Daybreak Alberta

CBC Edmonton's Fitness columnist, Chris Tse, joins guest host Paul Karchut to talk about how to stick to your 2021 fitness goals... despite all the gyms being locked up right now

We kick off “What I’m Reading”, a new weekend column by regular CBC contributors.This week historian Wesley Wark makes the case for reading novels about pandemics... during a pandemic.

Guest host Paul Karchut is joined by a trio of musicians from Calgary's Filipino community - Annie Lux, Edz Cultura and Eddie Pesos - to talk about their three very different approaches to music, how it's inspired by their community and the push and pull of breaking out beyond that scene as well.

We about the Mountain Muskox Mentoring Parntnership - a new support group of psychologists and mountain-goers in the Bow Valley, specifically for those who've experienced trauma in the mountains. Guest host Paul Karchut is joined by Janet McLeod and Kevin Hjartaas.

As part of the 2020 Daybreak Christmas Book Show, reviewer, Angie Abdou profiled the Alberta publishing house, Freehand Books. She also highlights three of their titles which something to her: "The End of Me" by John Gould, "Season of Fire and Fury" by Sharon Butala, and "One Madder Woman" by Dede Crane.

Angie Abdou reads Alberta books to let you know about a new book worth your time and this month, she has peered inside the pages of "Beast Bot" by Carrie Stanton, a book for kids.

Each year, the town of Okotoks sees some of their finest musical talent come together to raise money and donations for the local Food Bank. In 2020, they've had to switch gears and record some virtual concerts that will be shown online. Volunteers at the food bank, as well as local businesses have had a tough year, yet they still feel a need to respond and help the Okotoks Food Bank meet the challenge of the holidays. Russell Bowers visited Okotoks to chat with the owner of Modern Catering, Jordan Shane; volunteer, Bonny Clarke; and executive director of the Okotoks Fook Bank, Pamela McLean. To make a donation, or to view the virtual concerts, visit okotoksfoodbank.ca

Normally, when an Alberta theatre company stages a play, it's only available to people who live in the city where it's happening. One of the side-benefits of live theatre moving online is that people anywhere can see these shows, and so, Storybook Theatre in Calgary has filmed their latest musical to make it available to all Albertans during the holiday season. Storybook is producing "Annie The Musical," and it's online until January 2nd at storybooktheatre.org. Russell spoke with two of the people involved in this new staging of Annie. Director, Jayme Armstrong, came in from Ontario to direct this production and Alexa Andrews is playing the title role of Annie.

The monthly Alberta Books review on Daybreak has reviewer Angie Abdou reading ahead to let you know about a new book worth your time. Angie is the author of the Canada Reads finalist, "The Bone Cage," as well as the memoir, "Home Ice, Reflections of a Reluctant Hockey Mom." In the spring of 2021, her new book, "This One Wild Life, A Mother-Daughter Wilderness Memoir" will be released. But this week-end, she's her for a new collection of short stories from Calgary writer, Lori Hahnel, called "Vermin."

The story of the Hudson's Bay Company has been called the story of the creation of modern Canada but author Stephen Bown believes the chronicling of the company's history has been incomplete. His sweeping re-telling reaches back to the company's beginnings for a book called "The Company - The Rise And Fall Of The Hudson's Bay Empire."