Edmonton Ho-Ho!

Despite there being only 7 shopping days until Christmas, combined with c-c-c-cold weather, over 60 people came out for the screening at the Edmonton Public Library. Many thanks to EPL, Gord Laxer and The Parkland Institute for sponsoring the event! (That guy is holding up a DVD which you can order from this blog! Please see right side panel.)

I stayed at my friends' farm, 1 hour north of Edmonton, which proved to be a welcomed change-of-pace. Childhood pal, Joyanne (shown here bringing in firewood), her husband Lyle, son Nicolas, their 5 horses, 55 ewes, 2 rams, 34 lambs, 3 dogs, 4 barnyard cats and big white bunny brought me back to earth after a month on and off the train.

//On Track with Yoga //

One of the highlights of my train trip occured when a few of us gathered to chat in the 'social car' late one night on the Winnipeg - Edmonton leg. Suddenly - almost spontaneously - we were on our feet doing yoga. We used every bit of space available, including the tables, to stretch our travel-weary bodies. It was as though we needed to coax our Selves back into alignment, to let our bodies and spirits sing, while the train rocked us along its track.

Goodbye Winnipeg.....

I almost missed my train but it could've been worse! A woman from Capreol, a few stops before Winnipeg, lept at her departing train and clung to the side (glove-less) for 12 miles until someone spotted her. Luckily, she was unharmed and is now writing the Prairie sequel to "Indiana Jones".

Dining Car Diners:
-Rachel, a UBC Sociology masters student writing a thesis about the connection between universities and the politicization of students;
-Todd, a 4th year Architecture student from U of M;
-Zolan, a Toronto-based Yugoslavian, who bought our table 2 bottles of wine!

Toasting Winnipeg at -45!

I touched down in Winnipeg just as the Xmas party scene was taking off. By the time the screening rolled around at the Winnipeg Film Group's Cinematheque - 61 hours later - I'd been to 7 parties, a 'personal best'.

WFG Director of Programming, Dave Barber (above with a Guy Maddin set piece designed by local Production Designer, Ricardo Alms) was my very supportive host.

Dave and I agreed the Cinematheque audience was like a good film; when they piped up, during the Q+A, they were surprisingly unpredictable. One guy took a plunge and suggested Canada should provide free water to the U.S. (Talk about freedom of speech, eh!) Thanks to local activist and Council of Canadians rep, Michael Welch, who helped field questions.

A Well-Timed Berth

A 'late train credit' allowed for an affordable upgrade on the Toronto-Winnipeg leg of the tour. I will never again take horizontal sleeping for granted. I'm sure the extra rest helped to keep a bug at bay, not to mention the chiropractor!

A stop in Hornepayne, Ontario provided a taste of full-on Canadian winter with a brief romp in the sun and the snow and the -20 degrees, a kind of training for Winnipeg. Bring it on, I say!

Halifax!

Potluck dinner guests gather in the communal kitchen at the famous Brunswick Street Co-op House. An informal post-dinner screening of "The U.S. and Us", to Haligonian pals, was the perfect complement to a previous screening at Saint Mary's University Art Gallery attended by students, political activists and artists.

This stop in Halifax was very important to me due to my history as a student at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design and a stint as Managing Director of Centre for Art Tapes in the 80s. The years spent in this community were extremely formative, both personally and politically.

After a wonderful visit, I was back on the train for a 30 hour trip to Toronto where I'll touch down before heading on to Winnipeg and a screening at Winnipeg Film Group's Cinematheque on Saturday, December 13th at 2 pm.

Charlottetown

Post-UPEI screening with Marian White (CUSO-VSO) and Leo Broderick (Council of Canadians). The screening was sponsored by a number of organizations including: UPEI WUSC (Leo Cheverie), CUSO-VSO, CUPE Global Justice Committee (PEI), CUPE Local 1870, Council of Canadians and Island Media Arts Coop. The community spirit in Charlottetown - our seat of confederation - is quite amazing!