C.K. Kelly Martin's Blog, page 21

Jack Layton, the best Prime Minister Canada never had

"Across Nathan Phillips Square...there were chalk messages to Layton scrawled on every square of concrete. It rained three times this week, washing them away, and three times, mourners wrote them again."

We went downtown on Saturday to say goodbye to Jack. Our first stop was City Hall to take in the sight of what must have been thousands of chalk messages of loss, love and thanks. I've never in my life seen such an emotional reaction to the death of a Canadian politician and I found myself choked up throughout the day as politicians and regular people alike honoured Jack Layton.
At City Hall hundreds of people watched as Jack's casket was loaded into the hearse waiting to take him to Roy Thomson Hall. The People's Procession (on foot and by bike), us along with it, followed in the cars' wake along Queen Street and then University Avenue, shortly arriving at Roy Thomson hall where throngs had already gathered to watch Jack's state funeral from neighbouring David Pecaut Square. Fittingly, the ceremony itself was as much a celebration of a life that harnessed hope and fought for change as it was a poignant goodbye.
I think the Nathan Phillips Square chalk message pictured below said it most succinctly. Adieu, le bon Jack.
Thanks for everything you've done for Canada and Canadians over the years. I think we didn't say it enough when you were with us but we've been shouting it from the rafters these last few days to make up for it. Hope you can hear us, Jack.















Remembering Jack Layton: 1950-2011

Summer 2011: Ireland

Between being away in Ireland in June, various other summer activities, and a revision deadline for my upcoming book I haven't had much time to dedicate to blogging this summer but I've still been taking photographs! I'm going to share some of them here, breaking them into two categories/posts, one of photos taken in Ireland (mostly Dublin and Belfast) and the other snapped nearer to home. This, as you'll see by the title, is the Ireland entry but you can have a look at my other summer photos on the Ontario post.

Since I've posted tons of other Dublin images on the blog over the years I tried not to repeat myself too much but when it comes to the Forty Foot in Sandycove I just can't help myself!


My friend's daughter snapped this photo of me lounging on the lawn by the Powerscourt Waterfall in Wicklow. To me it looks look like an image that would appear on an album cover from the late sixties so if I ever decide to record a bunch of cover versions of sixties tunes this will definitely be the cover photo!

The girl in the lower right hand corner of the frame (who happens to be the same one who snapped the above photo of me) gives you an idea of the scale of the Powerscourt Waterfall (Ireland's highest).
Below are some snaps of the Dublin Pride Parade, which I watched from O'Connell Bridge.






We watched Laura Marling play Vicar Street while we were in Dublin. She was terrific and I swear I've never seen a more devoted crowd.


Photos from our day trip up to Belfast. The murals were really something to see.












The Forty Foot, Sandycove:






Finally, some assorted images of Dublin:




Botticelli's in Temple Bar has the best gelato I've ever tasted. Pistachio, yum!

On the beach in Sandymount. Someone had been doing some design work.


* Go to Summer 2011: Ontario photos

Summer 2011: Ontario

All of the below summer photos were taken in Ontario this August. In some cases I didn't have my camera with me and had to use my cellphone instead.

This year's Oakville Jazz Festival was wonderful all round but my favourite performance was by Doctor Draw who we also caught at the festival two years earlier. I was so impressed back then that I had one of the characters in My Beating Teenage Heart make reference to him in Chapter Ten. He's a wonder. Be sure to check out the video below the photos if you've never heard his music.




This was my first time in Beausoleil Island (coincidentally Doctor Draw has a song called Beau Soleil) and I couldn't figure out whether I was more relieved or disappointed that we didn't see any snakes that day. The island is a refuge for the venomous Eastern Massasauga rattlesnake but from what I hear there are also plenty of other, less dangerous snakes, around the place. Not to mention bears! The island itself is a lovely spot and it was such a treat to have dinner sitting on the back of our friends' boat with our feet soaking in Georgian Bay and Neil Young and Loverboy playing on the radio. Does it get any more Canadiana than that??




It's not the dog days of summer without the Ex and it's not the CNE without fried food! This year we tried the deep fried macaroni, which was quite yummy and not oily like you might expect

and the deep fried Oreos, which pleasantly retained their cookie-ness. They look a bit of a fright when they come out of the deep fat fryer but I swear they were really good.



David Smith Jr. is a second generation human cannonball. Luckily he was able to complete his last peformance of the day about an hour and a half before the weather turned crazy and the sky filled with lighting bolts! But the wind was already beginning to pick up at the time. In fact, the weather later got so nasty that they closed the CNE gates early last night and cancelled the Toronto FC game in the middle of it.

Strong Man John Beatty was also very entertaining. In the second photo below he's actually pulling two trucks but I couldn't fit them into the frame with him.


This was my favourite sculpture from the International Sand Sculpting competition:


They're all outstanding.


But my very favourite thing from this year's CNE was listening to the Searcher
Group speak about their paranormal investigations. They don't charge for investigations but their leader, Richard Palmisano, has written several books about the groups' investigations, including one about the Ghosts of the Canadian National Exhibition. If you have an interest in parapsychology and are planning to attend the Ex this year I strongly suggest you go on the 29th or 31st when the group will again be speaking at the Direct Energy Centre presentation theatre (seating is limited) at 5:30.

This is the second year I've had the chance to hear them discuss their investigations and it was compelling to hear them speak about EVP work. According to their experience, ghosts talk, even amongst each other, and protect each other like we would with those close to us too. One of the Searcher Group members noted that, "They don't sound like us at all. They talk in very loud whispers."

You probably can't tell from my fuzzy photo but that's Casper on the podium. Boo!

* Go to Summer 2011: Ireland photos

Don't Let Them Tell You It Can't Be Done

"Politics matter. Ideas matter. Democracy matters, because all of us need to be able to make a difference."
— Jack Layton

I had begun to hope, in the aftermath of May's federal election, that we would one day see Jack Layton become Prime Minister. It wasn't until I heard the very sad news of his passing yesterday that I realized just how strongly that I'd believed he'd return to lead the NDP as official opposition, despite his illness. The entire country was in shock yesterday and personally I felt it afresh with every article, photo and TV news story I saw about Jack. Such an outpouring of loss and somehow I can still hardly believe it. We lost Jack.

He believed this country could be a better place and that that was an idea worth fighting tirelessly for. Canadians, whatever their political leanings, knew we could count on Jack to fight the good fight with courage, grace, passion and hope. For me, Jack Layton's victory in becoming the leader of the official opposition was the sorely needed bright spot in our most recent election. Both an assurance and a promise of what was to come.

In his last letter to Canadians, Jack directed the following comments at young Canadians, "I believe in you. Your energy, your vision, your passion for justice are exactly what this country needs today. You need to be at the heart of our economy, our political life, and our plans for the present and the future."

I'm grateful for the time Jack had with us. His inspiration rings out clear and strong across the country and although this battle feels heavier without him, I am mindful of his words in that final letter. "Love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we'll change the world."

We miss you already Jack.

Gatekeepers Post Interview

Tiptoeing in to leave a link to an interview with me at The Gatekeepers Post. 

For those of you in the Canada or U.S. I hope you're finding ways to stay cool during these crazy heat dome days. And for those of you who love the Toronto Public Library and want Toronto City Council to keep their hands off it, please go sign the Our Public Library petition pronto!

Quick Question

Why is it that you're never more deeply in love with your WIP than the moment a revision letter for another book arrives to tear you away from it. Why?

See you at the end of August when the deadline is behind me, WIP. See you at the end of August, Internet!

Blast from the Past Vacation Photos

I wanted to send some sort of electronic post-card from 1981 but of course since there was no Internet that wasn't possible. I did end up getting some snaps taken with a couple of my favourite bands from that time. Simon Le Bon looks so serious in this picture but he was really charming and funny (hence the fact that I couldn't stop smiling although the members of Duran Duran were obviously trying to exude a more sombre attitude here). Andy Taylor was rocking the Andy Warhol look.


You can see that I got into the spirit of Antmusic for my photo with Adam and the Ants. I admit I got kind of attached to the white stripe and walked around with it on for the rest of the day. Also, Adam humoured me by teaching me the Prince Charming dance and didn't even complain when I sang him my favourite line from Car Trouble in an embarrassingly off-key voice: "You don't need anything after an icecream."

It was a fabulous trip and I highly recommend 1981 as a vacation destination. I wish I had more time to talk about it but I have to get down to editing here. I hope all my fellow Canadians had a most excellent Canada Day!

Blast from the Past Vacation

For the next little while I'll be on summer holiday and so won't be posting here (or elsewhere, for that matter). It could be some time before I return to the blog because once I'm back there's a good chance I could be jumping straight into revisions for book 5.

Anyway, before I go I want to tell you a bit about my vacation because this is something I'm really excited about. I'm heading someplace I haven't been in thirty years, somewhere my money will go much further but there'll be a whole lot less TV and no Internet for the masses. I've been there before but since I was really young last time around I didn't pay much attention—this time I plan to take notice of everything! Vacation destination photo hint below:


My travel agent has finalized all the arrangements and quite soon now I'll be on my way to (drumroll)...1981! For those of you who have never been there or, like me, haven't been there lately, here are some fast facts about 1981:
• the global population was roughly 4.5 billion
• the median household income in the United States was $19,074
• the cost of a new home in the United States was $83,000
• a gallon of milk went for $2.22 in the U.S.
• it was the year MTV debuted
• aspartame was approved by the FDA
• The Yukon Gold potato was introduced
• Lean Cuisine frozen dinners first appeared in American supermarkets
• IBM introduced its Personal Computer (PC)
• Pope John Paul II was wounded by a gunman
• the U.S. hostages in Iran were freed
• an assasination attempt was made on President Ronald Regan

And to give you a further cultural snapshot here are some number one singles from the U.K. and U.S. in 1981
Jessie's Girl, Rick Springfield

Prince Charming, Adam and the Ants

Under Pressure, David Bowie and Queen

Jealous Guy, Roxy Music (*caution, I think it may be impossible to watch any live Bryan Ferry performances from this period without swooning)

Don't You Want Me, Human League

The Tide is High, Blondie

There are many things I plan to do while in 1981. A few musical highlights of the trip will be watching Adam and the Ants play Tokyo (the videos up on YouTube look fantastic—it's time for me to see the real thing!), Billy Bragg (Mr. Love and Justice himself) gigging with his band Riff Raff before they break up later in the year and catching Simon and Garfunkel's free concert in Central Park along with half a million other people. Of course, I'll also have to make it into the MTV studio to watch the station's debut as they play their very first video, Video Killed the Radio Star.

You can't go back to 1981 without watching the Royal Wedding so I'll be stopping into St. Paul's Cathedral to see Princess Diane and Prince Charles tie the knot. I also plan to witness the first flight of the Space Shuttle Columbia and watch (live) Scott Hamilton win the U.S. male figure skating championship and then take gold in the World Championship. Go, Scotty!
I saw Raiders of the Lost Ark at the movie theatre during my first time in 1981 but couldn't snack on popcorn back then because of my braces. Sob! This trip will see me rectifying that wrong by stuffing my face with buttery popcorn while watching Harrison Ford proclaim his fear of snakes and battle nazis on the big screen.
As for the small screen, since I wasn't normally allowed to stay up after Love Boat to watch Fantasy Island on Saturday nights I will be good and sure to stay awake well past ten o'clock and watch both ABC shows back to back (also while stuffing my face with popcorn!) while in 1981 this time.

As a Canadian, one of the wonderful things about being in 1981 will be knowing that the country has decent political leadership back there (Pierre Trudeau). It's going to be hell coming back to an epically small-minded, cold-hearted, ethically-challenged Tory majority government, I tell you! But let's not put a dent in my holiday enthusiasm by dwelling on the negatives.
Because 1981 was the height of Pacmania I fully expect to indulge in some ghost munching during the vacation. Depending on how much spare time I have, I could drop into my old school (which back then had grades 7 to 10 but which subsequently transformed into a full high school meaning I was able to attend the school all the way from grade 7 through 13, yes we had 13 grades in Ontario then!) and tell a certain teacher of mine how much she sucked. But I probably won't. Better just to let it go, right? Who wants to deal with unpleasantness during their vacation?
One thing I will absolutely make time for is dropping in to visit my Aunt's Airedale Terrier who was the BEST DOG EVER. I wonder if he'll recognize 2011 me as the same kid he knows in 1981? It wouldn't surprise me.

Of course, there are some people I'd love to catch up with who have since passed on but are alive and well in 1981—my grandparents and several of my uncles—and other folks I've lost track of over the years but as you know, that would be breaking the rules of time travel so I'll have to be content to watch them from a safe distance.
I hope you also have a wonderful summer vacation, whether you're spending it at home, some other place or some other time. See you back in 2011 later in the summer!

Dragging Darkness Out of the Shadows

So much wonderful writing has already been done about the recent Wall Street Journal article claiming today's YA fiction is too dark and that 'grim' as some YA novels from years past were "they seem positively tame in comparison with what's on shelves now" that I felt I hardly had to say anything about it and didn't plan to. But now it's several days later and the article (particularly the dismissive superior tone) is still irking me so I guess I want to talk about it a little after all.

Obviously I firmly disagree with the WSJ article and to quote from my own website FAQ, "As far as I'm concerned many of the things that are hardest for people to talk about are the things we probably need to discuss in more depth and try to drag out into the light. I know there are some people who don't think that teenagers should be reading about things like drug use, sex and sexuality, abusive situations etc. but the reality is that teenagers live in this imperfect world with us and are already exposed to these things through the media, their own lives and the lives of their peers. I believe books are a medium that can inspire critical thinking and give young people a chance to explore their thoughts regarding various subjects as well as open discussions."


I have numerous problems with Megan Cox Gurdon's article which, as others have pointed out, is an opinion piece masquerading as 'news':

1) The article completely ignores lighter YA offerings and pretends they simply don't exist. Yeah, the first thing you're likely to see as you approach the YA section of a bookstore is a table full of covers like this one because paranormal and fantasy YA have been hot for some time now and many of these books tend to have a certain look to them. But there absolutely are lighter, less controversial teen books available on the shelves than those Gurdon spotlights.
2) The article negatively compares YA of the past to the current crop of YA books without taking into consideration that we live in extremely different  times. To give Megan Cox Gurdon a taste of what the times are actually like:
* A recent survey by The National Campaign showed 22% of teen girls and 18% of teen boys had sent or posted nude or semi-nude pictures or video of themselves. 39% of teens are sending or posting sexually suggestive messages. 48% have received such messages. "38% of teen girls and 39% of teen boys say they have had sexually suggestive text messages or emails—originally meant for someone else—shared with them."

* In the U.S. the rate of teen suicide has tripled since 1960. "The decrease in suicides for 14- to 18-year-olds during the summer months is stark." Recent statistics reveal "that approximately three million youths, aged 12 to 17, either thought seriously about suicide or attempted suicide in 2000. More than one third, 37%, actually tried to kill themselves. Most were suffering from undiagnosed or untreated clinical depression."

* 20% of children and youth in Canada have a diagnosable mental health disorder according to the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry. "Depression is a huge reality among youth right now," according to Sue Cook, a therapist who specializes in working with families. Currently, about 40% of young adults with depression do not use any mental health services.

* "Two recent Canadian studies showed sexual harassment at school was epidemic. 29% of Grade 9 girls ... felt unsafe at school partly due to sexual comments and unwanted looks or touches; 27% of the girls in Grade 11 admitted to being pressured into doing something sexual that they did not want to do; 14% of the females reported being harassed over the Internet."

* 44% of sexual assault victims in the U.S. are under 18.

* "Almost one in six teenagers deliberately harm themselves by cutting, burning or other self-harming behaviours, according to a report in the Canadian Medical Association Journal."
* "In the U.S. approximately one in five teen girls have been physically or sexually abused by their partner."

* "23% of Ontario students report that they were offered, sold, or given a drug at school in the last year."

* "42% of Ontario students surveyed have used an illicit substance in the last year."

* "83% of Ontario students in grade 12 drink alcohol. 49% of gr. 12 students admit to binge drinking."

This is obviously not an easy time to grow up. Gurdon writes that, "If books show us the world, teen fiction can be like a hall of fun-house mirrors, constantly reflecting back hideously distorted portrayals of what life is" but I would argue that the books she criticizes the most scathingly, books like Shine by Lauren Myracle and Scars by Cheryl Rainfield, accurately reflect a world that Gurdon herself isn't prepared to look squarely in the face. Often teenagers don't have the luxury of avoiding these realities as they're experienced either personally or by their friends, peer group or at school. It can hardly be an accident that teen suicide rates are lower in the summer. Not only does the high school environment create stress, "research has shown that alcohol consumption, poor self-esteem and sexual activity (are) related to youth suicide, there is little discussion about the fact that these risky behaviors tend to originate at school."
So suggesting that avoiding dark YA books will keep teenagers content is ludicrous. We need to talk about these issues, not put a happy face on and pretend they don't exist. To quote a Billy Bragg song (as I'm prone to do): "He said that some things are really best left unspoken. But I prefer it all to be out in the open."
3) My final issue is that Gurdon makes absolutely no distinction between glorifying or glamorizing issues and behaviours and intelligently examining them. In this lazy way of thinking you could charge that the movie The Accused, Laurie Halse Anderson's book Speak or Emma Donoghue's Room make rape more acceptable. At the very least I suppose Gurdon would state (as she does about another book during her piece) that "one depravity does not justify another." So talking about harsh realities equals depravity? Huh? How on earth are we ever to discuss anything unpleasant under this philosophy?

To my mind (because I won't pretend this isn't an opinion piece) YA books can offer young people a safe space to emotionally and intellectually explore difficult real life issues. Gurdon, and people like her, who knock books they deem dark, do teens a huge disservice by suggesting some of their realities are too dangerous and unseemly, not fit reading material.
By all means, let's all do whatever we can to help create a better society where young people have less mental health issues and are safe and happy at home, in school and wherever they go, but until we achieve that better society let's not do young people the disservice of acting as though what Gurdon terms 'misery' and 'coarseness' are author invention or exaggeration. 

Doors Open Toronto

This past Saturday marked my first time taking part in Doors Open Toronto, an annual event that takes place during one weekend a year. City-wide well over a hundred buildings of "architectural, historic, cultural and social significance open their doors to the public" allowing visitors free access to properties that are either not usually open to the public or would normally charge an entrance fee. Some of the locations offer guided tours and other special activities at this time. It's a terrific (and free!) way to explore the city. My friends and I were able to have a look at seven locations: Osgoode Hall, Campbell House Museum, Canada Life, King Edward Hotel (Crystal Ballroom), Flatiron Building, St. James' Cathedral and Toronto's first post office. I've posted some of the day's photos below and hope to explore more buildings in next year's Doors Open!

Osgoode Hall opened in 1832 and houses the Ontario Court of Appeal, the Divisional Court of the Superior Court of Justice, and the Law Society of Upper Canada. The Great Library is one of the most amazing rooms I've ever laid eyes on.



But the rest of it was wonderfully picturesque too.



Built in 1822, the Campell House Museum is one of the few surviving examples of Georgian architecture left in Toronto.


Canada Life was the tallest building on University Ave when completed in March, 1931.



Various views from the 17th floor tower room.


The King Edward Hotel opened in 1903 but the once magnificent Crystal Ballroom was added in 1921. Unfortunately, unlike the rest of the hotel the 17th floor Crystal Ballroom hasn't been restored yet, although one of the tour guides assured us the current owners have plans to do so.


St. James' Cathedral and the surrounding streets from one of the Crystal Ballroom windows.

Inside the iconic Flatiron Building which was completed in 1892 as the offices of the Gooderham & Worts brewing company. It contained the first manually-operated Otis elevator in Toronto, which has been restored and is still in operation today. Apparently there was also a tunnel linking the building to the bank across the street so Gooderham & Worts employees wouldn't have to walk outside with large bags of cash.

The former Cathedral that stood on this site was destroyed in a 1849 fire. Erected in 1859, St. James' Cathedral is actually the fourth church to be built on this land and features the highest church tower in Canada.




This Adelaide Street East post office dates back to 1833 and is Toronto's first post office. You can still rent a post office box there.