The IJB.

I'm proud to announce that I'm now working with the Investigative Journalism Bureau, a non-profit newsroom based at the University of Toronto, publishing in partnership with the Toronto Star.

I know, I know. Where’ve ya been, McMahon? I’ve not written here in a few months and things have been quiet here on Substack, but I have been writing and have been creating work, just not in this space.

I'm thrilled to announce that in March 2024, I joined the team at the University of Toronto's Investigative Journalism Bureau (IJB). I’m on a short contract (back to the unemployment line this summer, that’s Canadian journalism for you) but the opportunity to join the team at the IJB has been an honour. The IJB is an award winning non-profit newsroom that punches way above its weight.

The Investigative Journalism Bureau (IJB) at the University of Toronto’s Dalla Lana School of Public Health is a real-world investigative unit conducting collaborative research projects with academics and journalists while training student researchers and reporters in investigative techniques. It operates in collaboration with the Dalla Lana’s Journalism and Health Advocacy programs, home of the Fellowship in Global Journalism and the Certificate in Health Impact.

-from the Investigative Journalism Bureau’s website

The IJB is known for its in-depth, rigorous reporting, and that's exactly what's needed to unpack the complex challenges facing our communities in Indian Country.

For the next few months, I’m focused on a few deep investigations into the state of Indigenous infrastructure issues across Canada — spoiler alert — shit is not good out there. This is a huge opportunity for me to elevate critical Indigenous voices and stories from Indigenous communities into the mainstream. My first piece drops this week and I can’t wait for you all to read it.

Read more about what we’re doing on our website.

Heliograph: Snapshots

As part of my contract with the IJB, I’m working on a new offering for their excellent podcast, Heliograph. I’m producing, writing, and hosting a new mini-series called, Snapshots, short stories behind the reporting at the Investigative Journalism Bureau.

I love talking to people. I love talking to interesting people. I love talking to interesting people that do hard things.

The investigative stories the IJB produces are often challenging, complex, and they live on the darker edges of the human experience. Telling these stories in print or digitally usually leaves much to talk about when it’s all said and done - that’s where Snapshots lives - the motivation of the story, the paradoxical nature of investigative reporting, and the ethical and human questions that comes with this type of reporting.

In this episode, IJB director, Robert Cribb of the Toronto Star, delves into the complex world of medical assistance in dying, (MAID). He reflects on the ethical challenges and emotional impact of reporting on end-of-life issues while also examining the role of investigative journalism in shaping our understanding of life and death. Additionally, he explores what the groundbreaking data unearthed by the IJB tells us about Canada’s role in the larger conversation about MAID.

You can listen to the first episode of Heliograph: Snapshots below. Make sure you subscribe to listen to the show wherever you get your podcasts.

You can read about this work at: https://ijb.utoronto.ca/projects/choosing-death/

Learn more about IJB at: ijb.utoronto.ca

You should give The Ultimate Choice a listen, it is excellent: https://www.tvo.org/podcasts/the-ultimate-choice