Flight 111 and might-have-could-have-possibly-maybe
Friday’s much-hyped Fifth Estate documentary on the crash of Swissair Flight 111 generated much arcing and sparking about its cause but—in the end—no incendiary device, no hard evidence the tragic 1998 accident was anything but.
That said, the story raised questions that deserve better than read-the-report, cone-of-silence non-responses from the RCMP and the Transportation Safety Board.
The documentary focused on concerns—not specific allegations—by retired RCMP investigator Tom Juby. Juby claims his bosses shut down inquiries into what he believed were too-high-to-be-explained levels of magnesium in the plane’s cockpit area. He thought the magnesium suggested the crash could have been caused by an incendiary device. He wanted to pursue that as a possible criminal investigation into the murders of the 229 passengers and crew.
Although I never interviewed him, I have no doubt Juby is a dedicated professional who believes what he says.
But I also believe Larry Vance—the deputy chief TSB investigator who spent even more years investigating the crash, and whom I did interview extensively while researching a book about the tragedy—is equally dedicated, equally professional.
Vance and the TSB ultimately dismissed Juby’s concerns. They claim the heightened magnesium levels resulted from prolonged exposure to salt water, and believe an incendiary device would have caused far more damage to the cockpit. “It would be like aiming a blow-torch at your head and burning only one hair,” Vance told Canadian Press.
Which leaves us with… an interesting professional disagreement among professional investigators, goosed by tantalizing, made-for-TV tidbits about missing diamonds and the post-9/11-freighted presence of Arab royalty among the plane’s passengers.
Swiss television, which helped finance the CBC documentary, was so unpersuaded by its conclusions it refused to air it. “It’s not our task to spread speculation,” the network’s chief editor says.
My own issue is not with Juby’s clearly heartfelt complaints nor even with the CBC’s decision to broadcast a documentary filled with so much might-have-could-have-possibly speculation.
My concern is with the RCMP and the TSB, whose refusal to publicly respond to Juby’s allegations can only feed more sinister interpretations and add to the doubt and pain of those who lost loved ones in the crash.
Doesn’t anyone ever learn?
Stephen Kimber is the author of Flight 111: The Tragedy of the Swissair Crash.
Copyright 2011 Stephen Kimber
Dexter profile wins 2009 AJA
Stephen Kimber's election-eve profile of the man who would become Nova Scotia's first ever New Democratic Party premier won the Gold Award for Best Feature at the 2009 Atlantic Journalism Awards.
AJA presentation
The story, "Who is Darrell Dexter?", appeared in the June 3, 2009 edition of The Coast, Halifax's alternative weekly. Coast writers were finalists in five categories at last night's awards presentation in Halifax.
King's Journalism School alumni were also well represented. Christina Harnett (along with Myfanwy Davies) of CBC Radio, Halifax, NS, won the Gold medal for Feature Writing, Radio. Christina was also a finalist in the Enterprise Reporting catergory. Other finalists included Bev Ware (Spot News, Print), Rob Linke (Enterprise Reporting, Print), Joan Weeks (Continuing Coverage, Radio), Chris O'Neill-Yates (Feature Writing, Television), Norma Jean MacPhee (Arts and Entertainment Reporting) and Eleanor Beaton (Commentary and Best Magazine Profile). Halifax Magazine, edited by King's alum Trevor J. Adams, won for Best Magazine Cover. A number of other journalism grads were members of newsroom teams that won or were finalists in other categories.
2010 journalism grads Jon Linds (Atlantic Lottery Corporation Achievement Award) and Jennifer Pawluk (Province of Nova Scotia Prize) were also recognized during the ceremony.
Check here for a complete list of winners
Copyright 2010 Stephen Kimber
Coast story Atlantic Journalism Award finalist
Stephen Kimber's cover feature for the June 9, 2009th issue of The Coast—"Who is Premier Darrell Dexter?"—has been selected as one of the finalists for this year's Atlantic Journalism Awards.
The Dexter story is up against two other stories—Tim Bousquet's "Doolittle, Darwin and the Deeply Dumb" from The Coast and Andrew McGilligan's "Long Journey's Home" in the Saint John Telegraph-Journal—in the Print Feature category. The awards will be presented at a ceremony in Halifax on May 8.
Excerpt's from the entry submission explaining the background to the Dexter story:
"From During the winter of 2009, it became increasingly apparent Nova Scotians would voting in a spring general election, and that Darrell Dexter’s New Democrats would likely form the next provincial government. Such an outcome—unthinkable a generation ago—could mark an historic turning point in Nova Scotia politics.
How should The Coast cover these developments? Unlike the dailies or other media, we don’t have the luxury—in the print edition at least—of providing continuing coverage of events as they unfold. We had to decide on the central story of the election and write it.
We decided that story was Darrell Dexter. Who is he? Where does he come from? What makes him tick? What kind of government was he likely to lead?
While Nova Scotians had seen Dexter in action in the legislature over the previous decade, few were aware of more than the vaguest outlines of his personal history or the path he had taken to party and political power.
Our feature profile was an attempt to understand the man who could become premier by weaving together his personal story with the story of the party’s rise, and showing how the party had affected Dexter and Dexter has affected the party."
I’ll admit I was taken aback when I looked at the cover of The Coast on June 9 to see a title that assumed Dexter would win the election the next week," Kimber recalled. "Shades of Dewey! But the paper’s editors were braver—and more prescient—than me. Dexter won and, even seven months later, I believe our story provides useful insights into the mind of the province’s 27th premier."
Kimber is also a finalist for this year's Atlantic Book Awards. His book, IWK, is up for the Dartmouth Book Award for Nonfiction. The Atlantic Book Awards will be presented April 14 at a ceremony in Dartmouth.
Copyright 2010 Stephen Kimber
“Everything Right:” IWK Review in Atlantic Books Today
"When, just 15 minutes into reading the book, I am in tears, then something's got to be right. And I believe Stephen Kimber has done everything right in his captivating history of the extraordinary story of pediatric care that exists right here in Halifax and beyond... Kimber has given us a fully integrated account of what makes the IWK Health Centre what it is today, 100 years from the opening of the Halifax Children's Hospital... Interspersing the time-line with case studies has made this book a superb read and, indeed a collector's item."
Shirley Gueller
Atlantic Books Today
Spring 2010
Copyright 2010 Stephen Kimber
Weekend book signings
Sunday, Dec 6, 12:00-2:00pm
Author Stephen Kimber will be signing copies of his books, including his latest, IWK: A Century of Caring for Families. Coles, Halifax Shopping Centre.
Sunday, Dec 6, 3:00-5:00pm
Author Stephen Kimber will be signing copies of his books, including his latest, IWK: A Century of Caring for Families. Chapters, Bayer's Lake, Halifax.
Copyright 2009 Stephen Kimber
Sailors, Slackers wins national Torgi Nonfiction Award
Sept. 21, TORONTO: The Canadian National Institute for the Blind Library is pleased to announce the winners of the 2004 Torgi Literary Awards, the only awards program in Canada to celebrate books in formats such as PrintBraille and audio. More than 300 guests, including authors, book publishers, CNIB client judges, and CNIB volunteers attended the 20th annual awards ceremony, held today at the new CNIB service centre in Toronto.
Austin Clarke’s The Polished Hoe won the award for CNIB Produced Fiction. Judges praised Clarke’s command of Island dialect and gripping plot. The nuanced language of Clarke’s setting meant that the role of narration was central to its production as a talking book. As one judge commented, “the intersecting tales of these characters are wonderfully colourful, believable and compelling. This is a wonderful book, which should delight the reader. The narrator of this book did a wonderful job and added much to the enjoyment of the reader. This is one case where a talking book would be much preferable to a print version because of the narrator's contribution.”
The other Torgi Literary Awards went to:
- Sailors, Slackers, and Blind Pigs: Halifax at War by Stephen Kimber (CNIB Produced Non-Fiction)
- Run, by Eric Walters (Tiny Torgi Audio)
- Stanley’s Party, by Linda Bailey (Tiny Torgi PrintBraille)
- Buddha Da, by Anne Donovan (Partner Produced Fiction)
- Stupid White Men: And Other Excuses for the State of the Nation, by Michael Moore (Partner Produced Non-Fiction)
Award presenters included CNIB Library clients Simon Braham and Niall Hartnett (seven and 11 years old, respectively).
Giller Prize founder Jack Rabinovitch gave the keynote address, a highlight at the event.
Margaret McGrory, executive director of the CNIB Library, added, “This year is an exciting time of new beginnings. As we move to full digital production and settle into our new building, clients of the CNIB Library have more opportunities than ever to pursue their love of reading.”
Established in 1984, the Torgi Literary Awards (named after Morley Torgov, the author of the inaugural winning book) was the first awards ceremony in the world to recognize alternative-format books. The awards celebrate PrintBraille, and talking books that have been written, published, and produced with excellence for adults or children who are blind or visually impaired. As readers' choice awards, winning books are chosen by juries of CNIB Library clients. The awards also highlight the work of the more than 500 CNIB volunteers who produce these books.
Since 1906, the CNIB Library for the Blind has been working to promote literacy and to ensure that Canadians who are blind, visually impaired, or deafblind have equitable access to information, culture, and lifelong learning. The CNIB Library is one of the largest producers of alternative-format materials in the world and circulated 1.8 million items last year.
Matt Ferguson
(416) 486-2500, ext. 7423
Jessica Parrales
(416) 486-2500, ext. 7570
Copyright 2006 Stephen Kimber
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About
STEPHEN KIMBER, a Professor of Journalism at the University of King's College in Halifax, is an award-winning writer, editor and broadcaster. He is the author of one novel -- Reparations -- and seven non-fiction books.
Buy his books at Amazon.