Features
Michael Posner – the King Of Cohen
By GERRY POSNER I am breaking a cardinal rule – not just mine. Ever since I started writing these so called items of interest (at least to me), I have tried to avoid involving my own family – probably because no one is interested. (Ed. note: That’s not true, Gerry.) Well, I am breaking that rule with this article because in my view this subject has a value to it that supersedes any feeling of advancement of a family member.
My brother, Michael Posner, and the real journalist and writer in the family, has just completed a three volume life story on the late and great Leonard Cohen. I will say here and now that I doubt that there is anyone around including Leonard’s own family, that knows as much about Cohen as does Michael. So would you if you spent over three years interviewing anyone who had a connection of almost any kind with Cohen. Five hundred twenty interviews later with friends, colleagues, business partners – and not to forget his many lovers, my brother has created a picture of Cohen spanning his life right until his death a few years ago. Now I think many people who read the books may recognize some of the stories told, but I am confident that most of what they read will cause comments like “Who knew?” or “Is that possible?” or “This guy has a side I never knew about him.”
What Michael did was take these many, many interviews, all taped with the consent of the participants, and then weave them chronologically into the story of Leonard’s life. The challenge for Michael (after he finished the arduous task of transcribing these interviews) and indeed the challenge for anyone who writes this kind of verbatim book, is to link the stories together in a meaningful way so that one story follows another, not only in time, but in a compressible sense. This whole effort lasted over three years and took Michael to places so much a part of Leonard’s life, such as Los Angeles; New York; Ithaca, NY; Hydra in Greece; Austin, Texas; London, England; San Francisco; and of course, Montréal – from whence Cohen came. Oh yes, I ought not forget Costa Rica.
Now, let me state that I have not seen or read the books. The first one, “Leonard Cohen, Untold Stories: The Early Years”, is about to be published by Simon and Schuster in October, 2020 with the subsequent books due in the fall of 2021 and in the fall of 2022. But, just from what I have gleaned from my brother in casual conversation he tells me that Cohen addicts are going to be overjoyed, surprised and perplexed.
I quote from, Harvey Kubernik, a very well known music historian and himself an author of “Leonard Cohen, Everybody Knows” who wrote for the jacket in the book as follows: “ Posner is our Cohen-centric tour guide. He has delivered an enthralling oral history, carefully weaving the multi-voice narratives to us in a revealing, deep-dive exploration. I eagerly await the next volume.”
Michael was born and raised in Winnipeg and is a graduate of the University of Manitoba. He started his career in journalism in Toronto a long time ago. To be sure, even though Michael’s entire career has been in journalism, including 16 years with the Toronto Globe and Mail, Washington Bureau Chief for Maclean’s Magazine, and later editor of its National and Foreign Divisions, and has seven books to his credit, including a similar type of work on the life of author Mordecai Richler, this cornucopia of all things Cohen was his most ambitious undertaking in a literary way. Leonard Cohen was a complicated guy and it took three books to present all facets of the man. And his fame crosses continents so it is likely this book and the subsequent ones to follow will be reprinted in other languages. In short, for all Cohenaholics and even those mildly interested, get ready for Volume One by former Winnipegger Michael Posner.
Features
Book Review: A Touching Memoir of the Holocaust in Ukraine
Reviewed By HENRY SREBRNIK
“Honor”
By Nataliia Mariichyn, Leon Buchwald, and Susan McClelland
Astra Young Readers, New York
240 pg.
$19.99 USD, ($25.99 CDN).
This is an unusual memoir that moves forward and back between modern Ukraine’s troubles and those of that country’s tragic past during the Second World War. It recounts a tale of two individuals — a Ukrainian teen in the early 2010s and a Jewish boy in hiding in Nazi-occupied Ukraine — whose lives are entwined through a box of letters.
It’s true that of the writing of Holocaust memoirs there is no end. But that’s not a critique, it’s as it should be. The Holocaust was the greatest Jewish tragedy since the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem almost 2,000 years ago.
A collaborative project of Nataliia Mariichyn, the late Leon Buchwald, and author Susan McClelland, Honor, published this year and intended for younger readers, falls into the category of people who were saved by friends or neighbours. It is narrated by Nataliia, who is a Ukrainian teenager in Ivano-Frankivsk living in an independent Ukraine in 2013-2014, when she comes across a pile of letters from World War II that had been saved by her grandmother, Katherine.
Written by Leizer (Leon) between 1941 and 1945, the letters are interspersed with reactions by Nataliia, who would go on to tell this story. Certain scenes and dialogues have been recreated using Leizer’s letters, as well as personal recollections from both Leizer’s and Nataliia’s families, including her grandmother and great-aunts. It is now a Canadian story.
Eliezer Buchwald was born in Stanislawow (now Ivano-Frankivsk) in what was then Poland, in 1929. He was the youngest of three children. His sister Shloma, the eldest, was four years older, and brother Zelig, two years older. His father, a merchant, was well respected by the Christian farmers in the region around Tlumacz.
World War II began in September 1939, and Poland was divided between Hitler and Stalin; the part they lived in was annexed by the Soviet Union. In 1941, however, Hitler’s armies invaded the USSR. “Nazis were now marching toward Russia, and we were right in their path,” Leizer wrote. Some villagers in the area painted white crosses on their doors so Nazis would know when they arrived that they were not Jews. “People who had always said hello now looked down at their shoes, pretending we were not there.”
Leizer and Shloma escape into the forests as the Nazis arrive, but their mother Berta and Zelig are captured. She manages to escape, but Zelig is never seen again. Leizer, Shloma and their mother eventually find refuge in a cave: “We lived the winter of 1942 in darkness.” During these harrowing years, several Jewish families sought refuge in the extensive gypsum caves of Western Ukraine. One of the most notable shelters was Priest’s Grotto, a labyrinthine cave stretching over 124 kilometres.
Leizer leaves the cave at one point and is betrayed and captured by German soldiers but manages to escape. He saw only one viable solution. He had to go to their pre-war neighbor, a farmer. “There was nowhere else for me to turn.” He returns to his old home and the Ukrainian farmer who knows him allows him to stay and pretend to be his own son. Eventually Shloma and Berta join him.
“As he’d promised, Shloma and I worked the farm, tilling the soil for planting. We wore the farmer’s son’s old clothes. Shloma tucked her hair under a hat and from a distance, even I thought she was a boy. The farmer’s wife made us two meals a day. She often sat with Mameh while Shloma and I were in the fields. The farmer reiterated the Nazis were looking for me, even now offering a reward for anyone who turned me in.”
He and his wife “are angels who were put on our path,” Mameh said several times that winter. “Honor them like angels. Leizer, if we ever get out of here, if the war ends, and we have freedom again, remember the farmer and his wife.” When the war ended, the farmer smiled. “I will never forget you,” he said to Leizer, with a warm smile. “You are my second son.”
Nataliia’s grandmother Katherine’s own memories begin to return. “Leizer managed to outwit his captors, you know. My father said he was very hard to catch. Leizer became a man long before his childhood ended. Good people did bad things to him and his family during that time.”
It turns out that Nataliia’s great-grandfather Grigoriy Palivoda and his wife Mariya were the couple who saved them. “The Nazis were looking for Leizer,” Nataliia’s grandmother tells her. “I knew where he was hiding. I always did, but I told no one. He became my secret. For the longest time, I didn’t know that my father and mother even knew he was there.”
The book juxtaposes the stories of the war with Nataliia’s recollection of what was happening in Ukraine in 2013-2014 as pro-democracy Ukrainians struggled, in the Maidan protests, to free themselves of the pro-Russian kleptocrats running the country. It makes for an interesting contrast.
Following liberation, Leizer, Shloma, and Berta lived in the Tlumacz area for several months and then were able to move west to a Displaced Person’s camp in Germany. While there, Shloma met Yitzchak, whom she had known prior to the invasion, and they married. Leizer and his mother immigrated to Montreal in the fall of 1948, and Shloma and her husband arrived not long after. Shloma adopted the name Lucia upon arriving in Canada. Berta changed her name to Bryna, and Leizer changed his name to Leon Buchwald. A personal note: Miriam Buchwald Gordon, daughter of Leon and his wife Toba, whom he met after the war and who was also a Holocaust survivor, is a friend of mine.
Leon Buchwald died on May 30, 2018. He never returned to Ukraine. In the spring of 2022, Leon and Lucia’s descendants, including their children and grandchildren, sponsored Nataliia’s relocation to Canada to escape the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Nataliia great-grandparents are now among the 2,673 Ukrainians who, as of 2023, have been recognized by Yad Vashem as Righteous Among the Nations. Ukraine is among the countries with the highest number of individuals recognized for their courageous actions during this dark period in history. This story, like others, captures both the cruelty and humanity of ordinary people caught up in situations not of their making.
Henry Srebrnik is a professor emeritus of political science at the University of Prince Edward Island.
Features
What to Know About Canada’s Legal Cannabis Market
Canada legalised cannabis for adults in 2018, and the market has matured quietly ever since. What was once an unregulated guess is now a labelled, tested product sold through licensed channels. For adults who are curious but cautious, that shift changes everything.
In the regulated market, the printed label does the work that guesswork once did. Retailers such as The Herb Centre, an online dispensary, sit alongside the provincial stores in that legal system. This guide covers what the regulated market offers, how to read a label, and the habits that keep use lower-risk.
Why Does the Regulated Market Matter?
The regulated market matters because it replaces uncertainty with information. A legal product carries a label that states its potency, comes from a tested batch, and meets federal packaging rules. An adult buying it knows exactly what they are getting.
The old unregulated supply never offered that. Potency was a guess, and contaminants were a real risk. The legal route removes both unknowns.
Price is no longer the obstacle it once was. As the legal market has matured, the gap has narrowed, which makes the tested, labelled option the practical one for most adults.
What Should You Understand About Potency?
A few label figures do most of the work.
- THC percentage, the main psychoactive component, matched to your goal.
- CBD percentage, often non-intoxicating and used differently.
- The ratio of the two, which shapes the overall effect.
- Serving size, especially important for edibles and drinks.
- The product format, since each one acts differently.
- The batch and testing, the mark of a legal-market product.
Each figure is printed for a reason. Reading them is the difference between a predictable experience and an unpleasant surprise.
How Do Product Formats Differ?
Formats differ enough that the choice shapes the whole experience. Inhaled flower acts within minutes and fades within a couple of hours, which gives a controllable, short window. Edibles and drinks are the opposite. They can take up to two hours to take effect and last far longer.
That delay causes the most common mistake. Someone feels nothing after twenty minutes, takes more, then feels far too much an hour later. Starting low and waiting is the rule that prevents it.
Provincial health guidance is worth a look first, since each format carries its own risks. Knowing how a product will act, and for how long, is the core of using it responsibly. The slow onset of edibles is the single fact most worth internalising before a first try.
What Should You Check Before Buying?
A short pre-purchase pass keeps the choice sensible.
- Confirm it is legal-market product, with lab testing and a label.
- Check the THC and CBD figures against the effect you want.
- Read the serving and onset information, especially for edibles.
- Buy age-appropriately, since the legal age is 19 in most provinces.
- Use a licensed retailer, online or in store.
- Start with a small amount before buying in volume.
Photo by Sadi Hockmuller on Pexels
Alt text: A person reading a cannabis product label
Buying through legal channels is simple once you know what to look for. The provincial page on how to buy legal cannabis is a quick read, and licensed product is identifiable by its markings. Just as important, never get behind the wheel after using. British Columbia’s page on cannabis and driving is a clear reminder that the two never mix.
Before a First Purchase
A first purchase goes more smoothly after a quick mental check.
- Confirm legal-market sourcing, testing, and a clear label
- Note the THC and CBD percentages against your goal
- Read onset time and serving size, especially for edibles
- Buy only from a licensed retailer
- Respect the legal age, 19 in most provinces
- Start low, wait, and adjust on the next purchase
Why Informed Choices Serve Adults Best
Informed choices serve adults best because the legal market is built around clear, tested labelling. Someone who understands potency and onset avoids the bad first experience that puts people off entirely. The result is a predictable, controlled choice rather than a gamble.
A few baselines are worth remembering. Cannabis has been legal for adults nationwide since 2018. The legal age is 19 in most provinces. And a standard edible package is capped at 10 milligrams of THC, a sensible starting point for newcomers.
Adults today face a legal market their parents never had. As the wider local life carries on and the community marks its own milestones, the lesson stays simple. Read the label, start low, and let the regulated system do its job.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cannabis Legal for Adults Across Canada?
Yes. Recreational cannabis has been legal for adults nationwide since 2018, though some rules vary by province. The legal age is 18 or 19 depending on the province, and public-use and purchase channels differ regionally. The federal framework itself is national, so the legal status is consistent country-wide.
How Do I Read a Cannabis Product Label?
Look first at the THC and CBD percentages, then the serving size and product format. Higher THC means a stronger psychoactive effect, while CBD is often non-intoxicating. The label also confirms it is a tested, legal-market product. Matching those figures to your goal is the key to a predictable experience.
Why Do Edibles Feel Stronger Than Expected?
Edibles act slowly, sometimes taking up to two hours, and the effect lasts much longer than inhaled cannabis. The common mistake is taking a second dose too soon, before the first has worked. Starting with a low serving and waiting prevents the overwhelming experience that catches first-timers off guard.
What Makes the Legal Market Safer?
Legal-market products are tested, labelled, and regulated, so the buyer knows the potency and that the product is free of contaminants. The unregulated market offers none of that assurance. For an adult who wants a predictable, lower-risk experience, the licensed channel is the clear and sensible choice.
Features
A Practical Guide to Planning a Long-Distance Move
A long-distance move is part logistics, part leap of faith. The packing is the easy part. The hard part is coordinating a truck, a timeline, and a new home that may be a thousand miles away, all without the plan falling apart in transit.
The good news is that a long move rewards preparation more than luck. Brokers like Coastal Moving Services coordinate long-distance residential and commercial moves across the United States, handling the logistics most households would rather not. This guide covers how to plan the move and choose the right help.
Why Do Long-Distance Moves Go Wrong?
Most moves that fail do so for the same handful of reasons. The timeline slips, the budget is guessed rather than quoted, or the moving company turns out to be something other than it claimed. None of these are bad luck. All of them are preventable.
Distance magnifies every mistake. A forgotten box on a local move is a quick trip back. On a cross-country move it is gone. That is why long moves reward planning that a short hop never demands.
The single biggest variable is the company you hire. Get that right and most other problems shrink. Get it wrong and even a simple move turns into a dispute.
How Far Ahead Should You Start Planning?
A clear timeline keeps a long move calm.
- Eight weeks out, research movers and request written estimates.
- Six weeks out, book the company and confirm dates in writing.
- Four weeks out, start decluttering and sorting room by room.
- Two weeks out, confirm logistics and arrange time off.
- One week out, pack an essentials box and label everything clearly.
- Moving day, do a final walkthrough before the truck leaves.
Each step is small on its own. Spread across two months, they turn a daunting move into a manageable checklist.
How Do You Choose a Reputable Mover?
Choosing the right company is where a move is won or lost. Get at least three written estimates, ideally after an in-person or video survey, and treat a quote that arrives without any questions as a warning sign. The FMCSA guidance on choosing a licensed mover is a solid checklist for vetting an interstate company.
Watch the deposit, too. A reputable mover does not demand a large cash payment up front. The FMCSA’s tips for a smooth move run through the red flags and best practices worth knowing before you sign.
A broker can simplify all of this. Rather than vetting carriers yourself, a licensed broker coordinates the move and matches it to a suitable carrier, which is useful for a complex long-distance relocation.
What Should You Confirm Before Moving Day?
A few confirmations before moving day prevent most surprises.
- The written estimate, with the type of quote clearly stated.
- The company’s licensing and insurance for interstate moves.
- The delivery window, and what happens if it slips.
- The payment terms, with no large cash deposit demanded.
- The inventory list, so nothing is lost or disputed.
- Your essentials box, packed and travelling with you.
Photo by Connor Scott McManus on Pexels
Alt text: A loaded moving truck in a driveway on moving day
Getting these in writing protects both the household and the budget. A clear paper trail is the best defence if anything goes wrong.
Moving Day From Start to Finish
The day itself stays calm when a few basics are handled in order.
- Confirm arrival times with the crew the night before
- Keep documents, valuables, and medications with you
- Do a final walkthrough of every room and cupboard
- Check the inventory against the truck before it leaves
- Keep a phone charged and the mover’s number handy
- Note the meter or mileage if the contract depends on it
Settling Into a New Community
The move does not end when the truck pulls away. Unpacking is one thing; building a life in a new place is another, and it takes longer than people expect. Giving yourself a few weeks of grace helps. The first month is for finding your feet, not finishing every box.
The timeline tells the story. Plan a long-distance move roughly 8 weeks ahead. Gather at least 3 written estimates before choosing a mover. And give a new city several months before it starts to feel like home.
A new city means new local institutions to discover, and the small community stories that make a place feel like home. Plan the logistics well, and you free up the energy for the part that actually matters.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Far In Advance Should I Book a Long-Distance Mover?
Aim to book about six weeks ahead, after researching movers around the eight-week mark. Booking early secures your preferred dates, especially in the busy summer season, and gives time to compare written estimates properly. Leaving it late narrows your options and often raises the price.
What Is the Difference Between a Moving Broker and a Carrier?
A carrier owns the trucks and physically moves your goods. A broker arranges the move and matches it to a suitable carrier. A reputable licensed broker can simplify a complex long-distance move by handling the coordination, while you still confirm that the assigned carrier is properly licensed and insured.
How Do I Avoid a Moving Scam?
Get multiple written estimates, verify licensing and insurance, and never pay a large cash deposit upfront. Be wary of quotes given without any review of your belongings, and read recent reviews. Consumer-protection agencies publish clear checklists for spotting the warning signs before you commit.
How Much Should I Budget for a Long-Distance Move?
It varies with distance, volume, and services like packing or storage, so a written estimate based on your actual inventory is essential. Build in a small buffer for extras and confirm exactly what the quote includes. A precise estimate beats a cheap-sounding figure that balloons on delivery day.