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About Us

Canadian Dimension is the longest-standing voice of the left in Canada. For more than half-a-century, CD has provided a forum for lively and radical debate where red meets green, socialists take on social democrats, Indigenous voices are heard, activists report from every corner of the country, and the latest books and films are critically reviewed. Our dedicated and longstanding readership is comprised of activists, organizers, academics, economists, workers, trade unionists, feminists, environmentalists, Indigenous peoples, and members of the LGBTQ2 community.

Canadian Dimension draws on a very wide spectrum of writers on the left. Some of the earliest contributors included Charles Taylor, George Grant, Gad Horowitz, C.B. Macpherson, Kari Levitt, John Warnock, James Laxer, Leo Panitch, Mel Watkins and Reg Whitaker. More recently, frequent contributors have included the likes of Pamela Palmater, Michal Rozworski, James Wilt, André Frappier, Bryan Palmer, Sam Gindin, Andrea Levy, Peter Kulchyski, Yves Engler, John-Henry Harter and Ian Angus.

History

Founded in 1963 by Cy Gonick, Canadian Dimension was published from the beginning in Winnipeg, home of the famous 1919 General Strike. In its earliest years, the magazine was produced in Gonick’s basement with the help of family and a core group of volunteers. It soon attracted some brilliant young writers to its pages and a very talented layout designer.

In 1975 a collective took over editorial responsibility. Although its composition has changed many times, and includes members from around the globe, a Winnipeg-based group still functions as the hub of the organization. The dramatic change in the very definition and scope of left politics since the inception of the magazine is reflected in the evolution of Dimension. Topics that were, in the past, often marginalized by mainstream left politics—the environment, the family, the division of labour in the home, food, community development, coalition building, gender and racial inequalities—now feature in a significant portion of our content.

Dimension remains what it has always been—an independent forum for left-wing political thought and discussion—including just about the entire range of what passes for the left in Canada. In 2019 we decided to take CD digital, drawing the curtain on 56 years in print. We made this decision to embrace CD’s digital platform as a springboard to a lively role in the 21st century resurgence of radical socialist thinking and organizing, and to express confidence in ourselves and in the efforts of numerous others to revitalize the political life of our country.

We still offer the in-depth analytical pieces that have been our hallmark for more than half a century, but going digital will enable CD to be more responsive to the fast pace of left debate and intervene more quickly in ongoing discussions. A digital future for CD just makes sense, and focusing on this platform will better allow us to achieve CD’s primary goal: to spread socialist ideas and thereby change the world.

Staff

Cy Gonick Publisher and Coordinating Editor
Harrison Samphir Editor-in-Chief
Andrea Levy Coordinating Editor
Derek Hogue Web Developer

Editorial Board

Kalden Rangdrol Dhatsenpa Montréal
André Frappier Montréal
Edwin Janzen Montréal
Andrea Levy Montréal
Harrison Samphir Toronto
Kim Wilson Toronto
Cy Gonick Winnipeg
Krishna Lalbiharie Winnipeg

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