Indholdsfortegnelse for October 2022 i Maclean's

The Banff literary journalism program is unique in the world of Canadian magazine publishing. Located at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity in the magnificent Alberta Rockies, the program is a two-week residency where writers have the chance to workshop ambitious non-fiction stories. Every year, the directors select just eight writers from dozens of applicants to participate in the program based on their story proposals. They write in offices that look out over the woods and mountains, occasionally bumping into wandering elk on their way to the campus dining hall. They’re each partnered with an experienced mentor who helps them develop their work. Best of all, it’s completely free: the program is funded by a Rogers Communications endowment. I’ve dropped into the program as a guest editor a few…

I’VE BEEN A PHYSICIAN for 21 years now, working across Canada in pediatric medicine. Five years ago, I moved to the Yukon to practise. I’ve witnessed firsthand the fallout resulting from a lack of medical services. I’ve spent 72-hour stretches at the hospital, dealing with sick children, because there was no one else who could provide the level of care they needed. I’ve been stranded with critically ill kids waiting for MedEvac, because the only way out of the Yukon if you’re sick is by plane. These are the kinds of resource limitations that people in urban centres like Toronto or Calgary wouldn’t normally think about; that is, until the recent spate of emergency-room closures. In a universal health-care system, general practitioners are often the only professionals whose services are…

NESTLED ALONG THE CANADA–U.S. BORDER, the Eastern Townships, or Les Cantons-de-l’Est, blend English and French-Canadian culture with local food, wine, art and music. The Townships have long been a destination for outdoor enthusiasts and wellness seekers—visitors can luxuriate in surreal outdoor spa experiences, thanks to the area’s lakes, rivers and mountain ranges—but hip new wine bars and distilleries have transformed the region into a contemporary all-season haven. Here, a selection of standout spots to savour while exploring the Townships’ natural beauty. 1 BEST FARM-TO-TABLE FEAST PARCELLES 21 Chemin Taylor, Austin parcellesaustin.com NATURAL WINE and locally sourced ingredients reign at this farm-to-table jewel in Austin. Almost every bite comes from the restaurant’s backyard: crudités, seasonal vegetable dishes and wood-fired pizzas dotted with raw-milk cheese. The ethos extends to Parcelles’ gardens, where…

GARRETT RICE AND Shrouk Abdelgafar live in Ottawa, but they had long harboured a dream of owning a home on the water. Abdelgafar’s mother is from the seaport of Alexandria, Egypt, and Abdelgafar has always enjoyed the mellow pace and fresh seafood that come with coastal living. Rice, a senior business analyst who works in IT, and Abdelgafar, an English teacher turned civil servant, scoured real estate listings, eventually discovering an airy, wood-shingled lighthouse for sale in Lower Bedeque, P.E.I. Drawn in by its quirky character and the Northumberland Strait less than 30 metres away, they couldn’t stop imagining it as their future three-season home. There was only one problem: it was February of 2021, and the Atlantic provinces were still closed to outsiders as a pandemic precaution. The couple…

Parkinson’s is a lifelong, incurable brain disease that occurs when brain cells involved in mobility and co-ordination fail. As a result, symptoms slowly worsen, and new ones develop over time. More than 100,000 Canadians live with Parkinson’s, and that number is expected to increase substantially. There is currently no cure but living well with Parkinson’s is still possible. At Parkinson Canada, people living with Parkinson’s are at the centre of everything we do. We empower the Parkinson’s community through tailored programs and services, innovative research, and raising the voice of Canadians impacted by Parkinson’s. Parkinson Canada has just released the Every Victory Counts® Canadian Edition — a manual for Canadians affected by Parkinson’s. This special edition contains Canadian-specific statistics, references to medications approved by Health Canada, information on long-term care,…

The SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 is a coronavirus, as are many viruses responsible for ongoing, seasonal common cold-like infections. Like influenza virus, coronaviruses are notable for their capacity to mutate, which has resulted in the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants. Current COVID-19 vaccines are a poor match for the variants that are causing infections now, which has necessitated regular boosting and attempts to update the vaccines. “This leaves scientists in a situation where we’re always one step behind the virus, and that’s not an enviable position to be in,” says Matthew Miller, Director of the Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research (IIDR) at McMaster University, a world-leading centre of transdisciplinary infectious disease research. Miller and his team at the IIDR are taking a fresh approach to virology and…

With September’s arrival, a new season can feel like a fresh start, but it also represents an annual opportunity to recognize one of the most common cancers impacting men globally. In Canada, one in every nine men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime. Like many cancers, prostate cancer’s physical effects on the body can be detrimental, but men’s health charity Movember is reminding Canadians that it’s equally important to recognize the impact a prostate cancer diagnosis can have on a man’s mental health. Many men continue to struggle with the concept of vulnerability, particularly so for older generations of men (aged 45 and over), who represent the demographic most at risk of developing prostate cancer. Prostate cancer strips patients of their physical health, but the symptoms associated…

ETERNAL FLAME Jason McBride’s story on how British Columbia is learning to live with wildfires (“Burned Out,” August) struck a nerve with readers who are all too familiar with the phenomenon: I spent the better part of my career working in the fire program as a frontline fire manager in Ontario. I’ve experienced first-hand just how devastating and intrusive wildfires can be. Unfortunately, British Columbia is not alone: the threat of drought and severe wildfire is present in every province in Canada and almost every country on the planet. I feel for people living in rural and northern communities in Canada; for them, the threat of wildfires is no longer just a fleeting thought but a real and eminent possibility. We must proactively fireproof our properties and encourage people to…

CRESCENT DRIVE PARK in Winnipeg has always been a destination for trail-walking, skating and canoeing. But until recently, the park’s only standing structure was a 900-square-foot picnic shelter with a gable roof, built in the mid-1960s. It didn’t just lack architectural flair. The shelter’s open-air portico also meant it wasn’t visitor-friendly throughout all four seasons—and it was extremely vulnerable to rising river levels. As flooding becomes more frequent across the Prairies, architects are designing newer structures with climate change in mind. Opened in 2021, and located at the park’s geographic high point, Forest Pavilion is built for life in the Red River flood zone. Liz Wreford and Peter Sampson, founders of Winnipeg’s Public City Architecture, drew up sketches for the $1.5-million project in 2015, and it ended up taking six…

BEST SPLURGE MANOIR HOVEY 575 Rue Hovey, North Hatley manoirhovey.com BUILT in 1900 on the banks of Lake Massawippi, this sophisticated lakeside escape has earned its reputation as a world-class wellness retreat with unparalleled charm. The Mount Vernon–styled estate features 36 rooms, suites and cottages (from $330 a night) that combine modern amenities—like L’Occitane skincare products—with classic country appeal. There’s a Quebec-inspired restaurant on-site, where chef Alexandre Vachon grows and forages ingredients for a hyper-local seasonal menu—try the Lake Saint-Pierre caviar or the eggplant with edible flowers. Outside, guests can enjoy beautifully landscaped gardens, forest bathing in the summer and snowshoeing in the winter. BEST BUDGET AUBERGE AYER’S CLIFF 1087 Rue Main, Ayer’s Cliff aubergeayerscliff.ca YOU’LL FIND CASUAL COMFORT FOOD and a cuddled-up rustic atmosphere at this humble auberge. The…

Many Canadians are impacted by dementia — not only the 600,000-plus people living with dementia in Canada right now but also their friends, family members, colleagues, and care partners. Dementia is one of the most commonly diagnosed diseases in Canada, and it’s estimated that one in five Canadians have experience caring for someone living with dementia. These numbers are only expected to grow Despite the prevalence of dementia in Canada, there remains a lack of awareness of the disease and a lot of stigmas associated with it. Fortunately, people living with dementia and their family care partners have places to turn to for support and community. Seeking support Living with dementia or caring for someone with dementia can feel isolating and overwhelming. Although dementia is increasingly common, finding safe and…

More than a dozen people with cancer who had exhausted all treatments are alive and cancer-free thanks to a pioneering Canadian clinical trial of a highly personalized immunotherapy. Patients in the clinical trial at The Ottawa Hospital and BC Cancer had their T cells removed and genetically engineered to enhance their cancer-killing ability. The supercharged immune cells, called CAR-T cells, were then infused back into the same patient. Health Canada has approved several commercial CAR-T therapies, but access is restricted to people with just a few kinds of leukemia and lymphoma and in certain age ranges. Canadian-Led Immunotherapies in Cancer-01 (CLIC-01) is the first trial to manufacture CAR-T therapy in Canada. “Without this trial, I don’t think any of these patients would be alive today, so we’re very encouraged by…

Prostate cancer significantly impacts Canadians. It’s the most common cancer among Canadian men (excluding non-melanoma skin cancers) and the third leading cause of death for Canadian men with cancer. However, prostate cancer patients have various treatment options available at different stages of the disease, which is both encouraging and empowering. A range of treatment options Different treatments are available for patients at each stage or state of prostate cancer. “The disease states of prostate cancer are critical because we have different clinical trials based on different disease settings,” explains Dr. Krista Noonan, a medical oncologist at the BC Cancer Agency and Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of British Columbia. “I often discuss the evolution of prostate cancer along a timeline with my patients and chat with them about what…

The buyers: Louie Bantugan, a 37-year-old assistant manager at a fast-food chain, and Joy Hernaez, a 45-year-old business administrator at an insurance company. The budget: $500,000. The backstory: The pandemic inspired a wave of Canadians to shack up with family, but Louie and Joy were ahead of the game. In 2016, the couple pooled funds with Joy’s brother and sister-in-law to buy a four-bedroom, three-bathroom semi-detached house in Pickering, Ontario, in order to save money and build equity. The property was roomy, and it had to be. In addition to the two couples, Joy’s niece and nephew, her 71-year-old mother, Corazon, and the couple’s shihtzu, Ding, would be living there, too. During COVID, Joy set up an office in the living room—which had no doors—so she would often overhear other…

I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN KATHMANDU, where one of Nepal’s biggest religious festivals, Indra Jātrā, takes place. A chariot carrying the Kumari, the Living Goddess, tours through the streets accompanied by dancing and music. Traditional festivals are some of my fondest childhood memories. I’ve always loved the way holidays bring people together. In 2001, I went to Kathmandu Engineering College to study computer engineering. Around the same time, I started dating Pukar. We were good friends from middle school, and I realized he could be a good boyfriend, too. We complemented each other—he studied sculpture, and I enjoyed fiction and poetry. We got married in 2012. Two months after the wedding, I moved to Bangkok to do an MBA, while Pukar stayed in Kathmandu to establish his career as…

There are now more Canadians aged 65 plus than under 15. More than 1.1 million Canadians are directly or indirectly affected by dementia. Worldwide, 50 million people live with the disease, according to the World Health Organization. Currently, there are no medications that can stop it. For more than 100 years, Baycrest has been at the forefront of brain health and aging care. Today, we’re using best-in-class care practices to help older adults live their best lives and pioneering innovations in dementia prevention that will set the standard in elder care for years to come. The possibilities are endless The year 2022 marked the launch of an exciting long-term memory care model — Possibilities by Baycrest™. It addresses the needs of older adults living in long-term care by moving away…

Melanoma is more than skin deep. It’s a very serious form of skin cancer. In 2021, an estimated 8,700 Canadians learned that they had the disease — an increase of 8.5 per cent over the previous year. More than 1,200 died from melanoma in 2020. It can spread to other areas of the body, making it potentially deadly for anyone regardless of age, gender, or race. Non-melanoma skin cancers are more common, with over 80,000 cases diagnosed each year. Basal cell carcinoma is the most commonly diagnosed, but it’s less deadly as it’s less likely to metastasize. Melanoma and non-melanoma cancers can have significant health consequences, underscoring the need for prevention (practising sun-safe behaviours, such as wearing broad-spectrum sunscreen), early detection, and effective treatment options. The leading cause for both…

Many men notice urinary symptoms as they age, such as needing to go to the bathroom more often or feeling like their bladder doesn’t completely empty. While these symptoms may indicate an enlarged prostate, a common condition for men as they age, they can also be a sign of bladder cancer. “Men may assume that these symptoms are a normal part of aging and just live with them, but it’s always important to talk to your doctor about any new symptoms and advocate for yourself. Men should ask about their bladder health and prostate health,” says Dr. Nimira Alimohamed, a medical oncologist at the Tom Baker Cancer Centre in Calgary. Knowing the risk factors In Canada, bladder cancer is the fourth most common cancer among men and the eighth most…