Many people think of the Canadian Arctic as cold and inhospitable. The photo to the right dispels that view, with the wild green of the willows and a sprig of fireweed flourishing in Inuvik’s 24-hour sun last summer. At latitude 68.4 degrees north, I am one of the northernmost readers of the Guardian Weekly in Canada’s Northwest Territories.
I was introduced to the GW back in late 2005 when I lived in Yellowknife. I remembered the Guardian from my research days at the University of Warwick back in the late 1960s, and I wanted a current overview of global affairs to satisfy my broad writer’s curiosity. I quickly found that this newspaper gave me the most balanced summary of international news available anywhere.
And for the next nine years in Yellowknife on Ragged Ass Road, I would drop my crumpled re-read issues at the door of a neighbour who was anxious to read them too.
Although it is somewhat aggravating to be at the mercy of Canada Post as to whether my GW arrives on time, I am always excited to find it in my postbox. Then off I go to the Café Gallery, to order my mocha and read the latest issue cover to cover.
I love the section on Books, and I always start with the World Roundup. And when the sun does not come up in winter, the GW never ceases to brighten my day.
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