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Weekly Quiz
How closely have you been reading our online stories this week? Take The Walrus Weekly Quiz to find out—released every Saturday.
December 7, 2024
Fleeing Foreign Correspondents, Trouble with Trudeau, and the Rise of the REITs
1. Following Donald Trump’s presidential victory, many Canadians feel uneasy about the future. However, Michael Den Tandt argues that Canada holds a strategic advantage in mapping out its future with the United States. What is this advantage?
✓ Correct
As Den Tandt explains, Canada is the largest export market for two-thirds of American states. Millions of US jobs depend on trade with Canada. We provide them with essential uranium, electricity, natural gas, and oil. Those facts were persuasive six years ago and will eventually be persuasive again. Personal relationships have been established, some of which will still be helpful. Everyone on both sides of our border knows, more or less, who and what they’re dealing with.
✕ Incorrect
The correct answer is: Canada is the largest export market for two-thirds of US states.
As Den Tandt explains, Canada is the largest export market for two-thirds of American states. Millions of US jobs depend on trade with Canada. We provide them with essential uranium, electricity, natural gas, and oil. Those facts were persuasive six years ago and will eventually be persuasive again. Personal relationships have been established, some of which will still be helpful. Everyone on both sides of our border knows, more or less, who and what they’re dealing with.
As Den Tandt explains, Canada is the largest export market for two-thirds of American states. Millions of US jobs depend on trade with Canada. We provide them with essential uranium, electricity, natural gas, and oil. Those facts were persuasive six years ago and will eventually be persuasive again. Personal relationships have been established, some of which will still be helpful. Everyone on both sides of our border knows, more or less, who and what they’re dealing with.
2. Foreign correspondents reporting in India have historically played a significant role, offering international perspectives on its complex political and cultural landscape. According to journalist Stephanie Nolen, what is a major critique of the foreign correspondent model?
✓ Correct
Nolen, who is currently a global health reporter for the New York Times, told Raksha Kumar that “fundamentally, the foreign correspondent model is a very colonial and patronizing model.” As Kumar explains, Nolen was referring to the reality that most foreign correspondents are Western journalists who often parachute to different countries to report back to largely Western audiences. She acknowledged, though, that things need not remain that way. Local journalists have a strong voice, she said, which deserves highlighting. However, she also added that there is value in having someone from “outside” looking into a country. “You see motivations and actions that people from that place don’t see or can’t tell you,” she said.
✕ Incorrect
The correct answer is: It reinforces a colonial and patronizing view of local reporting.
Nolen, who is currently a global health reporter for the New York Times, told Raksha Kumar that “fundamentally, the foreign correspondent model is a very colonial and patronizing model.” As Kumar explains, Nolen was referring to the reality that most foreign correspondents are Western journalists who often parachute to different countries to report back to largely Western audiences. She acknowledged, though, that things need not remain that way. Local journalists have a strong voice, she said, which deserves highlighting. However, she also added that there is value in having someone from “outside” looking into a country. “You see motivations and actions that people from that place don’t see or can’t tell you,” she said.
Nolen, who is currently a global health reporter for the New York Times, told Raksha Kumar that “fundamentally, the foreign correspondent model is a very colonial and patronizing model.” As Kumar explains, Nolen was referring to the reality that most foreign correspondents are Western journalists who often parachute to different countries to report back to largely Western audiences. She acknowledged, though, that things need not remain that way. Local journalists have a strong voice, she said, which deserves highlighting. However, she also added that there is value in having someone from “outside” looking into a country. “You see motivations and actions that people from that place don’t see or can’t tell you,” she said.
3. Real estate investment trusts, or REITs, have taken over the rental market, amassing cheap housing stock and charging high rents to maximize their profits from their properties. What percentage of these financial firms control Canada’s purpose-built rentals?
✓ Correct
Financial firms today control 20 to 30 percent of Canada’s “purpose-built” rentals—meaning homes built specifically to be rented, according to a Canadian Human Rights Commission report. And they keep growing. “The name of the game in the real estate industry is a lot of leverage,” said Ricardo Tranjan, a political economist and senior researcher with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. The largest companies own tens of thousands of units each.
✕ Incorrect
The correct answer is: 20 to 30 percent
Financial firms today control 20 to 30 percent of Canada’s “purpose-built” rentals—meaning homes built specifically to be rented, according to a Canadian Human Rights Commission report. And they keep growing. “The name of the game in the real estate industry is a lot of leverage,” said Ricardo Tranjan, a political economist and senior researcher with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. The largest companies own tens of thousands of units each.
Financial firms today control 20 to 30 percent of Canada’s “purpose-built” rentals—meaning homes built specifically to be rented, according to a Canadian Human Rights Commission report. And they keep growing. “The name of the game in the real estate industry is a lot of leverage,” said Ricardo Tranjan, a political economist and senior researcher with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. The largest companies own tens of thousands of units each.
4. According to a September Ipsos poll, 67 percent of Canadians disapprove of Justin Trudeau’s leadership. Though the PM currently intends to lead the Liberal Party into the next federal election, many believe he should step aside. What is one major obstacle in the way of finding a new party leader?
✓ Correct
Liberal malcontents have a problem, which is that their constitution lacks a formal mechanism for forcing a leadership review before a general election loss. They could amend their constitution at the next national convention, assuming the government survives that long, meaning that the review would occur on the cusp of an election—“basically a suicidal time to try to do that kind of thing,” said Andrew Steele, a former Liberal campaign strategist.
✕ Incorrect
The correct answer is: The party’s constitution prevents a leadership review before a general election loss.
Liberal malcontents have a problem, which is that their constitution lacks a formal mechanism for forcing a leadership review before a general election loss. They could amend their constitution at the next national convention, assuming the government survives that long, meaning that the review would occur on the cusp of an election—“basically a suicidal time to try to do that kind of thing,” said Andrew Steele, a former Liberal campaign strategist.
Liberal malcontents have a problem, which is that their constitution lacks a formal mechanism for forcing a leadership review before a general election loss. They could amend their constitution at the next national convention, assuming the government survives that long, meaning that the review would occur on the cusp of an election—“basically a suicidal time to try to do that kind of thing,” said Andrew Steele, a former Liberal campaign strategist.
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Sophie Siew is a digital producer freelancing at The Walrus. With a background in filmmaking and marketing, Sophie has also worked on TEDx Talks.
