Opinions, stray thoughts and other Best of Regina nonsense
Best of Regina 2023 | Stephen Whitworth
The issue you’re holding in your hands — or reading on a screen — is the final product of four months of effort by Prairie Dog staff and contributors. That’s four months of fighting over categories, brainstorming design ideas, debating how to organize things, compiling reader nominations and votes and, possibly in certain cases, recklessly abusing deadlines and everyone’s patience.
Before we head into the holidays as a bruised, bloodied but proud bunch, here are a few tales from the Best of Regina trenches.
JUST THE WORST
It’s been kind of a crummy few years. Right-wing whinging over carbon taxes threatens to knock Canada off its international (and moral) commitments. Grocery monopolies are hiking prices and treating Canadians like mosquitos treat cattle. Hockey, our national sport, keeps tripping over its own misogyny and homophobia. Our provincial government is a tire fire and City Council has… issues. Also, Covid.
And let’s not talk about illegal invasions, horrific massacres and child-bombing horror shows, and Orange Mussolini, who for some reason is still around.
Rather than ignore the All-Consuming Horribleness Of Everything, we figured we’d tackle it head-on. The result is the Worst Of Regina, a new addition to this feature which you can find here. I think it’s the right move in these dumb times. Response was great, so expect it back next time.
WHOSE NEWS IS IT ANYWAY?
We probably shouldn’t have been surprised when garbage and waste legends Just Bins got nominated for “Best Online News”, but we were. After probably too much debate, though, we figured we’d let it stand, for two reasons. First, it made us laugh. That matters. Second, Just Bins has, on occasion, actually broken news — the Gordon Block fire being the best example.
I have a favour to ask. It’s damn funny just how overwhelmingly Regina’s most well-known social media anarchists won this category, but can we pause in our giggles to remember and appreciate the hard work of, you know, REAL journalists at CBC, CTV, Global, CJME and the Leader-Post?
Journalism is being destroyed in this country. One major party leader, Pierre Poilievre, even wants to shut down the CBC, which is, well, disgusting of him. While having a laugh and cheering for a prankster is a noble thing to do, let’s give the industry a little more support. Deal?
And hey! Congratulations to Just Bins.
See you next year!
A quick final note: Best of Food nominations open in early 2024. Watch for it, then don’t forget to nominate your favourite restaurants, food, and food services. Cheers!