Editorials - Jan. 9, 2026
New life
Another of the province’s new edicts is off to a rocky start. In an effort to shift the cost of recycling to producers, municipalities are no longer responsible for picking up recycling at commercial addresses. While holding producers accountable for the cost of the packaging is a noble aim, the lack of recycling options for small, downtown businesses seems to be short-sighted. Many small, rural community storefronts lack the physical space to host a private recycling bin and most don’t produce enough recycling to fill even the smallest bin available to rent.
For many years, newspaper publishers offset the cost of the newsprint recycling that was generated with a system that compensated the municipalities with in-kind advertising space. Now, we are faced with finding a way to recycle our office blue bin contents. Decades ago, consumers were convinced that the blue box program was a win-win. We could go along happily consuming all the plastic and paper goods that we wanted, and all the waste would be magically transformed into new goods. As we’ve learned, all that plastic is not reused, the system is expensive and more and more “recyclables” are ending up in our landfills, our waterways and eventually in our bodies as micro-plastic.
It doesn’t seem like skipping pickup for small business is going to change the amount of packaging that is produced. – DS
Hiding out in the open
The New York Times calls its “gay culture’s next frontier”. It’s earned rave reviews from The Hollywood Reporter, The Guardian, Variety and others. Three-time Grammy Award winner Miley Cyrus has volunteered to do the music for a second season. “It” band Wet Leg’s Rhian Teasdale has offered her services in a second season storyline. The latest Netflix original series? A big-budget Amazon production? Nope, just Heated Rivalry - a Canadian show about gay dudes playing hockey that has become the most-watched Crave original series ever.
Jacob Tierney, a Letterkenny alumnus born in Montreal, created the series based on a book of the same name from the Game Changers gay romance novel series penned by Rachel Reid of The Maritimes. And, unlike recent somewhat-Canadian success stories like Women Talking that had to be produced by companies south of the border, Heated Rivalry is produced and shot in Canada with Canadian stars, featuring a trove of some of the best music this country has produced in years.
At a time when the Canadian identity is, for lack of a better term, in crisis, now more than ever our stories need to be told... and by us. Of course, in today’s world, the eye-catching, headline-dominating nature of a gay hockey romance was always going to be a talking point, but just as the show champions representation for the LGBTQ community, so too does it champion representation for Canadians, putting our art, our music, our towns and cities, our sport and our people out into the world. May Tierney’s success be only the beginning. – SL
A moment of clarity
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s decision to appoint former Canadian Deputy-Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland as an economic development adviser to Ukraine is a significant development in international affairs. In a country still engaged in a protracted war, Ukraine faces the dual challenge of sustaining its economy under pressure and attracting the investment needed for reconstruction. This role calls for experience, credibility and connections, qualities that Freeland brings in abundance. In her career, Freeland has demonstrated a capacity to navigate complex economic and diplomatic terrain. As Canada’s Minister of International Trade, Finance Minister and ultimately Deputy-Prime Minister, she was involved in global negotiations, trade agreements and economic policy decisions at the highest level. Her deep ties to Ukraine, fluency in multiple languages and understanding of international markets are assets that extend well beyond symbolic support.
Her announcement that she will resign her seat in the Canadian parliament underscores her commitment to the advisory role. By stepping away from domestic political responsibilities, she removes questions about potential conflicts of interest and ensures her focus will be fully on Ukraine’s economic recovery. Even so, the situation invites reflection on the broader implications for Canadian public life. While Canadians widely support strong ties with Ukraine and standing against Russian aggression, the appointment highlights the sometimes blurry line between domestic public service and international engagement. Democracies depend on transparency, and it is reasonable for citizens to consider where national loyalty ends and foreign advocacy begins.
Ultimately, this is a reminder of the reach and influence of Canadian experience on the global stage. For Ukraine, the advisory role brings tangible expertise at a critical moment. For Canada, it is a chance to reflect on how our leaders contribute to international affairs and what it means when domestic service intersects with global engagement. – SBS