Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver at TheCommentary.ca.

From Oakville, Ontario, ‘One of Canada’s Top Five Political Minds,’ Gerry Nicholls joins me again. He was on with me just before the election was called, and now just after vote, we’ll check in. He was one of the few pundits who thought a Conservative majority was possible for Stephen Harper. He joins me now for a bit of a victory lap around the results. We’ll talk about Jack Layton and the NDP’s official opposition status, their success in Quebec, the decline of the Bloc and the Liberal Party of Canada. It’s a party in disarray. The website for more is at www.gerrynicholls.com. He is a communications consultant, commentator, the author of Loyal to the Core, and a fan of The Office. That’s important. Oh and he’s a former vice president of the National Citizens Coalition. Please welcome back to the Planta: On the Line program, Gerry Nicholls; Good morning, Mr. Nicholls.

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver at TheCommentary.ca.

We continue looking at the results from Monday’s federal election. When the campaign began, it was dubbed the Seinfeld election, in that it was about nothing. Sure there were questions of ethics surrounding Stephen Harper and his government, and a budget he was trying to pass. It turned out to be a remarkable election. Today, I’m joined by the Victoria Times-Colonist’s Paul Willcocks. We’ll ask Mr. Willcocks if it is indeed historic, and what we can expect in the 41st Parliament in Ottawa. It’ll be a parliament where the Conservatives have a majority, Jack Layton is the leader of the official opposition, and the NDP has a caucus where a majority of its members come from Quebec. The Liberal Party of Canada is now the third party in the House. It’s a parliament too that will have Elizabeth May of the Green Party as a member. There’s much to talk about. The website for more is at www.willcocks.blogspot.com. Please welcome back to the Planta: On the Line program, Paul Willcocks; Good morning, Mr. Willcocks.

I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver at TheCommentary.ca.

Adam Daifallah joins me again. The public affairs consultant, lawyer, academic, and journalist joins me from Montreal, Quebec, a province painted orange in last night’s federal election. We’ll ask Mr. Daifallah, what happened? What accounts for Jack Layton and the NDP’s success? What happened to the Liberal Party of Canada across the country? And how Stephen Harper got his majority? Six years ago, Adam Daifallah was on this program to talk about a book he co-authored with Tasha Kheiriddin, Rescuing Canada’s Right: Blueprint for a Conservative Revolution. It’s apt to talk to him now, and see what’s happened since. Mr. Daifallah is a senior partner at MRCNR Strategy Advisors, a Montreal firm. He lectures at McGill, and appears on occasion in the National Post, where he was once a member of their editorial board. The websites for more are: www.daifallah.com and www.mrcnr.net. Please welcome back to the Planta: On the Line program, Adam Daifallah; Good morning, Mr. Daifallah.

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver at TheCommentary.ca.

May 2nd is Election Day, and we continue meeting the candidates running in Vancouver Kingsway. Between now and Monday, I hope to talk to all of the candidates. Only the Liberal Party, and Marxist-Leninist candidates have yet to confirm appearances on the program.

I’m joined now by Trang Nguyen, the Conservative Party candidate. She is an accredited court interpreter, Bowen therapist, and small business owner. She has broadcasting experience, having worked at Channel M and Fairchild Radio. She immigrated to Canada from Vietnam as a child. The website for more is at www.trangnguyen.ca. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Trang Nguyen; Good morning, Ms. Nguyen.

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver at TheCommentary.ca.

Ezra Levant joins me again. He is the bestselling author of Shakedown, his book on Canadian human rights commissions, and Ethical Oil, his last book, which was on Canada’s oil sands. He’s a conservative firebrand and activist, known for his strident political views. They’ll have a new home next week on the Sun News Network. He’ll host a nightly primetime program on the network. We’ll ask him about that, as well as the current federal election campaign; what’s he watching, and what does he think we can expect. www.ezralevant.com is his website. The website for Sun News is at www.sunnewsnetwork.ca. Please welcome back to the Planta: On the Line program, Ezra Levant; Good day, Mr. Levant.

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver at THECOMMENTARY.CA.

There’s much politically to discuss, what with the federal election campaign, BC Premier Christy Clark in office a couple of weeks now, a provincial NDP leadership race, and yesterday the arrival to the provincial political scene of John Cummins, the former Delta MP. Michael Geoghegan joins me now to sort it all out and give us his take. The political consultant is a long time political observer and commentator here in BC and nationally. His website is at www.bclobbyist.com. Please welcome back to the Planta: On the Line program, Mike Geoghegan; Good morning, Mr. Geoghegan.

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver at THECOMMENTARY.CA.

Gerry Nicholls joins me again. He is a communications consultant, political strategist, and a trenchant observer of politics in this country and beyond. He is one of ‘Canada’s Top Five Political Minds,’ and the last time he was on he said anyone could call themselves that, which Mr. Nicholls might have done himself. I’m calling him that, because he’s pretty good. He is a former vice president of the National Citizens Coalition and appears on sundry programs across the country. He’s an author too of Loyal to the Core. His website is at www.gerrynicholls.com. Please welcome back to the Planta: On the Line program, Gerry Nicholls; Good morning, Mr. Nicholls.

The Right Balance: Canada’s Conservative Tradition by Hugh Segal. (Douglas & McIntyre, 2011) Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: The Right Balance

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver at THECOMMENTARY.CA.

I’m pleased to have Senator Hugh Segal back on the program. He was on nearly five years ago to talk about his last book, and he’s got a new one. It’s called The Right Balance: Canada’s Conservative Tradition. In the book he looks at Canadian Conservatism throughout history, looking at the conservatism of Macdonald, R.B. Bennett, Diefenbaker, Robert Stanfield, Mulroney, and the Conservatives of today chiefly Stephen Harper. I just got the book, and I’m really looking forward to reading it, because as usual, Senator Segal has unimpeachable roots in the movement and the parties involved, he speaks his mind and informs and advises not just conservatives but Canadians who care about the country. His previous books include No Surrender, and The Long Road Back. He was a senior aide to a prime minister and two Ontario premiers, he was the head of the Institute for Research and Public Policy in Montreal, and is a member of the Order of Canada. Senator Segal was appointed to the Senate in 2005 and sits as a Conservative representing Kingston-Frontenac-Leeds. His website is at www.hughsegal.ca. The Right Balance is published by Douglas & McIntyre. In Vancouver today, please welcome back to the Planta: On the Line program, Hugh Segal; Good morning, Senator Segal.

Ethical Oil: The Case for Canada’s Oil Sands by Ezra Levant. (McClelland & Stewart, 2010) Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: Ethical Oil

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

In Vancouver, I am Planta: On the Line. This is THECOMMENTARY.CA.

Ezra Levant is a lightening rod in this country. He’s regarded as the ‘number one defender of freedom of speech,’ as well as one critic of his newest book, ‘a master of logical fallacy and half truth.’ The new book is called Ethical Oil: The Case for Canada’s Oil Sands. It’s a provocative book on a subject that needs necessary debate. He looks at our hypocrisy when it comes to our oil consumption, where we purchase it, and who benefits from it—despotic regimes, human rights violators, not to mention countries where environmental conditions after oil extraction are less than desirable. Mr. Levant suggests that since we can’t shake off our addiction to oil, why not use our oil sands? Even though Greenpeace and their ilk think otherwise. Ezra Levant is a lawyer, journalist and political activist. He was last on for his book Shakedown: How Our Government is Undermining Democracy in the Name of Human Rights, which was a bestseller. This book, Ethical Oil is published by McClelland & Stewart. His website is www.ezralevant.com. His is an inimitable voice in the discourse of this country. Please welcome back to the Planta: On the Line program, Ezra Levant; Good morning, Mr. Levant.

Walt Whitman’s Secret by George Fetherling. (Random House, 2010) Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: Walt Whitman’s Secret

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

In Vancouver, I am Planta: On the Line. This is THECOMMENTARY.CA.

Walt Whitman is arguably America’s greatest poet, and his final years provide a basis for the new novel from the author and poet George Fetherling. Walt Whitman’s Secret is a reimagining of Whitman’s final years. The author of Leaves of Grass is an ill man, whose admirers view him as not only a venerated writer, but some sort of mystic. Whitman struggles with some personal secrets and demons, and in this book we also look at ideas of nationalism, identity, and celebrity. George Fetherling joins me from here in Vancouver to talk about this book and more. We’ll talk about his own writing, and whether he thinks Whitman is relevant to today. Walt Whitman’s Secret is published by Random House. It has already been described as ‘an extraordinary achievement,’ and a ‘resonant, shimmering work.’ Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, George Fetherling; Good morning, Mr. Fetherling.