I don't think I need to say much about this video -- it's pretty self-explanatory. But I will say this: it was arguably the most difficult story I've ever had to put together. It's Canada's looming issue with high rates of murdered and missing aboriginal women that made me want to tell this story, because ultimately, I think everyone should be paying attention to these campaigns. However, there's nothing that could've prepared me for the interview or the script writing process. Interviewing a mother whose daughter has been murdered was unbearable. The moment I walked into Barb Houle's tiny apartment decorated with photos of her deceased daughter, Cherisse, I felt such a deep sadness in the room. Knowing I could never understand how she felt or what to say to bring a moment of happiness to our first encounter was painfully frustrating. The script wasn't easier and it had to be written in 20 minutes. I didn't know where to start and I knew, and still feel, I could never get enough in or say it just right.
I would say that having to report on these kinds of stories is one of the most difficult tasks a journalist can face because one wants to show compassion, but also has to bring a neutral, business-like stance to the table under a very limited deadline. To compensate, all I ask is for you to view the story and pass along its message.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Some things never change
Some things never change and some things are better off left that way – like the Imperial Order Daughters of the Empire organization.
For over 100 years the women of the IODE have been giving back to their communities in an attempt to achieve “a better Canada.”
They were there when Margaret Polson Murray formed the organization as a way to support servicemen going to fight in South Africa. They were there to support troops during the Great War, the Second World War and along the way they helped those in their home country plagued by natural disaster or poverty. And they are still here today, for the military families still, but also for those requiring educational assistance, community services, and immigration adjustments. These women still haven’t lost their will to give…granted one change since 1900 is turnover – the turnover of members, unless you know someone out there who has been involved for over 110 years.
The IODE is a national organization with over 200 chapters across Canada. However, Winnipeg does have its own chapter – the Jon Sigurdsson Chapter (which is pronounced YO-ne Sig-eur-d-son). This is the only remaining chapter in Winnipeg; the other one folded last year said Ingrid Slobodian, President of the Sigurdsson Chapter. It consists of 56 members.
Slobodian has been helping the IODE for six years now. She is currently working on a luncheon coming up this Saturday – the Jon Sigurdsson Chapter IODE Spring Bridge and Whist Luncheon at the Betelstadur (1061 Sargent Ave.) from 11-4 p.m. March 26. All the profits are going to their scholarship series – each year the IODE hands out about 13 of them. (Visit this link to see if you qualify for any: http://www.iode.ca/SCHOLARSHIPS-AND-AWARDS-main.aspx.)
Slobodian points out one of the most rewarding aspects of working with the IODE: appreciation and curiosity.
“Kids always want to know who these old ladies are and what they’re doing,” she says.
“Usually I'm not a person to belong to things like this, but it is such a wonderful thing. They produce a lot of good among the people they help," said Lara Morris, member of the IODE for the past 13 years. Her 12 year certificate of involvement hangs on the wall next to her night table – she makes sure to point it out to us when a couple students visit her.
Morris plans to attend the luncheon but not to play cards – “I can only play solitaire,” she says. “It’s nice to be invited out to tea with the ladies and eat cookies,” says the 91-year-old Icelandic Amma.
For over 100 years the women of the IODE have been giving back to their communities in an attempt to achieve “a better Canada.”
They were there when Margaret Polson Murray formed the organization as a way to support servicemen going to fight in South Africa. They were there to support troops during the Great War, the Second World War and along the way they helped those in their home country plagued by natural disaster or poverty. And they are still here today, for the military families still, but also for those requiring educational assistance, community services, and immigration adjustments. These women still haven’t lost their will to give…granted one change since 1900 is turnover – the turnover of members, unless you know someone out there who has been involved for over 110 years.
The IODE is a national organization with over 200 chapters across Canada. However, Winnipeg does have its own chapter – the Jon Sigurdsson Chapter (which is pronounced YO-ne Sig-eur-d-son). This is the only remaining chapter in Winnipeg; the other one folded last year said Ingrid Slobodian, President of the Sigurdsson Chapter. It consists of 56 members.
Slobodian has been helping the IODE for six years now. She is currently working on a luncheon coming up this Saturday – the Jon Sigurdsson Chapter IODE Spring Bridge and Whist Luncheon at the Betelstadur (1061 Sargent Ave.) from 11-4 p.m. March 26. All the profits are going to their scholarship series – each year the IODE hands out about 13 of them. (Visit this link to see if you qualify for any: http://www.iode.ca/SCHOLARSHIPS-AND-AWARDS-main.aspx.)
Slobodian points out one of the most rewarding aspects of working with the IODE: appreciation and curiosity.
“Kids always want to know who these old ladies are and what they’re doing,” she says.
“Usually I'm not a person to belong to things like this, but it is such a wonderful thing. They produce a lot of good among the people they help," said Lara Morris, member of the IODE for the past 13 years. Her 12 year certificate of involvement hangs on the wall next to her night table – she makes sure to point it out to us when a couple students visit her.
Morris plans to attend the luncheon but not to play cards – “I can only play solitaire,” she says. “It’s nice to be invited out to tea with the ladies and eat cookies,” says the 91-year-old Icelandic Amma.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Who likes history!
“All I ever wanted to do is write a history book that people want to read,” said Jim Blanchard, author of Winnipeg’s Great War – a book that follows how the people of Winnipeg reacted and dealt with the First World War.
I can’t speak on behalf of everyone, but I wanted to read the book. I remember seeing it on display earlier this fall at McNally Robinson. I intended to go to the reading. But a pocket filled with nothing but lint and a hectic school schedule kept me from attending or purchasing the book sooner. So when I found out we’d be reading the book in our last semester of school, I was thrilled.
I’ve always been interested in history and I’m realizing the importance of knowing Canadian and local history. But I’m not a great at it.
My first question reading the book: why did the First World War start anyway? Rather than providing readers with a brief summary of what happened to trigger the war, Blanchard goes straight to the beginning of it, assuming his readers already know. While it’s not a critical thing to know, since the book primarily uses the war to discuss the happenings in Winnipeg, it was definitely a pertinent question as I continued to read on – possibly only because I felt silly for not knowing.
The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria is said to have been the trigger that set off the war. An ultimatum between the Yugoslav nationalist that killed Ferdinand and the Kingdom of Serbia led to war. Eventually alliances formed and the major powers were at war too – major powers who had colonial ties to other countries as well.
Blanchard neglects to explain certain details to his audience at other times as well – such as why battles like the Somme, Ypres and Vimy Ridge began/entailed in the first place. Short explanations, I feel, would’ve gone a long way.
However, there is SO much information in this book. Blanchard does an incredible job sorting through what I can only imagine to be 1,000 of hours spent digging through archives to write this book. Not only does he use humorous and emotional stories from various newspapers at the time to highlight how it felt to live in Winnipeg from 1914-1918 (like how women used to pin white feathers on the men who hadn’t volunteered to go to war in 1915), but he also incorporates so many detailed facts that readers are automatically left needing to read the book again. These are his two biggest strengths. The stories maintain interest for those, otherwise, not always interested in historical facts. The facts ensure there’s always more to be learnt about the Winnipeg during the First World War.
This non-fiction book chronicles everything – from the role women played throughout to the way Winnipeggers treated immigrants to the educational system at the time to the role the media played to so much more, the release of Winnipeg’s Great War was anything but rushed.
So, did Blanchard achieve his goal? Will people want to read this history book? I think they should. I did.
But will people continue to want to read the book once they’ve started? I did, but I’ll admit it was a challenge. The amount of minute details including was at times difficult to follow – making the read sometimes overwhelming.
My advice: take it slow. Don’t rush the read. Relax if you find yourself overwhelmed and keep reading. You won’t take everything in on the first read, unlike other history texts like John Hersey’s Hiroshima which vividly tells the stories of several Hiroshima survivors. (Also keep in mind, Hersey was writing the story in that time period, Blanchard is writing about a period he never existed in.) But in the end everything will make sense – plus there’s a nice little summary recapping how exactly Winnipeg was impacted by the war. Then plan to revisit the book another time.
After all, Blanchard is writing about a story all Winnipeggers should know – our story.
I can’t speak on behalf of everyone, but I wanted to read the book. I remember seeing it on display earlier this fall at McNally Robinson. I intended to go to the reading. But a pocket filled with nothing but lint and a hectic school schedule kept me from attending or purchasing the book sooner. So when I found out we’d be reading the book in our last semester of school, I was thrilled.
I’ve always been interested in history and I’m realizing the importance of knowing Canadian and local history. But I’m not a great at it.
My first question reading the book: why did the First World War start anyway? Rather than providing readers with a brief summary of what happened to trigger the war, Blanchard goes straight to the beginning of it, assuming his readers already know. While it’s not a critical thing to know, since the book primarily uses the war to discuss the happenings in Winnipeg, it was definitely a pertinent question as I continued to read on – possibly only because I felt silly for not knowing.
The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria is said to have been the trigger that set off the war. An ultimatum between the Yugoslav nationalist that killed Ferdinand and the Kingdom of Serbia led to war. Eventually alliances formed and the major powers were at war too – major powers who had colonial ties to other countries as well.
Blanchard neglects to explain certain details to his audience at other times as well – such as why battles like the Somme, Ypres and Vimy Ridge began/entailed in the first place. Short explanations, I feel, would’ve gone a long way.
However, there is SO much information in this book. Blanchard does an incredible job sorting through what I can only imagine to be 1,000 of hours spent digging through archives to write this book. Not only does he use humorous and emotional stories from various newspapers at the time to highlight how it felt to live in Winnipeg from 1914-1918 (like how women used to pin white feathers on the men who hadn’t volunteered to go to war in 1915), but he also incorporates so many detailed facts that readers are automatically left needing to read the book again. These are his two biggest strengths. The stories maintain interest for those, otherwise, not always interested in historical facts. The facts ensure there’s always more to be learnt about the Winnipeg during the First World War.
This non-fiction book chronicles everything – from the role women played throughout to the way Winnipeggers treated immigrants to the educational system at the time to the role the media played to so much more, the release of Winnipeg’s Great War was anything but rushed.
So, did Blanchard achieve his goal? Will people want to read this history book? I think they should. I did.
But will people continue to want to read the book once they’ve started? I did, but I’ll admit it was a challenge. The amount of minute details including was at times difficult to follow – making the read sometimes overwhelming.
My advice: take it slow. Don’t rush the read. Relax if you find yourself overwhelmed and keep reading. You won’t take everything in on the first read, unlike other history texts like John Hersey’s Hiroshima which vividly tells the stories of several Hiroshima survivors. (Also keep in mind, Hersey was writing the story in that time period, Blanchard is writing about a period he never existed in.) But in the end everything will make sense – plus there’s a nice little summary recapping how exactly Winnipeg was impacted by the war. Then plan to revisit the book another time.
After all, Blanchard is writing about a story all Winnipeggers should know – our story.
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