This episode: a story about Hilary McDowall - a journalist based in Lake Louise in the 1960s and 70s. We talk about World War II spies, skiing, failed Olympic bids, and how difficult it can be to be a reporter in a small town without being engulfed in conflicts of interests.
This is part one of a three-part mini-series about Alberta environmental groups and journalists in the 1970s. It was a surprisingly hopeful time for environmentalists in Alberta. Change was in the air, and governments seemed inclined to listen to public demands for conservation. So we're trying to understand why environmentalists ever talked to journalists, given that half the time they dismissed them as ill-informed city slickers or harmless housewives?
We're calling this mini-series "You Can Change the World" or "Why Would I Talk To You?"
Hilary McDowall's writing is a fascinating window into the relationship between journalists and environmentalists. She served as the
Calgary Herald’s Lake Louise correspondent, and as sole publisher and editor of a tiny publication called the
Kicking Horse News. Hilary and her husband Jack lived in the village year-round, letting her offer readers a unique window into local characters, mountain delights, and the seasonal rhythms of the ski resorts.
From the mid-1960s onward, she wrote very critically about environmentalists who opposed bringing the Olympics to the area and expanding housing and highways. There was some key information she chose
not to share with readers, though. Her story hints at dilemmas in reporting from a small community in a national park.
This episode is brought to you by
Skirtsafire, Edmonton's annual festival featuring the work of women in the arts. This year's festival takes place from March 5 to 15, 2026.
This episode is also brought to you by Taproot Edmonton, the best source of reliable intelligence about the Edmonton region. Check out Taproot's podcast
Speaking Municipally every Friday to hear the latest about what's going on at city hall.