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short story

Illustrations of glasses, matches, a car, fountain pen, amulet, leaves, coins, flowers, fountains and a large house surround a black-and-white photo of a Sri Lankan family snipped by bird-shaped scissors.
Fiction / May 2024

Wo

March 29, 2024March 28, 2024 - by Randy Boyagoda

We ate and drank and drove on and I went off the road, and so we discussed the situation and decided it would be a good idea to pull off the road

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Black and white illustration of a female mermaid-like figure with a pink background. She is sitting on a stone with her feet and left hand dipped in the sea while her right hand holds a glowing box. Behind her is the outline of an orb through which the distant horizon is visible. A swirling border surrounds the scene with leering eyes drawn in the top corners, looking down at the figure.
Fiction / March/April 2024

Two Female Modes of Transportation

February 19, 2024February 19, 2024 - by Jowita Bydlowska

The boy watches as the girl slumps over herself, the fire hair like a warning against coming closer

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An illustration of a woman looking at an outstretched hand holding a gold watch in the middle of rummaging through a drawer. In the background is a body lying on the floor beside a table with a bottle of champagne and a champagne flute on top of it.
Fiction / January/February 2024

The Last Vacation

January 5, 2024January 4, 2024 - by Marlowe Granados

The face of the con was always someone who embodied the fashion of the time—a slob, a genius, or finally, a charismatic dum-dum

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A blue background with text that reads Our Best Fiction
Fiction

20 Years of The Walrus: Fiction

December 17, 2023December 17, 2023 - by Various Contributors

Novel excerpts and short stories by Tanya Tagaq, Heather O’Neill, Sam Shelstad, and more

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Dog hiding in a desk, with yellow stuff on his mouth
Fiction / July/August 2014 / November 2023

Care and Feeding of the Amish

October 19, 2023November 1, 2023 - by Kathryn Kuitenbrouwer

They had snuck from their tents this fine morning, before the spring dew dried on the grass, and come back with their prize

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Illustration of a light pink couch with two cushions and a white blanket draped over the top.
Fiction / July/August 2023

Buddy West

September 1, 2023September 1, 2023 - by Sam Shelstad

“How much for the cowboy in the window?”

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Illustration of two wolves, drawn in a childish style, riding a bicycle. In the background is a rock and tree branch.
Fiction / July/August 2023

Dispatches Regarding the Woeful Origins of the Town’s Bicycle Race

August 26, 2023August 26, 2023 - by Tom Froh

Today a ranger spotted two wolves on a carbon-frame Ibis tearing down a hill at fifty kilometres per hour

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Illustration of four wooden chairs around a table with empty drinking glasses on top.
Fiction / July/August 2023

Like a Mother

August 18, 2023August 18, 2023 - by Fawn Parker

I imagined, with each feeding, that I might become less of a mother and more of my old self

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An illustration of a woman's shadow casting over a framed photograph of a young woman wearing Mughal-era clothing, bangles, rings, and jasmine flowers
Fiction / March/April 2023

The Photograph, 1889

February 27, 2023March 7, 2023 - by Nazneen Sheikh

She looked up at the wall, and the young woman with dramatic eyebrows gazed back at her from the frame

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Fiction / January/February 2023

The Money

January 23, 2023January 20, 2023 - by Lynn Coady

Ever since childhood, words would desert Helen when she got angry—if she felt any kind of strong emotion, really

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The Walrus is located within the bounds of Treaty 13 signed with the Mississaugas of the Credit. This land is also the traditional territory of the Anishnabeg, the Haudenosaunee, and the Wendat peoples.

© 2025 The Walrus. All Rights Reserved.
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© 2025 The Walrus. All Rights Reserved. Charitable Registration Number: No. 861851624-RR0001
Accessibility Help Privacy Policy Cookie Policy
© 2023 The Walrus. All Rights Reserved.
Charitable Registration Number: No. 861851624-RR0001

​​The Walrus is located within the bounds of Treaty 13 signed with the Mississaugas of the Credit. This land is also the traditional territory of the Anishnabeg, the Haudenosaunee, and the Wendat peoples.

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How’s The Walrus?

As the executive director, I am frequently asked this question. These days, I reply: “The Walrus was made for this moment.” From on-again, off-again trade news and negotiations to a new prime minister, we are committed to Canada’s conversations. We launched six regional bureaus earlier this year to ensure comprehensive coverage across this great country of ours. But we can’t do this alone. As a non-profit newsroom, this work isn’t possible without our readers’ support. If you believe in Canada’s stories, support our paywall-free journalism with a donation today.

Our team is small, but our commitment is big; just like our country. Every story we publish is the result of writers, artists, and editors going the extra mile (well, kilometres) to bring Canada closer together through compelling, fact-checked, and regionally grounded reporting.

Thank you for your support.

Jennifer Hollett
Executive Director, The Walrus


How’s The Walrus?

As the executive director, I am frequently asked this question. These days, I reply: “The Walrus was made for this moment.” From on-again, off-again trade news and negotiations to a new prime minister, we are committed to Canada’s conversations. We launched six regional bureaus earlier this year to ensure comprehensive coverage across this great country of ours. But we can’t do this alone. As a non-profit newsroom, this work isn’t possible without our readers’ support. If you believe in Canada’s stories, support our paywall-free journalism with a donation today.

Our team is small, but our commitment is big; just like our country. Every story we publish is the result of writers, artists, and editors going the extra mile (well, kilometres) to bring Canada closer together through compelling, fact-checked, and regionally grounded reporting.

Thank you for your support.

Jennifer Hollett
Executive Director, The Walrus

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