In the year of “Elbows Up,” we can’t think of a more entertaining celebrity to guide us through our Canadian-ness than award-winning comedian and actor Mark Critch.
Critch’s new book, Sorry, Not Sorry: An Unapologetic Look at What Makes Canada Worth Fighting For explores Canada’s national identity with sharp wit, a perceptive eye, and refreshing ability to set things in historical context. Critch’s style of humour is the perfect antidote for these turbulent and confusing times. We can’t wait to welcome him to Calgary for this lively conversation hosted by Ali Bryan, followed by a book signing fuelled by Owl’s Nest Books, who will be onsite with copies of the new book, along with Critch’s previous bestsellers.
Want to be first in the signing line? Pre-order your copy of Sorry, Not Sorry here and it will be waiting for you to just pick up before the show starts.
We are thankful to Penguin Random House Canada for making it possible to connect you with Mark Critch.
Ali Bryan
Lively Talk Show Format
Audience Q&A
Pop-Up Bookstore
Libations Bar
75 minutes. No intermission
Penguin Random House Canada
Mark Critch is a national bestselling author and one of the most recognizable names in Canadian comedy. For 23 years, he has starred on CBC’s popular This Hour Has 22 Minutes. He adapted his first book, Son of a Critch, into a hit TV series, airing on the CBC in Canada and Netflix in the U.S.
Known for his sharp-witted skits on CBC’s This Hour Has 22 Minutes, Mark Critch uses his keen observational skills to explore Canadian identity and the new wave of Canadian patriotism.
In Sorry, Not Sorry, Critch delves into the heart of what it means to be Canadian at a time when national pride is on the rise. Examining everything from the historical decision of Newfoundland to join Canada, to the modern-day implications of the Freedom Convoy, and the evolving symbolism of the Canadian flag, he reminds us of where we came from, and of the many reasons Canada is worth fighting for—elbows up!
In chapters like “It Can Happen to You,” “I Want My Flag Back,” and “Operation Trojan Moose,” Critch uses humour and satire while referencing our all-important history to tackle serious questions about national identity and the future of Canada. He offers a unique perspective on the country’s relationship with the monarchy, the cultural impact of Canadian celebrities living abroad, and the hypothetical scenarios of provincial separations.
Sorry, Not Sorry is more than just a comedic take on Canadian life; it’s a deeply personal and insightful look at the free country Critch has spent decades satirizing. Whether he’s writing as a lieutenant in a fictional American invasion or penning a love letter to Canada in the voice of Donald Trump, Critch’s essays are sure to entertain, provoke thought, and stir a sense of pride in readers.
Ali Bryan
Lively Talk Show Format
Audience Q&A
Pop-Up Bookstore
Libations Bar
75 minutes. No intermission
Penguin Random House Canada
Ali Bryan is a creative nonfiction writer and the author of six novels including, Roost, The Figgs, The Hill, Coq, The Crow Valley Karaoke Championships and Takedown. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, won the Georges Bugnet Prize for Fiction, shortlisted for both the Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour, and the Forest of Reading White Pine Award, nominated for the Pushcart Prize, longlisted for both the Commonwealth Short Story Prize and the Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing prize, and has been optioned for TV by Sony Pictures. Whatever – an anthology of short fiction by Gen X authors in which she is co-editing, is forthcoming from Dundurn in 2028. Born in Halifax, she now lives in Calgary.
In the spirit of reconciliation, we acknowledge that we live, work and play on the traditional territories of the Blackfoot Confederacy (Siksika, Kainai, Piikani), the Tsuut’ina, the Iyarhe Nakoda Nations, the Otipemisiwak Métis Government of the Métis Nation within Alberta District 6, and all people who make their homes in the Treaty 7 region of Southern Alberta.
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