iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Payment processors connect merchants, banks, and credit card companies, moving around information about who we are, what we buy, and where we go. “That’s deeply personal information that we wouldn’t want to see going into the wrong hands,” says Douglas Sarro. thewalrus.ca/selling-moneris

On the left: Photo of a person tapping a credit card on a card reader. On the right: text that reads “What does the sale of Moneris mean for data sovereignty? Moneris manages one in three Canadian payments. US private equity is buying it.”

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Genetic mutations like BRCA account for just 5 to 10 percent of breast cancer diagnoses. Family history, reproductive health, and breast tissue density play huge roles—but many women remain completely unaware. thewalrus.ca/breast-cancer-high-risk

On the left: Image of a person wearing a pink hospital gown and sitting on an exam bed. The rest of the image is in black and white. On the right: text that reads “What is your risk factor for breast cancer? It took years to learn just how vulnerable I was.”

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Why is a radar map the last piece of common ground in Canadian media? Writer Tom Jokinen goes beyond the forecast to see what's really driving the crisis of trust in Canadian news. thewalrus.ca/why-canadians-trust-th…

On the left: Image of a gradient weather map imposed over the logos and titles of various journalistic media outlets. On the right: text that reads “Why Canadians trust the Weather Network more than the CBC. Its success complicates everything we think we know about objectivity.”

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The Walrus @thewalrus.ca · 02/10/2026

At twenty-one, writer Zalika Reid-Benta moved to New York City and avoided the subway for six months. Instead, she walked…everywhere. Sometimes, it was fifty blocks. Usually, it was far more. What started as a necessity soon became something more complex. thewalrus.ca/new-york-walking

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At Club Pays, Montreal’s pro-sovereignty cafe-bar, independence looks less like political meetings and more like a night out: cropped tees, sovereignty merch, and a dance floor of twentysomethings. For this new generation, the movement has become a social scene. ow.ly/yRHY50ZTNIM

On the left: Photo of two young people, a boy and girl, sitting on a red sofa surrounded by Quebec sovereignty propaganda. On the right: text that reads “Quebec sovereigntists are back. This time they’re all young. The new separatists were barely born the last time the province came close to leaving Canada.”

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The Walrus @thewalrus.ca · 02/10/2026

One in three Canadian payments run through Moneris. Now, RBC and BMO have sold the company to an American private equity firm. What does it mean for our data to be running through an American entity amid a trade war? thewalrus.ca/selling-moneris

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The Walrus @thewalrus.ca · 02/10/2026

Joan Barfoot’s Gaining Ground vanished from print after it was published in 1978, but it never left the minds of its stubborn readers. For decades, it circulated by word-of-mouth. Now, it’s back in print—and with a new generation of devoted readers. thewalrus.ca/joan-barfoot-gaining-g…

On the left: Photo of an older woman with glasses and a short, grey, bob haircut. On the right: text that reads “Why is Joan Barfoot’s first novel catching fire fifty years later? The cult classic about a woman who deserts her family is more relevant than ever.”

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Back for a new season! The Canadian Time Machine podcast returns with more stories from Canada’s past, exploring the people, places, and moments that have shaped the country. Produced by The Walrus Lab with funding from the Government of Canada. Listen: lnkfi.re/canadian-tim...

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As a toddler, Denise Boucher was taken to St. Joseph’s residential school in Fort Resolution. When her grandparents tried to bring her home, the church refused. The last time her family saw her, nuns were dragging her inside as the door slammed. ow.ly/SiSo50ZSWKc

On the left: Photo of a small, white church building surrounded by grass against a cloudy blue sky. On the right: text that reads “She died in a residential school and was buried in secret. It took eighty-three years to bring Denise Boucher home.”

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From AI software predicting cancer odds on mammograms to cancer-detecting breath tests, technology has revolutionized how we evaluate risk. But experts agree that Canada’s one-size-fits-all approach to breast cancer is leaving high-risk people behind. thewalrus.ca/breast-cancer-high-risk

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A tornado is a tornado, but objectivity is a slippery concept. The Weather Network gets a pass because it mostly deals in raw facts. But even meteorologists mention climate change—which could explain the 12 percent of viewers who still don’t trust them. ow.ly/H0nV50ZSWMR

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AI detection softwares are increasingly at the centre of literary controversies. But relying on AI tools to detect AI use is an apparent tautology that raises serious questions about verifiability and false positives. ow.ly/cOy150ZSWM4

On the left: A photograph of author Thélyson Orélien reading from his novel. On the right: text that reads “Bestselling Novelist Dropped from Major Prize over Suspected AI Use. The Thélyson Orélien controversy raises new questions about whether detection software can be trusted.”

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From describing the border as a “sieve” for fentanyl and illegal immigrants to slamming Canada’s retaliatory tariffs, PSPP’s rightward pivot echoes American-style populism. What happened to the man who identified as a “progressive and democrat” just ten years ago? ow.ly/5n6750ZSWL8

On the left: Black and white images of politician Paul St-Pierre Plamondon crowded around each other on a red background. On the right: text that reads “How Paul St-Pierre Plamondon learned to stop worrying and blame immigrants. The Parti Québécois leader built his comeback on the bigotry he once condemned.”

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Many New Brunswick businesses are feeling the tariffs. But with Maine so reliant on the New Brunswick market—and so dependent on its power—the province could inflict major damage on the neighbouring state’s economy. ow.ly/t0gh50ZSWKE

On the left: Closeup photo of US Republican politician Susan Collins, an older woman with brown hair and glasses, staring sternly off-camera. On the right: text that reads “The province holds economic leverage over Republican senator Susan Collins’s re-election fight. The province holds economic leverage over Republican senator Susan Collins’s re-election fight.”

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Denise Boucher was one of the many children in Canada’s residential school system who did not live to see adulthood. Pat Kane‬ tells the story of her family’s eight-decade-long search to find her remains and bring them home: ow.ly/aztx50ZSWK1

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The Walrus @thewalrus.ca · 29/09/2026

Where does Canada actually stand on truth and reconciliation? Former special interlocutor Kimberly Murray speaks with Sean Carleton and Niigaan Sinclair about government funding shifts, systemic delays, and the rising tide of denialism: ow.ly/Pzby50ZSWJk

On the left: Photo of the National Arts Centre in Ottawa, Ontario, displaying an orange overlay which reads Every Child Matters. On the right: text that reads “Under Carney, Canada is cooling on reconciliation. Three experts on the need to keep challenging denialism.”

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The Walrus @thewalrus.ca · 29/09/2026

The buffalo’s long decline mirrors a global shift: wild animals make up just 4 percent of mammalian life on Earth today, the rest made up by humans (36 percent) and domestic livestock (60 percent). thewalrus.ca/wild-buffalo-make-a-co…

On the left: Black and white photo of a buffalo that is turned toward the camera. On the right: text that reads “Wild Buffalo make a comeback on the Canadian plains. Herds are returning to lands they haven’t roamed in generations.”

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The Walrus @thewalrus.ca · 29/09/2026

For decades, the border between New Brunswick and Maine was so fluid that drivers left handwritten travel plans at unmanned booths. Now, trade friction has upended the neighbourly relationship. Writer Trevor Corkum investigates the fallout: ow.ly/Bohu50ZSvgb

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The near-total eradication of millions of buffalo wasn’t accidental. As early conservationist William Temple Hornaday noted in 1889, the annihilation was part of a federal strategy to force Indigenous nations onto reservations. thewalrus.ca/wild-buffalo-make-a-co…

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Recent polling shows only 18 percent of Albertans support actual separation. So why is Premier Danielle Smith putting the province’s future in Confederation on the ballot? Writer Patrick Lennox investigates: thewalrus.ca/alberta-separatism-is-…

On the left: a photograph of Alberta’s flag, which features the provincial shield of arms, waving in front of the Alberta Legislature building in Edmonton. On the right: text that reads “Danielle Smith has turned western grievance into a national unity crisis.”

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Parti Québécois leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon once pledged to be the antidote to the PQ’s xenophobia. Today, writes Martin Patriquian, he’s an “ideologically rudderless ambitionist” leading a hardline nationalist movement. ow.ly/hW1E50ZS5W8

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The Walrus @thewalrus.ca · 26/09/2026

Newsrooms are shrinking, AI slop is taking over, and disinformation is rampant. This is why journalism that you can trust matters. On #WorldNewsDay, support independent, fact-checked Canadian journalism like The Walrus. thewalrus.ca/journalismmatters #ChooseTrustedJournalism #YourRightToKnow

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Michael Hart, a former senior foreign affairs official, once said that “Canadians have made a cult” out of wanting to be “anything but what we are, a nation of the Americas.” But European ties have shaped Canada’s place in the world for centuries. ow.ly/JirL50ZRRa8

On the left: Photo of Prime Minister Mark Carney standing before a screen showing the EU flag and concentric rings of light. On the right: text that reads “Bullied by the US, Canada has a history of reaching out to Europe. The strategy hasn’t always paid off. Will it for Carney?”

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The Walrus @thewalrus.ca · 26/09/2026

Over the ten years, Premier Smith claims Alberta faced a hostile federal government, oil and gas production doubled, and Ottawa poured tens of billions into energy infrastructure. The tolerance of her big lie is almost as remarkable as the lie itself. ow.ly/Fl7950ZRRaq

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The Walrus @thewalrus.ca · 26/09/2026

Before European settlement, buffalo migrations blotted out horizons and raised clouds of dust like weather systems. Today, they’re mostly confined to zoos and small enclosures. Writer Neil Griffin explores the eradication of the North American buffalo: ow.ly/wHlz50ZRR9G

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A room of cheering investors feels like Dragon’s Den, but handshakes do not put shovels in the dirt. For Gregory Jack of Ipsos Canada, Canada’s economic legacy rests in the trenches of patient consultation, public trust, and the slow grind of building. ow.ly/ZB0A50ZRjEO

On the left: a photo of Prime Minister Mark Carney in front of a brown wall filled with logos as part of the Canada Investment Summit. On the right: text that reads: “Carney’s splashy Investment Summit is over. Now he has to deliver. What matters is what actually gets built.”

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Americans tend to see Canada as Samuel Johnson did in 1756: “a cold uncomfortable uninviting region, from which nothing but furs and fish were to be had, and where the new inhabitants could only pass a laborious and necessitous life.” thewalrus.ca/what-americans-get-wro…

On the left: a photograph of a person’s hand holding up a film photo of US president Donald Trump. On the right: text that reads “What Americans get wrong about Canada. Our closest neighbour has never really understood us.”

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Who’s actually behind the push for an Alberta separation referendum? Between political operatives, leaked voter registries, and international players, the battle lines are expanding fast. Here’s our breakdown of who’s who: thewalrus.ca/alberta-referendum-who…

On the left: side-by-side photos of Alberta premier Danielle Smith and Republican Party of Alberta leader Cameron Davies with a monochrome blue filter. On the right: text that reads “Alberta referendum who’s who: The major players and how they’re connected. Keeping track of those angling for separation—and the groups pushing back.”

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The fundamental systems and supports that keep communities connected are facing a critical inflection point. Join us for The Walrus Talks Community Reborn, presented by BMO in partnership with Imagine Canada ow.ly/k1aq50ZRuux ow.ly/k1aq50ZRuux

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Seniors account for roughly 28% of all money stolen through scams in Canada — over $644 million annually. In an age of highly-sophisticated scamming, how do we keep our loved ones safe? thewalrus.ca/grandparent-scam

On the left: an illustration of a masked figure looming over a man at an ATM, manipulating him like a marionette with strings attached to his hands and the machine. On the right: text that reads “Scammers pretending to be grandchildren are robbing the elderly. A made-up family emergency. A desperate call. And a fraud designed to make you believe every word.”

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Thanks to everyone who joined us for The Walrus Talks The Billionaire Problem, including our dynamic speakers: Jared A. Walker, Rachel Wasserman, Emma Davis, David Moscrop, Jenny Zhang, and Riley Yesno. Join us and be a part of The Walrus Talks at thewalrus.ca/events.

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“Atlantic nation,” “Pacific nation,” “Arctic nation”—Ottawa has long used these labels to signal its foreign policy ambitions and reduce Canada’s dependence on the US. What do they mean today amid fractured US trade relations? ow.ly/4mMF50ZRjxf

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Looking for your next favourite read? The Walrus staff have rounded up the top ten books of fall to help you find it: thewalrus.ca/best-books-2026

On the left: an illustration of a woman with brown hair and glasses trying to hold an armful of books. Most of the books are spilling down around her. On the right: text that “The best books of fall 2026. Ten titles you’ll need to get your hands on”

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“This hallucinatory string of Heritage Minutes has real but limited appeal,” writes Adam Nayman of Matthew Rankin’s latest biopic. “It’s a comedy that only a wonk could love [...] but there’s a little wonk in all of us these days.” thewalrus.ca/brian-mulroney-biopic

On the left: an image of a man dressed in an elaborate stage costume in front of the name Mulroney written in red and blue text. On the right: text that reads “The Brian Mulroney biopic is a hallucinatory string of Heritage Minutes. A new TIFF documentary turns the lens on the Canadian cult of personality”

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Caregiving, navigating careers and financial pressures, maintaining friendships, and adapting to changing identities. Learn about how to maintain and sustain connections during midlife at Belonging Forum presents The Walrus Talks at Home: Midlife and Belonging. ow.ly/F6et50ZQOS9

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The rupture with the U.S. is a serious crisis. Can it also be an opportunity for Canada? Find out at McGill University and Max Bell School of Public Policy present The Walrus Talks at Home: Canada After America. twth-canada-after-america.eventbrit…

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Mark Carney’s Investment Summit brought over 100 investors and trillions in capital to Toronto. But, as writer Gregory Jack argues, the summit was the easy part. The real test? Whether Ottawa can actually break ground on 160 proposed projects. thewalrus.ca/carneys-investment-sum…

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At MacEwan University presents The Walrus Talks North of Now, seven community leaders, researchers, policy makers, and industry professionals explore bold, northern-led visions for economic growth, sustainability, and reconciliation. Join us. thewalrus.ca/the-walrus-talks-north…

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From Mar-a-Lago visits and $500 billion credit requests to Russian disinformation and legal challenges by First Nations, Alberta’s independence debate is drawing unexpected allies and outside eyes. Here’s your guide on who’s steering the movement: thewalrus.ca/alberta-referendum-who…

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Grandparent scams are escalating across Canada, weaponizing family trust to extort seniors. But while young “money mules” face court, the criminal rings running the operations remain hidden in the dark, exploiting vulnerability at every level. thewalrus.ca/grandparent-scam

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We’re heading to Word on the Street Toronto. 📚 Stop by The Walrus booth to say hello, meet the team, and take advantage of a great subscription offer available at the festival. We’d love to see you there.

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For years, Pierre Poilievre made his brand as the ultimate counterweight to Justin Trudeau. But in a political landscape redrawn by Mark Carney’s handling of US trade disputes, his strategy is losing steam. Can he still reinvent himself? thewalrus.ca/pierre-poilievres-grea…

On the left: a black and white image of Pierre Poilievre surrounded by two triangles. The triangle in the bottom left corner is red and features Mark Carney. The one in the top right corner is blue and depicts Donald Trump. On the right: text that reads “Pierre Poilievre’s great unravelling. He looked destined to become prime minister. Now he’s struggling to find his place in Carney’s Canada”

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When the present and the future seem bleak, populist leaders tend to invoke the glow of an ill-defined past. Author Paul Howe traces how populists channel personal discontents into their own political movements: thewalrus.ca/canadians-are-deeply-u…

On the left: a close-up image of a man wearing sunglasses, a dark face mask, and a red cap that reads Make Canada Great Again. On the right: text that reads “Canadians are becoming unhappier. Why it’s a sign of trouble. People dissatisfied with their lives are all too ready to believe everything is broken”

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150 years ago, First Nations leaders and the Crown negotiated Treaty 6. This episode of Canadian Time Machine explores what was promised, what was left unwritten, and how the treaty’s legacy continues to shape communities and lives today. 🎧 Listen: lnkfi.re/canadian-tim...

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Join us at Belonging Forum presents The Walrus Talks at Home: Midlife and Belonging to learn how we can strengthen social bonds and critical supports during the difficult — and often overlooked — midlife stage. thewalrustalks-midlife.eventbrite.c…

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