Starter Packs
Created by John MacKinnon (1)
Necessary voices for our times
Suggestions for those looking to follow authoritative, insightful observers, journalists and academics that illuminate these dark times. Information is light.
@alexboyd.bsky.social
National misinformation + politics reporter, Toronto Star. Based in Alberta Signal: alexboyd.56
@heartsofpine.bsky.social
Portland Hearts of Pine is the soccer club of Maine, kicking off in USL League One at the historic Fitzpatrick Stadium in 2025 ❤️🌲🫶
@davidfrenchjag.bsky.social
NYT Columnist, visiting professor at Lipscomb University, Chautauqua Perry Fellow in Democracy. Married to @nancyfrench.bsky.social. Iraq vet, Grizzlies fan, born in War Eagle Country and raised in Big Blue Nation.
@jodyvance.bsky.social
30 years in local and national media. 1st woman in 🇨🇦 TV to host her own sports show in primetime. Now: TV/radio news/current affairs. Emcee. Moderator. Media training & consultant. 🚫 DM
@pamkeithdc.bsky.social
CEO of Center for Employment Justice, former Dem Congressional Nominee, Former JAG, all the way liberal, AKA.
@chrisjamessauve.bsky.social
🇨🇦 I love sports. Habs fan. Cowboys fan. Blue Jays fan. I’m also really into classic Simpsons, Rock music, Marvel, Star Wars and WWE.
@timquerengesser.bsky.social
Managing editor, Taproot Edmonton. Support your community in the age of chaos. Buy local. Think local. Be local. Treaty 6.
@wildweatherdan.bsky.social
Meteorologist for 45 years. Fellow of the AMS. MS Earth Science. Stood at the S. Pole. If you’ve not deeply loved a dog, I don’t really trust you. Go Canada🇨🇦! The laws of Physics are real, everything else is politics- ND Tyson. 📸👨💻🌦️☔️🍎 No bigots🇺🇦
@jamespmcleod.ca
The Guardian newspaper once called me a "Guerrilla Satirist" and the premier of Newfoundland and Labrador once called me "an arsehole." Former journalist. Artist. Writer. Comms guy.
@davidjoy.bsky.social
Half-assed author of novels. Full-assed wanderer of woods. Born looking lonesome, on’ry, and mean. Also, I fucking cuss a lot.
@drkristopherwells.bsky.social
Independent Senator-Alberta, Senate of Canada. 🇨🇦 Teacher. Former Canada Research Chair for the Public Understanding of Sexual and Gender Minority Youth. Co-founder, Pride Tape. 🏒🏳️🌈 Treaty Six. He/Him.
@citynewsottawa.bsky.social
#1 for local news in Ottawa and the Valley. Download the CityNews app for the latest news that matters to you.
@marieelaineguay.bsky.social
Critique📚 @ledevoir.com 💻 Critique @toutpeutarriver.bsky.social 🔗 Critique @therovermedia.bsky.social 📓 Poète www.poetesdebrousse.org/ 🖊️ Scénariste SARTEC 🗝️ Agence: https://agencecg.com/ 🎤 Il est minuit comme une flèche ⛓️ https://linktr.ee/marieelaineguay
@stevenguilbeault.bsky.social
Député libéral Laurier-Sainte-Marie | Min de la Culture, de l’Identité, Parcs et Ltnt du Qc / Min of Culture, Identity, Parks and Qc Ltnt. Fier papa/Proud dad
@natrese.bsky.social
Retired PSW, Canadian 🇨🇦 Seniors & Vulnerable Matter! NO DMs unless you ask or you know me! I will unfollow ❤️🦋💙Save the world 🦋 🇨🇦 gone from X Standing With Ukraine 🇺🇦
@4animallife.bsky.social
Democracy and rule of law advocate. Anti-kleptocracy, anti-corruption. Writer and animal advocate—elephants, dogs & all animals. Mama to rescued Shih Tzu mix Teddy. “If you have knowledge, let others light their candles in it.” — Margaret Fuller
@donnerkay.bsky.social
Truth to power, always. DM tips. Editor, Co-founder, CEO: Mississippi Free Press, JXN Free Press, Youth Media Project • she/her • MY views here • Substack: donnerkay • Read: mississippifreepress.org
@douglindner.bsky.social
Democracy nerd, DC politics guy, public-interest lawyer, Jewish American. Live Free or Die. Views and puns solely my fault; everything else is fedsoc’s fault.
@civilwarmemory.bsky.social
Boston: Civil War historian, educator, and public speaker. Author: _Searching For Black Confederates_ https://amzn.to/4c2KSuT. Biography of Robert Gould Shaw forthcoming with UNC Press Join my Civil War Memory newsletter: https://kevinmlevin.substack.com
@katzish.bsky.social
Writer and editor. Ex @PostOpinions @CNN @BostonGlobe @BloomsburyUSA. Sometime poet & translator. Good eater. Parent.
@joyannreid.bsky.social
Writer, podcaster, documentary filmmaker and professional blerd 🤓💋. Fan of democracy and OG hater of fascism and apartheid.
@pierceah66.bsky.social
Trying to go from surviving back to living. OG Kamala Harris supporter 💛💜❤️. She immovably has my vote in 2028 even if I’m nice about anyone else. Also like things like Ted Lasso, metal, & pokemon. DM’s are open because I don’t learn lessons consistently.
@joshtpm.bsky.social
Founder & reigning monarch at TPM. Lapsed historian. Hand tool woodworker. Jew.
@bill-comeau.bsky.social
Canadian. Statistician. Show me the facts. Protect our advanced democracies from the alt right. Previously on twitter as a covid analyst and communicator of consensus scientific evidence. A democracy can be damaged by uncontrolled disinformation.
@annehidalgo.bsky.social
Maire de Paris, ville hôte des Jeux Olympiques et Paralympiques 2024
@billrobinson.bsky.social
Researcher focused on Canadian SIGINT activities past and present. Also FVEY and other countries. Citizen Lab Research Fellow. Occasionally compared to a hedgehog. He/him. Blog: https://luxexumbra.blogspot.com/
@carnage4life.bsky.social
Opinions about product management, technology news and inclusivity in tech. Diversity is about demographics, inclusion is about creating a sense of belonging.
@sandrinevieira.bsky.social
Correspondante parlementaire à Ottawa pour Le Devoir 🇨🇦 Politique fédérale, enjeux de défense, relations Canada-US. Et parfois des coulisses du boulot.
@stevenmazie.bsky.social
SCOTUS correspondent for The Economist. Political studies prof at Bard Early College-Manhattan.
@allisonjriggs.bsky.social
North Carolina Supreme Court Justice. Former civil rights attorney. Proud member of a military family. Fighting to protect every eligible North Carolina voter. https://linktr.ee/riggsforourcourts
@taprootedmonton.ca
Taproot Edmonton is the most reliable source of intelligence about what's happening in the Edmonton region.
@ifindkarma.bsky.social
Giving to others, when we can, gives our lives meaning. https://linkedin.com/pulse/panda-notes-happiness-meaning-adam-rifkin In the end, only kindness matters.
@franifio.bsky.social
Chinese-Italian Scallion • Correspondent, comedian • Host of The Bitchuation Room Podcast on YouTube and Twitch • Newsbroke on @ajplus• IG: @franifio
@caroloff.bsky.social
Author of At a Loss for Words: Conversation in an Age of Rage --"an instant #1 bestseller." It's the story of how political words have been weaponized and who weaponized them. caroloff.ca Substack.com/@caroloff
@metronomephil.bsky.social
Sociologie, médias/numérique, démocratie, justice sociale, musique & films. Deux essais (Les batailles d'internet & La collision des récits) publiés chez Écosociété. Membre de la revue À bâbord, chroniques chez Fred Savard. https://philippedegrosbois.info
@knittingcultlady.bsky.social
Daniella Mestyanek Young; Scholar of cults, extreme groups, and extremely bad leadership. Author of UNCULTURED. Combat veteran; TEDx Speaker; Organizational psychologist, Harvard MA
@mehlerpaperny.bsky.social
Reuters reporter in Toronto; Author, Hello I Want to Die Please Fix Me: Depression in the First Person; Nosy questions, mostly. anna.mehler.paperny@gmail.com or anna.mehlerpaperny@tr.com
@ethancox.bsky.social
Investigative journalist. Senior editor and co-founder at Ricochet Media. Board with For the Refugees. Montrealer. Husky dad.
@nhlscores.bsky.social
💰 To Donate: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/SportsScores Fastest scores on Bluesky Follow other bots: @mlsscores.bsky.social @eplscores.bsky.social @nbascores.bsky.social @nflscores.bsky.social @mlbscores.bsky.social Created by @Blurangengold.bsky.social
@jimsciutto.bsky.social
CNN Anchor and Chief National Security Analyst, NYT bestselling author, Jackson School teaching fellow at Yale
@johnlorinc.bsky.social
Toronto journalist & editor. Contributor to Globe & Mail, Toronto Star, Corporate Knights, Walrus, Spacing. Co-editor: Messy Cities (Coach House, 2025). Author: No Jews Live Here, A Memoir. https://chbooks.com/Books/N/No-Jews-Live-Here.
@spacing.bsky.social
Spacing.ca / Toronto urbanism uncovered in award-winning mag/web/books/podcasts. Spacing Radio podcasts: spacingradio.bsky.social Spacing Vancouver: spacingvancouver.bsky.social Spacing Store: spacingstore.bsky.social
@berlinbridge.bsky.social
Security & geopolitics | Previously based in 🇦🇫🇨🇳🇲🇲🇷🇼🇬🇧🇺🇸 | Capital Germany 40 under 40 | ☕ http://buymeacoffee.com/jberlin | Don’t just get mad, get busy | https://berlinbridge.substack.com
@karenkrussell.bsky.social
NBA Icon Bill Russell’s Kid / Harris Delegate / I Help People Vote & Organize ✊🏾 @Harvard_Law / @Georgetown / https://linktr.ee/KarenKenyattaRussell/
@margaret.bsky.social
host of Cool People Who Did Cool Stuff and of Live Like the World is Dying. Latest book is The Sapling Cage. she/they