Fact-based journalism that sparks the Canadian conversation
As The Walrus marked its twentieth year of publishing in 2023, we didn’t just reminisce about the past. Instead, we took a look at the present, and the moment we’re in, with a defining statement: Who We Are Now. The answer, in many ways, feels more complicated than it did two decades ago: the media landscape has drastically shifted, and generative AI has ushered in a new era of innovation and uncertainty. Despite these challenges, this year showed us just how capable we are of adapting to new realities. Who We Are Now represents not only an organization able to better inform and inspire Canadians through our stories and events but also one that’s well positioned to keep doing so for the next twenty years.
That central question—and answer—guided all of our work this year, including the creation of a special “Who We Are Now” June issue, which delved into the stories that define us, and a 20th anniversary archival issue in November, which looked back on our reporting and investigations that still resonate today.
Of course, we also continued to cover the ideas and issues that matter most to Canadians, and many of those stories put us at the forefront of national discourse. 2023 was one of our biggest years of media coverage, with a 20 percent increase in radio, TV, and online mentions from the previous year. We were consistently featured on CTV’s The Social, Newstalk 1010, The Big Story, and National Newswatch, and our stories also appeared on radio stations from coast to coast, including Vancouver’s CKNW 980, CTV Morning Live Ottawa, and CBC St. John’s. We published stories that brought about real change.
As we reflect on the milestones and moments that defined 2023, we extend our gratitude to our donors, partners, and sponsors for their generous support. Without you, none of this would be possible. We thank you all for another incredible year.
Top five countries reading The Walrus:
Canada, United States, United Kingdom, India, Australia
I knew I was in the right place when I got the emails. Zealous readers, thankful writers, and even disgruntled critics, flustered that their power had been challenged. All their notes spelled out a clear message: the work we do means something to people.
Emma Buchanan, Cannonbury Fellow, 2022/23
Canada’s media landscape is constantly changing, and 2023 was no different. With artificial intelligence emerging as a dominant topic of discussion, many organizations also grappled with the rise of AI-generated misinformation—making The Walrus’s commitment to fact-based journalism even more important. We delved into the implications of this burgeoning technology, offering insights on both its potential and ethical hang-ups.
In June, the Canadian government passed the Online News Act, or Bill C-18. The bill was meant to make tech giants—like Google and Meta—pay to distribute links from Canadian media organizations, but instead Facebook and Instagram blocked national news from appearing on their platforms. Despite this new challenge, The Walrus continued to publish stories that had a far-reaching impact. Our March/April cover story investigated a string of sexual abuse and misconduct allegations against the evangelical pastor of a popular megachurch in Oakville, Ontario. A few days after our piece was published, the church held a rare public meeting to address many of the accusations uncovered by reporter Rachel Browne. For the story, she was subsequently awarded the 2024 Wilbur Award by the US Religion Communicators Council for best magazine article.
For the first time ever, one of our stories, about Canada’s first Inuk governor general, Mary Simon, was published in both Inuktitut and English. In contrast to the widely entrenched notions of English–French bilingualism in Canada, the profile underscored our country’s linguistic diversity.
We were also able to respond quickly to national and global events,in part, thanks to our new contributing writers: award-winning journalist Michelle Cyca, in Vancouver, and former digital editor at The Walrus Tajja Isen, based in New York City. Their regular commentary and insights into the most pressing topics of the day were widely read and helped boost our online presence.
Then, in November, we published evidence suggesting that Ferdinand Eckhardt, a celebrated former director of the Winnipeg Art Gallery, had been a Nazi supporter. A few months later, following their own independent investigation, WAG-Qaumajuq started removing Eckhardt’s name from its main entrance hall, website, and all other gallery materials. Manitoba’s premier, Wab Kinew, also revoked the Order of the Buffalo Hunt Eckhardt had received in 1982 for his “outstanding service in the field of the arts.”
The 20th anniversary issue is terrific—in particular, three long features that I thought were all excellent. And some very good shorter material too, including a crisply written editor’s column. In short, if you keep up this standard, I’ll be downright eager to read every issue!
Mark Abley, Quebec
The worst effects of the pandemic finally began to taper in 2023, but many of the challenges that exist within our global and national health care systems remained. In “The Vaccine Problem,” Sharon Nadeem explored how countries should prepare for future pandemics, highlighting the need for a better production and procurement process around the globe.
Then, in September, Renée Pellerin asked whether we’re losing the war on cancer. Her story looked at the long history of the quest for a cure and found that we’re no closer to achieving it than we were half a century ago. “We’ve made progress. Yet cancer remains the leading cause of death,” she wrote.
Health was also a big theme for The Walrus events. Four of our leadership dinners—which bring together Canadian business, media, academic, policy, and political leaders for off-the-record, moderated roundtable conversations—focused on topics related to health, including the future of youth mental health, health reconciliation, and the state of cancer in Canada. In April, The Walrus Talks at Home: Indigenous Health asked what it would take to fix health disparities among Indigenous people in Canada. Marcia Anderson, the Vice-Dean of Indigenous Health at the University of Manitoba, and Melanie MacKinnon, of the Ongomiizwin Indigenous Institute of Health and Healing, were among the speakers to offer solutions.
While I can’t live without my New Yorker magazine and other subscriptions, I find myself far more engaged on a personal level with The Walrus. It holds up a mirror to me and what I most want to read.
Darlene Madott, Toronto
Last year, as the world continued to grapple with climate change, economic disparities, and geopolitical tensions, the spotlight was fixed on political leaders. In early March, Ira Wells scrutinized Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s reaction, in “China’s Election Meddling: Canadians Deserve a Serious Response.” Then, two months later, writer Stephen Maher came up with a list of tangible ways to prevent election interference. The Big Story invited Maher to the podcast to discuss the solutions presented in his article.
For every political setback in 2023, there were also efforts toward positive change. In “Mary Simon Is Leading Indigenous Peoples to New Heights,” Julian Brave NoiseCat highlighted the life and achievements of Canada’s first Inuk governor general. Simon had written for us back in 2007 about sovereignty in the North, and we republished the story in our 20th anniversary issue in November 2023. The Walrus published the story in both English and Inuktitut—a first for us.
In March 2023, The Walrus hosted its Trust in Democracy leadership forum following the release of the 2023 CanTrust Index, which asked Canadians to rank the trust levels of government leaders, corporations, services, and institutions. The speakers—who included the Honourable Catherine McKenna, former minister of environment and climate change, and the Honourable James Moore, former minister of industry—discussed what the results of the report mean for the future of democracy.
Covering the climate crisis continued to be a priority for The Walrus in 2023. Our stories and events offered lessons to be learned from recent catastrophes as well as slivers of hope for the future. In “Stop Calling Each New Disaster ‘The New Normal,’” Arno Kopecky dissected the problematic ways media and commentators talk about weather-related events. His story caught the attention of National Newswatch, Newstalk 1010, and Politico.
Then, in “Ten Years after Disaster, Lac-Mégantic Is a Model for a Greener Future,” Caitlin Stall-Paquet reflected on 2013’s rail explosion. In rebuilding the community, urban planners, engineers, and architects were able to turn the tragedy into an opportunity that could serve as a sustainability blueprint for other cities around the world. This story was our top TikTok video in 2023, with 93,000+ views.
The Walrus also shaped the climate conversation in 2023 with The Walrus Talks. In April, The Walrus Talks a New City presented by Concordia University brought audiences ways to make urban living more sustainable. Then, in May, The Walrus Talks It’s Happening Now asked how we can plan for a better future amid a warming world. November’s The Walrus Talks at Home: The Health and Climate Crisis, put on in partnership with the Canadian Medical Association, Canadian Nurses Association, and Canadian Association of Public Health, was moderated by Globe and Mail health journalist André Picard. Also in November, alongside the German Embassy and Consulates in Canada, The Walrus hosted Climate Talks: Protecting Biodiversity from the Impacts of Climate Change.
With generative AI’s recent surge in popularity, few topics were as relevant in 2023 as technology. While some were excited about its transformative possibilities, The Walrus closely examined AI’s implications for industries ranging from education to entertainment. In “Will ChatGPT Kill the Student Essay? Universities Aren’t Ready for the Answer,” Irina Dumitrescu defended the importance of writing, arguing that educators need to do more to save the humble essay. And in “Margaret Atwood Reviews a ‘Margaret Atwood’ Story by AI,” the esteemed Canadian author assured fellow writers that chatbots are unlikely to replace them anytime soon.
Some AI enthusiasts were optimistic about the technology’s potential to usher in new economic models, like universal basic income. But in “Will Universal Basic Income Save Us from AI?,” Colin Horgan was quick to point out its flaws. “We don’t need to sit by as AI overwhelms our professional or personal lives, hoping that a UBI scheme, offered as some kind of consolation, saves the day,” he wrote. Several of our AI stories—including those by Dumitrescu, Atwood, and Horgan—were referenced in newsletters, radio interviews, and podcasts, such as LitHub Daily, The Big Story, Newstalk 1010, and Politico Ottawa Playbook.
There were plenty of new developments in the business world too—some for the better and others for the worse. “Why Hudson’s Bay Company’s Future Is in Question,” by Don Gillmor, looked into the rise and fall of Canada’s oldest company. And as Sebastian Leck points out in “Lululemon Tried to Become a Tech Company. It Didn’t Work Out,” sometimes corporate innovation goes too far.
Several of The Walrus Talks explored the challenges and opportunities presented by technology. In June, The Walrus Talks Digital Skills, presented by Deloitte, asked how we can create digital equity. The speakers discussed ways to equip people with the knowledge required in our digitized world. That same month, seven experts from different industries—including media, arts, and medicine—came together to discuss the rapidly changing world of AI, at The Walrus Talks Artificial Intelligence, presented by Google.
The Walrus has always been committed to amplifying a diversity of voices—including those of youth in Canada—and 2023 was no different. Young people have a lot to contribute when it comes to conversations about social issues and the impacts of climate change, yet there are few opportunities for them to share their perspectives in mainstream Canadian media.
To help change this, The Walrus was pleased to renew its partnership with The Rossy Foundation. Following the success of 2022’s “Teen Walrus” series, we launched a six-episode podcast called Youth for Youth, featuring teenage hosts who dive into the biggest issues facing young people today. The podcast has been renewed for a second season, with the premiere scheduled for fall 2024.
Youth were also at the centre of some of 2023’s events. In April, The Walrus hosted a leadership dinner in Ottawa on the future of youth mental health, moderated by Globe and Mail columnist André Picard. And in December, The Walrus Talks at Home: Media Right Now featured four young leaders.
Some of The Walrus’s biggest stories in 2023 probed into the questions that shape our society as well as the systems designed to uphold it. In March, contributing writer Michelle Cyca looked into the growing trend of people claiming Indigenous ancestry. Cyca was invited on Newstalk 1010, The Big Story podcast, and the Independent’s Berry Grounds podcast to discuss her story. Rachel Browne’s story “The Meeting House: Inside a Megachurch Scandal,” also garnered a lot of media attention. She was featured on Newstalk 1010 and on The Big Story.
While Canada is considered to be progressive when it comes to LGBTQ2S+ rights—especially compared to places like the US, where a record number of anti-LGBTQ bills were introduced in 2023—Kai Cheng Thom showed us that there’s still work to be done. In “Kids Deserve a New Gender Paradigm,” she explored the lack of access to gender-affirming care for trans children in Canada. In June, Megan Gillmore took a more critical look at medical assistance in dying (MAID) by asking “Have Assisted Dying Laws Gone Too Far?”
A number of The Walrus Talks examined other big societal questions. In January, The Walrus Talks at Home: Inequality asked why the rich keep getting richer while vulnerable populations worry about the rising cost of living. In March, The Walrus Talks Economic Reconciliation discussed ways that the private sector and government can better support Indigenous communities in Canada. In October, The Walrus Talks Equitable Housing, in Vancouver, explored solutions for Canada’s housing shortage. Later in the year, journalists, drag queens, and non-profit leaders looked into the issue of gender-based violence in Canada, in partnership with Canadian Women’s Foundation.
I moved to Canada in May 2022. Most of what I know of Canada, I’ve learnt from The Walrus, an organization which, to me, also reflects the best of this country. In many ways, The Walrus made my new Canadian life possible—and keeps it possible day after day
Siddhesh Inamdar, copy editor at The Walrus
From music icons to blockbuster films to art scandals, The Walrus spotlighted a myriad of influences shaping cultural discourse both at home and abroad. In “I’m Not Here to Make Friends, Eh: Big Brother Canada Turned Backstabbing into Art,” The Walrus associate editor KC Hoard explained why the show could “play in the reality TV big leagues” when so many other Canadian spinoffs have failed. Hoard was invited on CBC Radio’s Commotion with Elamin Abdelmahmoud to discuss his story in March.
The world couldn’t stop talking about Taylor Swift in 2023, but in “Do We Really Need a Taylor Swift Reporter?,” contributing writer Tajja Isen asked whether our obsession has gone too far. Her story was a response to major US media outlets hiring beat reporters to write exclusively about Swift and other big stars like Beyoncé.
Our most impactful arts and culture story of the year was Conrad Sweatman’s criticism of Ferdinand Eckhardt, the celebrated former director of the Winnipeg Art Gallery (now WAG-Qaumajuq). Sweatman’s story was prominently featured in other Canadian media outlets, including CTV News, the Winnipeg Free Press, and the CBC. A few months later, following their own independent investigation, WAG-Qaumajuq started removing Eckhardt’s name from their main entrance hall, website, and all other gallery materials.
Eckhardt was the 1982 recipient of the Order of the Buffalo Hunt for his “outstanding service” in the field of the arts, but in January 2024, the province’s premier, Wab Kinew, revoked this honour. “He has no place being honoured in the public sphere here in Manitoba,” he said.
The University of Manitoba and University of Winnipeg, which both have faculties named after Eckhardt, are also conducting their own independent reviews.
The Walrus continued its tradition of showcasing Canada’s vibrant literary talent. We published fiction and poetry from both emerging writers and celebrated voices, including Governor General’s Award–winning poet Julie Bruck and 2022 Giller Prize nominee Fawn Parker, whose short story about the complexities of motherhood, marriage, and self-identity was featured in our annual Summer Reading Issue.
Nazneen Sheikh’s “The Photograph, 1889,” published in February, was about a mysterious photo discovered under a dying man’s pillow that became the subject of fascination and speculation within a family for generations. “Jude the Brave,” by Claire Cameron, meanwhile, told the story of a father’s experience of grief following the loss of his son to cancer.
The poems we published over the year touched on a wide range of themes, including Bertrand Bickersteth’s “Woody Strode, Black Cowboy,” about the erasure of Black experiences and contributions to Canadian history, and Julie Mannell’s “A Love Poem for Steven Page,” about memory and longing.
Alongside our long-standing fellowships with the Chawkers Foundation, Power Corporation of Canada, TD Bank Group, and CIBC, in 2023, we also introduced a new fellowship, the CRRF Fellowship for Emerging Indigenous, Black, and racialized Journalists and welcomed Indigenous journalist Colby Payne as its first recipient.
The Walrus’s educational influence goes beyond our fellows. We received several requests to reprint our stories in other publications, including Readers’ Digest Canada and The Cottage. In 2023, educational bodies, like the British Columbia ministry of education, the New York City department of education, and Public Consulting Group, and literacy program CommonLit also republished a number of stories for use in assessments and educational resources.
The Walrus was once again recognized by peers for our journalism. The year began with a gold award for Gabrielle Drolet, whose piece “In Defence of Garlic in a Jar: How Food Snobs Almost Ruined My Love of Cooking” won the Best Feel-Good Story award in the media category at the Canadian Online Publishing Awards. This was followed by Leyland Cecco winning the Mindset Award for Reporting on the Mental Health of Young People for his personal chronicle “How a Tourette’s Diagnosis Helped Me Understand Who I Am.”
On the biggest night of Canadian media awards, The Walrus took home three National Magazine Awards, including gold for poetry by Susan Musgrave and silver for Julien Posture’s illustrations in “What Tourette’s Taught Me” as well as for Eva Holland’s “Giant Mine’s Toxic Legacy,” which won for personal journalism. At the Digital Publishing Awards, celebrated on the same night, K.J. Aiello won gold in the personal essay category for “Who Gets to Be Mentally Ill?”
We were also finalists at the Webster Awards in the excellence in feature reporting category, for Amy Romer’s “‘The New Residential School System’: How a First Nation Rallied against the Foster Care System,” and Meagan Gillmore won the Katherine Schneider Journalism Award for excellence in disability reporting, at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University, for “Have Assisted Dying Laws Gone Too Far?”
To cap off a year of accolades, senior editor Harley Rustad’s best-selling book Lost in the Valley of Death: A Story of Obsession and Danger in the Himalayas won a Religion News Association Award and placed first in the non-fiction books category and was also the overall grand prix winner at the 2023 Poland Mountain Festival. The book is also set to be developed into a documentary by Blue Ant Media–owned Beach House.
I feel incredibly grateful to have spent a year learning and growing at The Walrus. Having the opportunity to talk through editorial decisions and collaborate with seasoned editors has been a deeply valuable experience, and I’m excited to further develop my editing skills after the fellowship.
Tobin Ng, Chawkers Fellow, 2022/23, now Associate Editor, Maisonneuve
In 2023, The Walrus events team continued to provide a platform for thought-provoking discussions and community engagement. Building on the success of previous years, The Walrus Talks included a dynamic mix of virtual and in-person events that reached over 11,000 households both nationally and internationally. The appetite for livestreamed events grew, with last year seeing an increase in online attendance.
2023 was also a year of new partnerships. In June, The Walrus Talks partnered with Google Canada to host an event on the ways that artificial intelligence could help solve some of society’s biggest problems and security challenges, and in November, we collaborated with the Canadian Women’s Foundation to put on The Walrus Talks Gender-Based Violence. These were two of our biggest Talks to date.
At home, The Walrus Talks covered topics including the rising cost of living, health equity among Indigenous people, the growing prevalence of climate-related illnesses, and the ways Canadian youth are disrupting the media.
The Walrus Leadership Dinners—by-invite, off-the record gatherings of Canadian leaders to discuss challenges and opportunities in various fields—returned stronger than ever in 2023. Alongside Brain Canada, powered by RBC Future Launch, we hosted an event on the future of youth mental health. The Walrus also partnered with Johnson & Johnson for two leadership dinners, one on health reconciliation, which was attended by Indigenous health leaders and federal representatives in the health sphere. Another leadership dinner was held, in partnership with Canadian Cancer Society, on the state of cancer in Canada today.
Participating in The Walrus Talks allowed me to share my thoughts and feelings about my gender identity in a way I never had before. It was such an empowering experience.
Tranna Wintour, former speaker at The Walrus Talks
The Walrus Lab serves as The Walrus’s client-services arm, helping brands tell their stories through custom content, including writing, podcasts, and awards.
2023 started with the launch of Canadian Time Machine, a podcast for Canadian heritage that looks at key historic anniversaries in national history. This was the first project that The Walrus Lab produced in both English and French. In 2023, The Walrus Lab also worked with Google to produce a new podcast called AI for Social Good and started production on another new series for McMaster University’s Future of Canada Project. Imagine 2080 premiered in early 2024.
Other podcasts created by The Walrus Lab were renewed for further seasons. For the Global Institute for Water Security’s What about Water?, now in its fourth season, we worked on a special summer series about the consequences of the Colorado River drying up. It featured documentary-style storytelling, with two of the episodes produced by a field team in the US.
2023 saw another successful Amazon Canada First Novel Award ceremony at the Globe and Mail Centre in Toronto. The annual award celebrates emerging Canadian novelists and young writers. This year’s $60,000 prize went to Jasmine Sealy for her debut novel, The Island of Forgetting, while seventeen-year-old Danica Popovic won $5,000 for her short story “Local Shopper.” Former winner Michelle Good—whose Governor General’s Literary Award–winning novel was optioned to be adapted into a television series in 2021—was chosen by the Youth Short Story category applicants to be the guest speaker.
The Walrus Lab also produced a number of special custom-content features. In March, we worked with the Rideau Hall Foundation on their Indigenous Teacher Education Initiative, which aims to solve the Indigenous teacher shortage. We also strengthened Buffalo Niagara Tourism’s campaign to draw attention to the revitalization of Buffalo’s downtown.
2023 was a year to celebrate. And we did so with three extraordinary special events that marked two decades of Canada’s conversation.
On May 8, 2023, over 320 people gathered for The Walrus Gala: Who We Are Now, held in the stunning Ricarda’s Atrium, in downtown Toronto. Guests enjoyed a reading by Ontario Poet Laureate Randell Adjei, an opening performance by Veronica Johnny, live music by The Walrus House Band, and a sumptuous meal by Ricarda’s executive chef Julien Laargue. Our 20th anniversary gala was an evening to remember, with over $550,000 raised to support The Walrus. We thank our 2023 Co-Chairs, Chethan Lakshman and Jaime Watt.
On September 20, 2023, retiring board member Elizabeth Gomery held a friendraiser in her beautiful Montreal home, bringing together over fifty supporters and new friends of The Walrus. Guests heard contributor Martin Patriquin speak about his November 2022 account of the racism experienced by Tamara Thermitus (who was also in attendance), former head of Quebec’s human rights commission, with an opener by Carmine Starnino, The Walrus interim editor-in-chief during 2023.
Our annual Optimistic Canadians celebration welcomed over fifty close friends and supporters of The Walrus, generously hosted by Ira Gluskin and Maxine Granovsky Gluskin in their beautiful garden. This social event is held every year to thank our donors and partners and bring them closer to the work of The Walrus.
To mark our 20th anniversary with some fun, guests were treated to a slice of “Is It Cake?” by April Julian, Toronto-based runner-up on the acclaimed Netflix show —yes, a larger-than-life tote bag complete with magazines, all good enough to eat!
As a registered charity with an educational mandate, the strength of The Walrus lies in its unique funding model. Our work is made possible through the philanthropic support of individuals, corporations, and foundations, as well as sponsorships, client relationships with The Walrus Lab, government funding, and charitable grants, and circulation and advertising revenue.
We thank the following individuals, foundations, and companies for their commitment to advancing Canada’s conversation in 2023 in our donor listing.
With thanks to all those who served on our Board of Directors in 2023:
With thanks to our National Advisory Council members for their friendship and expertise over 2023:
Siri Agrell, Ian Alexander, Zahra Al-Harazi, Shelley Ambrose, Charlie Angelakos, Maxine Bailey, Bruce Bennett, Diane Blake, Helen Burstyn, Cameron Charlebois, Paul Cohen, Heather Conway, Clint Davis, Michael Decter, John Delacourt, Rupert Duchesne, Martha Durdin, William Fox, Roger Garland, Emmanuelle Gattuso, John Geiger, Marina Glogovac, Blake Goldring, Elizabeth Gomery, Francesca Grosso, David Harrison, Alyssa Hussein, Dr. Eric Jackman, Tom Jackson, Roberta Jamieson, Donald K. Johnson, Lucille Joseph, Mark Kingwell, Chethan Lakshman, Janelle Lassonde, Gerald Lazare, D’Arcy Levesque, James Little, Louise MacCallum, Hugh MacKinnon, Bruce MacLellan, Roxanne McCaig, Robin McLay, Anna Porter, Julian Porter, Justin Poy, Karen Prentice, Irfhan Rawji, Gretchen Ross, Pierre Santoni, Ray Sharma, Niigaanwewidam James Sinclair, Gillian Smith, Lee Smolin, Helga Stephenson, Mira Sucharov, Anne Sutherland, John Tory Jr., and Aritha van Herk.
Chair
Åsa Kachan
Vice-Chair
Mark Migotti
Madhur Anand, Kiran Banerjee, Benjamin Berger, Randy Boyagoda, Lea Caragata, Nadine Caron, David Cramb, Stephen Kimber, Logan MacDonald, Fenwick McKelvey, Angela Misri, Tokunbo Ojo, Annette Schultz, Zoe Todd
