An Alberta couple’s cross-country house hunt

Dalene Heck and her husband, Pete, were digital nomads long before it was cool. In 2007, the couple ditched their corporate jobs, sold their house in Okotoks, Alberta, and decided to travel the world. Nearly eight years and 60 countries later, the couple returned to Canada, settling in Lethbridge, Alberta, so Dalene could receive treatment for and recover from a recent leukemia diagnosis.

By 2020, Dalene’s leukemia was in remission and the couple were mulling over their next big move. The couple felt drawn to Nova Scotia, and in May of 2022 they were on the road again. This Maclean’s story chronicles their cross-country trek, which culminated in their purchase of a four-bedroom century home and former parsonage (originally owned by the town’s United Baptist church) for $357,000 in the former fishing port of Margaretsville. The Hecks’ new abode has stained-glass windows, an original carved-wood staircase and distant views of the Bay of Fundy. Surprisingly, the couple haven’t felt any wanderlust since their move. “We could see ourselves here for a long time,” says Pete.

—Arisa Valyear, newsletter editor

Toronto-born director and screenwriter Emma Seligman has hit the box office big leagues with her latest flick, Bottoms—one bloody fight scene, dick joke and sly feminist undertone at a time. Some critics have called the movie “delightfully dumb,” but Seligman isn’t bothered: “There’s so much beauty and wonder to making and watching a dumb movie or a dumb show,” she says in this Q&A with Maclean’s writer Courtney Shea.

Online scams have been happening for longer than we can remember, but the advent of more sophisticated AI will soon make these tricks far more common, complex and convincing. Jeff Clune, associate professor of computer science at the University of British Columbia explains how in this essay from our Age of AI special issue.

The Université de l’Ontario français is growing with new programs that give students real work experience.

Every Canadian has a favourite hidden-gem travel destination—one that’s less touristy, less congested and less expensive than standbys like Niagara or Banff. In this Maclean’s story, which appears in the October issue of the magazine, we share a collection of inspired, under-the-radar vacation spots across the country. It’s as much a travel guide as it is an intimate portrait of a Canada you rarely see.

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