John Candy’s boss fired him from his paper salesman job with a parting shot: “Never should have hired an actor.” For Candy, it was a sign. Author @pulmyears traces how that moment of rejection led him to stardom:

Looking for something to do this weekend? The new crossword from The Walrus Games is up. Tell us how you did.

For the Canadian army, the war in Ukraine has become both a blueprint and a wake-up call for drone usage. Can it force a reboot and turn Canada from a bystander to a pioneer in the drone race?

The new federal government is setting its sights on a stronger, more resilient Canada—and the key to getting there is homegrown innovation. How? Find out @univcan presents The Walrus Talks Innovation Nation. 🎟 https://t.co/iC2QY5ZToy #InnovationNation #InnovateCanada

“I’m not particularly driven by enhancing Canadian cultural prestige.” Writer and editor David Berry gets candid about art, money, and the messy reality of being an artist in a publicly-funded creative ecosystem:

Join us @YWCA presents The Walrus Talks Ending Gender-Based Violence, for an exclusive post-event reception brought to you by Shoppers Foundation. And we extend additional thanks to Travel Sponsor @Uber_Post for supporting this event. 📅 November 19 | Ottawa 🔗

New crossword is up! Head over to The Walrus Games:

Was Bill C-5 really a defensive move against US tariffs, or was Mark Carney's government eyeing Canada’s natural riches from the start? “It’s both, and there’s a name for it,” says Senator Marilou McPhedran. “It’s called disaster capitalism.”

“The thing about viruses is they punish complacency; the costs always surface,” writes Alberta physician @thatmonicakidd. “Measles has the power to reorder our lives in ways we can’t always tally on a chart.”

“It isn’t the food that’s making people sick; it’s the poverty.” Studies show that ultra-processed foods are most heavily consumed by those with lower education and income—proof that access, not willpower, drives what ends up on our plates.

“For all his talk of reconciliation, Prime Minister Mark Carney’s push to accelerate the next wave of nation building has exposed a familiar fault line: when economic ambition collides with Indigenous consent, ambition usually wins,” writes @wendyakaur.

“The best that can be said is that art made by and for Canadians has not been wiped off the map.” Our national arts funding has enabled more artists to piece together a living, but has it built a distinctly Canadian culture? Writer David Berry explores:

From identity and culture to economy, climate, innovation, and security, @Rogers presents The Walrus Talks Sovereign Canada is a timely conversation that explores how sovereignty affects Canadians today and how it could define the path forward. Join us: https://t.co/hMZPw1UDiN

For generations, Ontario’s school trustees have been a quiet but powerful part of the province’s education system. Their potential removal could transform how communities connect to their schools.

Born in the heat of Donald Trump’s trade war, Bill C-5 is dressed in the language of efficiency, but critics say it threatens to shrink First Nations consultation and dismiss hard-won Indigenous safeguards. Journalist @wendyakaur explores:

In the Yukon’s history, only once has a governing party won three consecutive terms, and only once has one fallen to third place—the Liberals in 2002. The party now sits at the edge of both thresholds at once, poised either to make history or repeat it.

Thanks for tuning in to @MaxBellSchool presents Climate at a Crossroads. If you missed it, sign up for our newsletter to be notified when the video becomes available:

According to a new poll from Angus Reid, 57 percent of Canadians want Mark Carney and his government to fast-track oil and gas projects. But in doing so, he risks jeopardizing his image as “a banker with an environmental conscience.”

If we dream, we can revitalize Canada's philanthropic and charitable sector. Join us in Vancouver, or online, for The Walrus Talks Philanthropy in a Changing Canada, to hear from seven speakers doing the work. 🔗 https://t.co/9ji4qdZTBL #FutureOfGiving #TheWalrusTalks

For generations, artists have lived at the grace of government-connected grants. Writer and editor David Berry considers what's gained—and what's lost—when this kind of support becomes an artist's lifeline: