The Pulse: June 18, 2021

Two reports from a citizen-led advisory board say Edmonton Transit Service (ETS) should improve its communication with the public to make the city's transit system more inclusive, safe, and accessible.

The reports, prepared by the Edmonton Transit Service Advisory Board (ETSAB), detail systemic discrimination faced by transit users and staff, as well as concerns that some members of vulnerable populations may not be using the service because they don't understand how it works. The advisory board says establishing public education programs and improving the messaging around racial justice would go a long way towards solving those issues.

Carrie Hotton-MacDonald, ETS's branch manager, told Taproot that the transit service is already working on improving public communications by expanding existing marketing and social media campaigns, and through an addition to the Transit Watch program introduced last year that encourages riders to report harassment or other safety concerns through text messages. She said that ETSAB's recommendations would add to these efforts.

"(They) are going to help further strengthen the approach that we have," she said.

Airlines are pitching cheap domestic flights and pushing for opened international borders, travel agents are booking trips, and Alberta tourism operators are welcoming visitors as a travel industry grounded by the pandemic tries to recover.

Flair Airlines is offering one-way Edmonton to Victoria tickets for $29 as the industry looks to reverse people's reluctance to fly. "It's a strategy to get people to start thinking and talking with their family and friends and say, 'Hey, look at those prices,'" Dr. Frederic Dimanche, director with the Ted Rogers School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, told CTV News.

Those bargains won't last, warned Edmonton travel agent Hidar Elmais of Travel Gurus, who is hearing from more clients as quarantine rules are relaxed. "I'm telling you, the prices are not going to stay this low. They're going to be much higher. Especially for sun destinations, we truly think they will go higher," he told CTV News.

While business leaders nationally have pushed the federal government to outline a plan to reopen the Canada-U.S. border, WestJet has announced new international flights despite concerns about resuming operations.

"It's not just as simple as turning on a light switch and turning flights back on," WestJet's Morgan Bell told the Calgary Herald.

• A statue of Winston Churchill near city hall was vandalized with red paint. Mayor Don Iveson said he welcomes discussions about historical wrongdoings and encouraged Edmontonians to address these issues in a more productive way.
• The City of Edmonton and Edmonton police have released a joint plan to address racism and improve safety in the city. The 90-day action plan focuses on 70 quick actions and will be presented to the city's community and public services committee on June 30.
• The union representing city workers is pushing back against the Reimagine Services project, meant to save taxpayers $16 million over the next five years. Among the 18 cost-saving measures are the privatization of some city services like golf courses, arenas and pools.
• Former Edmontonian Mahmud Jamal has been nominated to the Supreme Court of Canada. The judge, who graduated from Ross Sheppard High School, would become the first person of colour to sit on the top court since it was established.
• HonestDoor is the winner of the Startup TNT Investment Summit III. The real estate tech company will receive an investment of at least $150,000 from a group of local angel investors.
• The province will continue to offer the AstraZeneca vaccine as a second dose, despite a recommendation by the National Advisory Committee on Immunization to administer an mRNA vaccine instead.
• The Western Standard fully retracted and apologized for its story alleging that Premier Jason Kenney and cabinet ministers met in an Edmonton restaurant when indoor dining was prohibited due to COVID-19 restrictions.
• Alberta is a hot spot for a canine tapeworm that can cause fatal infections in humans. There have been 17 cases of alveolar echinococcosis — the disease caused by the parasite — found in Alberta between 2013 and 2020.

Modern Manhood, which analyzes "the systemic issues, struggles, and hopes for masculinities," has released its Season 2 trailer and first two episodes. The new season, How to be a Man, focuses on how men are taught to be 'men' and "how people who are male-identified become gendered." The program recently celebrated its fifth anniversary.

The project is supported by Next Gen Men, an organization aiming to change "the face of what it means to 'be a man,'" as well as the Alberta Podcast Network.

Producer and host German Villegas invites guests from the Good Men Project to speak, alongside parents, experts, and people of all genders. During Season 2, the hosts ask listeners to explore who they are. The first episode invited parents from around the world to discuss the pressures and expectations of raising children.

Sprinkled between the 30-minute episodes are hour-long "cold takes" hosted by Villegas and Veronica Ilich, with guests like Next Gen Men's Jake Stika. This sub-series features reactions to the news cycle, and allows "a space to talk about articles and everyday life." Recent guest MASKulinity podcast host Samantha Nzessi spoke about the controversial abortion bill in Texas, the remains of the 215 children recovered from a Kamloops residential school, and Father's Day.

You can listen to both seasons on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or the Modern Manhood website.

You can listen to podcast picks from Taproot on Listen Notes or Spotify.