It is hard to believe, but Canadian Affairs launched six months ago, on July 1, 2023. The selection of Canada’s birthday as our own was purposeful. Canadian Affairs is about Canadians and for Canadians.
Specifically, we are focused on delivering high-quality reported journalism on topics pertinent to Canadians’ lives. That is why family issues are a big focus of our coverage, such as our stories on whether youth are breaking the law by sexting and the needs of Canada’s ‘hidden’ caregiver population.Â
It’s why we cover topics that matter to your pocketbooks, such as our article on borrowers’ options when their mortgage renews or the implications of Canada’s strengthened passenger rights regime.
It’s why stories about workplace and industry trends appear on our pages. Stories such as our exploration of why Canadian firms struggle with low productivity and the implications of an Alberta law that backs the province’s tech sector over its provincial regulator.Â
And it’s why we cover topics that matter to the communities we live in, including Canada’s challenge with homelessness, the economic and reproductive impact of places of worship and the effect of a potential Irving Oil refinery sale.
Yes, we do publish world news too, typically by our newswire partner Agence France Presse. But even our global stories are selected with a view to what is likely to resonate with you, our audience.
For example, you’ll see on our pages articles about global events that have parallels to what is happening in Canada — such as Australia’s recent decision to cut immigration numbers, the Netherlands’ problem with young people living in shipping containers (yes, really) and New Zealand’s decision to impose a carbon tax on cow farts (no joke).Â
You’ll also see stories about global security, financial, health and technology events that have or could have ripple effects here. This means covering topics such as the tragic conflicts in Ukraine and Israel-Palestine, the rise of drugs to address obesity and the regulation of artificial intelligence.
Double down
As things turned out, we happened to have launched Canadian Affairs at the worst possible time one could launch a news outlet.
Exactly one month after our debut, Meta blocked the sharing of Canadian news on Facebook and Instagram in response to Ottawa’s Online News Act. These platforms have historically been the primary channel through which new, digital-exclusive news organizations reached audiences. So Meta’s news ban was a blow to our growth strategy, to say the least.
But truth be told, we are glad we did launch before Meta moved ahead with its ban. Had we planned to launch after that, we may well have lost our nerve and scuppered our business idea altogether.
Instead, we have doubled down and figured out how to grow without Meta. We are proud of how far we have come in a short time. And we are grateful to everyone who has helped us grow.
In particular, we are grateful to each and every paying subscriber — many of whom subscribed before we had a track record of published work under our belts. We take your vote of confidence seriously and are committed to earning your trust week after week. We are also committed to increasing the volume of content we publish and to continually improving the user experience.
I am personally grateful to the talented journalists on our team who bring commitment, drive and passion to their work each week. As one of our reporters recently noted, she puts out an average of 15 interview requests for every source she speaks to. These are the lengths they go to every day to ensure Canadians’ views are reflected in our work.
Finally, we are grateful to all of our readers for their support and interest in our stories. Without that interest, we would have no reason to do what we do. We hope our content gives you reason to become paying supporters in the new year. Subscriptions are what enable us to produce great journalism that accurately and impartially reflects the issues affecting this great country.
Happy new year!
Lauren Heuser
