Are you part of The Tyee's critical 1%?

Thanks for reading The Tyee today — we hope this article added to your day in some way. Our team of independent journalists takes pride in doing in-depth reporting and taking time to get it right.

We're able to focus our attention on publishing impactful journalism in the public interest, and publish it for free for all to read, because we have the support of Tyee Builders. Tyee Builders are readers who contribute a bit of money — at a level and frequency of their choice — to support our editorial budget.

This core of supporters — making up about 1 to 2 per cent of our daily readership — enables us to pay our writers, keep our articles free and open to all, and not bombard our readers with annoying ads while you try to read.

Instead of focusing on what kind of articles will attract the most advertising dollars, we can spend time devoted to researching and writing stories that our readers find most valuable and make the most positive impact in our region.

If you'd like to join thousands of readers who help make independent journalism possible, consider joining Tyee Builders. Thank you.

— Jeanette Ageson, Publisher

Click here to Join Tyee Builders

Help us un-break journalism in Canada

You made it all the way through the article – I hope that means you liked it (or if not ‘liked’ it, gleaned some useful information from it). Tyee articles are known for being quite lengthy, so we appreciate when people spend some quality time with our work.

Listen, I’ll get to the point – the article you just read was made possible because our non-profit newsroom was able to pay a talented journalist to research and write it. And we can only afford to do that because of our business model, which relies on a certain percentage of our readers signing up for our paid membership program called Tyee Builders.

The traditional business model for journalism in Canada has been completely disrupted, and we’re witnessing a slow collapse as corporate newsrooms buy up distressed publications, lay people off, and suck the value out of them before declaring bankruptcy. And it doesn’t help that tech giant Meta has blocked Canadian news on their Facebook and Instagram platforms.

There is another way and we are carving the path.

Between 1 to 2 per cent of people who visit The Tyee contribute financially, but amazingly, that small percentage is enough to fund half of our overall budget. And it means we can operate without a paywall, too. 1 per cent of people giving means 99 per cent of people get access to quality, fact-based journalism from a talented team of journalists who live and work in B.C., Alberta, and across Canada. We think that’s pretty remarkable.

If you’re concerned about the way journalism is heading in Canada and you’d like to do something about it, consider joining Tyee Builders and contributing an amount that works for you.

— Jeanette Ageson, Publisher

Click here to Join Tyee Builders
Marking 20 years
of bold journalism,
reader supported.
support us subscribe free
Music Picks

BC Indie Band, The Paper Cranes

'Might fold your paper heart into a crown.'

Thom Wong 10 May 2007TheTyee.ca

Thom Wong regularly writes for The Tyee's Music Picks column. He wrote the 40 bLinks column for The Tyee, and writes the Thomas in Law School blog.
image atom
British (Columbia) New Wave

I'm writing this Music Picks from New York, where I just had my picture taken with Win Butler while he was buying a hot dog. I may never come back to Vancouver, and if I do get on the plane next Tuesday my mind will still be here, drinking ridiculously good and expensive hot chocolate. Arcade Fire is bigger than Jesus right now, and with a stellar new album from Feist currently blowing up my iPod I'm inclined to just write about the two of them...but of course, if you don't know about Arcade Fire and Feist by now, you're probably not going to listen to them based on what I say.

You also might not listen to The Paper Cranes, but that would be a mistake of unimaginable proportions, sitting somewhere between trading Luongo for a bag of pucks and reading Ulysses but not Finnegan's Wake. Yeah -- I'm talking THAT huge, people. The Cranes, who hail from the Britishests of Columbias, first captured my heart and mind with the awe-inspiring "I'll Love You Till My Veins Explode," a song that references not only the Old Christian Empire, but Saint Sebastian as well:

Like St. Sebastian on a tree
I've got your arrows stuck in me
It hurts too much to pull them out
So I'll cut holes into my coat

Rhyming "out" with "coat" is the kind of little rebellion that keeps this quickly aging writer and soon-to-be copyright lacky (my new "day job") from getting old. That and handclaps...what, I didn't mention that through the entire song someone is keeping beat by clapping? 4/4 clapping, people! And then suddenly at the three-minute mark they change pace, switch it up on you, and its all folding paper cranes, tearing paper hearts in two, and love of such magnitude it blows capillaries. This is a song to fall in love to and then fall out of love and then, then when it seems all hope of love is lost, your still strangely teenage heart, soft and pliable and not yet bruised to cynicism, finds it can love one more time. Yes, they might just fold your paper heart into a crown.

My love for the band probably has something to do with the fact that lead singer Ryan McCullagh sings like a British New Wave throwback, which instead of being insanely irritating is winning and endearing. "Milkrun" continues the theme set in "Veins Explode"; Ryan is writing from his hospital bed, but he's not including a post name. I tell you, the boy's crazy! "Deus Ex Machinegun" will probably appeal to some, but for me it takes The Cure comparison a little too far in the wrong direction.

Apparently, the Cranes have an album either out or coming out, but their label's own website doesn't carry it, so good luck hunting a copy down. Until you find one, you can listen to four of their tracks on the CBC Radio 3 website.

Related Tyee stories:

[Tyee]

  • Share:

Facts matter. Get The Tyee's in-depth journalism delivered to your inbox for free

Tyee Commenting Guidelines

Comments that violate guidelines risk being deleted, and violations may result in a temporary or permanent user ban. Maintain the spirit of good conversation to stay in the discussion.
*Please note The Tyee is not a forum for spreading misinformation about COVID-19, denying its existence or minimizing its risk to public health.

Do:

  • Be thoughtful about how your words may affect the communities you are addressing. Language matters
  • Challenge arguments, not commenters
  • Flag trolls and guideline violations
  • Treat all with respect and curiosity, learn from differences of opinion
  • Verify facts, debunk rumours, point out logical fallacies
  • Add context and background
  • Note typos and reporting blind spots
  • Stay on topic

Do not:

  • Use sexist, classist, racist, homophobic or transphobic language
  • Ridicule, misgender, bully, threaten, name call, troll or wish harm on others
  • Personally attack authors or contributors
  • Spread misinformation or perpetuate conspiracies
  • Libel, defame or publish falsehoods
  • Attempt to guess other commenters’ real-life identities
  • Post links without providing context

LATEST STORIES

The Barometer

Are You Concerned about AI?

Take this week's poll