On the left: an illustration of a mailbox with letters sticking out of it; the outside of the mailbox has siding and windows. A person stands at the back of the platform the mailbox rests on with a dog by their side. On the right: text that reads “I bought a house and became part of the problem. Homeownership is now a retirement plan, pension substitute, nest egg. And that’s exactly what’s broken.”

Yes, a house is a home—but it can also be an asset. In Canada, this dual role has reshaped the economy, with the housing market worth about $300 billion a year and accounting for roughly 13.2 percent of the country’s gross domestic product. https://ow.ly/jxn050YIv3j

On the left: a photo of Alberta premier Danielle Smith in profile with a blurry reflection of her face behind her head. On the right: text that reads “Can Alberta keep foreign meddling out of its secession vote? If we’re being honest, probably not”

A high-stakes secession vote looms in Alberta, set against an uncertain security landscape with few safeguards. Writer Patrick Lennox warns moving ahead without the tools to protect its integrity is “profoundly dangerous in this disinformation age.” https://ow.ly/ju1j50YIv0k

On the left: a photo of Pierre Poilievre standing behind a podium. Supporters in the background hold up a banner that reads "jobs." On the right: text that reads “Poilievre may be struggling right now, but the kids still like him. He’s achieved something Conservatives failed to do for years: win young voters”

The federal Liberals’ dramatic 2025 electoral comeback is already political legend. But, beneath their recovery, one crucial segment of the electorate held firm for the Conservatives: young voters. Poll analyst Philippe J. Fournier explores: https://ow.ly/fWHl50YIuYv

Careers & Fellowships | The Walrus Jobs, fellowships, and internships at the Walrus Foundation

Come work with us! The Walrus is currently accepting applications for an Editorial Fellowship for BIPOC journalists. This is a remote, paid 12-month position, with a June 2026 start date. https://thewalrus.ca/about/careers/

On the left: an illustration of five comets shooting through space with planet Earth in the background. On the right: text that reads “The endless wonder and beautiful uncertainty of interstellar comets. The voyage of 3I/ATLAS sparked new questions about our solar system—and unlocked a longing for cosmic meaning”

“Was 3I/ATLAS thinking about us?”

On December 19, 2025, a comet from another solar system quietly passed Earth—and with its arrival, speculation blurred science and imagination. Here, writer Andrew Seale reflects on what we’re really searching for in the sky: https://thewalrus.ca/3iatlas-comet/

On the left: a photo of an air force plane flying in a clear, blue sky. On the right: text that reads “A daring rescue in Iran highlights a war going sideways. Saving two airmen was a tactical success in a conflict with no clear path to victory.”

“Every rescue operation involves remarkable military capabilities and extraordinary heroism,” writes Wesley Wark. “None deserve to be forgotten or lost to a president’s convenient, politically self-serving 'military memory.’” https://ow.ly/H16y50YHk3S

On the left: an image of US president Donald Trump smiling and holding a small Quebec provincial flag on a blue background. On the right: text that reads “How the Trump effect is normalizing Quebec separatism. The US president is making independence look rational in an unpredictable world.”

If Canada’s sovereignty can be rhetorically destabilized by a foreign leader, why is Quebec’s desire for self-determination still treated as reckless? Writer Éric Blais on how Donald Trump has disrupted old framing: thewalrus.ca/how-the-fear-of-trump-is...

On the left: a close up photo of Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre. On the right: text that reads “Poilievre isn’t ready for what AI will do to the economy. He gets the disruption that’s coming. He just doesn’t have much to say about it.”

Pierre Poilievre gave a wide-ranging podcast interview on Steven Bartlett’s The Diary of a CEO podcast, but stumbled on one key issue: AI. Writer and professor David Coletto explores:thewalrus.ca/poilievre-isnt-ready-for...

On the left: an image of a music player's UI with a Canadian maple leaf in place of the play button on a pink and blue background. On the right: text that reads “Before Apple Music, there was MapleMusic—Canada’s forgotten pioneer. Homegrown start-ups were ahead of American giants in transforming our listening habits.”

In the shadow of Apple and Amazon, Canadian platforms quietly rewired music access, connecting artists directly to fans years ahead of the curve. Writer Cam Gordon explores the key players history forgot: thewalrus.ca/before-apple-music-there...

On the left: an illustration of a mailbox with letters sticking out of it; the outside of the mailbox has siding and windows. A person stands at the back of the platform the mailbox rests on with a dog by their side. On the right: text that reads “I bought a house and became part of the problem. Homeownership is now a retirement plan, pension substitute, nest egg. And that’s exactly what’s broken.”

For The Walrus contributing writer David Moscrop buying a house felt like an accomplishment—but it also felt like guilt. “I was scoring some stability, while others, priced out of the market, were left to military-crawl into the latter half of their life.” https://ow.ly/BjHW50YHjS5

On the left: a photo of President Donald Trump walking across green grass while wearing a long, black coat. On the right: text that reads “Bad as Trump is, what follows him may be worse. The fight to define MAGA’s future is turning ugly—and more extreme.”

US vice president J.D. Vance—the presumed GOP presidential frontrunner for 2028—is only supported by 22 percent of the party's voters, with nearly two-thirds still undecided. That uncertainty is exactly where extremists thrive. thewalrus.ca/bad-as-trump-is-what-fol...

On the left: a photo of documents from the Epstein files, including a large picture of Epstein's mug shot photo. On the right: text that reads “It’s time to talk about Canada’s links to Epstein. Records reveal a web of relationships that endured after his conviction”

Canadians tend to think of Jeffrey Epstein’s network as a web that exists in a distant place, but the Epstein files suggest otherwise—and the pattern they reveal is familiar to those who pay attention to how power operates in this country. https://ow.ly/a6y350YHk5w

Looking for something to do this weekend? The new crossword from The Walrus Games is up. Tell us how you did. https://thewalrus.ca/games

On the left: a close up photo of Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre. On the right: text that reads “Poilievre isn’t ready for what AI will do to the economy. He gets the disruption that’s coming. He just doesn’t have much to say about it.”

Seven in ten employed Canadians believe AI will make some jobs in their industry obsolete, yet our federal leaders continue to reach for philosophical frameworks. Writer David Coletto asks: When will specifics follow? thewalrus.ca/poilievre-isnt-ready-for...

On the left: an image of a music player's UI with a Canadian maple leaf in place of the play button on a pink and blue background. On the right: text that reads “Before Apple Music, there was MapleMusic—Canada’s forgotten pioneer. Homegrown start-ups were ahead of American giants in transforming our listening habits.”

Homegrown start-ups like MapleMusic and Puretracks helped reformat how Canadians found and listened to music. Writer Cam Gordon reflects on the music tech ecosystem that built the blueprint for today’s streaming giants. thewalrus.ca/before-apple-music-there...

On the left: a photo of an American flag on a stick coming out of the top of a book with a Canadian flag cover on a white background. On the right: text that reads “The HarperCollins “Canadian Classics” is an American side hustle. A new reprint line is marketed as a tribute to Canadian literature but folded into a larger US campaign.”

HarperCollins Canada’s new line of classics mostly features titles that were published this century. How can we tell whether a text that has not been around very long has or has not exhausted what it has to say? thewalrus.ca/the-harpercollins-canadi...

On the left: a photo of the Azadi Tower in Iran with fire and smoke in the background. On the right: text that reads “Experts size up Trump’s options in Iran. None look good. US objectives appear increasingly incoherent.”

“The least humiliating exit is usually where bad wars finally admit that they always were.”

Five weeks into its war with Iran—a war no one made a legitimate case for—the US has no clean way out. Eight experts reconvene to reassess where things stand: https://thewalrus.ca/iran-war-experts/

The speakers and host from The Walrus Talks Power and Belonging. From left to right: Amanda Munday, Maiwand Rahyab, Anthony Morgan, Riley Yesno, Alica Hall, Dr. Caroline Shenaz Hossein, and Jennifer Hollett.

Thanks to everyone who joined us for Belonging Forum presents The Walrus Talks Power and Belonging, and a huge thank you to our speakers.

On the left: a photo of three modern skyscrapers. On the right: text that reads “The Squamish nation’s impossibly simple solution to Vancouver’s housing crisis. Freed from zoning restrictions, Sen̓áḵw is adding 6,000 new homes to the city.”

Why can the Squamish Nation build what no one else in Vancouver can? The answer starts with a 1913 land theft, a decades-long lawsuit, and a housing crisis hiding in plain sight. thewalrus.ca/the-squamish-nations-imp...

On the left: an image of US president Donald Trump smiling and holding a small Quebec provincial flag on a blue background. On the right: text that reads “How the Trump effect is normalizing Quebec separatism. The US president is making independence look rational in an unpredictable world.”

When the Parti Québécois talks sovereignty, Ottawa leans on old warnings, emphasizing the potential for economic collapse and instability. What happens when the old playbook meets an electorate that no longer trembles? thewalrus.ca/how-the-fear-of-trump-is...

On the left: a photo of documents from the Epstein files, including a large picture of Epstein's mug shot photo. On the right: text that reads “It’s time to talk about Canada’s links to Epstein. Records reveal a web of relationships that endured after his conviction”

Disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein built a network trading access to underage girls for influence—one that included Canadians, even after his 2008 conviction. Political scientist Stewart Prest reports on what kept them in his orbit: https://ow.ly/R6rk50YGPso

On the left: a photo of President Donald Trump walking across green grass while wearing a long, black coat. On the right: text that reads “Bad as Trump is, what follows him may be worse. The fight to define MAGA’s future is turning ugly—and more extreme.”

He’s twenty-seven, banned from most social platforms, and the potential successor to MAGA. White supremacist influencer Nick Fuentes and his army of “Groypers” may be fringe today, but they’re quietly reshaping the future of the American right. https://ow.ly/hNCB50YFV61

On the left: a photo of three modern skyscrapers. On the right: text that reads “The Squamish nation’s impossibly simple solution to Vancouver’s housing crisis. Freed from zoning restrictions, Sen̓áḵw is adding 6,000 new homes to the city.”

Journalist Alex Mayyasi argues Vancouver’s housing crisis wasn’t inevitable—it was engineered. Homeowners used zoning laws to protect property values, locking everyone else out. The Sen̓áḵw development is what happens when those rules don’t apply. https://ow.ly/LVwf50YFV2V

On the left: a photo of the Azadi Tower in Iran with fire and smoke in the background. On the right: text that reads “Experts size up Trump’s options in Iran. None look good. US objectives appear increasingly incoherent.”

It’s been over a month since The Walrus published our first roundtable on the Iran war, and the situation has collapsed dramatically. What kind of war is this becoming? And what, at this point, does an endgame even look like? Eight experts weigh in: https://thewalrus.ca/iran-war-experts/

On the left: an image of US president Donald Trump smiling and holding a small Quebec provincial flag on a blue background. On the right: text that reads “How the Trump effect is normalizing Quebec separatism. The US president is making independence look rational in an unpredictable world.”

Ottawa keeps warning Quebec about Donald Trump, but marketing strategist Éric Blais argues the tactic is backfiring: “The fear campaign collapses under the weight of its own logic.” Is fear making Quebec sovereignty look more reasonable, not less? https://ow.ly/HkqN50YFUSw

On the left: a close-up photo of Pierre Poilievre's mouth with a stream of white letters flowing out of it. On the right: text that reads “Why Pierre Poilievre suddenly won’t stop talking. The dam has burst. Rigid messaging is ending. Long live the give-and-take of conversation.”

Not long ago, Pierre Poilievre refused to share his travel schedule with reporters. Now, he’s swapping silence for a lengthy sit down with Joe Rogan. The dam has burst on almost two decades of rigid political messaging—and there’s no going back. https://ow.ly/a8SR50YFf96

On the left: Photo of three modern skyscrapers. On the right: text that reads “The Squamish nation’s impossibly simple solution to Vancouver’s housing crisis. Freed from zoning restrictions, Sen̓áḵw is adding 6,000 new homes to the city.”

What if cities allowed housing to be built at the scale demand requires? The Sen̓áḵw development, led by the Squamish Nation and constructed outside of Vancouver and its zoning rules, offers one vision of what’s possible. Writer Alex Mayyasi explores: https://ow.ly/cpxZ50YFfep

At Belonging Forum presents The Walrus Talks Power and Belonging, seven speakers from civic life, research institutions, culture work, and community organizing explore how agency and voice define whether people feel they belong. Join us. https://twtpowerandbelonging.eventbrite.ca/?aff=Social

On the left: an image of a credit card that features a headshot photo of US president Donald Trump. On the right: text that reads “Why your credit card is a national security concern. Every Visa and Mastercard purchase runs through a US network that can be weaponized against Canada.”

You’re checking labels to buy Canadian—but you’re still paying through a system Canada doesn’t control. In 2025, American-owned Visa and Mastercard controlled 96 percent of Canada’s credit card market. If the US flips a switch, Canada has no Plan B. https://ow.ly/cr1k50YFf7e

On the left: a photo of President Donald Trump walking across green grass while wearing a long, black coat. On the right: text that reads “Bad as Trump is, what follows him may be worse. The fight to define MAGA’s future is turning ugly—and more extreme.”

Donald Trump’s grip on the GOP is slipping. From the Epstein files revolt to resistance against his policies, Republican unity is cracking, raising questions about who (or what) comes after him. Writer Kyle Volpi Hiebert explores: thewalrus.ca/bad-as-trump-is-what-fol...