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Denise Balkissoon

@balkissoon.bsky.social
8.1K followers 217 following 601 posts

Executive editor @thenarwhal.ca. Still hate gum. The lakes, they are Great. (Illo by Andrea Bell, from The Leak, a kid's graphic novel about a girl that does environmental journalism!)

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Denise Balkissoon @balkissoon.bsky.social · 22h
I mean specifically to the mayoral race! I am familiar with the larger Micallef oeuvre 🤓
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Denise Balkissoon @balkissoon.bsky.social · 22h
Sounds like a column
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Denise Balkissoon @balkissoon.bsky.social · 10/10/2026
I'm glad.
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Carl Meyer @meyer.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
A document meant for a behind-closed-doors group of fossil fuel advocates earlier this year got right to the point: Canada’s policies to fight the climate crisis, protect nature and defend Indigenous Rights are a “problem” and environmental organizations are “opponents” thenarwhal.ca/fossil-fuel-...
thenarwhal.ca
‘Knowing our opponents’: how a pro-oil-and-gas group tracks journalists, First Nations and environmentalists
New research by Greenpeace Canada lays out a web of pro-oil and gas groups working together to influence public opinion on climate change
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Denise Balkissoon @balkissoon.bsky.social · 10/10/2026
❤️❤️❤️ hugs to you and yours, Ann. Midwives are the best.
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s. e. smith @sesmith.lol · 10/10/2026
Non-spooky bonus episode for @erinbiba.bsky.social because this was the first thing I saw when I opened TikTok just now and I would like to buy this person a beverage of their choice immediately.
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Denise Balkissoon @balkissoon.bsky.social · 10/10/2026
"When I reached out to former staffers to find out what Brad Bradford was like...I heard stories of a man who allegedly screams and swears at his employees, makes them cry, and...denigrates councillors he disagrees with—particularly women." - @royinori.bsky.social thelocal.to/brad-bradfor...
thelocal.to
Brad Bradford Seems Angry—He’s Betting Torontonians Are Too | The Local
Former staffers say he drove them to tears. Colleagues say he’s a bully. The Bradford campaign says his passion is just what this city needs.
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Denise Balkissoon @balkissoon.bsky.social · 09/10/2026
"No one really controls the Great Lakes. That’s a massive piece of water — you can’t control that. What you can do is make it better or worse on your side of the border." A Great Lakes expert on the real threat facing Lake Ontario & friends: weakened enviro protections. thenarwhal.ca/lake-ontario...
thenarwhal.ca
Lake Ontario: Donald Trump and the great distraction
‘If you can’t understand the lakes, you can’t protect the lakes’: a former director of the committee overseeing Canada-U.S. water relations says the real threat to the Great Lakes is a shift away from research and monitoring
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The Narwhal @thenarwhal.ca · 08/10/2026
Presentations and videos from a network of 30-plus pro-fossil fuel groups show a coordinated effort to influence public opinion on climate change, and challenge environmental groups, journalists and First Nations land defenders. @meyer.bsky.social has the exclusive.
thenarwhal.ca
‘Knowing our opponents’: how a pro-oil-and-gas group tracks journalists, First Nations and environmentalists
New research by Greenpeace Canada lays out a web of pro-oil and gas groups working together to influence public opinion on climate change.
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The Narwhal @thenarwhal.ca · 05/10/2026
The Pacific Link pipeline moved another step forward last week, marking an expensive truce between Canada and Alberta, @drewanderson.bsky.social writes. Despite the two governments agreeing it would be financed by the private sector, taxpayers were always going to foot the bill.
thenarwhal.ca
Carney’s expensive Alberta truce: the Pacific Link pipeline
Canadians were always going to foot the bill for the pipeline to the West Coast — despite an agreement requiring private capital to cover it
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Denise Balkissoon @balkissoon.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
You know, good point!!! She's telling people to come live there!
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Denise Balkissoon @balkissoon.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
Is the housing crisis real? Yes. Does the ROI on huge subsidies, poisoned landscapes and planet-destroying emissions decrease significantly if the profits go to people that are already very, very rich vs. normal humans earning a decent livelihood? You tell me.
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Denise Balkissoon @balkissoon.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
How Danielle Smith frames autonomous trucks doing oilsands jobs that used to pay six-figure salaries: "[Companies] have managed to .. increase production w/o the kind of dramatic pressure we saw in the past of a large number of people moving here, not able to find homes." www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
cbc.ca
Canada's ready if new West Coast pipeline prompts another oil boom, say PM, Alberta premier | CBC News
It's been a relatively quiet decade in Alberta's oilsands, but the federal and provincial governments believe a new West Coast pipeline coupled with policy shifts might help turn up the volume. Prime ...
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Denise Balkissoon @balkissoon.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
I also thought this! And it's not an eco reusing old signs thing either!
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Denise Balkissoon @balkissoon.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Let's celebrate more journalists! Cornell Sun reporter Cereese Qusba was apparently 20! when she started investigating. She was determined to break and own the story, she did and she is, and it is pretty fkg impressive. www.nytimes.com/2026/09/29/n...
nytimes.com
Students at Cornell Daily Sun Pursued Sexual Assault Case for Two Years
The student newspaper, The Cornell Daily Sun, covered the allegations of rape at a fraternity house since they were first made in 2024 and led the reporting on the case.
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Denise Balkissoon @balkissoon.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
The rise of neo-Nazi "active clubs" in Canada, and the grotesque act of intimidation one pulled at Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc reserve earlier this week, is upsetting. Thankfully, this country also has whistleblowers and journalists who aren't letting them exist uninterrogated www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
cbc.ca
Former soldier exposes how Canadian white supremacist group recruits members | CBC News
Second Sons Canada describes itself as a "men's nationalist club" dedicated to fitness and preserving Canada's heritage, but a former military member who attempted to join the group says he only learn...
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Denise Balkissoon @balkissoon.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Residential schools were a tool Canada used to steal Indigenous land. These Narwhal stories explore that connection, and efforts to rebuild relationships between Indigenous communities and the places they come from, to strengthen their cultures and their futures. thenarwhal.ca/tag/truth-an...
thenarwhal.ca
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Denise Balkissoon @balkissoon.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
We now have just 36 of these Lake Ontario totes left! Become a member of The Narwhal, and support environmental journalists who always knew the lakes were Great and worthy of our attention ... and care.
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The Narwhal @thenarwhal.ca · 28/09/2026
More than 38,000 residential school survivors testified to the abuse they experienced as children. Next September, Canada plans to destroy their records.
thenarwhal.ca
Canada plans to destroy thousands of residential school testimonies. These women are trying to save them
The 38,000 testimonies are the largest body of evidence about children’s experiences in these institutions. Journalist Connie Walker and lawyer Kimberly Murray say losing it would mean losing history — both painful and illuminating
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Denise Balkissoon @balkissoon.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
RIP to the Mighty Sparrow ... 2026 continues to take the wrong ones. 💔🇹🇹 I interviewed him in 2010 about his advice for hopeful calypso monarchs www.thestar.com/news/gta/car...
thestar.com
Caribana: Advice for future Calypso Monarchs
In advance of Saturday night’s competition, calypso greats and previous winners offer their advice and tips.
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Jen St. Denis @jenstden.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
A super concerning meeting of white nationalists in advance of Truth and Reconciliation day cfjctoday.com/2026/09/27/a...
cfjctoday.com
Apparent white nationalist gathering spotted on Tkʼemlúps reserve Sunday
TK'EMLUPS - A post on social media appears to show a group of masked individuals gathered on the Tkemlps te Se...
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Denise Balkissoon @balkissoon.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Hey Toronto, still figuring out who to vote for? @thelocal.to has once again published a Candidate Tracker for the municipal election, offering bios and platforms for *every single candidate* running. thelocal.to/candidate-tr... Yay non-profit service journalism! 🤓
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Colin Carlson @colincarlson.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
It's time to stop letting a small number of white American journalists who write airport books about scary diseases set the policy frame for pandemics. And it's unbelievably galling to do it - and this is always how it happens - in the middle of an ongoing Ebola virus epidemic.
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Colin Carlson @colincarlson.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
This narrative is part of a broader one that places the blame for pandemic risk on the Global South, and demands that they think less about how colonialism has entrenched poverty and denied them vaccines, and think more about how to responsibly manage their rainforests and wildlife populations.
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The Narwhal @thenarwhal.ca · 23/09/2026
When Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government proposed overhauling environmental assessments and major project approvals last spring, they were warned against centralizing power and infringing on Indigenous Rights. Critics say Bill C-39 does just that.
thenarwhal.ca
Canadians warned Carney not to sideline scientists. Bill C-39 does just that, critics say
When the Liberals proposed overhauling major project approvals, the public worried it would concentrate power and infringe on Indigenous Rights. Now, pipelines and nuclear development will be reviewed by an energy agency, instead of environmental
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Denise Balkissoon @balkissoon.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
I know, but does that mean our election has to be just blaaaaahhh
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Denise Balkissoon @balkissoon.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Imagine if last night's Toronto mayoral debate channeled this energy
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Denise Balkissoon @balkissoon.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Okay @rwarnica.bsky.social, I'm glad I'm not the only one that was like "Chris... Alexander? Is annoying me? Least?"
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Denise Balkissoon @balkissoon.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Hi Toronto, any ideas on where/how an east end person without a car can donate a nice twin duvet? The family shelter nearest us didn't respond to an email.
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Denise Balkissoon @balkissoon.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Wait ... How did you mess it up when it hasn't happened yet ... Am I already an hour off
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Tressie McMillan Cottom @tressiemcphd.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Tell me again how good and important A.I. is for human flourishing? Between this and the killer drones, I’m struggling to find the pro-human balance. www.nytimes.com/2026/09/19/b...
nytimes.com
At DraftKings, AI Targets the Gamblers Likeliest to Lose (Gift Article)
Data science helps determine who receives betting incentives, but the company has resisted using similar technology to protect gamblers at risk of addiction.
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Denise Balkissoon @balkissoon.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
I would say "going to make a person planning meetings across four timezones cry" (it me)
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Denise Balkissoon @balkissoon.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Shoot, sorry about the lack of alt text. It's a royal blue tote that says "Lake Ontario" and, in smaller text, "The Narwhal." A very stylish virtue signal!
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Denise Balkissoon @balkissoon.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Here's a recent story about how cross-border cleanup measures have made a difference on Lake Superior. scientists, citizens - and even some politicians! - know the natural world is best protected working together. If you agree, please help us keep telling that story. thenarwhal.ca/ontario-lake...
thenarwhal.ca
Once polluted by industry, a Lake Superior bay is now in the clear
For decades, Canada and the U.S. have had an agreement to clean up the most polluted sites on the Great Lakes. Nipigon Bay is one of the success stories
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Denise Balkissoon @balkissoon.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
The Narwhal is a member of the Great Lakes News Collaborative, co-publishing journalism about this beloved freshwater ecosystem with partners in the U.S. These relationships need to last past this political moment. Can you support us? You'll get a cool tote! give.thenarwhal.ca/member/?camp...
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Denise Balkissoon @balkissoon.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
A Halifax lawyer says an RCMP policy change that means officers are no longer required to wear name tags on their uniforms while on duty poses a threat to police accountability and transparency. www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
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Elaine Anselmi @elaineanselmi.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Despite current tensions, Canada and the U.S. have actually had a pretty incredible partnership when it comes to cleaning up the Great Lakes. Here's an example of that: thenarwhal.ca/ontario-lake...
thenarwhal.ca
Once polluted by industry, a Lake Superior bay is now in the clear
For decades, Canada and the U.S. have had an agreement to clean up the most polluted sites on the Great Lakes. Nipigon Bay is one of the success stories
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Denise Balkissoon @balkissoon.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Thank you so much!
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Shawn Micallef @shawnmicallef.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
CARNEY SIGNS HISTORIC TAR SANDS FOR TAPENADE DEAL ON WHIRLWIND EUROPEAN TOUR
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Denise Balkissoon @balkissoon.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
I feel like "an incredibly stupid thing we must take seriously" defines the age we live in
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Toronto Star @thestar.com · 17/09/2026
Newly released records show how Project South investigators ultimately unfurled one of the biggest police corruption scandals in Toronto's history, uncovering alleged ties to organized crime, drug dealing among officers, casual bribe-taking and frequent misuse of police databases.
thestar.com
Hidden cameras, bribes and drug sales: Inside Toronto’s unsealed police corruption files
A thwarted assassination attempt of a Toronto jail official helped break open one of the biggest police corruption scandals in the city’s history.
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🐈‍⬛ 👻 Kat-erwaulin' Hyssssslop 🐍🎃 @kehyslop.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
cheknews.ca/bc-conservat...
cheknews.ca
B.C. Conservatives hire private investigator to investigate CHEK’s Rob Shaw along with current, former MLAs
B.C.’s Opposition Conservative party hired a private investigator to target its critics, including current and former MLAs, as well as CHEK News’ political correspondent.
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Lauren Dobson-Hughes @ldobsonhughes.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
Me this week noting the gender balance of these crowds It’s always odd to me that so many men spend their professional lives in spaces that are 90% male and it feels normal and un-noteworthy to them
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The Narwhal @thenarwhal.ca · 11/09/2026
This week, we published two huge investigations, both possible because people trusted us to handle sensitive information with care. When we use confidential sources or report on leaked documents, we take the responsibility seriously. Here’s what that looks like: thenarwhal.ca/trust-us-wit...
thenarwhal.ca
How – and why — to share confidential tips with Narwhal journalists
AI data centres, pipelines, trade wars: our reporters dig deeper than headlines — because sources trust us to pursue investigations the public has the right to know about. Here’s why you can keep leaking information to us, securely
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Denise Balkissoon @balkissoon.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
You know who cares about Lake Ontario - and Huron, Michigan*, Erie and Superior - every day? Us guys at @thenarwhal.ca. Support non-profit environmental journalism in Canada! Some of it about the great Great Lakes! Get a cool tote! Today! give.thenarwhal.ca/member/?camp... (*save her, she's trapped)
A promo asking you to become a member of The Narwhal, join today to get the royal blue tote pictured here that says "Lake Ontario"
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The Narwhal @thenarwhal.ca · 12/09/2026
A leaked document obtained by @drewanderson.bsky.social has led to political backlash in Alberta over moves the doc says could raise electricity and gas prices. It's all to spur data centre and oil & gas growth. Read more, and see excerpts from the document, here: thenarwhal.ca/alberta-oppo...
thenarwhal.ca
Alberta’s alleged push for more AI data centres, oil and gas, sparks outrage | The Narwhal
‘For her foreign billionaire friends’: Opposition leader accuses Danielle Smith of possibly raising energy bills for AI data centres. Here’s a peek at the leaked doc he’s talking about
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The Narwhal @thenarwhal.ca · 11/09/2026
The Narwhal is hiring! We're looking for our first-ever director of philanthropy to lead our revenue strategy and fundraising operations. And we're seeking a development coordinator to support the day-to-day operations of our membership program. More details on both positions in the thread ⤵️
thenarwhal.ca
Work with us | The Narwhal
Jobs, hiring updates, fellowships, freelancing opportunities and opinion submission guidelines for our environment and energy coverage.
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The Narwhal @thenarwhal.ca · 11/09/2026
This week, @thenarwhal.ca published two stories using information from sources we aren’t naming publicly. It’s not a decision we made lightly. We only keep names confidential when we believe the information is in the public interest. And we really believe that about these stories. Post continues⤵️
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Denise Balkissoon @balkissoon.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
And our shiny new Manitoba reporter @evawasney.bsky.social breaks down the province's above-average tornado year: 15 have touched down so far, in part because of high humidity. thenarwhal.ca/manitoba-tor...
thenarwhal.ca
Manitoba inches closer to a record year for tornadoes
It’s still unknown how climate change will impact tornadoes across Canada, but this year has seen more than the average. Here’s what you need to know
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Denise Balkissoon @balkissoon.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
Big morning for big Prairies stories in our little newsroom! Banger scoop from @drewanderson.bsky.social: a leaked govt doc indicates Alberta is considering taking over its natural gas system from private companies to woo data centres and increase oil & gas production. thenarwhal.ca/alberta-ai-d...
thenarwhal.ca
Leaked doc suggests Alberta has sprawling plans to pave the way for AI data centres, more oil production
Rewriting laws, creating Crown corporations that could rival TC Energy, building new natural gas pipelines and increasing prices for consumers: what a leaked document says about Alberta’s AI data centre and oil push
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