Now or Never

Humans vs. Nature: Close encounters with the natural world

When humans and nature collide, you never know what will happen.
A woman smiles for a photo and poses with a fake coyote.
Colleen Cassady St. Clair wants to keep people - and coyotes - safe, so she's started teaching her fellow Edmontonians to safely intimidate coyotes. (Clare Bonnyman/CBC)

This week on Now or Never: stories of collisions between humans and the wild world of nature: 

  • Redfern Wesley of Kashechewan First Nation is no stranger to extreme weather conditions. As a longtime member of the Canadian Rangers -  part time army reservists trained to respond to emergencies in remote communities - he recounts his most memorable rescue missions, and shares his hope for future generations. 
  • Deb Vokey keeps careful watch over the squirrels that make their way into the front yard of her Winnipeg home, hoping that they'll fall for the bait... and pose for a picture
  • After witnessing the effects of the climate crisis in BC this past year, Hafsa Salihue and Ryan Laing are on opposite sides about whether they should have a child. 
  • Meet Colleen Cassady St. Clair, Queen of Coyotes! This University of Alberta professor has dedicated her research to Edmonton's urban coyote population, and her free time to getting coyotes and humans to co-exist peacefully. It just involves some weighted tennis balls, umbrellas, and a very loud voice. 
  • In the face of town bylaws and disapproving neighbours, Beth and Craig Sinclair are determined to let the lawn of their Smiths Falls, Ontario home go wild. They're committed to the Miyawaki Forest Method, creating a small dense forest in their yard that will benefit the environment and Craig's health.