Not tied to any particular event or anniversary, but because I’m feeling a bit nostalgic, and I’m a sucker for emotionally compelling Canadian history. And I find us Canadians so darn cheek-pinching, moose-hugging, maple candy cute when we tap into our nationalism.

So start your week off right with a Canadian Heritage Minute (it’s like oatmeal for the mind):

Emily Murphy: Women as persons under the law.

And then (related?) the bonus round — on the success of the beaver in Canada:
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I’d wager my winnings from Hot Flash that we’ll all agree this video is creepy. Yes, it has the dreaded “breast-bared-but-nipple-censored” thing going on, but exactly how and why it’s so disturbing may be up for debate.

From Treehugger:

“This send-up of the new greenwashing trend in advertising will give you a good belly-laugh, if you don’t pause to consider the tragic fact that even human milk is not free from chemical contamination.”

First I thought it was clever. Then it offended me. Now I’m just confused. What do you think?

I’ve lived in Toronto essentially all my life. Downtown Toronto for most of my adult life. I’ve had to deal with various incidents over the years, but never, ever, have I felt really and truly unsafe. Until a couple of nights ago. That was first number one.

On New Year’s morning my husband and I were coming home from our friend’s party. Taking advantage of the free TTC ride to cross the city — back from the Danforth to the west end. Even before we headed out for the evening though, I’d expressed hesitation about what coming home on the Rocket was going to be like that night. “As though the whole line is the Vomit Comit” I said.

But I always feel better when the husband cajoles me onto public transit over, say, a warm and speedy cab. So this time I thought I would be urban and eco/public-friendly and good and we all (husband, I, and another couple) managed to get on a train at about 3:15am.

There was, as predicted, a good amount of vomit. We got onto a subway car total passengers about 6 or 7 (including us). At the far end of the car was one clearly drunk, likely homeless, man with a bicycle. The other couple was riding with us as far as Yonge, and it wasn’t for a few stations before the drunk man began being loud, playing a harmonica, yelling and lurching around a little.

But that’s not unexpected on the TTC. It happens all the time, often during the day actually. Drunk, lurchy, loud people are 9 times out of 10, only that. They don’t especially bother you, or accost you. So we weren’t taking much notice of him.

Our friends got out at Yonge. At this point on the car there was us, an older well-dressed couple, and maybe three other people.
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Canada lags well behind Europe in terms of public facilities. I heard once that Toronto has a public washroom at Dundas Square, but I think that’s just a rumour. More promise than substance. Sort of like Dundas Square itself…

Toronto has no city-owned washrooms except within property already owned by the municipality. That is, unlike other international urban centres, there are no dedicated public washrooms scattered helpfully throughout the city. The powers-that-be in Toronto are just hoping anyone who is downtown and needs to pee is already at City Hall and within working hours.

But picking up the public infrastructure slack is Mizpee.com Now with listings for Toronto, it is a collaborative website which catalogues publicly accessible toilets throughout the city. Know one? Add one. Washrooms are rated for cleanliness and accessibility, as well as indicating baby-changing facilities, and whether a purchase is required or not. Check in advance of your outing, or if you’re out and already desperate, you can look it up with your phone.

The future is friendly, and it wants you to be comfortable.

As a child of the ‘80s and a Kathleen Hanna fan, I was tickled pink to stumble onto this video a few minutes ago. It’s Le Tigre’s “Deceptacon” mashed up with images from the kid’s TV series Jem, and it’s actually quite well done. Showtime, Synergy!

“(Barry Manilow) declined to appear on The View when producers denied his request that the interview be conducted by anyone but the anti-choice Elizabeth Hasselbeck.”

-Feministing.com

(And because I also heart Joss Whedon, Angel singing Barry Manilow’s Mandy)

Canadians For Choice, a non-profit that works to promote sexual and reproductive rights, is celebrating the upcoming 20th year anniversary of the Morgentaler decision, which decriminalized abortion in Canada.

The contest is a way for people to raise their voices around an issue that’s often silenced. Write a piece on why a pro-choice Canada is so important and you could win a trip to Ottawa and an appearance on national TV. If you send a pro-choice piece of artwork, it may be published on the cover of a book.

Here are the, um, rules: “Tell us in your own words through an essay, song lyrics, a poem, a rant or a testimony why the pro-choice movement has been- and continues to be so important. Or, you may choose to express your pro-choice sentiments through a painting, a drawing, a photo or another form of visual art. Enter the contest as many times as you want, the options are endless!” You can even submit anonymously.

Enter here (scroll down).

My sincerest apologies for blogging so little over the past three months. Various work obligations, and the frivolity of summer, have distracted me from all things Shameless for a little bit. But that doesn’t mean Shameless doesn’t still mean the world to me. Much like a dear friend you might go a year without seeing, it doesn’t change how much you love them or how much you connect.

I’m happy though to say that there is less clutter in my brain and my schedule now, and I have a lot of things to write about (starting right now).

It’s good to be back. Missed you guys - you sure wrote some wicked threads over the summer. Being inspired by people who are younger than me is always uplifting.

I just watched a great piece on CBC’s The National about the HPV vaccinations that will be offered to girls in Grade 8 across Canada in the coming weeks.  You can watch it online here.