed, skiers had fun on the hill, but lacked opportunity to move forward in the sport. But with restrictions lifting, competitions are coming back, and a new committee with a new vision is creating change within the Thunder Bay Freestyle Skiing Club. Daniel Kardas is one of the new voices for the club, bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience. This local, world-class ski jumping star
has skied and coached around the world, including coaching the British Ski Jump team in the 2002 Olympics. “It’s in my blood. We’re sitting on a ski hill that I bought four years ago. We’re doing a ton of work. It’s all for the kids, the families, so they can have memories forever, just like I had memories forever. As soon as the snow flies, the kids can hit the slopes,” Kardas says. Thunder Bay once enjoyed a world-class ski jump facility. That
ended in 1995, and serious skiers had to leave home to train. With some of the longest ski seasons in North America, Thunder Bay should be a bigger player in the sport. “I want to give kids the opportunity that my dad gave me,” Kardas says. “Maybe some of these kids can be world class. I know there are amazing kids here and each year more and more want to join. The goal is to get the big competitions back here and put TBay back on the map.”
Kardas’ passion is fueled by his two young boys. He wants to inspire them the way his late father, Olympian and Polish national champion Slavomir Kardas, inspired him and his brothers. “I want to make these crazy features for the kids to learn how to freestyle ski. As soon as there’s snow, we’ll host freestyle days where kids can come out and try the bumps, jumps, and rails,” he says. “We’ll talk to each kid and let them know if they join the team, they can learn how to maneuver these obstacles properly and safely. It’s affordable and tonnes of fun. There are great coaches lined up both at Mount Baldy and at Loch Lomond.” When you see someone doing something exciting, it can inspire you to push your boundaries. And when you push your boundaries and try something new, you learn. In freestyle skiing, it’s all about “balance and control in the air, when you’re flying off the jumps. It’s also mental strength to overcome fears,” sats Kardas. “If kids can do these skills, then life can be less scary.” Even though it’s a solo sport, the role of the team—the club—is essential. The team inspires, supports, and encourages its members to try the next cool trick. “You put that fear away and keep trucking through,” he says. “And if you do it and you fail, it’s no big deal. When
you fail on the hill, the landings are safe. You keep cruising down the mountain.” The Thunder Bay Freestyle Ski Club wants to show Canada that Thunder Bay has something special. Last year, for the first time, Freestyle Canada came to Mount Baldy with the Ontario team, and were impressed with what Thunder Bay could create. “If we can get some big competitions happening, we can wow people. New committee, new coaches, and we start with the kids,” says Kardas. For almost two years, kids have been staring at screens. This winter, the Thunder Bay Freestyle Ski Club wants kids to master the mountain. With travel still problematic, there’s never been more of a need to make Thunder Bay a nexus for freestyle skiing. “COVID gives us a chance to start fresh. I’ll share my opinion and use my knowledge to help steer the program,” says Kardas. He’s busy running Mount Baldy and raising his kids, but he’s making this his passion project. “Maybe I can be a cool dad for a little bit longer.” For more information, find them on Facebook or contact thunderbayfreestyleclub@gmail.com. To register for the Thunder Bay Freestyle Ski Club, visit the online purchase page of skimountbaldy.ca.
Outdoor
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district Sweet Cherry Spa
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shopping guide Come see all the wonderful local businesses within our BIA this Holiday Season! Ninja Games
The Pasta Shoppe
Retro video games & consoles and action figures.
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Now carrying Bokka Botanical Hair Care!
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507 Victoria Ave East
Axel’s Plumbing
507 Victoria Ave E (807) 788-5287
Up Shot Coffee House Fantastic holiday treats now available.
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Collins Family Thrift Store
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CityScene
Not of This Earth A Look at Synthetic Cannabis By Justin Allec
I
n researching these articles, I’ve found that cannabis consumers are, by and large, a knowledgeable bunch. They might not be able to give you molecular breakdowns of their favourite strain, but the level of interest and enthusiasm for cannabis that people share with me shows that the educational aspect of legalization has taken root. New or unique products, especially, receive a lot of attention, but sometimes you hear about things that just don’t add up. Case in point: synthetic cannabis. Put those two words together and you have a designer-drug imitation of cannabis that is marketed as similar in effect, when really, it’s a potentially dangerous imitation in everything but its name. Synthetic cannabis, often referred to as “spice” or “K2,” is a manufactured product where a variety of chemicals, preservatives, and fragrances are sprayed onto dried plant material. In many cases, manufacturers try to mimic the appearance of legal cannabis, going so far as to use reputable strain names on their packaging with the added caveat of calling it “herbal” or “liquid incense.” When smoked or ingested, synthetic cannabis may reproduce the euphoric feelings of high-potency THC when it is consumed. While not a legal product or commercially available to licensed
retailers supplied by the Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS), synthetic cannabis is common in online greyand black-market retailers, and even available in some convenience stores. It’s cheap and easy to produce, and because the effects are purportedly like regular cannabis, some consumers might be inclined to dabble. The big concern is what’s happening internally. Synthetic cannabis is treated with just enough cannabinoid derivatives to engage your endocannabinoid system. “There are many harms associated with illicit synthetic cannabis that can have people seeking medical attention,” warns Stephanie Diebolt, a public health nurse from the Thunder Bay District Health Unit and co-chair of the Thunder Bay Drug Awareness committee (DAC). Because there’s no regulation, synthetic cannabis might mimic the effects of high-THC cannabis while also introducing harmful symptoms such as aggression, irregular heartbeat, vomiting, and so forth. There’s really no telling what the effects will be or how long they will last, but they’re especially harmful if you have a preexisting mental health or heart condition. While the effects of abusing cannabis have been well-documented, synthetic cannabis, in all its varieties, is still a mystery. Diebolt
CANNABIS CORNER
suggests people play it safe with cannabis: only purchase from an OCS-verified store/website, follow the “start low and go slow” mantra for trying small quantities, and finally, to use in a safe space without mixing other substances. Due to the ease of producing synthetic cannabis and the stubbornness of the grey and black markets, it’s unlikely that products like these will ever disappear
completely. However, as OCSbacked retailers provide a reliable standard for quality, cannabis consumers will have an easier time than ever distinguishing between the real products and the synthetic ones. Check out Canada’s Lower-Risk Cannabis Use Guidelines at camh.ca for more harm reduction suggestions. To learn more about cannabis, visit TBDHU.com/Cannabis.
Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays from
Shop Local This Holiday! Visit cambrianplayers.com for gift ideas & ticket vouchers!
UPCOMING Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike by Christopher Durang (March 2022) SHOWS Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, adapted by Alice Gerstenberg (May 2022)
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GO LOCAL Thunder Bay Country Market
Métis Sash Gallery Story and photos by Asia Gustafson
T
he history of the Métis culture is Guy Gagné’s specialty as an Aboriginal rights activist and artist. His booth at the Thunder Bay Country Market is full of colour and symbolism that doesn’t escape the passive viewer. You can find him on Wednesdays and Saturdays working on new art and talking to passersby about the lost history of his ancestors. The artist is inspired by what he’s learned through the teachings of his culture and what he knows in his heart. His art is full of life and there’s something for everyone, as proven by his worldwide audience. As for his style, he connects to his French and Indigenous roots to make works of art that anyone can enjoy. He doesn’t care about the money nearly as much as he cares about teaching what he’s learned in his journey through life. He simply wants to spread the knowledge of all of our pasts and enrich the world with colour and understanding. As
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a Métis man, he has been taught from a young age about the importance of his culture to this country as a whole, and wants nothing more than for others to understand and appreciate the history that was erased by the British colonizers centuries ago. He will stop at nothing for everyone to hear the truth of the land we call home. Gagné is a graduate of Confederation College’s Aboriginal law and advocacy program, and he has worked with many Indigenous organizations as well as with the federal government regarding Indigenous issues. He also hopes to document his life and findings in a memoir to further solidify the knowledge he’s worked so hard to uncover and to make it accessible for the general public. Find Métis Sash Gallery on the second floor of the Thunder Bay Country Market in booth #8. Check out @GypsyGemsAndGifts on Facebook for more info.
IT’S TIME TO EXPAND YOUR CAREER OPPORTUNITIES.
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CityScene CityScene
Bookshelf
Kids/YA
By Sara Sadeghi Aval
E
very December we look back on all the books published by local authors. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, local authors have continued to share their words with readers and this year’s list boasts 22 new titles from poetry to flash fiction, young adult novels to children’s stories. A perfect gift for the book fanatic in your life.
Fiction and Poetry
Anancy and The Turtle Annette Pateman
Making Seaker Karen Autio
The Way of the Loon Sally E. Burns
This Town Is a Nightmare M. K. Krys
Maud and Me Marianne Jones
Spectrum Annette Pateman
Lover Lines Annette Pateman
The Undertaking of Billy Buffone David Giuliano
Just Like a Real Person Douglas Diaczuk
Deathless Evan S. Sullivan
Iterations of Caroline Roy Blomstrom
Fuck You, I Love You Jason Wellwood
The Fury of Wolves Roger Valley
Ripping Down Half the Trees Evan J.
Midland Ross Breithaupt
Mrs. Johnson and the Rabbit Jim Creighton
Superhero Culture Wars: Politics, Marketing, and Social Justice in Marvel Comics Monica Flegel and Judith Leggatt
Heart Blood: Stories of Northwestern Ontario (Volume III of Stories of Northwestern Ontario) John Pringle
Public Libraries and Marxism Joe Pateman and John Pateman
The Clean Kitchen: A busy mom's guide to making healthy, fuss-free meals in under 30 minutes Fiona Jean
Queer Atlantic: Masculinity, Mobility, and the Emergence of Modernist Form Daniel Hannah
Non-Fiction
Moving Together: Dance and Pluralism in Canada Allana C. Lindgren, Batia Boe Stolar and Clara Sacchetti, editors
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O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree, Safety is a priority.
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This is Thunder Bay Interviews by Nancy Saunders, Photos by Laura Paxton
Mia: I love that everyone is able to come be together and walk around as one. Especially being in Goods & Co. It’s very nostalgic from the old school days of Eaton’s and Keskus that used to be down here. Just seeing everyone together again is fantastic.
CityScene This month, we asked The Walleye readers what they are most looking forward to as COVID-19 restrictions ease up.
Kathleen: Probably being able to travel. Ryan: Same thing. We’ve been trying to travel really since all of this started. Travel’s a big part of our lives. We have a trip booked now for the end of January, beginning of February, going down to Central America. Just to be able to get out and not have to do a full winter in Thunder Bay again.
Cairo: Well, I moved to Thunder Bay in the middle of the pandemic, so I’m really looking forward to getting to know the city. I’ve not really done anything or seen anything, and I’ve heard so many great things about the music scene here, and local businesses, so I’m really excited to get out and experience all of that. Morgan: Probably just live shows. I work at Black Pirates, so we’re kind of hurting without them. We’re ready to get back to it, and just also ready to see them, play them, be around them again.
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CityScene
The Lakehead University Student Union is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year
The Big 4-0
Lakehead University Student Union Celebrates Big Milestone Story by Matt Prokopchuk, Photos by Chondon Photography
T
he head of the Lakehead University Student Union says she believes that focusing on students’ mental health—especially as it relates to the challenges of learning in a pandemic world—will continue to be a major goal of the organization as it enters its fifth decade. The student union, or LUSU, officially celebrated its 40th anniversary earlier this fall. Lahama Naeem, the organization’s current president and CEO, is in the role for the 2021– 2022 academic year and has also sat on its board of directors for the previous two years. She says that the pandemic has laid bare the ongoing need for better mental health supports for students. “We’re continuing to see a lack of resources, or accessible resources, for students who are struggling with mental health on campus, so we are currently
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pushing for the university to invest more into those resources for students to support them throughout this difficult time.” Bringing students’ voices to the table has been at the core of what LUSU has done since officially incorporating as a not-for-profit in 1981. That went hand-in-hand with broader national efforts to organize a more unified student advocacy movement under the Canadian Federation of Students in the face of planned cuts to health and education at the time. Currently, Lakehead’s student union has a myriad of responsibilities, including academic advocacy, helping to provide financial aid and offering affordable services to students such as health and dental coverage and access to public transit, funding and running over 100 clubs and student societies, as well as managing
The centre has since expanded to its own building at Lakehead and accepts clients not only from on-campus, but the community at large. Naeem says the union also played key roles in bringing Lakehead’s new athletics centre to fruition. She says that ensuring there is a student-led voice to advocate for accessible and affordable education—and to represent the increasing diversity of the student body— will remain at the core of what LUSU does. “I think that just making education accessible is really just going to benefit everyone, society as a whole, in the future.” To learn more about LUSU, check out lusu.ca.
Photo from 1991 showing the construction of The Outpost Campus Pub
Courtesy of LUSU
Lakehead mascot Wolfie at LUSU's 40th anniversary launch celebration
on-campus businesses, such as The Outpost campus pub and The Study Coffeehouse. Over the past 40 years, Naeem says that LUSU has many milestones to be proud of, including the construction of The Outpost, which she says was completely funded by the union and continues to be operated as a student-managed business. She also points to the advocacy and funding roles the union has played—and continues to play—in establishing and supporting the on-campus Nanabijou Child Care Centre “to really make sure that we were supporting students that were parents and to make sure that they had access to education pretty much as equally as anyone else did.”
A Tradition of Giving
Helping families put toys under the tree. Every donation, big or small can make a difference in a child’s life this Christmas. Support the Thunder Bay Professional Firefighters Association 2021 Toys for Tots Campaign.
1
Donate today:
Online at: tbaytoysfortots.ca
2 Visit the Toy Fire Station at Intercity Shopping Centre (Near the Food Court)
3 Go to any TD Bank Location
Thunder Bay Art Gallery December 10, 2021 - February 21, 2022
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CityScene
WALL SPACE
From Flood to Finish Fort William Curling Club
Story and photos by Adrian Lysenko (L–R) Ice technicians Justin Lewtas and Brent Adamson at the Fort William Curling Club
A
ccording to chief ice technician Brent Adamson, patience is key in getting the ice ready for the curling season. “You spray, you flood, you wait,” he says. “It’s a long process.” Adamson is a veteran ice
technician who applies his magic at the Fort William Curling Club and the Port Arthur Curling Club. “I started working at the club when I was 14,” he says. “I’ve been in a club forever here in Thunder Bay, 20-plus years, doing ice for the two clubs. It’s fun.”
The 2022 Scotties Tournament of Hearts is set to take place from January 28 to February 6 at Fort William Gardens.
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Lewtas does some last-minute finishing touches with a scraper. He started working with Adamson when he was 14 years old. “We work well together,” Adamson says. “It’s like your left hand knows what your right hand is doing, because if you don’t have that, you’re lost.”
CityScene
Adamson says the process usually starts in the fall. “Once we’re down in temperature we start light mist spraying to build the ice up,” he says. “And once we get it close to level we do a white paint as you can see on the rink.”
An ice scraper is an essential tool that takes the pebbles off the ice. Adding bumps to the ice is known as pebbling. Ice technicians sprinkle two layers of water droplets on top of the ice that freeze to form two heights of bumps. “That’s what puts the little bumps on the ice,” Adamson says. “There’s different sizes, just basically gravity fed. That gives us the bumps that the rock will ride on.” “Once we’re done with the white paint we put a few seals on—maybe half a dozen seals and then the process is to put all the houses in,” Adamson says, referring to the set of concentric circles located on both ends of the ice. “They’re all logo houses now. They’re not painted anymore for the most part. Some people still do painting but ours are all logo houses now.”
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CityScene continue into January, depending on the number of donations. “At the Grace Place I’ve heard that people’s eyes light up when they’re invited to go pick out a coat, it’s like Christmas. When the chips are down this community is so strong to support people.” To make a contactless donation visit the Gear Up for Outdoors store. On the right side entrance door is the laundry bin drop-off site. With your donation remember to enter the store to submit your name into the draw for one of five $100 The Keg Steakhouse + Bar Gift Cards.
(L–R) Calvin Samis and Jon Wynn
Spreading the Warmth for 15 Years Increasing Need for Contactless Coat Drive By Kim Latimer
M
ore than a basic necessity, a warm coat for winter is a lifesaver in northern Ontario. This year, even more people are in need of one due to the ongoing effects of COVID-19. Shelters and agencies are predicting another increase in the rate of homelessness and the rise of families in need this winter. The community is already stepping up. Jon Wynn, president of Gear
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Up for Outdoors Ltd., says the number of winter coats being donated to the Spread the Warmth Winter Coat Drive is higher than ever before— approximately 1,400 jackets have already been donated. He’s been organizing this winter coat drive for 15 years. “It is definitely a call for help, from the heart more than anything else. So far, it’s been an incredible response,” says Wynn. “We carry winter
jackets that keep people warm, but there's a whole population that doesn't have the luxury of buying one. That's why this started.” Spread the Warmth is collecting coats for both children and adults of all ages. The coats are sorted by size and given to Precious Bundles, Shelter House, Grace Place and the S.O.S Team (Street Outreach Service operated by Shelter House) for distribution. This year, community partners including The Keg and Indigenous Services minister Patty Hajdu continue to promote the coat drive. Wynn says that they hope to receive more donations of sleeping bags and children’s coats. “The cold weather is such a factor. We’re doing the sleeping bag drive for S.O.S. to try to prevent hypothermia and death,” Wynn says. “So, if you’re going through your jackets and you have sleeping bags you no longer use, put them aside. S.O.S. will hand them out to anyone in the street who needs them. It’s something new we’ve initiated this year.” The ongoing pandemic has changed the way donations are accepted. Coats and items must be clean, and placed in a plastic bag with the gender and size (and age for children’s coats) all labelled clearly on the bag. The donation bin is contactless, outside the Gear Up for Outdoors store on Alloy Place. All donations are sorted and stored at the store, and picked up weekly by each agency for distribution all month. Wynn says there is a possibility that the coat drive will
In 2020, Thunder Bay shelters experienced significant strain. City Council unanimously approved funding for a daytime warming centre at a meeting on December 21, 2020. On February 8, 2021, the grassroots organization Not One More Death (N1MD) presented a deputation to the City of Thunder Bay to better serve individuals experiencing homelessness and precarious housing during COVID-19. In October 2021, Matawa First Nations Management (MFNM) expressed concern and called for “more compassion” highlighting the increased targeting of homeless people in the Thunder Bay.
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CityScene
EYE TO EYE
Newly minted CBC Superior Morning host, Sean Vanderklis, with his lacrosse stick
With Sean Vanderklis As told to Adrian Lysenko, Photo by Shannon Lepere
I
n October, Sean Vanderklis took over as the new host of CBC Radio’s Superior Morning. A Mississauga from Curve Lake First Nation, he moved to Thunder Bay from the Niagara region. We spoke to him about creating change, unwinding with bad movies, and reconnecting with his culture. On what he’s looking forward to about living in Thunder Bay: Thunder Bay is extremely rich, culturally speaking. So I’m an Anishinaabe, and a lot of the communities here are Anishinaabe or Oji-Cree, so there are a lot of similarities between our two nations. So that connection is going to be fantastic. And also creating fundamental change. I got into journalism because I think that the world needs improvement, and I think that journalism is a great avenue to create that improvement. On what’s on his playlist: Growing up, being a racialized person, I always connected with hip
hop, always connected with rap, and from there R&B. As I got older I started appreciating anything, so indie, alternative. It’s probably going to hurt saying this but I’m not a big fan of country music. All the people I see driving those trucks might be a little angry with me, but to each their own. I mean, I can appreciate a good song. For me everything is about the lyrics. I’m into lyrics. I think in another life or a later generation, I probably would have ventured into poetry a little bit. On how he spends his downtime: I’m really big into the concept of community. I really believe in giving back. So traditionally in Niagara, I’d be involved in some sort of board of directors or on some sort of advisory committee. CBC, they have some limitations with our levels of involvement because these are people we could potentially be covering. So in my head it makes sense. But just being visible in the community, participating in the community is a
big thing for me. And also family—I am a family man, and I have two young children. And participating in sports—whether it's the sports I play or the sports [my children] play. I’ll always be at an arena, a field, a diamond, something to that effect. Journalism is a tough career and sometimes the stories we cover are draining, so there’s nothing like a good cheesy movie just to kind of let everything go, to lose your mind in the stupidity of. So I’m a fan of bad movies. On pow wows and what they mean to him: So I grew up without my culture; I grew up not connected. Residential schools had a huge impact on our family dynamics, and pow wows for the most part aren’t specific to any nation, so when I wanted to reclaim my identity, I was drawn to pow wows. And back in the day, grass dancing was one of the most athletic types of dances that you could do. Traditional grass dancing is about coming into a new environment and preparing that environment for the people who are going to come after you—whether it be your community, whether it be hunters, whether it be warriors, or something to that effect—but to prepare that environment in a way that once you’re done
that there’s no proof or no trace of you being there. So we wouldn’t break the grass. We would pat down the grass, so after everything is said and done, it would grow back up. On lacrosse: I started around 14. Lacrosse was one of the avenues I used to reconnect with my culture. Being from southern Ontario, there’s a huge Haudenosaunee influence that exists down there. The Niagara region specifically is between Six Nations and across the river there is Tuscarora and there are some Seneca communities there, so lacrosse is heavily visible in those communities. So wanting to reconnect, that just provided me with another avenue to do so. On goals while living in Thunder Bay: So within the next year my goal is to hike the Sleeping Giant. From my understanding it’s about a ten-kilometre hike. COVID has not been nice to my athleticism and my hiking ability so it’s going to be one of those work in progresses, but I’d like to say that come this time next year my profile picture on Facebook and or Twitter will be me, with my arms up like Rocky, overlooking Lake Superior. The interview has been edited for length and clarity.
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CityScene
Ungalli Clothing Co.
Locally Owned Store Opens Doors in New Location Story by Kris Ketonen, Photos by Adrian Lysenko
(L-R) Hailey and Bree Hollinsworth, founders of Ungalli Clothing Co., in their new location
T
he revitalization of in Thunder Bay’s north core continues with the opening of the new home of Ungalli Clothing Co. Ungalli—founded by sisters Hailey and Bree Hollinsworth in 2013—is now located in the former Cumberland Cinema, a spot that not only offers a larger storefront, but
ample (and much-needed) warehouse space. The move is “exciting, a little scary at times,” Bree says. “But there’s lots of room to grow. Now that we have the front done, we can kind of focus on the back part of our business, the custom side, that we’re really trying to grow.” The new location saw a soft opening in early November, with a
Mural by boy Roland and Vicki Nerino in Superior Screen Printing
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grand opening scheduled for this month. It features plenty of storefront, offering not only Ungalli merchandise, but also products made by dozens of other local vendors. And the new store hasn’t completely done away with its heritage— touches of the building’s former life remain, including the large theatre numbers and rows of repurposed
theatre seats. The theatres themselves, however, have been completely overhauled, and combined into one large area. The former theatre four is now Ungalli’s warehouse. “It’s a huge improvement from before, from our last warehouse-office,” Bree says. “It was just piled on top of each other.” Theatre five, meanwhile, hosts Superior Screen Printing. “We work together so frequently that we were trying to be in the same building for a long time,” Hailey says. “They used to be on Simpson, our warehouse was in Rosslyn—we would literally be driving in circles all day, from screen printer to Rosslyn to the store.” Now, with Ungalli’s warehouse and Superior Screen Printing located in the same place, the workflow is much more efficient. Hailey says it was that lack of efficiency that really necessitated Ungalli finding a new home. “Having to drive all over the city, we couldn’t grow at all,” she says. “Being able to work side-by-side was going to allow us to expand. And also, just the positive vibes we all get from working together, and the energy, is really great. So that’s really what inspired it.” Ungalli is currently open from noon to 5 pm, Tuesday to Saturday, but the hours will be extended in time for Christmas. For more information, visit ungalli.com.
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CityScene Indigenous women for half a century now. We know the priorities and needs of our community and we continue to lead the way in creating solutions to address them,” McGuireCyrette says. “While our work is far from over, the love, resilience, and strength that Indigenous women hold is creating healing for themselves and their communities.” “Indigenous women are effecting change every day, in many cases directed at creating a safer community for future generations,” she adds. “From parenting to politics, Indigenous women continue to demonstrate their strengths in the face of numerous barriers, be it violence, racism or discrimination.” ONWA was co-founded by Jeannette Corbiere Lavell in 1971. Her daughter, Dr. Dawn Lavell-Harvard, has continued the advocacy as the board president for the last 18 years. “Carrying the legacy of leadership from my mother, Jeannette Corbiere Lavell, it has been my mission to support and advocate on behalf of Indigenous women’s rights, always
Cora McGuire-Cyrette, executive director of the Ontario Native Women’s Association (ONWA)
Empowering for 50 Years
Ontario Native Women’s Association Celebrates Golden Anniversary Story by Roxann Shapwaykeesic, Photo by Chondon Photography
“W
hen we heal ourselves, we’re healing future generations,” says Cora McGuire-Cyrette, executive director of the Ontario Native Women’s Association (ONWA). November 17 marked the 50th anniversary of ONWA, which has been providing services across Ontario since 1971. ONWA is also Canada’s oldest and largest Indigenous organization. The
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non-profit organization empowers women through programming and workshops that focus on health and cultural teachings offered locally and at offices across Ontario. The work focuses on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG), child welfare, family violence, sexual violence, justice, health, human trafficking, and housing and homelessness. “ONWA has listened to
working toward the empowerment of Indigenous women and their families,” Lavell-Harvard says. “In doing so, I hope that I have honoured her and those who have walked with me and mentored me on this journey.” Now the third generation— Corbiere Lavell’s granddaughter, Autumn Sky Cooper, has been elected vice president of ONWA. “As vice president, I want to find out how ONWA can better support youth, hear their voices and give them the tools to succeed as our future leaders,” says Cooper. ONWA has tripled their programs and services while expanding into new communities. Over the past year and under pandemic conditions, ONWA supported over 40,000 people in Ontario. “We’re successful because we recognize and honour Indigenous women’s voices,” McGuire-Cyrette says. “We’re looking forward to the next 50 years and seeing where tomorrow’s generation takes the organization.”
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CityScene
Thunder Bay Railway Historical Society
THE ENTHUSIASTS
Story by Deanne Gagnon, Photos provided by the Thunder Bay Railway Historical Society Members of the Thunder Bay Railway Historical Society
I
t all started with a caboose. Sitting proudly at the south entrance of Prince Arthur’s Landing is Canadian National Railway Caboose 78715. Not too long ago, the future of this caboose—one of only 25 originally built in 1929— was in jeopardy. “The caboose had been owned by the city. It was kind of abandoned and they were looking at getting rid of it. I approached the City with a bunch of rail enthusiasts in town to fix it up,” says Thunder Bay Railway Historical Society’s president Craig Symington. “I was pretty passionate about saving that
caboose because I had been involved in the restoration in the 80s when I was a teenager and didn’t want to see it get destroyed or given away.” In order to take ownership of the caboose, however, the railfans had to be part of an organization. With the assistance of the Ontario Historical Society, they became a not-for-profit corporation, and on October 15, 2015 the Thunder Bay Railway Historical Society was born. The society was formed with the intention of restoring the caboose, which a handful of dedicated
Members on the Northland car in Duluth
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volunteers have done beautifully. But it has since evolved. As a way of showing appreciation to their members, the society hosts an annual barbecue, and prior to the pandemic organized an excursion taking participants on a train ride from Duluth, Minnesota to Two Harbors in the esteemed Northland business car. The exclusive access to the extravagant business car was thanks to their status as a historical society. Their second adventure was the Lake Superior and Mississippi Railroad Fall Colors Tour, and there are plans for some more great
excursions in the near future. History buffs can also look forward to the return of the Thunder Bay Historical Film Festival in March 2022 after its postponement due to COVID. The inaugural festival hosted by the society in 2018, along with the Friends of Grain Elevators, was hugely successful, with 850 attendees. Thunder Bay Museum, Nipigon Historical Museum, Canadian Lighthouses of Lake Superior, and Northwest Ontario Aviation Heritage Centre participate in the film festival as well. Bob Scarcello, consultant to the
(L–R) Brakeman Scarcello and conductor Ron Fuchek
CityScene board and enthusiastic volunteer, worked for the railroad for 37 years and is part of the railroaders in the community program that rewards active and retired CN rail employees by making donations on their behalf. “Back in 2017, I read in the newspaper the society was looking for volunteers and I thought since I was retired I would become involved. My wife, Heather, also joined,” he says. “I thought the caboose would be something that I would be very passionate about, which I have been.” Scarcello was a key player in restoring the interior of the caboose, which is open to visitors during summer months. There is a nominal yearly membership fee that goes to help with insurance, upkeep, and maintenance of the caboose. The society has merchandise for sale including T-shirts, key chains, and Christmas cards. For more information, visit the Thunder Bay Railway Historical Society Facebook page.
A group of Fort William CPR car inspectors in 1917
Inside Canadian National Railway caboose 78715
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CityScene
(L–R) ThunderCon’s media manager Heather Dickson, Spider-Man, and chancellor Kevin Taylor
GeekFestivus Get Your Geek On By Asia Gustafson
O
n December 4, ThunderCon will present GeekFestivus—a craft fair for the geek or nerd in everyone, just in time for the holidays. The event will run from 10 am to 5 pm on the sixth floor of West Arthur Place. The entry fee is $5 (or $3 with the donation of a non-perishable food item) and will gain you access to a myriad of local and visiting vendors. The event gives you the chance to find things you wouldn’t see elsewhere unless you were really looking, with over 20 vendors lined up with the perfect gifts for friends and family—or for yourself. Thunder Games & Gifts is offering painting
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kits for D&D miniatures and will have an expert on hand to get you started. There will also be an opportunity for anyone who desires to get their photo with the Grinch in the Game of Thrones “Iron Throne” (by J&K Creations), making for a very creative Christmas card to send to the family. This event is also an opportunity for fans to connect with like-minded people in our community. ThunderCon chancellor Kevin Taylor says “there are more of us than you think” in reference to people who enjoy pop culture and fantasy. Without the ThunderCon event last year, both vendors and
fans missed the chance to get together and bring out the costumes. Taylor says this event is to “give back to the vendors that make our convention possible” while raising money for the 2022 ThunderCon next September. There will also be a booth at the fair offering volunteer opportunities to those who want to continue to support ThunderCon
into their sixth convention and any other events they have planned. Dressing up or cosplaying is encouraged, but not at all necessary. For more information visit thundercon.org or find them on Facebook or Instagram @tbaythundercon. Preregister for a D&D paint kit at qrco. de/bcXABc.
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CityScene
Ho! Ho! Hold Up!
The Cost of Gifts is Going Up By Samrul Aahad, Economist, Northern Policy Institute
T
he winter holidays are around the corner, and with them comes a season of giving. As consumers get ready to spend their hardearned dollars on gifts for friends and family, there is no time like the “present”—pun intended—to look at how the prices of consumer goods have changed over time. Overall, inflation has increased the price of consumer goods in Thunder Bay by 1% over the last couple of years, with some goods fluctuating more than others. If you’re running on a tight budget, you may want to avoid buying watches and jewelry this holiday season, as these consumer goods have increased by about 5% since last year. This means that a ring that cost $1,000 a year ago will now cost you $1,052. But before you get your tinsel in a knot, there are some goods that have decreased in price since 2020. The price of clothing and shoes have seen a price drop by about 0.4% and 2%, respectively. Of course, as we’ve learned from the Grinch, it’s not all about the gifts from a store. In 2015, a little over 22,000 people in Thunder Bay made a donation. In 2019, the number dropped slightly below 20,000. Perhaps this is the year to break this trend.
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Music
King Can Dan performing as Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash Tribute W Local Soundalike Takes the Stage By Sara Sadeghi Aval
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Gift certificates available! 94 The Walleye
hen King Can Dan began playing guitar at age five, his first songs were by the late Johnny Cash. Now, after playing the late singer’s favourites for 18 years, he’s coming back at the Port Arthur Legion Branch #5 on
December 11 to play his tribute act for the second time on the legion’s stage. Although his act has changed over the years, he still incorporates fan favourites like “Folsom Prison Blues,” “Jackson,” and “Ring of Fire.” There’s even a June to his Johnny, played by Tina Louise. The duo recently played the hit “Johnny and June” in Nipigon and have been working on the act together for almost six years. “I pride myself on not looking like Johnny but sounding like him,” Dan says. His love of guitar and Cash turned into an official tribute in 2003, and after “the movie came out, there was more interest,” he says, referring to the 2005 biopic about Cash’s life titled Walk the Line. Dan also uses backdrops and LED lighting to keep the stage visually appealing, and a finely tuned sound system in his set. “We want to make sure we’re not drowning out our audience at the front in volume, and that our patrons in the back can also hear, especially in a mature crowd,” the tribute artist says. Dan’s array of guitars mimic Cash’s range and although he has a set list, he allows song requests from audience members. With a focus on engaging the audience, you can expect jokes and stories on stage, and reworks of Cash’s classics such as “Orange Blossom Special,” a song that Dan has created a special rendition for. “We’re also going to play some songs from Cash’s last album, about 30 tunes in total,” Dan says about the upcoming show. Tickets are $20 and are available at the Port Arthur Legion, located at 229 Van Norman Street.
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(L-R) Dave Rollie and Tim Livingstone, the duo that makes up the EDM group SkiiTour
Back to Bass
SkiiTour Making a Stop in Thunder Bay By Michael Charlebois
T
ATS Photography
im Livingstone and Dave Rollie aren’t shy to admit carving out a name in their niche music scene was something of a “happy accident.” The duo that makes up the EDM group SkiiTour
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were formerly named Livingstone & Canosis until a friend and fellow DJ, frustrated with the name’s wordiness, rebranded them during a show. As they were based in western Canada, touring in ski towns, and
delivering an undeniably feel-good vibe with their music, it seemed like a no-brainer. “Ski towns know how to party pretty hard,” Livingstone says. “We have sort of embraced the whole vibe of a retro ski culture and epic ski parties.” Livingstone and Rollie first met in Whistler, BC ten years ago and began to make music together. Even before their brand took allegiance to ski/snowboard culture, they say the
influence had an early effect on their sound, when they were “just living in a ski town and getting those old 80s onesies from local thrift shops,” says Livingstone. “We constantly change our general style of music. We’re house-based but we make everything from melodic stuff to more bangers… Really we’re trying to make that funky, timeless music.” The group travels with two snow machines, and began to notice the audience adapted to a dress code during their shows. “People would come to our shows with retro ski gear and goggles. It sort of became a thing for us, unintentionally—it just sort of grew,” Livingstone says. Although the west is known most for ski culture, the group has developed a fondness for all of Canada’s local scenes after touring the country for the last seven years. Thunder Bay’s scene is no exception. “It got pretty loose,” says Rollie, recalling their first Thunder Bay show. “I remember there was a shotski there, and my memory is pretty cloudy because of that I assume.” The pair will be back in Thunder Bay on December 17 at Atmos as a part of their We Belong Tour. “You’ll get some of our music, and then everything that’s funky, dirty, bassy house music—feel good house music,” Rollie says. SkiiTour mixes are available on SoundCloud. The rest of their catalogue is on Spotify, Apple Music and Instagram.
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The Walleye
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Uprooted
Local Flamenco Guitarist and Composer Releases New Album Stoy by Jamie Varga, Photo by Zahra Saleki
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A
nyone who has spent time in Thunder Bay is fully aware of the mystic energy that lives here. This mysterious force inspires, influences, and lures in enough of the outside world for our benefit, but also sends some of our most promising souls outward from time to time and delivers gifts like Matt Sellick into the ether. The flamenco guitarist and composer's latest album, Uprooted, is his fourth record and is a contrast from his last work, North Shore, where he travelled through parks in the Thunder Bay area seeking inspiration from seeds planted here at home. The new album finds Sellick exploring territory where he is now influenced by his new urban life instead of the scenic vistas that guided much of his prior work. “With the album North Shore, I took what I had studied as an adult to the places where I spent time as a child. The music became more about spaces instead of people, relationships, experiences, and that sort of stuff that most people write about,” he says. “Now, when I was developing the concept of the new album, I just looked at what has happened to me since then. If my music is inspired by locations, how do I segue from North Shore to being within a new group of artists and living in Toronto? That is where I came up with the idea of wanting to grow roots in this new community.” Two weeks after the release of North Shore, Sellick was contacted by his childhood guitar hero, Jesse Cook, who invited him to move to Toronto and join his band—a decision that was easy for Sellick and led to the “uprooted” concept of the new record. Sellick is more than thrilled by the fact that Cook contributes a solo on the song “Soot.” The album also features two other guest appearances: Chelsea McBride on “Maybe Today,” and the percussive stylings of Marito Marques on the track “Going Home,” both of which are excellent complements to Sellick’s flamenco guitar. “The track ‘Going Home’ was actually a leftover from North Shore, a song that I wrote as a backup just in case I wasn’t able to write enough music for the album,” he says. “In the context of this album about making new connections in this new world during a pandemic, the song has taken on a whole different meaning. ” Uprooted can be found on all the regular digital platforms including Sellick’s Bandcamp page at mattsellick.bandcamp. com. Keep your eyes open for a chance to see him perform with Jesse Cook early next year.
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Music
Four Great Winter songs
BURNING TO THE SKY
By Gord Ellis
D
ecember is the darkest month of the year, and can be a cold dose of snowy reality after a warm summer and colourful fall. However, December is also the month of the winter solstice and once we have passed December 21, the days start to lighten. So let’s celebrate some winter songs.
Neil Young – “Winterlong” I waited for you, Winterlong You seem to be where I belong. It's all illusion anyway. Few people can capture longing like Neil Young. It is a mix of his voice, guitar stylings, and his judicious use of well-placed minors and major 7ths. In “Winterlong,” that type of Neil performance and writing is front and centre, and the weepy pedal steel reinforces the wistfulness. First released on the Decade compilation in 1977, “Winterlong” is one of the best Neil Young deep tracks and features Crazy Horse in a subdued but muscular performance. On a cold February night in 2019, I watched Neil and the Horse perform this song about 15 feet away from me. The power of it was unreal.
Simon & Garfunkel- Merle Haggard Gwen Stefani – “If We Make it “Hazy Shade of “Early Winter” Through December” The sun’s getting cold; it’s snowin’ Winter” Carry your cup in your hand And look around Leaves are brown, now And the sky is a hazy shade of winter.
If we make it through December Everything's gonna be all right, I know It's the coldest time of winter And I shiver when I see the fallin' snow.
This classic Simon & Garfunkel song is as close as the legendary duo got to rocking out. The song also name checks the Salvation Army, which alludes to the holidays. Yet the whole vibe of the song has kept it a long way from becoming a Christmas classic. Based on a looping guitar lick, you can almost feel the grey dampness of December in New York in the music. There is not much sign of real winter, except a “patch of snow on the ground.” The Bangles did a great cover of this song that turned the power pop elements of the tune up several notches.
This classic, performed by the late, great Merle Haggard, is the most bittersweet of all the winter tunes here. In “If We Make it Through December” Haggard talks about getting laid off at the factory just before Christmas and trying to explain to his daughter why “her Daddy can’t afford no Christmas here.” The sentiment and song feels real, and Haggard manages to tell this sad story over top of a tune that is jaunty and light. But you feel the cold wind of December in the arrangement. There is also an overwhelming feeling that the family—and the singer—will push through and be all right. They simply don’t write them like this anymore.
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Looks like an early winter For us.
Winter and break up songs go together well, since the cold of a broken relationship follows the heat of the romance. Summer into winter, etc. Gwen Stefani had a minor hit with this song from 2007, but it deserved more love. It features her airy voice in the best possible way, and as breakup songs go, it is pretty effective. Plus, it features these great lines: Why? Why do you act so stupid? Why? You know that I'm always right And it has a beat and you can dance to it, as the American Bandstand spectators used to say. Dancing is a perfect way to make the winter melt away.
TBPL Walleye 1/4 page December 2021 P.O. #R11726
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Music to see. The band is even thinking of continuing to offer online concerts, even after everything has returned to normal. “In a world of introverts who don't want to go to a concert, but they want to see a show, they can see the show and stay at home and watch from their pyjamas in their living room,” Ough says. With this Christmas season’s upcoming performances, the band is more excited than ever to be back in person and in front of fans. They’ve played six shows since live performances have been allowed again and they say it’s been greatly missed. It’s been muscle memory for them to get all together again; Ough saying she's felt more herself now that they are back together in a room making music than ever before. Expect more from them as time goes on. Find the Good Lovelies out on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @goodlovelies, and on their website goodlovelies.com.
Good Lovelies
Trio Returns to Stage for Christmas Performances By Asia Gustafson
T
he Good Lovelies have swept the nation and the world with their charm and style. The Toronto-based folk and country band have performed everywhere from Australia to the U.K. and are currently setting up for a Christmas tour with 10 stops across Ontario, including Thunder Bay on December 11 at the Port Arthur Polish Hall. Kerri Ough, Sue Passmore, and Caroline Brooks have had great success in their 15 years of music together, winning a Juno award in 2010 and playing festivals across the globe. The trio started performing
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together in 2006 but had been friends for years before, though their shared love of music carried the friendship further than ever anticipated. All three began as solo acts before coming together and making their own music; they always say “friendship first and band second,” and share everything from credits to stage time. Not even being able to rehearse in the same room did hurt the band, though. It's pretty hard to sing harmony over Zoom, and even harder to perform. But from struggle comes strength. “[The break] reminded me that music is about
community, whether or not that community is happening physically in the same venue, or if it’s online in Zoom meetings,” says Ough. They credit their fans with being the ones who helped keep them going through the hardships. The Lovelies are well known for the Christmas music they release with their iconic three-part harmony. Last year, the yearly Christmas tour was online, but that didn’t bring the trio down. They found it wonderful to be able to not only showcase their music to the places they would have visited in Ontario, but all over the world for everyone
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The Record Box
Local Music for Everyone to Enjoy By Asia Gustafson
Music
T
his past year has brought us new music in many styles from local artists. These 33 albums (in no particular order) from Northwestern Ontario are great gift ideas for your resident music lover. Send us a message if you think we missed any releases from this year, or any coming up in 2022!
Castleroque Radio Friendly Wedding Band Music
The Honest Heart Collective More Harm
Dallas Bong Ripz
25 Cigarettes Paper Money Plastic
Page 38 Waves
Kofi AK It’s Kofi AK!
LockdAwg Chasing Light
People at Night Keeping Distant
Jean-Paul De Roover Lone
Matt Sellick Uprooted
Wreck-Defy We Got You Covered
Steve Dafoe Did I Tell You?
Collin Clowes Sleepy
KC Westfort The Shuniah E.P.
Chemical Bank Melomaniac
Wreck-Defy The World Enslaved
Lorrina Belluz After The Fall
Basilisk Kingpin Lord Basilisk II
VHS I Heard They Suck... Blood
The Zeldas Cool Waves
Sunshine & the Blue Moon Born 2 Boogie
John Dolce Chill
Forever Dead! Pretending We’re Surviving
Webby D The Fulmination EP
Pedestrian Lifestyle Nocturnal Sea
Nevamind & Royal-T The Yesmen
Sydney Blu Conviction
Jean-Paul De Roover There Are No Words
Sunday wilde Peace in Trouble
Matt Flank Too Far from Shore
Altamadum Through. Motion. Chronicles
Jean-Paul De Roover Jean-Paul De Roover Presents Songs for the Holidays
Roger Cheeto Iridescently Mercurial Tracks Of Effervescent Quality And Tone Which Reflect On The Inexpressible Divinity Within The Self And In The Act Of Creation
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Music
The World’s Most Authentic Tribute to mom said okay.” Zapf-Bélanger went on to play the instrument throughout high school; while born in Montreal, she grew up in Toronto and attended an arts high school in Etobicoke. She then studied at the Royal Conservatory of Music’s Glenn Gould School. “Violin is a particularly versatile instrument,” she says. “We can play a lot of styles, and we can play very quick notes. There’s almost nothing, really, that’s impossible for the violinist to play.” “We’re always playing in all the pieces,” she adds. “Violinists are the workhorses of the orchestra, and I’m the kind of person that just always likes to participate.” Being part of an orchestra’s string section also brings benefits, Zapf-Bélanger says. “Strings are one of the older sections in the orchestra, and we have a lot of repertoire written for us,” she says. “There’s just more repertoire written for violin than anyone could ever play in their lifetime.”
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Michelle Zapf-Bélanger Violin, TBSO
By Kris Ketonen Born: Montreal, Quebec Instrument: Violin Age you started to study music: Violin at age 5 How long have you been with TBSO: Since 2008 What’s on personal playlist: Whatever the TBSO is working on (for example, The Nightmare Before Christmas soundtrack in preparation for a Halloween performance) For Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra violinist Michelle ZapfBélanger, the orchestra’s long-awaited return to the stage this fall made
104 The Walleye
for a “profoundly normal” evening. “Burnout can happen for musicians, for sure,” Zapf-Bélanger says. “While our time off from playing was enforced, and we weren’t necessarily super happy about it, it did mean we came back to performing again all fresh and ready to go.” Zapf-Bélanger began her musical career by enrolling in violin lessons at age five. “I think I was listening to some cassette tapes that my parents were playing that featured the violin,” she says, adding her father is a guitarist, and was listening to “folk music albums that had a lot of violin. I wanted to play violin, and my
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December Entrepreneurs of the Month
Rebecca Smith and Jeff Kay, Owners, The Licit Garden
Photos by Nathan Church
Meet Rebecca Smith and Jeff Kay, owners of the recently established The Licit Garden. The Licit Garden is an exciting new boutique located at 118 Cumberland Street North in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Both Jeff and Rebecca were raised in Thunder Bay and developed a passion for creativity and exploring the world from a young age. Over the past few years they knew that they wanted to create a business of their own. They explored various concepts as a couple and with friends, but for one reason or another the timing was never right. During the summer of 2020, the concept of a boutique came along and they started to build a business plan around their dream of having a business that would transport customers to a new place. The concept originated from extensive travel and the experience of waking up in a new place, grabbing a coffee, and heading out to explore a vibrant neighbourhood to see all of the quirky local offerings. Both Rebecca and Jeff value the importance of ensuring products are sourced in a sustainable and ethical manner. Many of the products found in the shop are from companies or individuals who share these same values, so you not only look good but can feel good about what you are buying.
Q & A with Jeff and Rebecca
What drew you to entrepreneurship? We are both very independent, creative, and hardworking. We knew that to truly be fulfilled and challenged we needed to build something of our very own as an outlet for our personal expression. As a couple we enjoy travelling and felt particularly inspired by the colours and creativity in many desert towns and along the west coast. Once the pandemic hit and our wings were clipped, we devoted our time and energy into bringing that feeling to Thunder Bay in the form of The Licit Garden. It’s a place where everyone is welcome and we truly hope they can feel the thoughtfulness and love that has gone into every aspect of the business. What has been your most memorable moment being an entrepreneur? Signing our lease! From the moment we saw our current space, we knew that this was our opportunity to fully commit to this project and there was no turning back once the lease was signed. There have also been countless moments of pure gratitude for all
of the wonderful and supportive people we have met entering the realm of small business. Who was your biggest inspiration/mentor? We do not have one single mentor. A lifetime of experiences that has brought us to where we are today. We are both extremely lucky to have supportive families and friends that have helped us throughout this process. One unlikely mentor for me personally (Rebecca) has been FedEx—from the amazing people on the ground here who have gone above and beyond the call of duty to the brokers who opened my eyes as a brand-new business owner trying to navigate international importing. I had no idea that I would spend my evenings trying to understand free
trade agreements! If you could go back in time what piece of advice would you give yourself? There are so many things we could tell ourselves! One thing is to not waste years waiting for the perfect time to take a risk. There is no perfect time and there will always be challenges and obstacles to overcome. Secondly, be compassionate with yourself. As a new business owner you are learning at light speed and you will make countless errors. Stay humble and lean on those with more experience and expertise when you need to. Most people are happy to share their wisdom with you. “To do something is better than not to do something.” - John Lennon
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Music
Guest conductor Jeff Christmas and the TBSO
Nancy Freeborn performing with the TBSO
Breakout
TBSO Returns to Stage with Incredible Concert Review by Kat Lyzun, Photos by Sarah McPherson
O
n November 5 and 6, the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra played to its first full-capacity audience in 18 months, and it was nothing short of glorious. The pure joy of experiencing live music together was palpable from the opening overture—a collection of David Bowie classics that set the mood for an incredible concert. “Wow, when you haven’t heard this for so many months… how amazing,” guest conductor Jeff
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Christmas declared to the sold-out DaVinci Centre crowd. Although this wasn’t the first time Nancy Freeborn has appeared with the TBSO, Breakout! Freeborn was the powerhouse singer’s first solo show with them. Her performance was filled with stunning vocal range, passion, and her genuine way of connecting with the audience. She was joined by acclaimed local musician Danny Johnson on guitar and keys, and it was a shining
night for TBSO percussionist Kevin Brohman and principal bassist Martin Blanchet. Freeborn often remarked throughout the show that the classically trained musicians probably shake their heads at working with her and her raw style, but to the audience nothing seemed further from the truth. Freeborn’s tremendous natural talent was a perfect complement to the studied, soaring musicality of the orchestra. The show was built around a thrilling collection of beautifully arranged songs that showcased Freeborn’s impressive vocals and style; at different times she seemed to channel Adele, Janis Joplin, and Grace Slick. Eyes shimmered throughout the room when she sang a stripped-down version of Sia’s “Chandelier” lifted by an ethereal strings section, and “Over the Rainbow” accompanied by Johnson
on acoustic guitar, as a tribute to her husband. Surprise hits were “Writing’s on the Wall” by Sam Smith, a sweeping piece with the full orchestra, and “Another Way to Die” by Alicia Keys and Jack White, a full orchestra blues-banger duet with Freeborn and Johnson. Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep,” Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time,” and Jefferson Airplane’s “White Rabbit” were among crowd favourites, and the evening closed with a high-energy encore of Janis Joplin’s “Piece of My Heart.” Toward the end of the evening, Freeborn announced that she was about to sing Petula Clark’s “Downtown”, which she said was “the song I would sing on a hairbrush when I was a kid. I think we all have one of those, and this was mine—the song you would sing when dreaming of being a performer. And here I am, living my dream.”
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The Walleye 109
OfftheWall
REVIEWS
Cup Confidential
Many A Mile
Co-written and co-produced by Ryan La Via and Kris Ketonen and directed by La Via, Cup Confidential will have you cheering in your seat from its opening seconds. The 45-minute documentary about the Thunder Bay semi-professional hockey team, the Thunder Bay Thunder Hawks, who in 1992 won the first-ever Colonial Cup at the inaugural Colonial Hockey League championship, and the Cup’s subsequent disappearance and eventual resurfacing nearly three decades later, is simply a great story. And La Via and Ketonen have made a great movie out of this material. The structure is a straightforward narrative from A to B to C to D, and continues to our present times. Made almost entirely of direct, firstperson interviews with the Thunder Bay Thunder Hawks players, team personnel, and local sports media and enthusiasts, the content is rich and layered in details, humour, and emotion. Credit editor Billy James for assembling this footage in a compelling, propulsive way. This is a feel-good, hometown story well-told.
Blue Rodeo’s latest album is comfort food for your ears. Like a great stew, all the ingredients come together into a delicious musical meal. Many A Mile is the group’s first album release in five years and was well worth the wait. There is a real range of styles here, from ethereal country ballads to all-out electric rockers. Jim Cuddy and Greg Keelor share the singing and songwriting duties, and their legendary harmonies sparkle on this album. I can’t say enough about the production and the mix. It’s spot-on with the vocals on top and some outstanding instrumental backing. I’ve always liked the way Blue Rodeo uses piano and it shines on this recording. Favourite songs include the gentle country rocker “When You Were Wild” and the sublime country ballad “Deep Dark Well,” featuring great harmonies and piano. Many A Mile is a great addition to an already wonderful body of work from Blue Rodeo.
- Michael Sobota
- Gerald Graham
Ryan La Via
Blue Rodeo
A Sentimental Christmas with Nat King Cole and Friends: Classics Reimagined
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
While his recording career was tragically brief, Nat King Cole’s distinctive voice helped to define a musical era. A Sentimental Christmas with Nat King Cole and Friends: Classics Reimagined seamlessly interweaves Cole’s painstakingly restored vocals with new orchestral arrangements and contemporary artists to create virtual duets of beloved Christmas classics and other Cole standards. The pairing of Cole and multiple Grammy-winning artist John Legend on “The Christmas Song” is a masterful remake of this perennial seasonal favourite first recorded by Cole 75 years ago. Johnny Mathis (“Deck the Halls/Joy to the World”), Gloria Estefan (“A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square”), Kristin Chenoweth (“The Very Thought of You”), and Calum Scott (“O Holy Night”) round out the list of notable “friends.” Throughout, Cole’s timeless baritone resonates with the warmth of chestnuts roasting on an open fire. Required holiday listening for kids from 1 to 92.
Barn marks Neil Young’s 40th studio album and his 13th with partners in crime Crazy Horse. A little bit of nostalgia, a little bit of protest music, Barn is a kaleidoscope of Shakey’s collective work. The opening track “Songs of the Seasons” features Neil’s signature harmonica and harmonies, starting things off in familiar territory. Things kick up a bit with “Heading West” as Young recounts childhood memories, specifically moving with his mother from Ontario to Winnipeg after his parents’ divorce. The album switches gears with the more politically charged “Change Ain’t Never Gonna,” dealing with our reliance on fossil fuel, and “Canerican,” which focuses on him taking dual citizenship last year. Recorded in a converted barn in Colorado, the album has a bit of a campfire session feel with some old friends jamming rather than producing a polished album. But this isn’t necessarily a bad thing—when you’ve had as prolific a career as Neil has, sometimes it’s nice to just kick back and reflect on the road that brought you here. Luckily for us, we’re along for the ride.
- Ken Wright
- Adrian Lysenko
Nat King Cole
Merry Christmas from: 110 The Walleye
Barn
I Thought of You Julie Doiron
Julie Doiron’s been busy. After nine years making albums with The Wrong Guys and Mount Eerie, it’s no surprise that the theme of returning is key in her newest solo work. Doiron recorded the LP in cabin-quiet solitude, lending I Thought of You a contemplative, downtempo feel disrupted with surprising twists—smatterings of psychedelia on “Just When I Thought,” the soft stomp-clap romp of “Et Mon Amour,” a hint of mamba shake shimmying through “Good Reason.” While Doiron celebrates a return to self and roots with bookended tracks “You Gave Me the Key” and “Back To The Water,” deep cuts like “Ran,” “Darkness To Light,” and “They Wanted Me to Say” observe that new beginnings often spring from what we’re better off not returning to—bad lovers, old habits, places we’ve outgrown. I Thought of You treads familiar emotional ground while feeling sonically fresh; Doiron is more at home than ever when she shines solo. - Kirsti MacKenzie
The Nearer the Fountain, More Pure the Stream Flows
The Bake Canadian Take Off
Damon Albarn
Liz Walker and Richard Platel
The Boy Who Moved Christmas
It’s been seven years since the release of Damon Albarn’s debut solo album, Everyday Robots. And, while there’s certainly been no shortage of music from the likes of Blur and Gorillaz since then, the question of who Damon Albarn is as a solo artist remains somewhat unresolved. However, The Nearer the Fountain did not bring me nearer the answer, as Albarn subverts expectations by committing to a slow-burning, ambient soundscape. Although this choice makes for a much more sonically cohesive album than its predecessor, The Nearer the Fountain just barely straddles the line between consistency and stagnancy. As a result, I gravitated more towards tracks like “Royal Morning Blue,” “Combustion,” and “Polaris,” which break through this monotony to provide pockets of energy, ranging in severity from light electronica to carnivalesque chaos. Ultimately, these departures prevent the album from losing itself in the flow of a stream that may be too pure for its own good.
Ever wonder why cream of tartar is so expensive, since it’s literally a byproduct of wine-making? Or who Louis-Camille Maillard was and why we should be grateful for his serendipitous mistake? Broadcast in tandem with The Great Canadian Baking Show, The Bake Canadian Take Off goes behind the scenes and highlights unique ingredients, sacred techniques, and awesome contestant moments that are sure to warm your heart and instill a newfound respect for the classic chocolate soufflé. With pun-filled episode titles such as “Panic at the Crisco” and “A Bread by a Century,” Walker and Platel make listening fun while also chiming in about personal kitchen victories and epic failures. Although perhaps a little clunky at times, this podcast certainly does a fantastic job at highlighting and supporting many skilled and extremely talented Canadian bakers. - Andrea Lysenko
The Boy Who Moved Christmas is a beautiful tale written by Eric Walters, a bestselling Canadian author, and Nicole Wellwood, who created this book based on her family’s real-life Christmas wish. The story follows Wellwood’s sons Logan, Tyson, and Evan, who was diagnosed with brain cancer (or “The Bump,” as they called it). Evan wrote a wish list, and on this list was a desire to celebrate Christmas. Wellwood’s sister went to work and sent out letters to their whole town, St. George, asking them to put up Christmas lights and decorations a few months early. The family got more than they could have wished for when people started putting up lights and decorations all over town. This book tells the story of a wonderful family having a magical day celebrating Christmas in October. If you want to learn more about the family and their story, there is an addendum at the back written by Wellwood. This book really shows what Christmas is about: being kind to others, and even in the face of struggle, coming together as a community.
- Melanie Larson
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The Walleye 111
Architecture
Transformation Church Story by Laurie Abthorpe, Photos by Adrian Lysenko
O
ne of Thunder Bay’s early church structures still stands today at the corner of Pruden Street and McMurray Street. Currently the Transformation Church, this place of worship has enjoyed a long history in the community serving its congregations. Located at this site since 1913, the church was first constructed 25 years prior, more than a kilometre away. Along the Kaministiquia River between the fur trade post Fort William and the Town Plot (West Fort), a small settlement had been forming since the 1860s. By 1888, this community (later included as part of the 1892 incorporation of the Town of Fort William) was developing in earnest, and local Presbyterian parishioners had a church building under construction at the corner of Brodie Street and Donald Street on land donated by the McKellar family. Dedicated on Sunday, January 6, 1889, the original St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church was modestly
112 The Walleye
sized and built at a cost of $5,000 by carpenter George Coates. The brick veneer structure’s symmetry, proportion, and restrained ornamentation was influenced by Georgian architecture, while its three-storey square tower, topped by a flat roof with deep overhanging eaves decorated with brackets, demonstrated its Italianate style. The pointed arch openings and windows with intersecting tracery were Gothic in nature. Gothic characteristics were further enhanced during alterations made closer to 1900, particularly through the broach spire added atop the tower. Another of the alterations made was an expansion to the righthand side of the building. Though able to seat 500 people with the added gallery, it was decided in 1907 that a new larger church building was needed. The original church structure was relocated south on the property in 1908 to accommodate the construction of a new St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church. Retained for Sunday school and
Thunder Bay Public Library
Architecture
Courtesy of the Thunder Bay Museum
The original St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church as it was rolled along May Street (Fort William) in 1913
A colourized postcard with the old (left) and new (right) St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Churches side by side church group use, the old church building was again deemed too small for its intended use five years later. In the meantime, a site purchased by St. Andrew’s on Pruden Street in 1912 maintained a well-received mission hall. The opportunity to establish a new congregation in the East End, making use of the old church, aligned well with creating the space required to construct a new Sunday School Hall addition on St. Andrew’s. Placed on rollers, the old church began its journey to the Pruden Street site in July 1913. Once placed on a newly constructed concrete foundation built to accommodate a basement, work got underway re-bricking, re-flooring, plastering, and painting. The revitalized church, still bearing much of its original architectural
features, began its new life as Knox Presbyterian Church, dedicated as such on Sunday, February 22, 1914. When the United Church of Canada was formed in 1925, the church membership voted to join the church union, becoming Knox United Church. Recognizing its historical interest and cultural value, this church was listed (as Knox United Church) on Thunder Bay’s Municipal Heritage Register in 2009. Laurie Abthorpe is the heritage researcher for the Heritage Advisory Committee, which advises city council on the conservation of heritage buildings, sites, and resources, and their integration into development. For more information on the city’s heritage resources, visit thunderbay. ca/en/city-hall/heritage-in-thunder-bay.aspx.
The Walleye 113
DecemberEventsGuide December 1–11 33rd Anniversary DefSup Members & Die Active Shows Definitely Superior Art Gallery
Wish DefSup a Happy 33rd Birthday and enjoy the gallery’s annual exhibition. Filled with the best and most vibrant eclectic/ experimental art, by 125+ new-generation, emerging and established professional artists. definitelysuperior.com
December 2–5, 9–12, 17, & 18 Willow Springs Christmas Market Willow Springs Creative Centre
December 2–18 Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol Magnus Theatre
The classic Dickensian tale is revamped in this production of Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol. Ebenezer Scrooge’s late business partner gets his 15 minutes of fame in this holiday horror tale. Tickets are available by phone, online, or 30 minutes prior to each show. See this month’s Film and Theatre section for more info. magnustheatre.com
December 3 & 4 The JB Band Paulucci’s Wayland Bar and Grill
December 4, 4–8 pm Holiday Cocktails and Celebrations Goods & Co. Market The Elleiance Network is inviting you to their first annual holiday party. Grab your girl boss friends and head to the newly opened Goods & Co. market for a night of resilience, innovation, and achievements by women in business. Tickets are $44. elleiance.ca
December 9 Walking Through a Westfort Wonderland Westfort Village Take a walk through Westfort Village to kick off your holiday season. Enjoy refreshments, all the local businesses, and even meet Santa! There will also be a giveaway during the event. It’s family fun for everyone to enjoy. westfort.ca
December 9–February December 4, 11 am–4 pm 21, 2022 Photos with the Grinch Indigenous Ingenuity Thunder Bay Art Gallery Goods & Co. Market
The Thunder Bay Art Gallery and Science North are hosting an interactive exhibit of Indigenous The JB Band is back on the technologies as seen Wayland stage for some Shop for locally made through the eyes of western classic rock hits. Thunder artisan gifts at the Willow science. The exhibition was Bay’s party band invites Springs Country Christmas originally created in Montreal market. This year’s theme is you to a night of music and and will run until early next drinks. This is a 19+ event. the celebration of birds, so year, with contributions December 5 facebook.com/ expect to see bird houses, from over a dozen First Beer & Yoga feeders, and decorating kits. waylandbarandgrill Nations, Métis, and Inuit Red Lion Smokehouse Enjoy homemade baking communities across Canada. December 4, 10 am–5 during the event and hot See this month’s Art section Yoga instructor Melanie pm cider. See this month’s Top Ollivier is hosting a one-hour for more info. GeekFestivus Five for more info. flow yoga class, suitable theag.ca for all levels of experience. willowsprings.ca West Arthur Place, 6th December 10–12 Afterwards there will be a Floor Christmas Tree Market in December 2 & 3, 7:30 pm guided craft beer tasting Join ThunderCon for a the Waterfront District and snacks. Vegetarian TBSO Presents: unique market filled with Waterfront District and vegan options will be Something in the Air 20+ ThunderCon favourite Partnering with United Hilldale Lutheran Church vendors and artists. You can available. This is a 19+ event, Way, Port Arthur Rotary and proof of vaccination will Celebrate Madonna Lee’s 25 even purchase a Festivus and George’s Market, the be required. years in the TBSO by hearing Foto with the Grinch. Free Waterfront District will be facebook.com/ parking available on site. her soar in the lyrical violin hosting a Christmas tree, redlionsmokehouse Support your local nerdy concerto by Irish composer wreath and holiday planter loved ones. Entry is $5 at the Ina Boyle. The concert market. The Waterfront BIA December 9 door, or $3 with a donation begins with an overture by invites the public to come Canada’s Drag Race Fanny Hensel Mendelssohn, of a non-perishable item. down and shop around the See this month’s City Scene Viewing Party followed by Laryssa district and pick up their tree for more info. The Westfort Kuzmenko’s lovely Prayer, and outdoor decorations. A the languorous Suite en thundercon.org Pink Mafia Productions and portion of the proceeds will forme de valses by Mélanie The Westfort are proud be going to local community “Mel” Bonis, and Sinfonia by December 4, 7 pm to present Suki Doll and groups to help those in need Marianna Martines. Grażyna Parade of Lights Oceane for Season 2 Episode this holiday season. Bacewicz’s bold Concerto for Manitoulin Transport to 9 of Canada’s Drag Race 343-9032 String Orchestra caps the viewing party. Tickets are Water Street evening in style! Seventeen-year-old Ivy Dick $23 and $33 at the door. tbso.ca facebook.com/ will be this year’s parade TheWESTFORT marshall, representing Autism Ontario and collecting donations during the parade. The show starts at Manitoulin Transport and ends on Water Street. Dress warm and enjoy the lights. See this month’s Top Five for more info. facebook.com/ paradeoflights.thunderbay
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Get your physically distanced photo with the Grinch this year in the Waterfront District! The public is invited to book a time to take a photo with the Grinch. Donations to Toy for Tots are appreciated! 343-9032
December 11, 8 pm Good Lovelies Port Arthur Polish Hall The Sleeping Giant Folk Music Society welcomes you back with their first live show back at the Port Arthur Polish Hall. The Good Lovelies take the stage to bring you their beloved Canadian folk/country sound while covering classic holiday songs. Tickets are $30. See this month’s Top Five for more info. sleepinggiant.ca December 11 Whole Lotta Cash: Johnny Cash Tribute Port Arthur Legion Branch 5 Local soundalike King Can Dan is hitting the Legion stage for a second time with Tina Louise. The duo are performing their Johnny Cash tribute act which will include 30 tunes from Cash’s discography, such as “Folsom Prison Blues” and “Jackson.” Only 50 tickets are available and on sale for $20 in the Legion’s Club Room. See this month’s Music section for more info. portarthurlegion.ca December 11, 2–5 pm & 6–9 pm WineOh! Goods & Co. Market Tickets to the second annual WineOh! Sessions presented by TD Bank Group are now available. Enjoy eight Ontario wine and cheese varieties, while touring the local vendors at the brand new Goods & Co. Market. Groups of 18 will tour together while learning about your Ontario wine and cheese pairings. The event will also feature live, local music. breakwaterevents.ca
EVENTS GUIDE KEY
General Food Art Sports Music
DecemberEventsGuide December 11 & 12 Hymers Fair Winter Market DaVinci Centre Come out and support your local artisans/vendors and treat yourself to something wonderful during the Hymers Winter Market. The market will run for two days. Both days will feature 40 different artisans and vendors in one space to support and enjoy the holiday season. All vendors are listed online. hymersfair.com December 10 & 11 Fort William Male Choir Presents: Prelude to Christmas Hilldale Lutheran Church The Fort William Male Choir invites you to their season opening. Celebrating the musical styling of Sir Elton John, this show is full of your favourite holiday tunes with a dash(er) of the choir’s rock and roll side. Tickets are available online or by phone. See this month’s Top Five for more info. fwmc.ca December 11, 10 pm Ugly Sweater Dance Party The Foundry Ugly sweater season is upon us. Come on out with your ugly sweater and dance the night away with DJ Big D. Enjoy soca, dancehall, reggaeton and club hits. Tickets are $10 at the door. thefoundrypub.com
December 11 & 12 TBSO Presents: Northern Ghost Italian Cultural Centre The TBSO welcomes back the talented singersongwriter Nick Sherman in this Northern Lights series concert. If you’ve heard Sherman sing before, you’re familiar with his velvety voice and original music. Join the TBSO for a night full of music you won’t soon forget. Tickets are available online. See this month’s Top Five for more info. tbso.ca December 12 Slay Belles Holiday Drag Brunch Red Lion Smokehouse Celebrate Christmas with Thunder Bay’s favourite drag queens and kings hosted by Mz. Molly Poppinz. A brunch entree menu will be available along with craft beer, house cocktails, and signature Drag Cocktails. Tickets are available by table. facebook.com/ redlionsmokehouse December 17, 9 pm SkiiTour Atmos Fusing two fresh-off-themountain electronic music addicts, Tim and Dave together create 12 feet and 350 pounds of turbo-funkboosted, snowsuit-donning musicians. Hailing from the world-famous ski town of Whistler, this dynamic duo loves shredding fresh powder almost as much as they love smashing out hit records in the studio. Tickets are available online for $20. See this month’s Music section for more info. atmostbay.ca
December 17 & 18, 7:30 pm TBSO Presents: Home for the Holidays Hilldale Lutheran Church If you can’t travel around the world this holiday season, enjoy the Holiday Pops concert where the TBSO will bring the world to you! Celebrate their 60th holiday season in grand style and bring the whole family to enjoy sparkling seasonal classics, folk tunes, and spirited choruses, all gloriously performed by the TBSO players, TBS Chorus and special guests. tbso.ca December 18 Christmas Live with Chris Talarico Italian Cultural Centre Join the Italian Cultural Centre for an evening of Christmas music, food, and dancing. With performances by Chris Talarico and special guest Katherine Nemec. Tickets are $80 per seat or $750 for a table of 10. facebook.com/ italiancctbay December 19, 2 pm & 7 pm An Applauze Family Christmas Trinity Hall Join Applauze Productions for their holiday show featuring performances for the whole family, including holiday musical hits and songs suitable for all ages. Tickets are $15 and available online. applauzeproductions.com
December 31, 7 pm New Year’s Eve Dinner with Robin Ranger Red Lion Smokehouse On Friday December 31, celebrate the new year with Red Lion Smokehouse and their first in-person New Year’s Eve chef’s table dinner. Musical stylings will be provided by Robin Ranger and his band. Ticket price includes a four-course prix fixe menu and champagne toast at midnight. Beverage pairing, bottles of wine, and cocktails available for additional cost. Some dietary restrictions may not be accommodated. facebook.com/ redlionsmokehouse December 31 New Year’s Eve Live at the Five Port Arthur Polish Legion Hall, Club Room The CCR Band will be playing its last show of the year in one of its most popular local venues, the Port Arthur Legion. Enjoy a night of Creedence Clearwater Revival hits. Tickets $30 each, soon to be on sale at the Club Room. stayhappening.com/e/ new-years-eve-live-at-thefive-E2ISU180NSX
December 31 New Year’s Eve Featuring The Scott vanTeeffelen Band Port Arthur Legion Branch 5, Imperial Lounge Jam out to the year’s end with country, rock, and pop in an eclectic mix of original music by the Scott vanTeeffelen Band. The Port Arthur Legion Branch 5 is happy to present you a night of music and 2022 cheers. This is a 19+ event. Tickets are $30. facebook.com/ portarthurlegion December 31 New Year’s Eve Dance Party The Foundry Start 2022 off with good vibes. DJ Big D will be bringing the hottest soca, dancehall, Afro beats, and club bangers to make you dance until the year’s end. Tickets are $5. thefoundrypub.com
tbaytel.net
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Music
LU RADIO’S MONTHLY TOP December Staff Spotlight:
30
1 Daniel Romano* Cobra Poems You’ve Changed
9 The Zeldas* Cool Waves Cardinal Fuzz
2 Frvits* Stupid Era Slovenly
Hosted by The Thunder Geeks Sundays 10:30 PM - Midnight
Join Andrew, Rob, Meagan, Kyle, Alicia, and Chris for the strangest conversations on the FM dial. Thunder Geeks recently celebrated our seventh anniversary on the air with CILU 102.7FM—seven years of off-the-wall questions, irreverent conversations, random games of pain, and diving deep into the pop culture fandoms we love. Whether we’re planning for the zombie apocalypse, starting a cult, or fantasizing about frankenfoods, there’s no topic too strange for our grasp. We’ve interviewed voice actors, nerdy musicians, animators, and online personalities to get to the real truths, like would they prefer to be eaten by a horde of gerbils or a flock of ducks. Come join the fun each week where we’ll talk about what we’ve been up to that week, what’s going on in our community, and just try to make you laugh for an hour and a half.
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24 Lady Blackbird Black Acid Soul BMG Rights Management
8 Sea of Lettuce* Sun/Moon - EP Sea of Lettuce
10 Ducks Ltd.* Modern Fiction Carpark
Thunder Geeks
Check out our weekly charts online at luradio.ca and tune in to the Top 20 Countdown Mondays from 7–9 am. Keep it locked on 102.7 FM, online streaming at luradio.ca.
5 Max and the Martians All the Same Perpetual Doom
11 10 000 Russos Superinertia Fuzz Club
7 Pond 9 Spinning Top
19 BADBADNOTGOOD* Talk Memory XL Recordings
26 Avataar* Worldview Insound
20 KC Westfort* The Shuniah E.P. Self-Released
27 Teen Mortgage Smoked - EP King Pizza
12 underscores fishmonger underscores
28 Spoon Lucifer on the Sofa Matador
13 KennyHoopla & Travis Barker SURVIVORS GUILT: THE MIXTAPE// Arista 14 The Heavyweights Brass Band* Stir Crazy Slammin Media
6 Unschooling Random Acts of Total Control - EP Howlin’ Banana
17 Rick White* Where It’s Fine Blue Fog 18 Parquet Courts Sympathy For Life Rough Trade
3 Sleepy Jean* Idle Hands Half Right 4 Alex Lefaivre Quartet* Naufragés Arté Boréal
25 Little Oil Little Oil 1311074 Records DK
15 Liam Kazar Due North Woodsist/Mare 16 Suuns* The Witness Secret City
29 Boy Golden* Church of Better Daze Six Shooter 21 Good at Rockets Unraveled Shelf Talker Music
30 Ovlov Buds Exploding in sound
22 Meatbodies 333 In the Red 23 Uh Oh Good Morning Self-Released
* indicates Canadian artist. Chart ranking reflects airplay during the week ending 16-Nov-2021.
Advertising Feature
NWO Innovation Centre BTIF Project Venshore Mechanical
here in Thunder Bay. Connecting all of these locations with data sharing was essential,” says Moshonsky.
Operating since 1987, Venshore Mechanical has been the region’s leading industrial mechanical contractor. Their projects include mining, pulp and paper manufacturing, waste and water treatment, power generation, and all the processes in between. Jeff Heney and Warren Moshonsky have been with the family company for a combined eight years and they gave us the breakdown of their recent changes. The longstanding business was operating by paper means only, and with the help of the NWO Innovation Center’s BTIF program, they were able to shift their day-to-day
operations onto a new server, accessible remotely by project managers on the field and administration on-site. “Our communications were inefficient,” says Heney. “Holding paper copies of all files on site meant no disaster planning, and no accessibility to on-going projects by staff on project locations.” The BTIF program was able to support a physical server along with software that all staff members were trained to use.
Venshore was made aware of the BTIF program by Thunder Bay’s Chamber of Commerce. They applied and were quickly connected with an IT firm that installed the physical hardware. “It’s been one and half years that these changes have been in place, and I can’t calculate how much time it has saved us,” says Moshonsky. “COVID expedited
the need to get online, and with work happening five to six hours away from the office, centralizing files really helped. We’ve also been able to restore old files that would have otherwise been lost.“ The BTIF Project aims to increase innovation and efficiency in dayto-day operations of businesses through advancements in software, hardware, and data management. For information on applying, please visit nwoinnovation.ca.
“We operate out of Sarnia, Alberta, most of southern Ontario, Sault Ste. Marie, and some parts of the U.S. We also maintain a pipe fabrication site
"Connecting all of our locations with data sharing was essential" The Walleye 117
This is
A P P LY N O
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(807) 475-6110 | 1-800-465-5493 (toll free) recruitment@confederationcollege.ca
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Health
Getting into the Holiday Spirit Without the Spirits By Stephanie Diebolt , Public Health Nurse, Injury Prevention and Substance Misuse, Thunder Bay District Health Unit
I
t’s the most wonderful time of year, when the holiday season provides an excuse to overindulge in alcohol—said no non-drinker ever. Alcohol carries a social significance during the holidays and, according to the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction, is the most commonly used substance in Canada. Many social gatherings feature alcoholic beverages and if you’re alcohol-free or trying to drink less, it can be a challenge to navigate the holiday season. Somewhere between the time when the snow sticks around and the tree goes up, it begins: you get the annual invite for drinks at the neighbours’—and they already know you’re home, so it can be tricky to dodge! You scurry to comb your hair, get dressed (in something other than sweats), and throw a cheese platter together or find that bottle of wine
someone gave you months ago. Upon arrival, there’s a drink thrust into your hand. It quickly crosses your mind: what excuse can I give for declining this drink? There’s always “I’m on antibiotics” or “I’m doing Dry December.” But is there a more straightforward response that we can make socially acceptable, such as “I just don’t want to” or “no thanks,” and everyone is comfortable to leave it at that, no questions asked? If you choose honesty and decline the drink, often the persuasion starts. “Aw, why not?” or “Come on, it’s a bottle I opened just for
you!” they might say, then turn to your partner and ask, “Can’t they have just one?” This leads you to the realization that there is a lot of social pressure to drink alcohol, and that saying no can lead to awkward conversations. Why the awkwardness? Choosing not to drink doesn’t mean abstaining from fun. Here are a few ideas for the host to make the non-drinking people in your life more comfortable over the holidays: • offer guests alternative beverage options right from the get-go • don’t single people out or question why they’re not drinking
•
instead of gifting a bottle of wine this year, bring a local gift • make new alcohol-free traditions (let’s make hot chocolate tastings a thing!) If you are abstaining or trying to drink less, set your boundaries and stick to them. Ask family or friends to support your choice. If you’re the host, you can politely decline a gift of alcohol and ask them to gift it to someone who will appreciate it. Just know that it is perfectly all right to get into the holiday spirit… without the spirits. For more information check out tbdhu.com/alcohol.
& 178 Algoma St N (807) 622-9440
Look fabulous for all of the occasions in your life!
We’ve got you covered!
Head to toe for seasonal fashions and stocking stuffers.
/ Irma’s Boutique SHOP SECURE ON OUR WEBSITE
Irmas-Bridal.com
Sharing a building with Vaillant Florist:
Fresh Florals for Any Occasion:
(807) 345-4245
vaillantflorist.com
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Health
Alcohol Use
The Facts We All Need to Know By Jordan Green, MD, FRCPC and Joseph Del Paggio, MD, FRCPC
A
lcoholic beverages have been a social staple for thousands of years. Associations with “drinking” are often positive: wine that complements a meal with friends, a cocktail to celebrate the holidays, a latenight whiskey after work. This view quickly changes when one sees the potential dire consequences of its use: traumas, liver failure, bleeding, dementia. These poor outcomes may become more noticeable the more you drink. The Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction has established “low risk” guidelines on alcohol consumption, advising
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no more than 10 drinks per week/ two drinks per day for women, and 15 drinks per week/three drinks per day for men (note that a “drink” is defined as either 12 oz of 5% beer, 5 oz of 12% wine, or 1.5 oz of 40% distilled alcohol). According to a recent survey performed by Statistics Canada, 24% of Canadians believe that their alcohol intake increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. At the provincial level, Ontario experienced the highest increase, at 30%. Lockdown is a risk factor for increasing alcohol intake and placing at-risk individuals in harm’s way, especially women. For the city of Thunder Bay, this is
a major concern, since half of our population drinks more than the Low Risk Drinking Guidelines recommend. That proportion is closer to 70% in the 19–44 age group. There are a variety of ways alcohol can negatively affect the body. Ethanol (alcohol) can be converted into a substance called acetaldehyde, which is toxic to cells. Individuals are unique in how much ethanol they can convert to acetaldehyde, and subsequently, how much acetaldehyde they can ultimately clear from their body. Thus, the toxic effects of alcohol will vary from person to person. This may explain why certain individuals are at higher risk of alcohol-related diseases. While many people are aware of the theoretical risk of excess alcohol consumption, the actual frequency of the negative effects is often unrecognized. For example, it is estimated that one in 10 deaths
in Ontario are related to alcohol. Furthermore, 2–4% of all new cancer diagnoses in 2010 in Ontario were thought to be related to alcohol. On a global stage, the most recent estimate from 2020 is 750,000 cancer-related cases. Types of cancer include those of the oral cavity, throat (pharynx and larynx), and esophagus—areas directly in contact with alcohol. Other associated sites include liver and breast. The more alcohol consumed, the higher these risks become. From our personal experience working in Thunder Bay over the past three years, we can unfortunately confirm that there have been a large number of hospital admissions associated with alcohol-related illness and disease. Alcohol use remains a complex health issue. The first major challenge is recognizing that alcohol can be problematic and harmful. Readers should also be reminded of Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre’s campaign, Cancer Doesn’t Stop for COVID-19. We urge you to visit your primary care provider to talk about appropriate agebased cancer screening recommendations. Despite all of the setbacks that occurred over the last year, ensure that routine screening for breast, cervical, and colon cancers are back on your to do list. If you feel that you or someone you know is struggling with alcohol or addiction, help is available at: • Wellness Together Canada: 1-866-585-0445 • ConnexOntario, for addiction, mental health, and problem gambling services: 1-866-531-2600 • Good2Talk (Ontario students ages 17–25): 1-866-925-5454 For a list of available online supports, visit bit.ly/ virtual-recovery-resources. Dr. Jordan Green, MD, FRCPC, is a gastroenterologist at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre and regional colorectal screening GI/ endoscopy co-lead for Northwestern Ontario. Dr. Joseph Del Paggio, MD, FRCPC, is a medical oncologist at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre.
rapportcu.ca
. d e t a c i l p m o c e b n Mortgages ca . p l e h o t e r e h s i Rapport 2-year fixed as mortgages as low
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Part of helping to ensure that our members look after their financial wellness is making sure they get the right mortgage. Your Rapport financial advocate will help you understand all the terms and conditions and potential fees, so you know how to make the right decision. If you’re looking for a new mortgage or renewing your existing one, we can help. We’re just a call, a click or a virtual visit away.
James Street 405 James Street South (807) 626 5666 jamesst@rapportcu.ca
Kakabeka Falls 43 Clergue Street (807) 475 4276 kakabekafalls@rapportcu.ca
*On approved credit. Some conditions apply. Rates can change at any time.
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2021-11-10 2:33 PM The Walleye 121
“Experiential learning connects
me to our community” You belong here 122 The Walleye
Green
Gift-Giving for the Love of People and the Planet By Jesse Hamilton, ReThinking Waste Program Coordinator, EcoSuperior
T
his year, have yourself a merry little low-waste holiday. Celebrating the season can go hand-in-hand with celebrating and caring for our planet. Gift giving doesn’t have to leave a messy pile of waste behind; we get to choose what we give as presents and how we present them. This holiday, let’s start a new, more sustainable tradition. When it comes to gift wrapping, we think of the typical wrapping paper covered in tape that gets tossed as soon as it’s used. However, there are alternatives: • The Japanese art of furoshiki pushes fabric into shapes to creatively cover our holiday purchases. Discover options with a quick search online or by checking out this link to get started: brightly.eco/
•
•
•
•
furoshiki-gift-wrapping-technique Using paper that can be recycled means the kids (or you) can draw and design them, making it a much more personal gift. Using newspapers also reads of personability: save the comics, crossword puzzles, or certain articles and it becomes special. Fabric gift bags are reusable, paper gift bags can be recycled, tape can be traded for colourful yarn, gifts can be hidden inside another gift like a sweater or scarf, and a lot can fit inside a holiday stocking! There are wrapping paper options made from recycled paper, but to save money, simply look around your home: gifts can be wrapped in boxes, bowls, tea towels,
baskets, and even egg cartons. The holidays are a time for family and friends to gather and make memories that last. Why not incorporate gift wrapping into this? Making seed paper can be a family activity and learning the art of quilling is fun at any age! Bow out from using plastic bows by designing felt flowers or by adding nature art to your packages using twigs, winter berries, evergreen needles, or pinecones. These ideas bring people together and create memories instead of creating waste. Giving gifts can follow the same pattern—make a donation in someone’s name or give a gift of experience. If you’re looking for sustainable holiday items, EcoSuperior is here to help with low-waste options, such as laundry strips or mason jar
lids with spray or pump features. Beeswax food wraps, reusable paper towels, and dryer balls are available and provided by local company Three Huggers. All this and more can be found on our online eco-shop, ecosuperior.square.site. Creative DIY designs will also be featured on our social media. This holiday season, let’s spend time with loved ones and celebrate our community, all while caring for people and the planet.
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Choosing TBay First Means Choosing TBay People By Charla Robinson, Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce
hanks to a grant we received through the Ontario Chamber of Commerce to conduct our #ChooseTBayFirst campaign this fall, the Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce set out to produce a series of videos that explore the “money-back guarantee” that’s attached to every purchase you make with a local business. At one business, an employee named Jamie told us his boss donates $1 from every oil change to the Northern Cancer Fund in honour of the former owner. They’ve raised tens of thousands of dollars for the charity in the last three years. As Jamie talked about having customers come in to say thanks for supporting something important to them, you could hear the pride in his voice. It was kind of contagious. We’ve collected a lot of stories like this one to illustrate how this guarantee works. When you spend with a local business, money returns to the community—and to you, by extension—through wages they pay to your neighbours, property taxes they pay to our city’s coffers, money they spend with other local businesses doing the same thing, and donations they make to the charities, sports, and arts organizations that help make our city a better place to live for everyone. While this makes for a sound economic argument in favour of shopping locally, our learnings from these experiences have been much more meaningful to us than just economics. The conversations we’ve been having with the customers, employees, and organizational partners of the businesses we’re featuring are incredibly uplifting.
Not only does it feel great to be out talking with so many different people, the things we learn about these businesses remind us over and over again how good and kind and generous TBay people are. From Jamie’s story about the oil change donations to the one about the grocers whose donations help sustain the Dew Drop Inn, we’ve been reminded over and over that what’s behind every one of the TBay businesses we’ve explored is people. Kind people. Hard-working people. Our people. For a year and a half we stayed home to keep ourselves and our families safe. It left many of us feeling isolated, disheartened, and disconnected. Working on the #ChooseTBayFirst campaign has been the antidote to that for our team; we’ve stopped in at dozens of businesses and talked to hundreds of people about the ways shopping local supports Thunder Bay’s rich social and economic fabric. We invite you to do the same. As we come into the holiday season, we hope the immense pride we’ve been feeling in our community is as contagious as Jamie’s. We hope you’ll have some of the same uplifting experiences with local businesses that we have. When you go out to shop, we hope you’ll run into people that you haven’t seen in ages. We hope you’ll ask staff for their advice and enjoy a conversation with another person who wants you to walk away happy. And when you buy, we hope you’ll walk out the door feeling good about making a choice that supports a stronger, more vibrant Thunder Bay for all of us.
Visit Our Gift Shop Today! Shop for original and limited-edition items online at
SaveOurCarousel.com
For more information: 807-474-0926 124 The Walleye
Happy s y a d i l o H From:
ecky Forester, Broker
(807) 626-3011 BeckyForester.com
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December Horoscopes
Aries
(March 21–April 19) It’s no secret that the first sign of the Zodiac needs to lead the charge in the seasonal decorating. Yes, we all know that your tree has been up for a month now, and that’s okay! Someone needs to be the first in the neighbourhood, and it’s reliable you. Always the feisty fire sign, your energy is full speed ahead. Plan a day of shopping with a pal (Goods & Co.?) and load up on local treasures. Romantically, the stars are aligned in your favour for the spiciest holiday yet. Look closely under the tree—the perfect gift awaits.
Taurus
(April 20–May 20) This is a festive season indeed. Plan a family cookie night where the gang comes over to swap some seasonal sweets. It’s a great way to exchange some baking and try some new noshes. Enjoy some downtime from the workplace and let yourself truly relax. Perhaps a cosy night in with some favourite classic movies are in order. Bulls can be notoriously stubborn about tradition, but do keep an open mind (and an open heart!) and there’ll be some lovely new memories to look back on. Remember— everyone loves fruitcake, especially yours.
Gemini
(May 21–June 20) The Twins are all about the festivities, and are usually the star of the office party. Spearheading the “ugly Christmas sweater” event, Gemini refuses to let this tradition die. The merrymaking at the office will be full-steam ahead—there’s almost a sense of wanting to make up for previous years. It’s okay to be boisterous, but just remember that not everyone is as into Mystery Santa as you are, and to give colleagues their space as well. This airy sign might find themselves in new digs this season— perhaps a small seasonal gathering or housewarming party would be just what the doctor ordered! The full moon in your sign on the 18th gives you a boost of energy.
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By Sunny Disposish
Cancer
( June 21–July 22) Travel is strongly featured in your stars this month, Cancer, and that could include air travel as well. Don’t worry about those jitters— just make sure you make a list and check it twice (and get all your papers in order). A little bit of preparation will ensure smooth sailing for your seasonal travels. Whether you are heading home or zipping off to the tropics, a favourable vacation ensues. As the year end approaches, take some time to reflect upon the previous months as well as set some goals for the upcoming new year. New Year’s Eve finds you in a particularly bountiful mood and ready to watch the ball drop. Out with the old, in with the new! A fresh start awaits. What are you waiting for?
Leo
( July 23–August 22) It’s been a year, Leo! It’s had its ups and downs, but overall has been an incredible journey of self-growth and realizations. Things that were foggy before are now crystal-clear to you. Take a close look at all your relationships and take note of where improvements can be made. Communication is key. This month’s theme is abundance. It’s not always about receiving, but you know that— generous Leo takes great pride in curating the perfect gift for family and friends. Nothing brings you greater joy than giving to others. Why not plan a seasonal lunch with some cherished friends? A surprise gift leaves you wondering. Stay late at the office party. You only live once, right?
Virgo
(August 23–September 22) You’re counting down the days on your advent calendar, Virgo, but please remember to enjoy the process. It’s not just all about the big day itself. Spend some time in the kitchen baking up some traditional fare—and if you have to wipe away a nostalgic tear, that’s ok too. There are some turkeys in your family, but don’t let that spoil your fun. We all have those, and sometimes it wouldn’t be Christmas without them! Spend some time in nature with a loved one. You love supporting local, so don’t forget to order some non-traditional takeout—the more unique, the better. Curl up with some hot cocoa and a new book (or two) and let yourself be immersed for a while.
Libra
(September 23–October 22) You may find yourself hosting a small soiree in and around Yule on the 21st. Enjoy some outdoor fun at a local park making snow angels. Spending time with young people opens your heart and brings tidings of joy while reminding you of the true meaning of Christmas. This is a lucky month for airy Libras, and you might discover some interesting coincidences occurring just in the nick of time. December marks a busy time for those under the sign of the scales. The kindness of strangers is overwhelming. Give thanks to a volunteer.
Scorpio
(October 23–November 21) It’s all about transformation for Scorpios this month! Now is the time for a fresh start. It’s easy to get caught up in the “new year, new me” hype. But why not you? This intense water sign has been doing some deep inner work for quite some time now, so New Year’s Eve has a special place in your heart this year. Whether you’re keen to say goodbye to this year, or eager to greet the new, it’s a good idea to celebrate in style. Grab that cheese board and that charcuterie board and gather your nearest and dearest. Pop the champagne and celebrate like never before. Cheers!
Sagittarius
(November 22–December 21) Happy birthday to the Archers! There’s plenty of reasons to celebrate this month, and another turn around the sun is one of many. Take matters into your own hands to ensure your special day is everything that you ever dreamed. The new moon in your sign has Sags extra ramped up on and around the 4th. Previous birthdays may have fallen a little flat the last year or two, so do everything in your power to make this year one to remember. Enjoy the spiritual side of the season and perform a small Yule ceremony on the 21st. It will seem like the festivities last all month! Fire signs have big hearts and love animals, so there may be a new furry friend in the future.
Capricorn
(December 22–January 19) Happy birthday to all December Goats! This is a busy month for Capricorns, so make sure there’s time for some rest and relaxation as well. Feeling crafty? It’s all about the self-care. Spend some time relaxing at home making your unique, one-of-a-kind seasonal decorations. Listening to some favourite Christmas music invites some thoughts about the good ol’ days. Romance spices things up this month, and if you play your cards right, you could have a special person in your life into the new year! Select the perfect gift for your new friend. A neighbour appears at your doorstep with tidings of great joy, and you plan on secretly returning the favour. Deck the halls, not a co-worker.
Aquarius
( January 20–February 18) Aquarians love sitting by a cosy fire having deep conversations. Pour yourself a warm cider and nestle in. Always the non-traditional one, airy Water-Bearers like to spend their holidays with a few wacky twists. We are headed into the Age of Aquarius after all, and we look to you to set the example. Spirits are high this year within your household and small circle. As you spend time recapping your year—which you always do—know that there’s a lot to be thankful for. Raise a glass of eggnog and toast yourself. You deserve it!
Pisces
(February 19–March 20) So, you committed to Boxing Day brunch, didn’t you? Better wake up early and quickly craft those quaint quiches without quibbling. There’s nothing more sentimental Fish enjoy than having a houseful, particularly when it comes to some of the youngsters. Put on your favourite album (Elvis’s Blue Christmas, of course) and stock up on the spirits. Gone are the crazy days of cramming in too much visiting in a short span of time. If there’s one thing we may have learned collectively, it’s to keep things simple and enjoy the small things in life. Hang those stockings from the chimney with care—you may find a special surprise in there from a secret admirer. Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!
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The Look By Joan M. Baril “Are you sure you’re comfortable on the sofa, Mom?” my son, Blair, asks. “What about the recliner?” They visit once a week and I’m always in the same spot. “Sitting on a sofa every Sunday afternoon,” I say. Blair frowns. “It’s a song,” I shrug. “Here’s your tea, Mother.” My daughter, Ruth, places it on the coffee table, sits down beside me. “Thank you, dear.” “She’s looking pretty good for someone past ninety, don’t you think,” Blair says, hitching his chair closer. “Her new hearing aids are working well,” Ruth says. “No smeared lipstick today,” Blair says. As usual, my children are talking over me as if I were dead and in my coffin. “Let’s get started, Ruth,” says Blair. He leans to me speaking loudly. “Have you considered our conversation of last week?” “Shady Pines,” I say. “They have microwaves.” Brother and sister exchange The Look which is code for: “she’s definitely losing it.” “No stove,” I explain. “I couldn’t cook.” “But they provide meals. You wouldn’t have to bother with cooking.” “But I like to cook. And where would I do my painting, my gardening…?” Ruth interrupts this familiar litany. “The grounds are lovely,” she says. “Stroll around the grounds until you feel at home,” I say. A pause. The Look passes between them. “It’s a song,” I say. “The Graduate.” Neither respond.
“We could take a tour of Shady Pines,” Blair says. “It’s lovely.” “I’ve seen it. My high school friend Lois is in there. Parkinson’s. Poor kid. Sign in at the front desk. Lots of rules. Bureaucratic, as in, ‘We’d like to know a little bit about you for our files.’” The Look is longer this time. “You can’t have a project there,” I say. “Simone de Beauvoir said everyone should have projects. Of course she got the idea from Maslow.” I sip my tea. “Lois says she’s now a frozen woman, a woman without purpose.” No response. I make another attempt. “My book club, my political group, my tai chi. All tough to access, way out there. Worse, you can’t have a decent conversation.” “We just want what’s best for you,” Ruth says, patting my hand. “Koo-koo-ka-choo,” I say. Later, I hear them in the hall. “Definitely unzipped from reality,” Blair says. “That ‘koo koo’ stuff,” Ruth says. “So sad.” “This house’ll bring in the coin. Beautiful woodwork.” The front door closes. I sit for a while, absorbing the winter sun as it revives my pretty living room. I slip my cell phone from my bra and message Giuseppe. “I have the steaks. Five o’clock? Bring wine.” Giuseppe’s English is rough. He looks like a boxer. An old Red still radical as hell. The offspring wouldn’t like him at all. Giuseppe barbecues. I do an amazing salad. Later we watch the Rachel Maddow Show and drink wine. Maybe he’ll stay the night. We’re too old for sex but we’re dynamite cuddlers.
The Look, digital illustration, boy Roland
Seasons Greetings! Judith Monteith-Farrell
MPP Thunder Bay—Atikokan
409 George St. Thunder Bay, ON P7E 5Y9 Tel: 807-622-1920 Toll-free: 1-833-673-4129 jmonteith-farrell-co@ndp.on.ca JudithMPP.ca
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Nancy Freeborn performing with the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra, Photo by Sarah McPherson
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