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Tiny Home Is Enough Space For This Ohio Family Of Four

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As her family prepares to scale down their living space by 3,000 square feet, Kelly Rye is having a tough time parting with some books.

She has an extensive collection, with titles by authors such as Chaim Potok and Thomas Cahill.

She'll have to pare it down before she, her husband Jamie, their son and daughter move from their 3,000 single-family home in Toledo, Ohio, into a 400-square-foot house at the end of the summer.

"There's lots of wasted space in normal houses that you don't get in a tiny house," Kelly told the Toledo Blade.





When she and Jamie bought their house in the city's Old West End neighbourhood for US$121,250, they initially envisioned it as a "dream home" and a place for "community living."

But they eventually began to wonder about ways in which they could live in a more sustainable fashion without any debt.

They looked at new dwellings such as a renovated school bus or a camper. But Jamie also harboured a longstanding interest in the tiny house movement.





The movement, which is growing in the United States (and also taking hold in Canada), draws people who are looking for reduced housing costs and a lower carbon footprint, among other attractants.

Tiny homes can average anywhere between 100 and 400 square feet in size, and cost around $23,000, according to an infographic produced by Custom Made last year.

Blueprints for the Ryes' home show that they plan to build a house with a master bedroom with a queen-sized Murphy bed. They're looking to set aside a separate loft space for the kids and have a bathroom with a composting toilet.

In joining the movement, Jamie has made new friends like the Kasl family, who have been living in a 267-square-foot home near Minnesota's Twin Cities for approximately seven months.

Kim Kasl has documented their lifestyle on a blog titled, Bless This Tiny House.

Let's go! #BlessThisTinyHouse #TinyKaslFamily #TinyHouse

A photo posted by Kim Kasl (@kimkasl) on





#TinyHouse #TinyKaslFamily #BlessThisTinyHouse #Sunshine

A photo posted by Kim Kasl (@kimkasl) on









In it, she talks about how much she relishes having a space she can make her own.

"We can make art, mistakes and memories in our home, and it will always be forgiven and never hidden," Kim wrote. "Our Tiny House doesn't have to look perfect for anyone else because it's just perfect for us.

Like the Kasl family's home, the Ryes hope to build a home on wheels, and locate it on a friend's property.

But first, they have to downsize, a process that Kelly has been documenting on social media.





While she's had to part with some books, there is one text that should prove useful as she and her family transition to a smaller space.





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Temporary Foreign Workers' Vulnerability Noted In Sexual Harassment Case

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An Ontario Human Rights Tribunal ruling has highlighted the vulnerability of temporary foreign workers in a case where two women worked in what the tribunal called a "sexually poisoned work environment."


The women had their work permits revoked and were sent back to Mexico after resisting the sexual overtures of their employer at Presteve Foods, a fish processor in Wheatley, Ont. One woman was forced to perform sex acts under threat of being sent home and both were sexually harassed in other ways, the tribunal found.


Adjudicator Mark Hart awarded $150,000 to one complainant and $50,000 to another in the case, but said he could not comment directly on the temporary foreign worker program, which is a federal responsibility.


However, he repeatedly pointed out the power the employer wielded over his workers.


"As a result of the nature of the temporary foreign worker programs in Canada, MPT worked under the ever-present threat of being sent back to Mexico if she did not do what she was told, which was made explicit to her by the [employer] and which ultimately was acted on by him in a discriminatory manner," Hart wrote in his judgment.


He wrote that "migrant workers ... live under the ever-present threat of having their designated employer decide to end the employment relations for which they require no reason and for which there is no appeal or review."


The tribunal found that the women, who were sisters, were exposed to sexual solicitation, sexual harassment, discrimination in employment and a sexually poisoned work environment.


Criminal charges were laid and the man involved was convicted on one count. The rights tribunal was not ruling on the harassment case, but only on whether the workers' rights were violated. 


Hart also noted that the workers, who had limited understanding of English, were not informed of their right not to be sexually harassed by an employer.


Failure to protect foreign workers, union says


The union Unifor, which led the case before the rights tribunal, said the ruling underscores the failings of the provincial and federal governments to protect temporary foreign workers.


It also issued a statement on behalf of one of the complainants, who said it has taken eight years for her to obtain justice.


"I want to tell all women that are in a similar situation, that they should not be silent and that there is justice and they should not just accept mistreatment or humiliation. We must not stay silent," she said in her statement.


"[As a migrant] one feels that she/he has to stay there [in the workplace] and there is nowhere to go or no one to talk to. Under the temporary foreign worker program, the boss has all the power — over your money, house, status, everything. They have you tied to their will," she said.


Unifor, the Human Rights Legal Support Centre and Justicia for Migrant Workers, which supported the women in bringing their case to the rights tribunal, are calling for changes to the temporary foreign worker program to prevent this kind of abuse.


"You can't protect women in the system that we have. If there's a person going to do a bad thing, there's nothing we're going to be able to do to stop it," said Niki Lundquist, who works for Unifor and was legal counsel to the women.


"They're creating conditions of dependence by tying workers to their employers. They have to address that — if they don't deal with that people will not be able to speak out because their ability to stay in the country is going to be dependent on the goodwill of the employer," she said.


Nor is abuse limited to the temporary foreign workers program, she said.


"It's not unique to this program. We hear of abuses in the seasonal agricultural workers program, and the caregivers' program," she said.


Unifor and the other interveners are calling for:


- Permanent immigration status for migrant workers.

- Ending closed work permits so that migrant workers are no longer indentured to a single employer.

- Holding both employers and recruiters liable for violations against migrant workers.

The women in this case have returned to Canada as immigrants and are now settled here.


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FIFA 16 To Feature Women's Teams For First Time In Franchise History

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TORONTO - Canadian captain Christine Sinclair is finally in the game.

EA Sports says "FIFA 16," the new version of its soccer video game, will feature 12 women's national teams for the first time in the 22-year history of the franchise.

Teams from Canada, Australia, Brazil, China, England, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Sweden, and the U.S. will be available to play in several game modes including including Kick Off, an offline tournament, as well as online friendly matches.

"Bringing some of the best women's players and teams in the world to our franchise is a massive event for EA Sports, and we are equally excited about bringing millions of fans a new way to play," David Rutter, vice-president of EA Sports FIFA, said in a statement. "We're making sure fans get an authentic experience when playing with women's national teams thanks to our innovative player capture and reference tools, as well as the sophisticated game-play platform which we will continue to innovate on in 'FIFA 16.'"

The women's teams will "compete exclusively" against each other in the game, according to EA Sports.

The video game developer says it captured the likeness, body movements and playing styles of star players like Canada's Sinclair, American Alex Morgan, and England's Stephanie Houghton.

Morgan and three other U.S. internationals — Sydney Leroux, Abby Wambach and Megan Rapinoe — took part in a motion capture session which the developer says helped to "build new locomotion for women" in the game.

Canadian players also visited the EA studio for 360-degree body scanning, used to develop player models.

"I'm in the game!" tweeted Canadian fullback Allysha Chapman.

"This. Is. The. Coolest. #CanWNT is in the game," added defender Emily Zurrer.

"This is super sick. Never would have thought in my life this would happen. Love it," said defender Kadeisha Buchanan.

It's been a good couple of days for the Canadian women, who treated themselves to selfies with Manchester City stars David Silva, Sergio Aguero and Joe Hart at Wednesday night's friendly against Toronto FC.

EA says its mobile headscanning unit travelled around the world to capture facial features, including hairstyles, to ensure players look as realistic as possible.

The made-in-Vancouver game launches in September for PC, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4.

The top women in the world are in Canada for the World Cup, which kicks off June 6.

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Mario Batali Could Soon Open Up An Eataly In Toronto

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After years of rumours and shattered hopes, it looks like Mario Batali's Eataly could truly be opening in Toronto.

According to the Globe and Mail, the gourmet Italian restaurant and grocery store has confirmed it is looking for space in Toronto to put down its first Canadian roots. It has partnered with the Weston family, which owns luxury retail stores Holt Renfrew (as well as the U.K.'s Selfridges) and holds a majority interest in grocer Loblaws.

The official announcement on location could come as early as next week, when Adam Saper, the managing partner and chief financial officer at Eataly, will be speaking at the Retail Council of Canada's annual conference in Toronto.

Batali, the amiable creator of the Eataly brand, has developed a strong relationship with Toronto over the past few years, notably creating a menu with the chefs at Italian restaurant Buca last October:







It was at that point that he also confirmed Eataly would be coming to the city soon:




As PostCity noted at the time, the establishment could look like the space being created at Selfridges in 2016 — so the choice of owners seems like a natural fit.

While all signs seem to be pointing to a Yorkville location for Eataly Toronto, which makes sense for its upscale brand, here's hoping they'll be opening up more shops around the city too. Eataly currently has 27 stores around the world, including its flagship in New York, as well as locations in Japan, Italy, Dubai and Turkey.

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Blake Lively Designed A Dress For Preserve And It's As Lovely As You'd Expect

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Blake Lively can officially add "fashion designer" to her resume!

The 27-year-old actress unveiled the first dress she designed in collaboration with Amour Vert for her lifestyle site, Preserve, and it's just as lovely as you'd expect.

The vintage-inspired "Champagne" dress is 100 per cent silk and features a graceful A-line skirt with a printed pattern, and a white top with an adjustable tie-front. It's one of 12 pieces the "Age of Adaline" star helped design for the Amour Vert x Preserve.us capsule collection.

Blake shared a snap of the dress on Instagram, captioning the photo, "I may not be able to draw worth a lick, but I am proud of this dress I co-designed with Amour Vert for @preserve_us You better send me pics if you buy it! I want to share your photos!! #PRSRV so I see it."

A photo posted by Blake Lively (@blakelively) on





And the dress isn't just pretty to look at, it's eco-friendly, too! Amour Vert (which stands for Green Love in French), is a green fashion line with a zero-waste design philosophy, making this dress perfect for all the eco-chic fashionistas out there.

Of the collab, Amour Vert co-founder and CEO Christoph Frehsee said Blake was very hands-on with the design process.

"Blake is very knowledgeable when it comes to color composition, styling and garment construction," Frehsee said in the press releasen. "She has a fantastic eye and attention to detail," Co-Founder and Creative Director Linda Balti added.

The champagne dress retails for $230, and is available exclusively on Preserve.us.

We can't wait to see the rest of the collection!

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Lingerie Line Cosabella Joins The Call To Drop The 'Plus'

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The "drop the plus" movement is still going strong.

Lingerie label Cosabella is the latest company to throw its support behind the body positive cause, making them one of the first retailers to join in.

According to Elle, the label is set to launch a widened range of sizes, including bras in 32-36 D, DD-G, and 38 D, DD-F, and panties in 1X to 3X as well as 12/14, 16/18 and 20/22. And not only will this range of sizes be made in the same fabrics as the label's best selling basics, they'll also be sold without the label "plus-size."

A photo posted by Elle Magazine (@elleusa) on





In conjunction with model Emily Nolan and her non-profit organization Topless (which promotes self-confidence), Cosabella has decided to drop the plus. The new collection will instead be called "extended," to represent the extra range of sizes. (Side note: as of now, the Cosabella website still features "plus size" on their website's navigation bar.)

However, the fact that the sizes still come with a label feels a bit strange -- is using the word "extended" really any better than "plus?" Does it still allude to sizes outside the norm of 0-12? In our opinion, the word "extended" does have a more positive connotation than "plus," which just brings to mind excess. It's also nice to see a brand making an effort to remove the plus-size label in general.

Drop the plus, a movement started by model Stefania Ferrario, has been urging retailers and modelling agencies to stop using the label, and instead just move towards inclusivity.

What do you think? Should more retailers #droptheplus? Let us know in the comments below!

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Laverne Cox Posts No-Makeup Selfie, Looks Amazing

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Laverne Cox is a natural beauty.

On Tuesday, the "Orange Is The New Black" actress posted a makeup-free selfie to Instagram, and she of course, looked stunning.

The natural snap featured the 30-year-old transgender actress giving a soft, yet fierce gaze into the camera, with her lips pursed into a slight pout. She wears a sheer bathing suit which reveals her ample bosom, and her long hair is pulled back into a low ponytail.

A photo posted by laverne cox (@lavernecox) on





She captioned the photo, "Finally a few days to relax. I feel so privileged to be able to do work that I love and very privileged to be able to take time off occasionally. I take none of it lightly. Always good to have days with no makeup to let my skin breath[sic]. #washfacenobase #TransIsBeautiful"

Laverne, who is the first openly transgender actress to receive an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest actress, is most likely taking a break before the third season of "Orange Is The New Black" returns to Netflix on June 12.

Looking beautiful, Laverne!

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Sarah Blackwood, Walk Off The Earth Singer, Kicked Off Plane Over Crying Baby

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Sarah Blackwood of Canadian group Walk off the Earth says she was kicked off a United Airlines flight because her 23-month-old son was crying.

“It felt like it was in slow motion. I was in tears, it was so embarrassing,” the singer told CTV News. “No mother should have to apologize because their child is crying or upset on a flight.”

Took my beautiful boy to an aquarium today...his favourite part was the ducks. #tourlife #familylife #touringwontstopus #alwaysdoingawesomestuff

Posted by Sarah Blackwood on Saturday, May 23, 2015


Blackwood, who is currently on tour with her band, was heading from San Francisco to Vancouver on Wednesday. Before the flight took off, the 34-year-old said she was bluntly told to keep her child under control, otherwise the plane would turn around.

“He was crying and squirming,” recalled Blackwood, who is seven months pregnant. “I was holding him down on my lap.”

Major wrestling match happening right now! #stayuplate #nevergotosleep #neverwillforgethesemoments @giorgio.michael #mamalove

Posted by Sarah Blackwood on Friday, April 3, 2015


The plane taxied down the runway for a few minutes before it stopped and returned to the gate. A flight attendant then told Blackwood she had to get off the plane. According to SkyWest, who operates United Airlines, the singer was removed from the flight because her “child could not be secured for takeoff.

At the time, Giorgio was sitting on his mom's lap because plane tickets can only be bought for children who are two years and older. According to Blackwood, the little boy was quiet and asleep by the time the plane turned around. Nonetheless, the singer, her son and her nanny, who was accompanying her, were all kicked off the plane and rebooked on a different flight that evening.

Outraged by the incident, Blackwood took to Twitter to share her feelings:







On Thursday, a YouTube video surfaced of Blackwood speaking to another United Airlines employee, who was shocked at what had happened. “I’ve never heard of somebody taking you out because [the baby] is crying,” the woman can be heard saying.

Soon, Blackwood’s story went viral, leaving many people appalled. “What kind of flight attendants and pilot would do such a thing?” wrote one Facebook user. “Babies cry. Definitely not a health or security risk to anyone on the plane.”

Another simply said: “Absolutely unacceptable.”

While United Airlines has yet to comment on the incident, Blackwood says: “I can’t believe that they would treat somebody this way. I was traveling with my child. I’ve been on planes before with babies that have screamed the entire way and I felt compassion for the mothers and the children.”

The 34-year-old mom eventually reached her destination at about midnight and encountered no problems on the new flight. Walk Off The Earth is set to perform at The Vogue in Vancouver on Friday, May 29.

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Queen Letizia Of Spain Steps Out In Floral Dress During Central American Tour

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Queen Letizia is one stylish royal!

The 42-year-old wrapped up her tour of Central America (El Salvador and Honduras) on Thursday with a trip to the National Palace in San Salvador, where she met El Salvador's newly-elected president, Salvador Sánchez Cerén.

Dressed in a pastel-toned floral frock by Hugo Boss, the Queen of Spain looked glamourous as ever. She previously wore the knee-length dress last year when she attended a gallery opening in Madrid.

queen letizia

Letizia wore her brown locks in a chic updo and kept her makeup quite natural looking, as per usual. She paired her frock with an oversized neutral envelope clutch and classic nude pumps.

Such a lovely look!

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Amnesty Wants Ottawa To Reveal Details Of $15-Billion Saudi Arms Deal

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A leading human-rights watchdog is pressing the Conservative government to lift the veil of secrecy surrounding a $15-billion arms deal Ottawa has inked to sell fighting vehicles to Saudi Arabia, a country notorious for its treatment of women, dissidents and offenders.

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Young Women Prefer 'Granny Panties' Over Thongs

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Thongs are officially done, according to the New York Times.

A recent article by the paper says that young women are swapping their G-strings for "grannny panties" and other comfier underwear styles. .

According to a new report on lingerie trends from research company NPD Group, sales of thongs dropped seven per cent this past year, while styles like briefs, boy shorts and high-waist undies have collectively grown 17 per cent.

"Within millennial and Generation Y consumer groups, it’s considered cool to be wearing full-bottom underwear," Bernadette Kissane, an apparel analyst at the market intelligence firm Euromonitor, told the Times. "Thongs have had their moment."

The piece points to several upstart lingerie and underwear brands that are capitalizing on the trend, including Ten Undies, Hello Beautiful and Me and You, whose best-selling style is a pair of white cotton underpants with the word "feminist" printed in pink bubble letters across the back.

feminist underwear

And while the shift in underwear preference can be attributed to the rise of these cool brands, as well as women putting putting comfort and simplicity first, the most significant reason is shopping motives: women are dressing and shopping for themselves, rather than for men.

"Most lingerie is designed to appeal to a man," Me and You co-founder Julia Baylis told the Times. "For us, that’s not even a consideration. This is underwear you wear totally for you. Maybe no one will see it, or maybe you’ll put it up on Instagram to share with everyone you know."

"Most women just want something basic for every day that will make them look and feel good," Greer Simpkins, designer and founder of Hello Beautiful added.

And at the end of the day, it's not an underwear style that makes you sexy -- it's how you feel when wearing it.

"What's sexy for us is being natural and comfortable," said Mayan Toledano, the other half of Me and You. "There’s nothing wrong with wanting to be more traditionally sexy and wearing a thong; that doesn’t mean you’re not a feminist. This is a step toward embracing more variety in what’s offered."

We couldn't agree more.

So Sisqo, is a granny panties song in the works?

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The Ultimate 'Cruel Intentions' Reunion

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Reese Witherspoon, Sarah Michelle Gellar, and Selma Blair got together for the most epic #girlsnight we've ever seen.

The three stars, who filmed the 1999 hit "Cruel Intentions" together, reunited to watch, Cruel Intentions: The Completely Unauthorized Musical Parody, a spin on their classic film in LA on Thursday night.

Witherspoon and Michelle Gellar gave fans of the provocative film a serious case of FOMO, posting a series of photos of the trio to Instagram and Twitter.

Best girls night of the year!!! #cruelintentions

A photo posted by Reese Witherspoon (@reesewitherspoon) on











The girls even put on a little show for the crowds, re-enacting the famous kissing scene between Blair and Michelle Gellar.

@therealselmablair My lessons paid off!! #CruelIntentions #cruelintentionsmusical

A photo posted by Sarah Michelle (@sarahmgellar) on





Michelle Gellar must be a fan of the new musical, Us Magazine reported the actress attended a screening of the play with her former co-star Sean Patrick Thomas and writer Roger Kumble on April 10.

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Margaret Atwood Officially Submits Her Future Library Project

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Margaret Atwood has written a new story, and no, you can't read it.

This week, Atwood officially became the first author to submit her manuscript for the Future Library project, an inventive idea that will see her work published in 2114. So what's it going to be doing until then? Waiting for the pages on which it will be printed to grow, actually.

Future Library, which was created by Scottish artist Katie Paterson, will have artists submit one work a year for the next 100 years. In the meantime, the 1,000 trees which were planted for the express purpose of writing those books near Oslo, Norway will grow.

"It is my dream that Margaret Atwood is writing for Future Library," said Paterson in a press release. "I imagine her words growing through the trees, an unseen energy, activated and materialized, the tree rings becoming chapters in a book."

Atwood has been a huge advocate of the project and its time capsule-like notion from the get-go, telling the Guardian, it's "the kind of thing you either immediately say yes or no to."

In a post on online writing community Wattpad, Atwood explained her involvement in her inimitable style:

"As a child, I was one of those who buried treasures in jars, with the idea that someone, some day, might come along and dig them up. I found similar things while digging in the various gardens I have made: old nails, old medicine bottles, fragments of china plates... That is what the Future Library is like, in part: it will contain fragments of lives that were once lived, and that are now the past. But all writing is a method of preserving and transmitting the human voice."


She also launched a contest with the site that will reveal the title of her contribution to Future Library, as well as encourage writers to craft their own tale based on it.

According to WWD, British author David Mitchell (Cloud Atlas, The Bone Clocks) will be the next contributor to Future Library.

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Michelle-Audrey Bouchard Turns Toddler's Finger Painting Into Works Of Art

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Michelle-Audrey Bouchard and her two-year-old daughter share a love of painting. However, the new mom rarely has time for her own anymore, so she creates incredible works of art from her toddler's finger painting.

michelle audrey bouchard

It all started when the Montreal mom decided to have her daughter work on canvas instead of paper. "On one of her canvases, I saw within her lines and her colours something that resembled a girl with a hat," explains Bouchard. "Since my boyfriend had no idea what I was talking about, I took my paintbrush and added some details. It was after that moment that I started having fun with modifying her work to satisfy my own need to paint as well."

And the results are stunning!



So far Bouchard has converted five pieces. And her toddler loves the results! "Since all of her works are quite abstract at the moment, seeing flowers, birds or princesses in her paintings brings her a sense of amazement," Bouchard told HuffPost Canada Parents. "I always get an 'oh wooowww!' once she sees the final product."

Bouchard is a visual arts teacher for primary school kids. She says, "I encounter art and children from morning to night! I am extremely fascinated by the children's skills to do abstract art, to create without thinking and to let colours and shapes instinctively guide them."

We can't wait to see what Bouchard and her daughter create together next!

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This Student Didn't Wear A Gown Or Cap To Graduation. Here's The Incredible Reason Why.

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Stephen Mussell was a splash of yellow in a sea of black robes.

The 26-year-old Plains Cree/Métis student, who graduated with a Juris Doctor from the University of British Columbia (UBC) on April 20, decided to forgo common graduation attire and instead opt with tradition.

"I would like to pretend that I was confident and fearless, but I felt quite nervous," he says. "I was the only one out of hundreds of students not wearing the cap and gown, and the thought of walking across the stage in front of everyone was a bit frightening."

But this photo, which was snapped by Robin Munshaw, definitely made him stick out.

He wore a yellow beaded vest made by his girlfriend Samantha Dawson's mother, a gift he received as a graduation present.

"Samantha's family is Tlingit and Northern Tutchone, and the vest was made in the Northern Tutchone style."

He also wore beaded Moccasins from his mother, a quillwork bolo tie from his father, and carried an eagle feather that was given to him by his nohkom (grandmother) for courage and strength.

ubc graduation picture viral

Mussell believes the photo was taken when students were welcomed to the territory by Leona Sparrow, a Musqueam elder and UBC alumni. UBC is located on the ancestral territory of the Musqueam people.

"I spent much of the time watching Leona, thinking of Judge Alfred Scow [the first indigenous person to graduate from UBC Law], and the other indigenous people who made it possible for us to attend law school," he says. "It was not long ago that indigenous people weren’t even allowed to hire a lawyer, let alone be one. Thinking of those courageous leaders who led the way, that got me through."

So fortunate to share such a happy day with this amazing woman.

A photo posted by Stephen Mussell (@stephenmussell) on




When he had arrived to school that day to the stage area and other students picked up their gowns, he told the administrator he wasn't wearing one. "She didn’t object, and I went to stand with my fellow classmates. No one required that I justify my choice to them."

Graduating with a specialization in Aboriginal Law, Mussell says he chose this career path because he feels the laws of this country continue to be fundamentally unfair to indigenous people. And as a graduate, while he hopes to work towards improving the lives of indigenous people generally, not wearing a gown, for example, is one way to show his grounding for his roots.

"The cap and gown are referred to as 'regalia' and are worn to maintain an academic tradition that is centuries old. I wanted to wear the regalia of our people, and to celebrate the thousands of years of indigenous knowledge, laws and traditions that I value above all else."

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This Week's Celebrity Style Hits And Misses

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Hollywood's leading ladies stepped out in an array of outfits this week, and we're here to break it all down for you.

And while there weren't too many red carpet events this week, the stars who did make appearances knocked it out of the park -- for the most part at least. Solange Knowles proved she is the queen of cape dresses (again), while Jaime King dressed her baby bump to perfection. Gigi Hadid and Taylor Swift showed off their stellar off-duty style, while Rachel McAdams had a bit of a miss, which was highly disappointing. But the best dressed of the week goes to none other than North West, who slayed in her ballet tutu and a Balmain jacket. We. Can't. Even.

Check out our style hits and misses of the week below, and let us know if you agree with our picks!


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Rachel Notley Aiming To Hike Up Alberta's Minimum Wage By 2018

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EDMONTON - Alberta's new NDP government is laying out the process it will use to meet its pledge of raising the province's minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2018.

The province's current minimum wage is $10.20, among the lowest in Canada, although salespeople and liquor servers earn less.

Labour Minister Lori Sigurdson said next month the government will consult with groups that normally employ people who earn minimum wage as well as labour groups.

"I look forward to reporting back to Albertans by early July regarding phased increases to the minimum wage taking effect Oct. 1.," she said Friday in a news release.

A government spokesman said the meetings in June will help determine when and by how much the rate will increase over the years until 2018.

The October date for the first stage of the rate hike is to give businesses time to prepare for the change.

Next month, the Northwest Territories is to raise its minimum wage to $12.50 — the highest in Canada.

Ontario's rate is to jump 25 cents to $11.25 on Oct. 1.

Alberta Liberal Leader David Swann said the NDP government must report on how raising the minimum wage will affect small businesses before changing the rate.

Swann said the Liberals support the idea of gradual increases to the minimum wage, but it would be irresponsible to raise it too high, too quickly.

"Alberta's small businesses are struggling immensely in the current economic environment," Swann said.

"Ensuring that these businesses are protected and able to weather these tough times needs to be a priority, and any new economic policies need to take their needs into account."

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These Crocheted Playgrounds Make Us Wish We Were Kids Again

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Is playtime just for kids? That's a question being posed by a new show at the Toledo Museum of Art.

And it's finding out the answer using the creative energies of a pair of innovative artists from Bridgetown, N.S., who make massive, colourful playgrounds that are formed out of crocheted nylon.

"Harmonic Motion" is an exhibit by Toshiko Horiuchi MacAdam and Charles MacAdam that forms part of Play Time, a show that runs from May 22 to Sept. 6.

knitted playground
Photo courtesy of Toledo Museum of Art, Kara Fallon photographer

The MacAdams fashion their playgrounds by taking thousands of pieces of nylon and stringing them together to create colourful playgrounds that people can climb upon.

Threads contract as they traverse them, like a massive web.

Their works have been displayed all over the world, in Spain, Japan, China and Singapore.

One also appeared at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Rome (MACRO), where they installed a web as part of an exhibit called Enel Contemporanea, in 2013. That piece is now being repurposed for the exhibit in Toledo.

crocheted playground
Photo by Roberto Boccaccino, courtesy of Enel Contemporanea

MacAdam's early influences include Spanish artist Antoni Gaudi, whose works are based on curved forms as determined by gravity, and mosques she saw in Isfahan, Iran, she told architecture website Arch Daily in 2012.

"When I saw [Antoni] Gaudi's work, I realized immediately his forms are naturally connected to textiles," MacAdam said.

"And then when I saw the mosque at Isfahan, I realized the shape of the mosque and the inlaid tile-work covering its interior and exterior surfaces are not separate ... but form part of the building's fabric and geometry."

The museum sees the question of play as a complicated one. But for us it's pretty simple: we'll frolic on these giant, colourful playgrounds the first chance we have.

Check out more photos of the MacAdams' playgrounds:


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Bow Down To Shirley Clements, 60-Year-Old Teacher And Hip-Hop Queen

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Canadian teacher Shirley Clements is retiring this year, and girl knows how to go out with a bang.

Clements, 60, created an annual dance competition called Outbreak in Surrey, B.C. so it was only fitting that she surprised the crowd there with an epic performance.

Lucky for us, it was all caught on video.

Clad in a red warm-up jacket with sequins and Adidas track pants, Clements gets the crowd pumped with a bit of rapping (fast forward the video above to 1:20 mark). Then she and her students break out the moves to "Uptown Funk."

Clements shows off some classic MJ moves, throws in some Gangnam style, and even tosses out a high kick.

Then homegirl spins on her head.



Did you catch that? She spins on her head.

shirley clements

The performance happened in January, but is gaining international attention now after being posted on the EllenTube video page this month.

Some of Clements' former students aren't surprised by her brilliance though.

Now a teacher herself, Nicole Jarvis remembers school trips with Clements to Edmonton, Jasper, and Disneyland. She shared the video on Facebook and wrote: "Way to go, Ms. Clements! Thanks for being awesome."



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Residential Schools: Promises Of Reconciliation Saved In Bentwood Box

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A broken brick from a demolished residential school. A hockey jersey. Star blankets. A leather-bound book of pledges. DVDs. A miniature birch bark canoe.


These are just a few of more than 1,300 items presented to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission into Indian Residential Schools (TRC) in the past six years.


The objects were all placed gently in the bentwood box carved specially to house them, representing commitments to work toward reconciliation between indigenous and non-indigenous peoples.


"What's actually in there are deep and sincere promises to make this country a better place and address past wrongs," says Ry Moran, director of the National Research Centre for Truth and Reconciliation.  


The idea behind the TRC's bentwood box was to create a sacred space at each national TRC event, where participants were encouraged to make concrete commitments to improve relationships with indigenous peoples.


These "Expressions of Reconciliation" — usually represented by a physical object and an oral statement in front of an audience — were made by everyone from residential school survivors to church representatives and government officials.


"It was more than just words on paper or a handshake in front of cameras," says Moran. "The materials placed in there are a springboard to move this country to a brighter future for all peoples."


The bentwood box objects are being archived at the National Research Centre at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg. Moran is determined to make sure the items don't "end up on shelf collecting dust and withering," but travel the country to inspire other Canadians.


"We hope people will understand, 'Yes, there is something I can do: in myself or my organization, to meaningfully address past harms and try to move this country to a better place.'"


Here are five things you'll find in the bentwood box:


1. Suitcase


In 2013, at the Montreal TRC event, residential school survivor Marcel Petiquay placed the small brown suitcase his mother had lovingly packed for him before sending him off to Amos Indian Residential School. It contained clothes, his favourite toys and a pair of moccasins. The suitcase was taken away and returned empty when he left school, 12 years later.


"This represents the many suitcases packed by parents of the children, with ceremonial clothes, dried meats, beaded moccasins," says Moran. "Most of the suitcases were immediately removed when the child got through the front door."


Petiquay inscribed the suitcase with a poem he wrote and packed it with aboriginal medicines before placing it in the Bentwood Box. The suitcase represents his commitment to healing, sobriety and caring for his family.


2. Ballet slippers


In 2014, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet offered a shadow box containing a pair of ballet slippers entwined with tiny beaded moccasins, along with a promise to create a ballet based on residential school experiences. That promise was fulfilled with the production of Going Home Star last year.


"What was important for me was this whole production would be a process between aboriginal and non-aboriginal people," says Andre Lewis, artistic director of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. "I always felt reconciliation shouldn't be just about indigenous people, or just about non-indigenous people, but us working together."


Anishinaabe author Joseph Boyden wrote the ballet and the Winnipeg production featured an indigenous installation artist and indigenous singers. Going Home Star will go on national tour in 2016.


3. Blue Rodeo song lyrics


Canadian country rock band Blue Rodeo offered a handwritten copy of the lyrics of Fools Like You to the Bentwood Box, after performing at the first TRC event in Winnipeg.


Greg Keelor wrote the song in 1990 to decry the Canadian government's neglect of First Nations. "What you preach for others/Why don't you practise that first-hand?" Keelor asks in one verse. He feels the song could apply to the government's relationship with the TRC today.


"The government pays [the TRC] lip service, but then they do all these things that seem to be against it," says Keelor. "That's the dance native people and our government have been doing since Day 1. Every treaty is broken. It's just such a horrible thing."


4. Broken chalice


In 2011, officials from the United Church presented a piece of pottery shaped as a cracked chalice, along with a promise to work toward repairing the church's broken relationship with aboriginal peoples.


"The concept of brokenness is a useful starting place," says Moran of the chalice. "If, in fact, the relationship is this broken, it will take a long time to repair all the pieces."


In another a gesture of reconciliation, United Church councils in British Columbia hired a "mobile counsellor" — a full-time person to provide psychotherapeutic services for survivors and their families — who met with more than 300 families over three years.


As an aside, Moran adds an amusing story about finding the broken chalice while unpacking the box at the end of the Atlantic event.


He thought it had shattered in transit. "Oh my god, I'm dead," he thought and was frantic to find the broken pieces — until someone explained it was meant to be that way.


5. Saskatoon police hat


In 2012, Saskatoon's police chief placed a police hat in the Bentwood Box to mark efforts toward improving the relationship between police and the aboriginal community.


The Stonechild Inquiry in 2004 had lambasted police for the common practice of "starlight tours," where police would drop off perceived troublemakers on the outskirts of town on deathly cold winter nights, leaving them to make their way back home on their own. Some, like Neil Stonechild, froze to death.


"Saskatoon went through a rough time at the beginning of the century with a few inquiries," says Chief Clive Weighill. "I thought it was important for us to come forward to say we've worked very hard with the aboriginal community and list some of what we accomplished."


Key changes include hiring more aboriginal members and compulsory diversity training. Weighill also highlighted annual meetings he now holds with aboriginal elders, which led to him participating in his first sweat lodge. "It really is a very moving spiritual event."


Weighill also committed at the TRC to creating a memorial to missing and murdered indigenous women. That's expected to be finished this autumn and erected in front of police headquarters in Saskatoon.

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