The Sunday Magazine for March 23, 2025
This week on The Sunday Magazine with Piya Chattopadhyay:
What's at stake for Canada as a federal election gets underway
A federal election is set to be called on Sunday, sending Canadians to the polls against a backdrop of heightened tensions with the United States and ongoing concerns about the cost of living. The Economist's Rob Russo, Le Devoir's Emilie Nicolas and The Hub's Sean Speer join Chattopadhyay to set up the stakes of the race, and break down what major party leaders need to do to earn your vote.
Defending human rights is a 'relentless struggle,' says former HRW head
For nearly half a century, Human Rights Watch has shone a light on abuses, trying to hold perpetrators accountable. And for nearly three of those decades, Kenneth Roth was its executive director. He joins Chattopadhyay to reflect on the victories, setbacks and realities of defending human rights today, as explored in his memoir Righting Wrongs.
How tariff tension is creating uncertainty for border communities
The ongoing trade war between the United States and Canada is sure to be a key focus in the federal election. And some of the communities uniquely affected by the tariff tit-for-tat are along Canada's nearly 9,000 kilometre-long border with our closest trading partner. The Sunday Magazine's Levi Garber takes us to the border between Fort Erie, Ont. and Buffalo, N.Y. to hear how area business owners, citizens and local politicians are contending with the uncertainty that tariffs have wrought.
The New Yorker cartoonist Barry Blitt reflects on the art of finding a laugh
In cartooning and in life, Barry Blitt is looking for a laugh. For more than 30 years, the Canadian-American, Pulitzer Prize-winning artist's illustrations have donned the covers and pages of The New Yorker. As the magazine marks its 100th anniversary, he joins Chattopadhyay to talk about the challenges of political cartooning in a polarized political climate, and what it takes to find humour in the humourless.
From beavers to poutine – what Canada's symbols say about us
It's been 50 years since Parliament declared the beaver an official symbol of Canada, taking its place among other national markers – both formal and not – like the maple leaf, hockey and poutine. But what do our symbols say about us? And how well do they represent a country as large and diverse as ours? The Sunday Magazine's Brianna Gosse explores those questions with folks on the streets of Toronto and Canadian historians Michael Dawson and Colin Coates.