Domhnall MacIsaac arrived on Prince Edward Island in 1802. The following year, he travelled a short distance from there to Cape Breton Island, where MacIsaacs have lived ever since. Domhnall is my great-great-great-great-grandfather. He arrived in East Bay and was likely the first Scottish settler on the island. The Highland Clearances in Scotland saw him […]
When I was five, I went to visit my grandparents for a weekend. It was my first big overnight trip without my parents, and it felt like a milestone in asserting my individual person- hood outside my little nuclear family unit. At one point in the weekend, my grandfather (Poppa, or “Pop” as we usually
Compass and Square Read More »
When you live in the country, like I did for the majority of my childhood, learning to navigate the wilderness constitutes a way of life. Where I’m from, tiny villages and towns are separated, like so many islands, by kilometres of forest and field. Public transit is non-existent, and the list of things within walking
The Wild City: Navigating Dangerous Spaces Read More »
Which job is more likely to result in a stable and well-paying career: working at a fast-food restaurant, or working at a university? Trick question. While the university teacher has more prestige than the person who makes our burgers and fries (nice classism, there), university jobs are less secure and less profitable than they used
Fast-Food Education: How Teachers and Students Get Screwed Over by the University Read More »
On November 3, Bank of Canada Governor, Stephen Poloz, gave a speech in the House of Commons that enraged, rather than enlightened, young adults in the workforce. Offering advice on how discouraged youth can tackle the dwindling economy by finding a job, Poloz stated, “Having something unpaid on your CV is very worth it because
From Textbook Pages to Institutional Places: the Structural Violence of Unpaid Work Read More »
I recently left my food service job at a popular chain, and it was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. I remain confused by that fact and confused by how a seemingly unimportant place could make me experience the spectrum of feeling that it did. But it’s undeniably true. We all
Complicating the Simple Things: Reflections on the Food Service Industry Read More »
