Lynn Desjardins
Lynn Desjardins
Born and raised in Montreal, Quebec, Lynn has dedicated her working life to journalism. After decades in the field, she still believes journalism to be a pillar of democracy and she remains committed to telling stories she believes are important or interesting. Lynn loves Canada and embraces all seasons: skiing, skating, and sledding in winter, hiking, swimming and playing tennis in summer and running all the time. She is a voracious consumer of Canadian literature, public radio programs and classical music. Family and friends are most important. Good and unusual foods are fun. She travels when possible and enjoys the wilderness.

Health, International, Society

Child marriage persists in Canada, say researchers

The government of Canada has joined international efforts to end the marriage of children under the age of 18, but researchers say the practice goes on in Canada itself. Using data from statistics agencies and censuses, researchers at McGill University »

Society

Government cracks down on travellers claiming sick benefits

The Canadian government offers money to people who need to stay home from work because of COVID-19. But some people have claimed the benefits for the time they are obliged to quarantine after returning from travel abroad. The government says »

Health, Internet, Science & Technology

Could antidepressant slow the progression of COVID-19, ask researchers

Researchers in Montreal are studying whether the antidepressant fluvoxamine can reduce the severity of lung problems suffered by people COVID-19 infection. The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre in Montreal has been testing different drugs already approved for »

Environment & Animal Life, International

Canada funds retrieval of tonnes of lost fishing gear

In January 2020, the Government of Canada launched a so-called Ghost Gear Fund to support projects to retrieve lost fishing gear in the ocean. In the space of a year, it’s estimated that over 20 funded projects removed 63 tonnes »

Arts & Entertainment

Black Theatre Workshop kicks off 50th season online

Billing itself as Canada’s oldest Black theatre company, Black Theatre Workshop will launch its 50th anniversary season online on January 15, 2021 at 3pm ET. It starts with the annual Discovery Series which features a reading of a new work »

International, Society

Iranian students killed in plane attack honoured

Western University is just one of several Canadian institutions mourning the death of their students after the Iranian military shot down a Ukrainian passenger jet one year ago. Of the 176 people who died in the crash, more than 100 »

Arts & Entertainment

New Montreal orchestra conductor hails from South America

The Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal (OSM) has named 40-year-old Venezuelan conductor Rafael Payare as its ninth music director. On September 1, 2021 he will take over from American Conductor Kent Nagano who held the position from 2006 to 2020. In »

International, Internet, Science & Technology

Canadian explains Hubble Telescope data to the public

Bethany Downer has been named Chief Communications Officer for the Hubble Space Telescope for the European Space Agency. Her job will involve taking information collected by the telescope in space and explaining it to the public. She has worked in »

Health, Society

Quebec is first province to impose a curfew

While some remote northern communities in Canada have imposed curfews, Quebec is the first provincial government to impose one as part of increased restrictions to stem the spread of COVID-19. At a news conference on January 6, 2020, the premier »

Environment & Animal Life, International

Trump change to bird treaty will decimate birds: conservationists

In 1916, Canada and the United States agreed to a bilateral treaty to end the rampant slaughter of wild birds. Billions of birds travel between the two countries on vast migratory routes. Birds were decimated by hunting and increasing industrial »