The Sunday Magazine for January 30, 2022
This week on The Sunday Magazine with Piya Chattopadhyay:
Gauging the political landscape in the run-up to Parliament's return
On the eve of Members of Parliament returning to Ottawa after a winter break, we convene three astute political watchers to take stock of the pandemic protest in the nation's capital and how it may affect the political climate going forward. National Post columnist Matt Gurney, Toronto Star columnist Susan Delacourt and Regina Leader-Post columnist Murray Mandryk join Chattopadhyay to unpack it all.
How 'negative optimism' could help us carry on in this stage of the pandemic
"Keep Calm and Carry On"… but how? After Canada marked two years since the country's first COVID-19 case was reported this week, The Sunday Magazine producer Pete Mitton says he's hanging in there, but could use a little advice on how to keep going. He speaks with historian Margaret MacMillan, who sheds light on how civilian morale was kept high during episodes like The Blitz in the Second World War. Oliver Burkeman, the author of self-help books for people who don't like self-help books, says the key is to forget about "thinking positive." And Vancouver psychiatrist Tyler Black shares a surprising statistic that suggests no matter how difficult things are, Canadians, it seems, are not losing hope.
What a silver boom in the 1900s shows us about Canada today
Its silver boom rivaled the Klondike gold rush, gave rise to the Montreal Canadiens and was featured in Broadway shows. But the story of Cobalt, Ont. has faded from Canadian memory. Author and NDP Member of Parliament Charlie Angus revives the history of the town in his new book, Cobalt: Cradle of the Demon Metals, Birth of a Mining Superpower. He speaks with Chattopadhyay about his deep-seated love for mining towns, the blueprint Cobalt set for the industry at home and abroad, and how battles fought in the street 100 years ago can shape Canada's future relationship with its natural wealth.
What we've lost to the internet – from boredom to being uninhibited
The landline phone in the kitchen, the blind date and boredom are just three things Pamela Paul eulogizes in her latest book 100 Things We've Lost to the Internet. The writer and editor of the New York Times Book Review swears she's no luddite, though she does insist on reading physical books and watching movies on DVD. Her nostalgia-filled essays about the technologies, habits – even feelings – we've lost to the internet are meant to remind us that every time we add something digital to our lives, we lose something along the way – and we do have a choice about which new apps or devices we choose to use.
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