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A Nation's Paper: The Globe and Mail in the Life of Canada
From Canada's newspaper of record for 180 years, here are thirty-one brilliant and provocative essays by a diverse selection of their writers on how The Globe and Mail covered and influenced major events and issues from the paper’s founding to the latest file.Since 1844, the Globe and Mail and its predecessor, George Brown’s Globe, have chronicled as a colony, a dominion, and a nation. To mark the paper’s 180th anniversary, Globe writers explored thirty issues and events in which the national newspaper has influenced the course of the Confederation, settler migrations, regional tensions, tussles over language, religion, and race. The essays reveal a tapestry of progress, conflict, and still-incomplete Catholic-Protestant hostilities that are now mostly the stuff of memory; the betrayal of Indigenous peoples with which we still grapple; the frustrations and triumphs of women journalists; pandemics old and new; environmental challenges; the joys of covering sports and the arts; chronicling the nation’s business, international coverage, the impossibility of Canada and of this newspaper, which both somehow flourish nonetheless.Riveting, insightful, disturbing, witty, and always a joy to read, A Nation’s Paper chronicles a country and a newspaper that have grown and struggled together – essential reading for anyone who wants to understand where we came from and where we are going.
328 pages, Hardcover
Published October 15, 2024
4 people are currently reading
48 people want to read
About the author
John Ibbitson
24 books34 followersJohn Ibbitson (born 1955 in Gravenhurst, Ontario) is a Canadian writer and journalist. He is currently Ottawa Bureau Chief for The Globe and Mail. He has written three books on Ontario and Canadian politics - Promised Land: Inside the Mike Harris Revolution (1997), Loyal No More: Ontario's Struggle for a Separate Destiny, and The Polite Revolution: Perfecting the Canadian Dream (McClelland & Stewart, 2005).
His latest young-adult novel, "The Landing," was winner of the 2008 Governor General's Award for children's literature. His latest political work, "Open & Shut: Why America Has Barack Obama and Canada Has Stephen Harper" was published in May 2009. It was written while he was in Washington, covering American politics and society for the Globe.
He graduated from the University of Toronto in 1979 with a B.A. in English. After university, he pursued a career as a playwright, his most notable play being Mayonnaise, which debuted in December 1980 at the Phoenix Theater in Toronto. The play went on to national production and was adapted to a TV broadcast in 1983. In the mid-1980s, Ibbitson switched over to writing young-adult fiction, including the short YA science-fiction novel, Starcrosser (1990). He also wrote two full-length novels, 1812: Jeremy's War and The Night Hazel Came to Town. "The Landing" followed in 2008.
Apart from his Governor-General's citation, Ibbitson has been nominated for several awards for other works, including a Governor General's Award nomination for 1812. Hazel received a nomination for the Trillium Book Award and the City of Toronto Book Award. His journalism has also been nominated for a National Newspaper Award.
Ibbitson entered the University of Western Ontario in 1987, graduating with an M.A. in journalism one year later, and joined the Ottawa Citizen, where he worked as a city reporter and columnist. He covered Ontario politics from 1995 to 2001, working for The Ottawa Citizen, Southam News, The National Post and the Globe and Mail. In August 2001, Ibbitson accepted the post as Washington bureau chief at The Globe and Mail, returning to Canada one year later to take up the post of political affairs columnist. He moved back to Washington as a columnist in May 2007, returning to Ottawa in September 2009.
His latest young-adult novel, "The Landing," was winner of the 2008 Governor General's Award for children's literature. His latest political work, "Open & Shut: Why America Has Barack Obama and Canada Has Stephen Harper" was published in May 2009. It was written while he was in Washington, covering American politics and society for the Globe.
He graduated from the University of Toronto in 1979 with a B.A. in English. After university, he pursued a career as a playwright, his most notable play being Mayonnaise, which debuted in December 1980 at the Phoenix Theater in Toronto. The play went on to national production and was adapted to a TV broadcast in 1983. In the mid-1980s, Ibbitson switched over to writing young-adult fiction, including the short YA science-fiction novel, Starcrosser (1990). He also wrote two full-length novels, 1812: Jeremy's War and The Night Hazel Came to Town. "The Landing" followed in 2008.
Apart from his Governor-General's citation, Ibbitson has been nominated for several awards for other works, including a Governor General's Award nomination for 1812. Hazel received a nomination for the Trillium Book Award and the City of Toronto Book Award. His journalism has also been nominated for a National Newspaper Award.
Ibbitson entered the University of Western Ontario in 1987, graduating with an M.A. in journalism one year later, and joined the Ottawa Citizen, where he worked as a city reporter and columnist. He covered Ontario politics from 1995 to 2001, working for The Ottawa Citizen, Southam News, The National Post and the Globe and Mail. In August 2001, Ibbitson accepted the post as Washington bureau chief at The Globe and Mail, returning to Canada one year later to take up the post of political affairs columnist. He moved back to Washington as a columnist in May 2007, returning to Ottawa in September 2009.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
October 20, 2024
There’s lots here to like. There is an importance to this title, in that it helps us to understand where we are as a country.
This is a massive undertaking and an incredibly ambitious one… which, as noted, c/would not have been anything with the assistance of the staff in the Globe’s Editorial Library!! Yeah libraries and archives!
This was not at all what I expected when I picked it up.
In his opening essay, John Ibbitson considers the (happy?) accident that is Canada - that the country even exists. He shares some fascinating stories behind the stories - things I definitely never learned in history class - but might have made me more interested in that same history at that time (I loathed my Gr 9 history teacher… my history after that is all self taught through reading).
This idea - that there is no logical reason for Canada to have come to fruition in the first place, let alone lasted as long as we have - is a constant theme across many of the essays in this collection.
There is a lot that is unsavory here, including much that casts less than the best light on The Globe itself… and certainly on we as a country. But that alone is brave, and collectively, this provides insight into a path forward… a handbook of sorts that if heeded might mean that history not repeat itself. We can see the danger signs.. We need to heed the warnings.
We very clearly see, as exampled by the Globe, how newspapers were/are supporters of the establishment… but also how they do/can (be)come agents of progressive social change (maybe sometimes for ignoble reasons, but they get there all the same). In this day, where we seem not to be concerned about the diminishing importance of a free open media founded on journalistic principles, this is a wake up call.
I fear that this book will only be singing to the choir - preaching to the converted, to those who are already afraid and understand the link between journalistic freedom and democracy.
The last three pages - the closing thoughts of/by Ian Brown, who oh so rightly was assigned the final essay in the collection - really brings the whole collection together as the final essay should.
Recommended read.
This is a massive undertaking and an incredibly ambitious one… which, as noted, c/would not have been anything with the assistance of the staff in the Globe’s Editorial Library!! Yeah libraries and archives!
This was not at all what I expected when I picked it up.
In his opening essay, John Ibbitson considers the (happy?) accident that is Canada - that the country even exists. He shares some fascinating stories behind the stories - things I definitely never learned in history class - but might have made me more interested in that same history at that time (I loathed my Gr 9 history teacher… my history after that is all self taught through reading).
This idea - that there is no logical reason for Canada to have come to fruition in the first place, let alone lasted as long as we have - is a constant theme across many of the essays in this collection.
There is a lot that is unsavory here, including much that casts less than the best light on The Globe itself… and certainly on we as a country. But that alone is brave, and collectively, this provides insight into a path forward… a handbook of sorts that if heeded might mean that history not repeat itself. We can see the danger signs.. We need to heed the warnings.
We very clearly see, as exampled by the Globe, how newspapers were/are supporters of the establishment… but also how they do/can (be)come agents of progressive social change (maybe sometimes for ignoble reasons, but they get there all the same). In this day, where we seem not to be concerned about the diminishing importance of a free open media founded on journalistic principles, this is a wake up call.
I fear that this book will only be singing to the choir - preaching to the converted, to those who are already afraid and understand the link between journalistic freedom and democracy.
The last three pages - the closing thoughts of/by Ian Brown, who oh so rightly was assigned the final essay in the collection - really brings the whole collection together as the final essay should.
Recommended read.
January 25, 2025
Thirty wonderfully crafted essays tell not only the story of the Globe & Mail but also our story: the story of Canada. For those of us that found Canadian history to be a slog in high school, this book provides the antidote. The descriptions of the high points and foibles of the Globes approach to the issues of the day lays out the context of decisions made by both the paper and our government. Our kids would be well served if at the very least the pieces that address the looming threat to our sovereignty we face today were made required reading for all.
March 15, 2025
I enjoyed this because I was a newspaper freak. I started being a paperboy at 9…..the younger generation likely has no idea about paperboys and papergirls. I could be seen reading the newspaper as I walked door to door with my bags.
In this book, there were three categories of stories:
Stories that I didn’t live through or has no historical significance for me. There are only a few of these.
Stories that are older than me but is so significant historically that I studied it and created interest for me.
Stories that I lived through, remember well, likely read a similar article. These were obviously my favourites.
I really think that this is developed like a story that tells history in a way that is very interesting. I always liked history class but not everyone did.
I really like that it holds The Globe accountable to the mistakes they made.
Parts I really liked:
I liked that it highlights the influence the newspaper had on developing opinions based on what was included and what was excluded. People today getting their news through reputable feeds and not reputable feeds struggle to see both sides of an argument. That is purposeful by news outlets.
Related to that is the discussion, that Canadians know, different newspapers clearly highlight their political affiliation…..that in itself should help readers understand that there might be another opinion, but alas, it is a rare skill.
I really liked the chapter about photographs. A picture is worth 1000 words…..unless it is strategically placed in a newspaper, then it’s worth 2000 words. We know this. I remember the picture posted of the Syrian boy who died and remember the outrage and the following debate of whether or not Canada was doing enough. Regardless of your opinion on that issue, everyone was talking about it. Instead of talking about the “individual” in a political leader, we were talking about an issue, a policy and when we might want to make exceptions to our policies. All from a picture.
There is lots of social justice, such as the discussion of how gay couples were treated after world war 2, a major period of nation building for us. In fact, there is just enough to get the “woke police” frothing at the mouth. That sounds kind of fun.
In this book, there were three categories of stories:
Stories that I didn’t live through or has no historical significance for me. There are only a few of these.
Stories that are older than me but is so significant historically that I studied it and created interest for me.
Stories that I lived through, remember well, likely read a similar article. These were obviously my favourites.
I really think that this is developed like a story that tells history in a way that is very interesting. I always liked history class but not everyone did.
I really like that it holds The Globe accountable to the mistakes they made.
Parts I really liked:
I liked that it highlights the influence the newspaper had on developing opinions based on what was included and what was excluded. People today getting their news through reputable feeds and not reputable feeds struggle to see both sides of an argument. That is purposeful by news outlets.
Related to that is the discussion, that Canadians know, different newspapers clearly highlight their political affiliation…..that in itself should help readers understand that there might be another opinion, but alas, it is a rare skill.
I really liked the chapter about photographs. A picture is worth 1000 words…..unless it is strategically placed in a newspaper, then it’s worth 2000 words. We know this. I remember the picture posted of the Syrian boy who died and remember the outrage and the following debate of whether or not Canada was doing enough. Regardless of your opinion on that issue, everyone was talking about it. Instead of talking about the “individual” in a political leader, we were talking about an issue, a policy and when we might want to make exceptions to our policies. All from a picture.
There is lots of social justice, such as the discussion of how gay couples were treated after world war 2, a major period of nation building for us. In fact, there is just enough to get the “woke police” frothing at the mouth. That sounds kind of fun.
May 30, 2025
This was an interesting collection of essays that told stories of Canada as they were seen by The Globe and Mail. I appreciated the essayists’ abilities to look at both the dark sides of history as well as the positives. I learned a decent amount of information from this book. Like any collection, some essays were more interesting than others, but as a whole, this book held my attention!
January 21, 2025
Five out of 30 stories are great memories. The rest of the book is woke. The agenda very liberal biased. It used to be a good morning read on the way to work. You shared what you had finished as you left the subway or bus for the next person to pick up and glean the daily opinions.
June 16, 2025
Some really interesting chapters, particularly when its writers are able to ciriticize and callout the Globe and its failings either morally or ethically. Overall, very approachable and interesting as a recent and very casual globe reader.
April 7, 2025
An interesting collection of 30 essays chronicling the first 180 years of The Globe and Mail.
May 26, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews