Editors’ picks: Our favourite long reads of 2014

Close examinations of vanguards and villains. Long, rich, thoughtful reads. Multimedia experiences that brought you into Ottawa’s tragic day; a broken system in Alberta; the new warfare in the Middle East. Incisive examinations of how trends affect everyday Canadians, using the latest research.

Here’s a look back on the year that was, with our 20 favourite longreads that we told in 2014.

• JIAN GHOMESHI: HOW HE GOT AWAY WITH ITJian Ghomeshi’s behaviour was an open secret, going back to his university days. Not that anyone took action. In fact, the CBC made him a star. By Anne Kingston and others.

• GET READY FOR GENERATION ZThey’re smarter than Boomers, and way more ambitious than the Millennials. Are we ready for them? By Anne Kingston.

• INSIDE CANADA’S NEW WARThe fight against Islamic State has brought together unlikely allies and old enemies. Victory will be neither easy, nor easily defined. By Michael Petrou.

• THE END OF NEIGHBOURSHow our increasingly closed-off lives are poisoning our politics and endangering our health. By Brian Bethune.

• BIGSTONE’S LOST OPPORTUNITYA poor, bedraggled reserve in the oil sands is next door to one of Alberta’s richest Aboriginal communities. Why Opportunity works and Bigstone doesn’t. By Tamsin McMahon.

• THE UNTOLD STORY OF JUSTIN BOURQUEHe was a middle-class kid from a devout Christian family. Two years ago, his disturbing descent began and now three Mounties are dead. By Tamsin McMahon, Michael Friscolanti, and Martin Patriquin.

• BEARING WITNESSFrom hearing the first shots and running to the fallen soldier, to barricading the doors on Parliament Hill, the women and men who confronted danger on Oct. 22 tell the story of that terrible day.

• THE TRUTH ABOUT LYME DISEASELyme disease can masquerade as MS, ALS, even dementia, and its numbers are growing. So why is Canada lagging behind in treating it? By Anne Kingston.

• CONDO HELLThanks to neighbour disputes, crazy restrictions and incompetent boards, condo dwellers are increasingly finding themselves boxed in. By Tamsin McMahon.

• GLAZED AND CONFUSEDThe Canadian icon is selling out to Burger King and its ruthless Brazilian owners. Why that’s a dangerous move. By Jason Kirby, Michael Friscolanti and Chris Sorensen.

• THE NO-BABY BOOMSocial infertility, baby regret and what it means that shocking numbers of women aren’t having children. By Anne Kingston.

• WHEN YOUR SON’S A GIRLInside the families embracing the new world of gender variance. By Cathy Gulli.

• SENIORS AND THE GENERATIONAL SPENDING GAPWhy are we doing so much to try to help seniors when they’re already the wealthiest generation in history? By Tamsin McMahon.

• THE GIRL WHO MAY HOLD THE SECRET TO AGINGMackenzee Wittke, a five-year-old Alberta girl with the body of an infant, might just hold the genetic key to how we age. By Kate Lunau.

• THE SEX OFFENDERS NO ONE SUSPECTSHow the treatment of female teachers who sexually exploit male students reflects society’s legal and cultural double standards. By Anne Kingston.

• DEATH BY SUGARHow the sweet killer is fuelling the biggest health crisis of our time. By Kate Lunau.

• THE NEW MINOR HOCKEY FIGHTSInside the madness that is driving kids, volunteers and referees out of Canada’s game. By Charlie Gillis.

• THE UNTOLD STORY OF KEYSTONEHow one Nebraska farmer killed the pipeline. By Luiza Ch. Savage.

• NEW GIRL, GO GIRLTeenage girls are taking on social stereotypes and a sex-saturated culture. Ignore them at your peril. By Anne Kingston.

• THE NEW WORRY EPIDEMICExperts now argue it can have devastating effects on work, health and children. By Anne Kingston.