TO THE EDITORS OF MACLEAN’S,

I’m writing because my attempts to contact the senior editor and assistant editor directly have failed. It’s disappointing that a third and fourth attempt have been necessary, but I certainly can’t force you to behave like journalists against your will.

Here again I have attached a trove of documents, including photos, press clippings, copies of media release forms we had to sign (dated November 19, twenty-two years ago) and my father’s Dairy Producer Licence, then-current. Each document provides substantial support for the claims made in my account of the weekend Arthur Spalding visited my family’s farm in south-central Alberta.

I implore you: use it to embarrass Arthur Spalding and inflict damage to his reputation. There may be few chances left.

It’s possible I sound bitter. I am bitter. Each year Spalding crept closer to power, there were signs of what might happen. Alternatives were suggested, offramps were assembled, but still, the media did little to guide us to safety. Even on the small points, like making sure those of us in Spalding’s crosshairs received compensation for homes and livelihoods lost, you were too often afraid, too often silent.

I await your reply and insist on a deadline of three weeks. If a response is not forthcoming by May 12, 12:00am, I will be forced to submit the story elsewhere, with the addendum that the lucky magazine will have stolen a scoop off Maclean’s plate.

Perhaps The Walrus would be interested?

Yours truly,

Ed Magrath Jr.

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I WAS TWELVE YEARS OLD and the owner of

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