Hello all,

I hope you’ve been enjoying the break and the (somewhat) sunny weather. As always, there’s plenty of pitches up for grabs this week!

All the best,

Leah

News Pitches

You can reach Peris at [email protected] or over Slack!

Research comes to the rescue to make firefighters’ clothing safer

Two U of A studies explore how to make firefighters’ clothing safer to wear, maintain, and manufacture.

Reimagine stuttering 

A new project in dysfluency studies casts the speech disorder as a preferred way of being, rather than simply an affliction to be cured.

AI project aims to diagnose stroke more accurately so patients can get faster treatment

A U of A research team will use artificial intelligence to diagnose and treat stroke patients more quickly and easily, potentially saving lives and improving prognosis.

Five stars? Really?

Consumers inflate overall ratings when asked to rate various aspects of their experience online.

Finding credible pathways to net-zero emissions

A new paper from the U of A’s Energy Transition Lab examines challenges of scaling up new technologies to ensure they save money and energy.

Opinion Pitches

You can reach Leah at [email protected] or over Slack!

End of the spring session in the legislature: The spring session has officially wrapped up in the Alberta legislature and it was eventful to say the least. Some of the UCP’s most controversial bills were passed in the last days of the session with limited debate. Overall, how did the spring session fare for Albertans? And how does it fare for political parties, whether the UCP or the NDP? Were there things either party could or should have done differently?

Celebrating Canada Day: July 1 is only a month away and for many it’s a time for celebration and fireworks. But, especially in recent years, the celebration of Canada’s founding has been criticized, given the historical harm Indigenous people have experienced. Should Canada Day be a time for celebration, and if so, what exactly do we celebrate? Or should it be a time for greater reflection on Canada’s history?

15-minute cities: Edmonton City Council is going to be hearing three days of discussion around their proposed new district planning. The goals of the new district planning is to create what is known as 15-minute cities. These 15-minute cities have been a lightning rod for conspiracy theories and there are many critics of the concept. Are 15-minute cities something that would benefit Edmontonians, or are the concerns around the plan valid? Are there ways the plan can be improved to address the concerns but still move forward with it?

ASIRT’s effectiveness: A lot of eyebrows were raised at the recent news that officers who used the police database to access personal information about an Alberta MLA won’t be facing charges. The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT), which investigates officer misconduct, recommended charges against the officers, but the Crown has decided not to press charges. In April, the Crown also decided not to press charges against an Edmonton officer, once again, despite ASIRT’s investigation. This has sparked questions about the effectiveness, or even the point of ASIRT is the Crown won’t press charges. Are there ways that this can be changed and improved? Who is responsible for making these changes, ASIRT, the Crown, or the province?

Decorum in the House of Commons: Recently, Members of Parliament have gotten more ruckus. Whether it’s unparliamentary language during debate or shouting while other MP’s are speaking. Some blame Pierre Poilievre for instigating this change, but Justin Trudeau has been engaging in some of the same behavior. Is it the House Speaker’s responsibility to rein this behavior in, or is it political party leaders? If this is allowed to continue, what will this mean for Canadian politics and the next federal election?

Top 5 — Road trip destinations: Now that our roads are covered in snow and ice, more people will be taking summer road trips across Alberta. Where are the best places to take a road trip to? Share your top 5 destinations for road trips and why they’re some of the best!

A&C Pitches

You can reach Dylana at [email protected] or over Slack!

Interview: R&B/Soul duo Black Pumas are coming to the Edmonton Folk Music Festival

“Seven-time Grammy nominees Black Pumas’ long-awaited sophomore album Chronicles of a Diamond dropped this year. On the widely acclaimed new record, Black Pumas broadened their palette to include a dazzling expanse of musical forms: heavenly hybrids of soul and symphonic pop, mind-bending excursions into jazz-funk and psychedelia, and starry-eyed love songs that feel dropped down from the cosmos.”

Chat with Black Pumas, who will play the Edmonton Folk Music Festival on August 8!

Interview: The Heavy Heavy to play the Edmonton Folk Music Festival

The UK based folk/americana/rock duo are set to release their next single “Happiness” on June 11 and their next album One of a Kind on September 6. Chat with The Heavy Heavy, who will play the Edmonton Folk Music Festival on August 11!

Exhibit Review: Listening to the Land by Christian Battle and Lara Felsing

“An exhibition rooted in collaboration, conversation, and knowledge-sharing, Listening to the Land presents recent works by Treaty 6 based artists Christina Battle and Lara Felsing. Considering our relationships to land and community, as well as the potentials of artistic gesture during times of crisis, this exhibition invites viewers to engage in conversations centering caring and careful perspectives of approach.”

This exhibit premieres at the FAB Art Gallery on June 8. Attend the exhibit and write a review!

Book Review: Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit by Nadine Sander-Green

“Millicent is a she, 24-year-old reporter who moves to Whitehorse to work for a failing daily newspaper. With winter looming and the Yukon descending into darkness, Millicent begins a relationship with Pascal, an eccentric and charming middle-aged filmmaker who lives on a converted school bus in a Walmart parking lot. What begins as a romantic adventure soon turns toxic, and Millicent finds herself struggling not to lose herself and her voice.”

Nadine Sander-Green is a Canadian author currently living in Calgary, Alberta. Read her coming-of-age debut novel and write a review!

Film Festival Review: Edmonton Rebirth Film Festival

“Edmonton is in a pivotal and beautiful stage right now both as a whole and in the arts. We, as a community, are here to help shape the direction and growth of this fine city and its fine arts to a place that not only empowers the arts, but is recognized nationally and one day, globally as a unique and thriving hub for the arts.”

On June 9, The Edmonton Rebirth Film Festival will show a collection of short films and music videos by local Edmonton artists!