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9 votes
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Canada’s fire season erupts, sending harmful smoke into United States
18 votes -
Musi’s free music streaming app is a hit with thrifty teens. The app claims to tap content on YouTube, but some in the music industry question the legitimacy of that model.
18 votes -
The not-so-straight story of the US-Canadian border
7 votes -
The most powerful fire truck ever created
2 votes -
Ontario family doctor says new AI notetaking saved her job
18 votes -
A Reddit-led boycott of Loblaws, one of Canadas largest grocers, begins today
46 votes -
London Drugs closes stores until further notice due to cyberattack
22 votes -
Canada bet big on immigration. Now it’s hitting the brakes.
31 votes -
British Columbia to recriminalize use of drugs in public spaces
35 votes -
Fellow Canadians, what's on your mind this week?
I'm preoccupied with a couple of things. The first being that the federal budget was just released and I'm feeling like a national school lunch program and an injection of money into housing with...
I'm preoccupied with a couple of things.
The first being that the federal budget was just released and I'm feeling like a national school lunch program and an injection of money into housing with the expectation that cities build higher density dwellings is... Something they should have done mid mandate?
Is there even time to implement this stuff? Are we getting close to the point where we've spent too much?
Second is a quote from a compilation of personal accounts from travellers into this country's north in the 1800s. Farley Mowat assembled the stories and wrote the forward for "Tundra" in the 1960s and says the following
"Until 50 or 60 years ago, the Arctic was a living reality to North Americans of every walk of life. It had become real because men of their own kind were daring it's remote fastness in search of pure adventure", unprotected by the vast mechanical shields that we now demand whenever we step out of our air conditioned sanctuaries".
He goes on to talk about how -- most of all -- easily heated dwellings and running water had a softening effect on people, and that (basically) we fear and avoid Canada's climate far more than our forebearers did.
Wondering what people's thoughts on this are.
From what you learned from grandparents or earlier generations about spending time outside, would you agree that the comforts of home are just too damned seductive?
13 votes -
Canadian science gets biggest boost to PhD and postdoc pay in twenty years
7 votes -
Why is Montreal a stolen car export hub?
5 votes -
Flourishing romances are more the result of proactive behaviors than soulmate spark, study finds
33 votes -
The lone prospectors keeping the legacy of the gold rush alive
12 votes -
Nineteen-year-old American Ilia Malinin lands a record six quads to capture world figure skating title in Montreal 2024
19 votes -
Bank of Canada says the country faces a productivity 'emergency'
17 votes -
The small company at the center of ‘Gamergate 2.0’
39 votes -
Canadian pet DNA company sends back dog breed results from human sample a second time
40 votes -
YouTube blocks access to CBC's The Fifth Estate story on killing of B.C. Sikh activist at India's demand
50 votes -
Vancouver’s new mega-development is big, ambitious and undeniably Indigenous
49 votes -
Canadian father asks court to stop 27-year-old daughter's MAID death, review doctors' sign-off
32 votes -
Canada to expedite approval of new nuclear projects, energy minister says
19 votes -
Denis Villeneuve hates dialogue in film
15 votes -
Vending machine error reveals secret face image database of Canadian college students
72 votes -
Conservative government would require websites to verify age to watch porn: Pierre Poilievre
36 votes -
A decades-long forgery scheme ensnared Canada’s most famous Indigenous artist, a rock musician turned sleuth and several top museums. Here’s how investigators unraveled the incredible scam.
6 votes -
Air Canada successfully sued after its AI chatbot gave BC passenger incorrect information: airline claimed it wasn't liable for what its own AI told customers
96 votes -
Toronto Maple Leafs' Morgan Rielly to appeal five-game suspension to NHL commissioner Gary Bettman
8 votes -
What one researcher learned studying grizzlies for nearly forty years
8 votes -
Cousins are disappearing worldwide, according to new study
34 votes -
Canada declares Flipper Zero public enemy No. 1 in car-theft crackdown
27 votes -
UBC student flies to school from Calgary (because Vancouver is that unaffordable to live in)
31 votes -
Helping bison find their way home to tribal lands
10 votes -
Denis Villeneuve refuses to let Hollywood shrink him down to size
13 votes -
Making emotional films: The enticing contradictions of Norman Jewison’s movies
5 votes -
Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children in North American theatres
17 votes -
Canada announces cap on international students for next two years
29 votes -
Moose, maple syrup and monopolies: Is Canada finally taking on its oligarchs?
10 votes -
Over-capacity ERs are dangerous choke points. But hospital challenges go far deeper.
11 votes -
You don't need a license to walk
41 votes -
British Columbia, Canada: Family pets will no longer be considered property during divorce proceedings
15 votes -
The neglected clean heat we flush down the drains
37 votes -
Detroit Pistons end a historic losing streak with a win against the Toronto Raptors
9 votes -
My thoughts: Maple Leaf train between New York City and Toronto
I recently took the Amtrak/Via Rail "Maple Leaf" train all the way from New York City, NY, USA to Toronto, ON, Canada. It took about 13 hours each way. I had taken portions of this route before...
I recently took the Amtrak/Via Rail "Maple Leaf" train all the way from New York City, NY, USA to Toronto, ON, Canada. It took about 13 hours each way. I had taken portions of this route before but never the whole thing. There is only one trip each direction per day. It stops at several points in the US and Canada.
I was pleased with the journey even though I would have preferred the train to run at twice the speed it did. It was a beautiful and scenic ride punctuated by a number of historic cities. The Amtrak personnel on longer-distance routes like this are particularly pleasant, funny, and personable.
- NYC (Penn) to Albany–Rensselaer (~150 miles): about 2.5 hours on paper plus a slightly excessive wait at the Albany station (which is quite nice, through located nowhere near Albany proper). I believe this time is used to change the locomotive. This was the most gorgeous part of the trip by far: the train follows the east side of the Hudson River for the entire stretch and you have a constant view of the Palisades across the water. This is the fastest part of the journey. Going north, you want to be on the left side of the train; going south, the right (but it gets dark early this time of year).
- Albany–Rensselaer to Canadian border (~300 miles): about 6.5 hours on paper. Here, the train turns to meet each of the western cities, including Schenectady, Utica, Rome, Syracuse, Rochester, and Buffalo (twice). This segment isn't as scenic as the Hudson, but it takes you through a lot of farm country, which is nice to look at too. The train's average speed along this route is considerably slower than the southern section. I assume this is because there are more at-grade crossings or some track alignment slowdowns.
- Canadian border to Toronto (Union) (~80 miles): about 2 hours on paper. Not the most aesthetically pleasing section of the route, and dark for me going north. The train runs abysmally slowly in this section both because there are a lot of stops in short intervals and more importantly because there are an absurd number of at-grade crossings throughout the route, plus, I assume, various engineering-based speed restrictions from windy track alignments. But Union Station is a gorgeous building and very easy to navigate. Connections to the UP Express and subway are trivial.
You'll notice that the times I listed don't add up to 13 hours, the full length of the trip (on paper). This was because the train stops for an irritating amount of time at the border, the only part I didn't like, which unnecessarily adds ~2 hours to the trip. What happens is:
- Amtrak personnel provide you a customs declaration form to fill out about 30 minutes before you arrive at Niagara Falls. Have a pen handy.
- Train stops at the Niagara Falls, NY (NFL) station for upwards of 45 minutes, nominally so that the border control agents can "get ready" to receive you. Why they did not prepare during the 10+ hours they had all day I could not say. If you're crossing the border, you do not get out here, but wait until the train starts moving again.
- Train goes to the Niagara Falls, ON (NFS) station in about 5 minutes. Now you disembark with all luggage and walk into the building for security screening. On the Canadian side, they just ask you a couple questions: no complex screening. It took about 15 minutes. Then, for some indecipherable reason, they direct you outside the station and instruct you to walk around and go into the main entrance to wait. (Yes, truly magnificent routing.)
- You sit in their waiting room for at least 30 minutes with the other passengers. The reason you are waiting is so that they can search the entire train for contraband. When finished, you are ushered back on board. The business class passengers reboard the train (the same train) first, then coach passengers. The rest of the trip is operated by Via Rail. (Note: you don't have to buy anything from Via except maybe if you are starting in Ontario and going to Toronto. Amtrak's ticket covers the whole route from the US and back.)
Going from Canada to the US, the process is basically the same, except that the Americans force you to go through an airport-style bag screening check, which I consider utterly redundant. They also have multiple dogs sniffing you for drugs (I assume). The dogs are cute, but do not touch, for they are deadly creatures hard at work. All the scanning and sniffing and waiting takes at least 45 minutes to an hour. Thankfully you can keep your shoes on. I'm a US citizen with TSA Pre-Check and whatnot, so they don't give me trouble with the security questions, but they have no problem interrogating people for a long time and painstakingly searching multiple bags because the dog thought it smelled a piece of bacon.
It is an incredibly stupid and unnecessary process. Bags are not scanned when driving through the border by car. Dogs do not sniff your belongings and person when driving by car. You do not have to exit your car, take out all your belongings, and sit around in a waiting room for an hour when driving by car. Frankly airport security is faster than this was. It's no wonder this train isn't the preferred method of travel!
Despite the pointless border security, the trip was enjoyable and I will do it again the next time I visit Toronto from New York. It was also cheaper than flying at the time I booked it: ~$134 in coach (minus 10% for my Rail Passengers Association discount! So really $121) vs. ~$185 for a one-way flight (when I was looking). I think if you book far enough in advance, you can get a flight for as little as $90, but you usually have to fly out of LaGuardia or JFK for the cheap tickets, which are the worst airports known to mankind and also are not on the NEC. LGA is particularly hard to access. (I almost always fly out of Newark for these reasons.)
It does take... the entire day, though. So you have to treat it more like an experience than strictly transit. If you have friends in upstate New York, this is a good opportunity to visit for a night or two!
32 votes -
In northern Ontario, a dozen First Nations have been left struggling. A court’s attempt to enforce treaty promises could see them getting up to C$126bn
12 votes -
The most dangerous Canadian internet bill you’ve never heard of is a step closer to becoming law
34 votes -
This Lego artist builds masterpieces using all black bricks | Obsessed
15 votes -
The rise and fall of MuchMusic
14 votes -
Defending champion Canada eliminated from Davis Cup Finals by Finland – country's first-ever berth in the semifinals of the men's team tennis competition
8 votes -
Two people in vehicle that exploded at NY/Canada border crossing declared dead at scene
21 votes -
Journey to EPCOT Center: A symphonic history
13 votes -
Musical about tiny B.C. town returns to the stage... in Finland. Sointula chronicles the charismatic leader who founded the town and dreamed of building a socialist utopia.
9 votes -
Trainwreckords: Nickelback's "No Fixed Address"
7 votes -
How gender-affirming health care for kids works in Canada
23 votes -
In Canada’s battle with Big Tech, smaller publishers and independent outlets struggle to survive
15 votes -
Gordon Lightfoot - Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald (1976)
17 votes -
Ontario to ban Canadian work experience requirement in job postings
17 votes -
How Montreal built a blueprint for bargain rapid transit
14 votes -
A Qanon cult set up a compound in a small town. The locals are fighting back.
81 votes -
Spiritbox - The Fear of Fear (2023)
9 votes -
Boarding planes could have been very different
15 votes -
Mr Dressup: The Magic of Make-Believe | Official trailer
20 votes -
Canadian federal government considering new caps on payday lending and high risk lending
12 votes -
Forgotten to return your library book? Don’t worry about it [library fines are falling out of fashion]
23 votes -
What were your favorite Canadian bands of the 1990s?
Always a fan of Sloan here, but I was recently reminded of Pure and have been grooving to “Spiritual Pollution” and “Anna”. So make me a virtual mix tape: What were your fav Canadian bands,...
Always a fan of Sloan here, but I was recently reminded of Pure and have been grooving to “Spiritual Pollution” and “Anna”. So make me a virtual mix tape: What were your fav Canadian bands, albums, or songs of the ‘90s?
31 votes -
The race to mine the bottom of the ocean
13 votes -
Vivian Silver, a Canadian who dedicated her life to peace, is feared kidnapped by Hamas terrorists
22 votes -
Edison Motors: Meet the British Columbia lumberjacks who set out to build a hybrid electric logging truck
16 votes -
Migrants are driving Canada's population surge despite declining birth rate: StatsCan
17 votes -
‘We can’t drink oil’: How a seventy-year-old pipeline imperils the Great Lakes
31 votes -
Witnesses and security camera footage viewed by The Washington Post reveal a more complex operation to kill Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Canadian Sikh leader, than authorities have previously described
40 votes -
FSWC appalled by standing ovation in Canadian Parliament for Ukrainian veteran who served in Nazi military unit
11 votes -
'Shared intelligence' from Five Eyes informed Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's India allegation: US ambassador
28 votes -
India suspends visa services for Canadians amid heightened tensions
18 votes -
Justin Trudeau claims Canadian authorities have intelligence Indian government was behind slaying of Canadian Sikh leader in British Columbia
63 votes -
Rubaboo - Pemmican stew of Canadian Mounties
9 votes -
‘American Fiction’ wins Toronto Film Festival’s People’s Choice Award
3 votes -
Canadian officials investigate E. coli outbreak at Calgary daycares served by one central kitchen
10 votes -
Trigger warning: Faced with professional discipline and a requirement to take training to keep his psychology license in Canada - Jordan Peterson shares his beliefs re trans people
21 votes -
Germany scores massive upset over US in FIBA World Cup semis
17 votes -
Is the New Democratic Party a vassal for the Liberals in Canada if breaking from them is never on the table?
If it's never even a remote consideration that the NDP may break from the Liberals and side with the CPC in the House of Commons, aren't they essentially a vassal for the LPC, soaking up votes...
If it's never even a remote consideration that the NDP may break from the Liberals and side with the CPC in the House of Commons, aren't they essentially a vassal for the LPC, soaking up votes from disaffected Liberal voters and funneling them back into Liberal control? I mean from a simple game theoretic perspective, Liberals in the long run can demand everything and give nothing. I think Canadian politics has probably been damaged by overapplying the American left-right political spectrum, when it may be better thought as a three way spectrum between liberalism, conservatism, and democratic socialism (something like Red Toryism for example would be pretty inconceivable in American politics).
14 votes -
Ottawa looking to drop 24 Sussex and build new home for PM elsewhere
19 votes -
Canadian court upholds social media sensitivity training requirement for Jordan Peterson
62 votes -
Auston Matthews signs four-year contract extension with Toronto Maple Leafs ($53M, 4 years; $13.25M AAV)
14 votes -
Blank Banshee - Pegasus (2023)
2 votes -
British Columbia declares state of emergency amid ‘devastating’ wildfires
35 votes -
Canada demands Facebook lift news ban to allow wildfire info sharing
51 votes -
The entire capital city of Canada’s Northwest Territories has been ordered to evacuate as hundreds of wildfires scorch the region
31 votes -
Netflix is testing a game streaming solution in Canada and the UK
19 votes -
Italy's far-right ruling party has been ordered to pay damages to a same-sex couple for using a photo of them with their newborn son without their consent in an anti-surrogacy campaign
24 votes -
Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservatives ‘favoured certain developers’ in controversial Greenbelt plan, auditor general finds in scathing report
27 votes -
Menu and decor 'reprehensible,' some Kitigan Zibi members say - ‘Indigenous fusion’ restaurant raises concerns about appropriation
29 votes -
Canada's digital news subscription tax credit
13 votes -
Understanding Bill C-18: Canada’s Online News Act
25 votes -
Ukraine wasn’t going to get a pathway to join NATO — but Canada had another idea
16 votes -
SS Baychimo: The unsinkable Arctic ghost ship
7 votes -
Canada eliminated from Women's World Cup after crushing loss to Australia
11 votes -
Mapping the ownership network of Canada’s billionaire families
26 votes -
The world's newest metro is here! | Montréal REM
31 votes