Denise Balkissoon
@balkissoon.bsky.social
Executive editor @thenarwhal.ca. Still hate gum. The lakes, they are Great.
(Illo by Andrea Bell, from The Leak, a kid's graphic novel about a girl that does environmental journalism!)
(Illo by Andrea Bell, from The Leak, a kid's graphic novel about a girl that does environmental journalism!)
Reposted by Denise Balkissoon
How do we know our journalism makes a difference? Because we pay attention to how it influences governments, empowers people to hold power to account and otherwise ripples into the world.
Check out a few highlights from another year of impactful reporting:
thenarwhal.ca/our-impact-i...
Check out a few highlights from another year of impactful reporting:
thenarwhal.ca/our-impact-i...
How The Narwhal’s journalism made an impact in 2025
The Narwhal’s status as an independent non-profit means we put people over profit — and pay attention to the impact our journalism makes in the real world
thenarwhal.ca
December 18, 2025 at 1:40 AM
How do we know our journalism makes a difference? Because we pay attention to how it influences governments, empowers people to hold power to account and otherwise ripples into the world.
Check out a few highlights from another year of impactful reporting:
thenarwhal.ca/our-impact-i...
Check out a few highlights from another year of impactful reporting:
thenarwhal.ca/our-impact-i...
Which province mandates that cities and towns allow a fossil fuel company to build pipelines on public land for free?
Ontario! Incredible!
Ontario! Incredible!
Waterloo Region and Guelph are holding out on renewing contracts that allow Enbridge Gas to build pipelines on public land for free. Toronto and Ottawa are also pushing back, and more Ontario municipalities could follow: thenarwhal.ca/ontario-enbr...
Ontario municipalities want Enbridge Gas to pay up | The Narwhal
Guelph, Waterloo Region and other Ontario municipalities argue the gas giant shouldn’t be able to build pipelines on public land for free
thenarwhal.ca
December 17, 2025 at 1:57 PM
Which province mandates that cities and towns allow a fossil fuel company to build pipelines on public land for free?
Ontario! Incredible!
Ontario! Incredible!
Nbd, just a provincial government apparently delaying publication of a scientific study showing long-term negative effects of coal mining on water quality. Oh and also seemingly preventing the lead scientist from talking to journalists - and local citizens - once it finally came out.
More than 600 pages of records show Alberta officials delayed a coal mine pollution study — and seemingly stopped the lead scientist from speaking publicly thenarwhal.ca/alberta-stal... #abpoli #ableg #cdnpoli
Alberta officials stalled coal mine pollution study | The Narwhal
An Alberta government scientist was prevented from speaking publicly about his coal mine pollution research, emails show
thenarwhal.ca
December 16, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Nbd, just a provincial government apparently delaying publication of a scientific study showing long-term negative effects of coal mining on water quality. Oh and also seemingly preventing the lead scientist from talking to journalists - and local citizens - once it finally came out.
Reposted by Denise Balkissoon
There is a pattern of domestic violence and sexual assault allegations against police in Canada, McDermott notes. Like former VPD Sgt. Jim Fisher, accused of forcibly kissing two teenage girls under 18, witnesses to a sex exploitation investigation... 6/ www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
Former VPD detective in court for breaching sex offender orders | CBC News
James Fisher’s misconduct as an officer with the Vancouver Police Department resulted in guilty pleas for breach of trust and sexual exploitation in 20218.
www.cbc.ca
December 12, 2025 at 7:55 PM
There is a pattern of domestic violence and sexual assault allegations against police in Canada, McDermott notes. Like former VPD Sgt. Jim Fisher, accused of forcibly kissing two teenage girls under 18, witnesses to a sex exploitation investigation... 6/ www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
Reposted by Denise Balkissoon
In late Nov. researcher @kwardvancouver.bsky.social pointed me to an OPCC investigation summary into now ex-VPD officer’s abusive relationship with a teenage girl. They met when he made a policing presentation at her high school & she expressed interest in being a cop. thetyee.ca/News/2025/12... 1/
VPD Officer Was Quietly Investigated over an Abusive Relationship with Teen | The Tyee
A police watchdog report does not reveal the officer’s name or the school where he met the teenage girl.
thetyee.ca
December 12, 2025 at 7:55 PM
In late Nov. researcher @kwardvancouver.bsky.social pointed me to an OPCC investigation summary into now ex-VPD officer’s abusive relationship with a teenage girl. They met when he made a policing presentation at her high school & she expressed interest in being a cop. thetyee.ca/News/2025/12... 1/
Reposted by Denise Balkissoon
A paved pathway was built through a wetland in Severn, outside of Orillia, surprising the community and council. Across Ontario, flood-mitigating wetlands are losing protections - sometimes because developers pay experts that redraw protection maps, which the province just .. accepts?
When a developer carved a path through a wetland, the extent caught neighbours and Severn Township by surprise — but there was little anyone could do. Wetlands are disappearing across Ontario, along with the rules meant to protect them. thenarwhal.ca/severn-ontar...
Ontario is losing wetlands: Severn's is an example | The Narwhal
A developer built a trail through a wetland near Orillia, catching neighbours and the township by surprise. Across Ontario, wetlands are getting harder and harder to protect
thenarwhal.ca
December 11, 2025 at 12:33 AM
A paved pathway was built through a wetland in Severn, outside of Orillia, surprising the community and council. Across Ontario, flood-mitigating wetlands are losing protections - sometimes because developers pay experts that redraw protection maps, which the province just .. accepts?
Reposted by Denise Balkissoon
Unless you live in Toronto, in which case this is actually smug, depressing research
Important, exciting research — air pollution dropped 22% in NYC's congestion relief zone within the first 6 months of #CongestionPricing (with reductions in the surrounding neighborhoods, too)
Cleaner air, better transit, great data — all thanks to #CongestionPricing!
Cleaner air, better transit, great data — all thanks to #CongestionPricing!
December 10, 2025 at 1:04 AM
Unless you live in Toronto, in which case this is actually smug, depressing research
Reposted by Denise Balkissoon
If you think a US-based company would ever *in a million years* put Canadian sovereignty and security even slightly ahead of their profitability upon receiving even the smallest pressure from Trump or any other US President, I have a JPG of an ape I'd like to sell you.
December 9, 2025 at 9:00 PM
If you think a US-based company would ever *in a million years* put Canadian sovereignty and security even slightly ahead of their profitability upon receiving even the smallest pressure from Trump or any other US President, I have a JPG of an ape I'd like to sell you.
Reposted by Denise Balkissoon
In Chicago, a Nativity scene features a zip-tied baby Jesus and Roman centurions in "ICE" vests.
Near Boston, Mary, Joseph, and Jesus are absent from a Nativity scene, replaced with a sign reading "ICE was here."
It's all part of growing religious blowback to ICE. religionnews.com/2025/12/05/i...
Near Boston, Mary, Joseph, and Jesus are absent from a Nativity scene, replaced with a sign reading "ICE was here."
It's all part of growing religious blowback to ICE. religionnews.com/2025/12/05/i...
ICE Nativity scenes: Churches reimagine Christmas story amid deportations
(RNS) — 'We know that Jesus was born into a Roman imperial occupation, and pretty much immediately becomes a refugee in Egypt, has to flee and faces political violence,' the Rev. Michael Woolf said.
religionnews.com
December 5, 2025 at 7:31 PM
In Chicago, a Nativity scene features a zip-tied baby Jesus and Roman centurions in "ICE" vests.
Near Boston, Mary, Joseph, and Jesus are absent from a Nativity scene, replaced with a sign reading "ICE was here."
It's all part of growing religious blowback to ICE. religionnews.com/2025/12/05/i...
Near Boston, Mary, Joseph, and Jesus are absent from a Nativity scene, replaced with a sign reading "ICE was here."
It's all part of growing religious blowback to ICE. religionnews.com/2025/12/05/i...
Reposted by Denise Balkissoon
if you're a WNBA or NWSL social media team you probably have mixed feelings about the growing popularity of Heated Rivalry because on the one hand a rising gay tide lifts all gay boats but on the other you've been grinding in the gay mines for years when these beefy fellas just waltzed in yesterday
December 7, 2025 at 7:42 PM
if you're a WNBA or NWSL social media team you probably have mixed feelings about the growing popularity of Heated Rivalry because on the one hand a rising gay tide lifts all gay boats but on the other you've been grinding in the gay mines for years when these beefy fellas just waltzed in yesterday
It's December 6 and I didn't notice until this minute. 💔
December 6, 2025 at 10:27 PM
It's December 6 and I didn't notice until this minute. 💔
Look at this + listen to an episode of Criminal about anti-ICE grassroots work in Chicago and remember that many people are good thisiscriminal.com/episode-339-...
December 6, 2025 at 8:20 PM
Look at this + listen to an episode of Criminal about anti-ICE grassroots work in Chicago and remember that many people are good thisiscriminal.com/episode-339-...
Please click on the story about eels! Help @michellecyca.com continue to support environmental journalism about ugly animals that play vital roles in our ecosystems!
Canada's most lucrative fishery — and a global black market — rely on American eel. But Canada was among the countries who voted against global trade restrictions on the eel last week, and won't list it under the Species At Risk Act, @moiradonovan.bsky.social reports. thenarwhal.ca/american-eel...
Illegal American eel fishing is big business in Canada. Ottawa just voted against protections | The Narwhal
Federal fisheries department also announced American eel will not be listed as a species at risk, despite illegal fishing pressures
thenarwhal.ca
December 5, 2025 at 6:05 PM
Please click on the story about eels! Help @michellecyca.com continue to support environmental journalism about ugly animals that play vital roles in our ecosystems!
Excellent basketball
December 5, 2025 at 2:57 AM
Excellent basketball
Reposted by Denise Balkissoon
what’s more virgin than a computer
December 3, 2025 at 1:24 PM
what’s more virgin than a computer
This was a great panel with a very engaged audience - if you're interested in the national interest, please watch!
What’s really going on with Prime Minister Mark Carney’s major projects push?
Reporters for The Narwhal unpacked the process, politics and potential impacts earlier today in a lively online discussion. Watch the recording here:
thenarwhal.ca/major-projec...
Reporters for The Narwhal unpacked the process, politics and potential impacts earlier today in a lively online discussion. Watch the recording here:
thenarwhal.ca/major-projec...
Watch: Unpacking Carney’s major projects push | The Narwhal
Reporters for The Narwhal discuss the process, politics and potential impacts of Canada’s push to build major projects
thenarwhal.ca
December 3, 2025 at 1:54 PM
This was a great panel with a very engaged audience - if you're interested in the national interest, please watch!
So happy my girl @supriya.bsky.social is out here opinionating again: "When Canada walks away from feminist policy, it abandons a key driver of poverty and strife. And when Canada appears to bow to bro-signalling ... it has joined the league of polite misogyny." www.thestar.com/opinion/cont...
Supriya Dwivedi: Mark Carney is giving in to the bros
Fighting poverty and violence around the world means embracing feminist ideas.
www.thestar.com
December 3, 2025 at 1:19 PM
So happy my girl @supriya.bsky.social is out here opinionating again: "When Canada walks away from feminist policy, it abandons a key driver of poverty and strife. And when Canada appears to bow to bro-signalling ... it has joined the league of polite misogyny." www.thestar.com/opinion/cont...
Almost 1,000 people have signed up, but we still have some space ... Starting in eight minutes!
Trying to make sense of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s major projects push?
Join us TODAY at 9:00 a.m. PT (12:00 p.m. ET) for a free webinar featuring Narwhal reporters from across the country. We'll unpack the process, politics and potential impacts.
Register here: us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
Join us TODAY at 9:00 a.m. PT (12:00 p.m. ET) for a free webinar featuring Narwhal reporters from across the country. We'll unpack the process, politics and potential impacts.
Register here: us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
December 2, 2025 at 4:52 PM
Almost 1,000 people have signed up, but we still have some space ... Starting in eight minutes!
Fast-track plans unclear
Set to fast track
Fast-tracking plans
Designated for fast tracking
The Major Projects Office is a plot against copy editors
Set to fast track
Fast-tracking plans
Designated for fast tracking
The Major Projects Office is a plot against copy editors
December 2, 2025 at 2:51 PM
Fast-track plans unclear
Set to fast track
Fast-tracking plans
Designated for fast tracking
The Major Projects Office is a plot against copy editors
Set to fast track
Fast-tracking plans
Designated for fast tracking
The Major Projects Office is a plot against copy editors
Today at noon Eastern Time: join some Narwhal Nerds to talk policy, major projects and the prime minister.
Major projects? Let’s talk about it!
Join us for a free Zoom event on Dec. 2 to unpack the process, politics and potential impacts of Canada’s push to build major projects. Register here:
thenarwhal.ca/major-projects-event
Join us for a free Zoom event on Dec. 2 to unpack the process, politics and potential impacts of Canada’s push to build major projects. Register here:
thenarwhal.ca/major-projects-event
December 2, 2025 at 2:26 PM
Today at noon Eastern Time: join some Narwhal Nerds to talk policy, major projects and the prime minister.
Reposted by Denise Balkissoon
Someone said this is Klay Thompson and Megan the Stallion
October 25, 2025 at 9:08 PM
Someone said this is Klay Thompson and Megan the Stallion
Reposted by Denise Balkissoon
The prime minister promises he’ll solve climate change … right after he gets a new pipeline built. @balkissoon.bsky.social asks: haven’t we heard that one before?
November 29, 2025 at 5:52 PM
The prime minister promises he’ll solve climate change … right after he gets a new pipeline built. @balkissoon.bsky.social asks: haven’t we heard that one before?