Canada asked to open doors to refugees
Citizens for Public Justice calls for easier access and integration
By Amy Steele

YWCA to drop program for prostitutes
By Amy Steele

LETTERS

Zoo’s defence of plan to bring in polar bears and belugas rings false
by Michael Alvarez-Toye

VIEWPOINT

Removing barriers to progress
Innovative affordable housing initiative helps people set things straight
by Erich Mende

What’s inside the 39th Parliament?
by Raymond E. Biesinger

FOOD

C’est magnifique – or, yum yum
Simple, elegant bistro a delicious addition to 11th Avenue
by Lenore Hume

BOOKS

Surviving the shame and guilt of abuse
Sheldon Kennedy’s new memoir brings readers into the aftermath
by Andrew Aitkenhead

The language of butterflies and moths
Poet Angela Rawlings mingles Lepidoptera with human sleep cycles
by Derek Beaulieu

Poetry for journalists and prostitutes
Local publisher Frontenac House has a strong lineup with Quartet 2006
by Bryn Evans

Poetry dominates the end of April
The Calgary International Spoken Word Festival gears up for its third year
by Bryn Evans

LIFESTYLES

Achieving tolerance through… curling
Apollo Friends in Sport’s annual Western Cup wraps up another year
by Shawn Hoult

SPRING NEW MUSIC

Things have gotten so much better
The rise and rise (and rise and rise) of Franz Ferdinand
by Mark Hamilton

Indie rock’s shining star
Stars and Broken Social Scene singer Amy Millan strikes out on her own
by Brandon Tenold

Drive-by Truckers
A Blessing and a Curse
reviewed by Mary-Lynn Wardle

Mystics finally win the war
Some valuable life lessons from those fearless freaks The Flaming Lips
by Mark Hamilton

The Streets
The Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living
reviewed by Jesse Locke

The Wet Secrets are out
Six-piece re-records their dirty rock debut
by Jesse Locke

Cold Cut
Sound Mirrors
reviewed by Jesse Locke

Hip hop slap and tickle
Spank Rock teases their audience with a wild and crazy new album
by Colin Smith

Roots Manuva
Alternately Deep
reviewed by Colin Smith

Pursuit of a lifetime
Belle and Sebastian are in it for the long haul
by Mark Hamilton

Stereophonics
Live From Dakota
reviewed by Nathan Atnikov

New tunes for the car stereo this season
by Joanne Huffa

Upcoming releases for spring & summer
compiled by Kirsten Kosloski

Keeping an eye on local hip hop
by Simon Trafford

Death Cab for Cutie lightens up
Singer Benjamin Gibbard shows that he really does have a sense of humour
by Aubrey McInnis

In good company
Julie Doiron makes the most of her musical collaborations
by Jason Lewis

The Man in Black’s band
The Tennessee Three move out of the shadow
by Rick Overwater

CD REVIEWS

Built to Spill’s return to the eight-minute solo
CD Reviews:
Built to Spill’s You In Reverse
reviewed by Jason Lewis
Eagles of Death Metal’s Death By Sexy
reviewed by Aubrey McInnis
Deadboy & The Elephantmen’s We Are Night Sky
reviewed by Jason Lewis
Belle and Sebastian’s Late NIght Tales
reviewed by Mark Hamilton
Bubba Sparxxx’s the Charm
reviewed by Red Eye
Mecca Normal’s the Observer
reivewed by Laura Glick

VISUAL ARTS

Contemplative processes exposed
human/nature’s installations engage with a variety of mediums
By Wes LaFortune

THEATRE

Beg, borrow, steal and destroy opera
Dismantling the aria – Bubonic Tourist continues to push boundaries
by Pearl Meyer

Shaking the dust off a theatrical treasure
Archeologists unearth more than they bargained for in Ghost River’s Dig
by Jeff Kubik

An unflinching portrait of war’s horror
Subtlety be damned – Urban Curvz’s Necessary Targets devastating
By Jeff Kubik

OPERA

Dragons and sopranos
Calgary Opera rounds out the season with Mozart’s beloved fantasy, The Magic Flute
by Tim Christison

FILM

Notes from the underground
Calgary’s alternative film festival grows by ‘leaps and bounds’
by Shaun English

They’re good for it, we swear
Friends with Money examines relationships between borrowers and lenders
by Roberta McDonald

Digging for buried treasures
Critics rundown this year’s offerings at the Calgary Underground Film Fest
St. Martyrs of the Damned reviewed by Jason Lewis
Exiles in Lotus Land reviewed by Shaun English
The Puffy Chair reviewed by Shaun English
Mad Cowgirl reviewed by Shaun English
Film Geek reviewed by Andrew Aitkenhead
Hiro reviewed by Andrew Aitkenhead

Momentary grasp of reason
Joyeux Noel beautifully captures ‘The Christmas Truce’ of 1914
by Mark Hamilton

VIDEO VULTURE

Chow, bella
Cannibals take to the streets in the Italian-made Canninbal Apocalypse
By John Tebbutt

MY MESSY BEDROOM

Reality check
Sunday brunch with the gals, and all is as it should be
By Josey Vogels