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The Sunday Magazine

Fracking lawsuit; Joshua Bell in the subway; Bill Cosby vs. the image; Closing Iroquois Falls

Jessica Ernst, who lives rural Alberta, alleges her well water was contaminated due to fracking. For the past eight years, she has been the "David" fighting a landmark legal battle against three "Goliaths": Encana, a major player in the gas drilling industry, the Alberta Energy Regulator and the government of Alberta. Jessica Ernst and her lawyer talk to Francine Pelletier as they prepare for their hearing in January in the Supreme Court of Canada. Joshua Bell is one of the world's great violinists. Seven years ago, he played his Strad in the subway in Washington DC. At the time, nobody but a few passing kids paid any attention. Times have changed, and when Maestro Bell played another subterranean gig, it was SRO. We have a documentary report. Accusations and rumours that Bill Cosby is a serial abuser of women have swirled around the famous comedian for decades. But it wasn't until this week, when the photograph on the cover of New York Magazine went viral, that the full enormity of the case against him was laid bare. The image shows small black and white photographs of 35 women who have come forward with their stories of abuse. Francine Pelletier talks to Amanda Demme, who took the photograph, and to Barbara Bowman, one of Cosby's accusers. Iroquois Fall was once home to the largest paper mill in the world, making newsprint for its great newspapers. But now the company has pulled the plug, and the mill is no more. Now the community of 4,500 is scrambling for ideas to reinvent a one-industry town. Karin Wells's documentary is called, appropriately enough, "Resolute."
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With guest host Francine Pelletier:

The fight against fracking (00:09):  Jessica Ernst lives in rural Alberta -- she alleges her well water was contaminated due to fracking. For the past eight years, she has been the "David" fighting a landmark legal battle against three "Goliaths":  Encana, a major player in the gas drilling industry, the Alberta Energy Regulator and the government of Alberta. Jessica Ernst and her lawyer talk to Francine Pelletier as they prepare for their hearing in January in the Supreme Court of Canada.

The Maestro in the subway (28:30): Joshua Bell is one of the world's great violinists. Seven years ago, he played his Strad in the subway in Washington DC. At the time, nobody but a few passing kids paid any attention. Children's author Kathy Stinson decided to immortalize the incident in her award-winning book,The Man With the Violin. A documentary by Lindsay Michael.

Bill Cosby and the power of the image (36:19): Accusations and rumours that Bill Cosby is a serial abuser of women have swirled around the famous comedian for decades. But it wasn't until this week, when the photograph on the cover of New York Magazine went viral, that the full enormity of the case against him was laid bare. The image shows small black and white photographs of 35 women who have come forward with their stories of abuse. Francine talks to the woman who took the photograph and composed it, photographer Amanda Demme, and to Barbara Bowman, one of Cosby's accusers.

"Resolute" - a Karin Wells documentary (52:57): Iroquois Fall was once home to the largest paper mill in the world, making newsprint for its great newspapers. But now the company has pulled the plug; the mill is no more. The community of 4,500 is scrambling for ideas to reinvent a one-industry town. Karin Wells's documentary is called, appropriately enough: "Resolute."

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