Bidding to Host Worldcon Edmnton in 2030

Edmonton: NORTH OF ORDINARY

CONTEXT’89: Historic Canadian CONVENTION

Held at the University of Alberta in Edmon ton in June 1989, ConText’89 was a seminal science fiction writing and art convention that had a considerable impact on Canadian science fiction fandom, writing and publish ing. Guests of Honour included William Gibson, Charles de Lint, and Leo & Diane Dillon. The convention drew more than 30 notable Canadian sf authors, editors, and publishers as well as sf fans from across Canada. On Spec, the Canadian Magazine of the Fantastic, launched its first issue at ConText’89 and SF Canada, Canada’s National Association of Speculative Fiction Professionals, had its founding meeting at ConText’89.

ABOVE: Authors and editors who attended ConText’89. Back row L-R: Charles de Lint, Kathryn Sinclair, Dave Duncan, Lyle Weis, Robert Runté, J Brian Clarke, Michael Skeet, HA Hargreaves, Doug Barbour, Yves Meynard, Karl Schroeder, William Gibson, John Park. Middle Row: Candas Jane Dorsey, Catherine Girczyc, Marianne Nielsen, Judith Merril, Phyllis Gotlieb, Nicole Luiken, Lexie Pakulak, Alice Major. Front Row: Gerry Truscott, Diane Walton, Jena Snyder, David Kirkpatrick, Sally McBride, Leslie Gadallah, Eileen Kernaghan, Monica Hughes. LEFT : The cover of the first issue of OnSpec magazine, Cana da’s first English-language paying publication for speculative fiction was launched in Edmonton in 1989.