December 27, 1993

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THE NATION’S BUSINESS

A rich lode of dubious achievers

It hasn’t been a banner year for Canadian business. To survive was to triumph. But even in this dismal climate there were some startling examples of jungle ethics, goofy judgments and just plain greed. Here are the worst of them: • The Widow Stock That Ran Away With Itself—For years, Bell Canada was a sleepy monopoly producing steady but indifferent dividends. By Peter C. Newman4 min

CANADA

A nation of polite bigots?

Nice, polite, open-minded—Canadians wear these stereotypes of civility like a badge of honor. And according to the results of a national poll on attitudes towards racial and ethnic minorities released last week, the Canadian predilection for good manners may extend into the murky realm of racism. By BRIAN BERGMAN4 min

FILMS

Sexuality on the stand

It is amazing that it has taken so long. Hollywood is one of the most AIDS-conscious communities on the planet. At the Oscars, red ribbons have been as obligatory as black ties for several years. Yet until now, Hollywood has never made a movie about AIDS. By Brian D. Johnson4 min

Canada heads to the Finnish line

The year 1993 marked the final Coca-colonization of Canada. We have been swallowed. The elephant has finally crushed the mouse. The Canadian beaver, as Margaret Atwood predicted some time ago, has eaten its own testicles. What else could we expect? Myron Baloney, the finest American prime minister Canada has ever produced, finished everything off, turning us into Yankee North. By Allan Fotheringham4 min