Some of the best Maclean’s reads of 2019
2019 saw our journalists cover political scandal, domestic violence, the housing crisis, multiple harrowing tales of rescue, climate change, Indigenous issues, one of the biggest sports wins of the decade and much more
Kawhi Leonard #2 of the Toronto Raptors celebrates his teams win over the Golden State Warriors in Game Six to win the 2019 NBA Finals at ORACLE Arena on June 13, 2019 in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Share
Into the dark
The inside story of an improbable team of divers, a near-impossible plan and the rescue of 12 boys from a Thai cave
Read the gripping feature by Shannon Gormley.
This is how Canada’s housing correction begins
Canadians are finally getting a taste of what a world with rising interest rates will look like, and one thing is painfully clear: we’re not ready for what happens next
Read the full feature by Jason Kirby.
Not a drop to drink
Members of the Neskantaga First Nation are set to take their first sips of safe tap water in 25 years. Many refer to it as ‘the moment,’ and it’s a matter of life and death
Read the full feature by Kyle Edwards.
This is what’s wrong with Canada’s Left
The Liberals are losing their hold on the centre, increasingly willing to alienate and inflame.
Read the full feature by John Geddes.
Huawei’s Meng Wanzhou: The world’s most wanted woman
Inside the high-stakes extradition fight for a top Huawei executive—and why Canada’s relationship with China may never recover
Read the full story by Shannon Proudfoot, John Geddes, Paul Wells, Claire Brownell, Aaron Hutchins and Jason Markusoff
How a core member of Team Trudeau became the PM’s greatest threat
Jody Wilson-Raybould was once one of Justin Trudeau’s star political prospects. Now, a thorn in his side.
Read the full feature by John Geddes.
Justin Trudeau, imposter
The phoniness of the Prime Minister’s handling of the SNC-Lavalin file is a trait he shows the Canadian people all too often
Read the full cover story by Paul Wells
Humboldt and its Broncos received a nation’s grief. Now it’s their turn to heal.
One year after the crash, both city and team are as resolved as ever to get past their cataclysmic moment. They just need a moment to take a breath.
Read the story by Aaron Hutchins.
For fentanyl importers, Canada Post is the shipping method of choice
Most fentanyl enters Canada via the mail, thanks to an antiquated law. Why hasn’t the government acted?
Read the full investigation by Claire Brownell
To kill a polar bear
The fate and ferocity of the North’s greatest predator has pitted the Inuit against southern scientists, leading to an extraordinary moment in a Nunavut court
Read the full story by Aaron Hutchins
‘How we treat women’
Worker camps make it possible to build infrastructure in remote locations in Canada. Is it worth the human cost?
Read the full investigation by Kyle Edwards
The world is broken—and human kindness is the only solution
From politics to health care to economics, a rising movement is calling for compassion as a remedy for systems on the brink
Read the full story by Anne Kingston
The climate crisis: “Yes, we should be scared.”
What will it take for popular opinion to catch up with the terrifying science? We talk to Canada’s top climate change experts.
Read the full story by John Geddes.
Yes, climate change can be beaten by 2050. Here’s how.
A carbon-free world can be a reality. What would that mean for our jobs, homes and lives?
Read the full story by Alanna Mitchell.
Marching brave
To mark the 50th anniversary of Bill C-150—which amended Canada’s Criminal Code and represented a significant step forward for gay rights—Maclean’s looks back on five historic images from the past five decades, each of which highlights a key moment for the LGBQ community.
How a bill becomes law—when SNC-Lavalin pulls the strings
The powerful engineering giant had two former Supreme Court justices, a former Privy Council clerk and the PMO on its side. It got everything it wanted—except a deal to escape a court fight
Read the full story by Nick Taylor-Vaisey
What does it mean to be working class in Canada?
Socio-economic lines are often erased or ignored in Canada. Here’s how I came to see my working class roots clearly.
Read the full story by Shannon Proudfoot
Journey to glory
The sublime joy of the Raptors championship capped a 26-year project to build a winner from scratch—overcoming reluctant athletes, snarky purists and a market short on basketball tradition. Mission accomplished.
Read the full story by Aaron Hutchins
The rise of Alberta’s unapologetic petro-patriots
Legions of Albertans are showing their allegiance to oil by wearing their hearts on their sleeves (and caps and T-shirts and hoodies). Is it a defensive posture?
Read the full story by Jason Markusoff
We are the dead
A months’-long Maclean’s investigation into intimate-partner violence reveals how systems, politicians and people have failed women and girls
Read the full story by Anne Kingston
(Adam Scotti/Liberal Party of Canada)
How Justin Trudeau held on: The story of a gruelling, messy campaign
The path to a Liberal minority was paved with low points and sloppy moments. In this election, there were no undiluted victories.
Read the full story John Geddes, Shannon Proudfoot, Anne Kingston, Jason Markusoff and Paul Wells.
Plucked from peril
The Makena set out for Halifax in fine weather under the steady hand of a respected skipper. It would be the yacht’s last voyage—and only the heroics of Canadian rescuers would spare its crew from tragedy.
Read the full feature by Nick Taylor-Vaisey