Well, here it is – the seventeenth and last edition of Font. Just over two years from our first Issue – Young Black Writers – and we are incredibly proud of what has been published in this time. You can read more about the story of how Font came to be from LLP/Font publisher Linda Leith, as well as some final reflections from the Font staff.

But let’s celebrate our final issue: writing from the North Shore of Quebec! This is a personal treat for me. Although I’ve only made it as far the River Mish-te-shipu— ‘great river’ in Innu-aimun, the language of the Innu, Indigenous people of this region—I adore the salt and wildness of the landscape. Until I can explore further, I’m delighted to let these Coasters tell us about the life in Blanc-Sablon, Harrington Harbour, Baie-Comeau and more. Jake Letto takes us right up to the Quebec-Labrador border, with its associated time-related complexities, while Caitlin Jewelle Rowsell gives us an unforgettable metaphor for the resilience of those who live on the edge. Stephen Kohner’s reflection on the Heritage Capsule project opens up the stories of seniors and community since the 1950s, and Louise Abbott’s Reunion at Salmon Bay is a beautiful reflection on her enduring ties to the area. Finally, Baie-Comeau-born poet Noémie Pomerleau-Cloutier’s work from her award winning collection La Patience du Lichen (La Peuplade, 2021) appears in a new translation by Jeffrey K. Butt, and also in an original poem in English.

We hope, as always, that you enjoy.