Out of the Blue: A Memoir of Workplace Depression, Recovery, Redemption, and Yes, Happiness by Jan Wong (2012). Click to buy this book from JanWong.ca: Out of the Blue

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

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

Jan Wong joins me again. For over twenty years she’s been one of Canada’s most famous and infamous of journalists. Her reporting won her awards, and her famous ‘Lunch with. . .’ column in the Globe and Mail was legendary. In 2006 covering the Dawson College shooting in Montreal, what she wrote set off a controversy that marked the beginning of the end of her relationship with the Globe and Mail. After receiving many death threats, being denunciated in Parliament, and outright racism, it was the abandonment of her newspaper that caused her to fall into severe clinical depression. She has just written and published a new book, Out of the Blue: A Memoir of Workplace Depression, Recovery, Redemption, and Yes, Happiness. It’s a captivating book wherein Wong narrates her spiral from the heights of journalism in Canada to the depths of depression. Throughout the book, she cites books and people that had helped her along the way. It’s a terrific bibliography if you’re interested in reading more about depression and grief. The book is also a chronicle of her battles with the Globe and Mail; Manulife, the paper’s insurer; and Doubleday, which had been contracted to publish this book, before deciding otherwise, prompting Wong to self-publish. Virginia Woolf once said, “Take notes, and the pain goes away.” We’ll ask Ms. Wong if she took this to heart, and whether writing this book has helped her. I suspect it’ll help a lot of people define depression, notice its signs, and perhaps challenge the stigma associated with it. It’s also got the sort of media gossip that’s interesting. Jan Wong was last on for her previous book Beijing Confidential. Her previous books include Red China Blues, Jan Wong’s China, and Lunch with Jan Wong. She’s won many awards, was at the Globe and Mail for 20 years, and is currently a columnist at Toronto Life and the Halifax Chronicle Herald, and a professor of journalism at St. Thomas University in Fredricton, New Brunswick, where she splits her time with Toronto. The website for more is at www.janwong.ca; that’s where you can buy the book. Please welcome back to the Planta: On the Line program in Toronto today, Jan Wong; Ms. Wong, good morning.

The Tower of Babble: Sins, Secrets, and Successes Inside the CBC by Richard Stursberg (Douglas & MacIntyre, 2012). Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: The Tower of Babble

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

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

That the CBC is Canada’s largest and most important cultural institution is without question. Whether it’s relevant and subsequently useful is something that’s always debated by Canadians wherever they are on the political spectrum. A new book has put the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation into focus, The Tower of Babble: Sins, Secrets, and Successes Inside the CBC. In a way this book validates how one feels about the CBC, whether you wish its demise, or whether you will its survival. Richard Stursberg is the book’s author. He is the former head of CBC’s English services, overseeing television and radio. He was once executive director of Telefilm Canada. He chaired the Canadian Television Fund, was CEO of Star Choice, and was president of the Canadian Cable Television Association. He was in government too, serving as assistant deputy minister for culture and broadcasting. He was at the CBC from 2004 until 2010. We’ll ask him about his experience at the CBC, his successes and some of the failures. It’s a great view onto this institution we either love or loath. The book is published by Douglas & McIntyre. It’s candid and telling. The website for more is at www.towerofbabble.ca. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, in Vancouver today, Richard Stursberg; Mr. Stursberg, good morning.

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

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

I’m really pleased to have Alexandra Gill on now. She is the Globe and Mail’s West Coast restaurant critic. I’m a fan of her work, because the reviews are lively, cogent, fair, and thoughtful. Others have described her reviews as scathing, bitchy, and have left many a restaurateur to cringe. Everyone though seems to read her. We’ll find out what it’s like to have such a reputation, how she does her job, and is being a food critic in Vancouver as glamorous or gluttonous as some might see it as. We’ll look at the restaurant scene in Vancouver, as well maybe reflect on some of the trends seen in our restaurants. She joined the paper in 1997, and moved here from Toronto to cover the arts scene from 2001 to 2007. She was nominated for a National Newspaper Award in 2005. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Alexandra Gill; Good morning, Ms. Gill.

Here’s Mike: And Junkyard Granny, Whistling Bernie Smith, the Robertson Screwdriver, Pancakes & Eternal Truth by Mike McCardell. (Harbour Publishing, 2011) Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: Here’s Mike

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

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

For the fifth year now, around this time of year, just before Christmas, I get to talk to the great Mike McCardell. It might be an overstatement to call him ‘great,’ but it’s not. He happens to have a book out around this time, but he’s always welcome on this program. He’s the marvellous storyteller seen at the end of Global’s News Hour. He’s out now with his seventh book, again a wonderful collection of stories we’ve seen on television, as well as anecdotes he’s collected over his many years of reporting, meeting the colourful, interesting, fascinating people throughout the city and its environs. The book is called Here’s Mike: And Junkyard Granny, Whistling Bernie Smith, the Robertson Screwdriver, Pancakes & Eternal Truth. It’s from Harbour Publishing, and if you buy the book before 29 February 2012, partial proceeds will go to Variety—The Children’s Charity. These books of Mike, all bestsellers, have raised over $75,000 for Variety. www.globaltvbc.com is the website for Mike’s pieces. Please welcome back to the Planta: On the Line program, Mike McCardell; Good morning, Mr. McCardell.

Manny Pacquiao by David Drebin. (C.J. Oyster Publishing, 2011) Click to buy this book: Manny Pacquiao

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

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

Manny Pacquiao is without a doubt the most famous Filipino in the world today. A new book captures the boxing champion through the lens of the noted photographer David Drebin, who joins me now. Mr. Drebin photographed Pacquiao, capturing him training, and in and out of the ring, giving the viewer a glimpse into the world of the fighter who carries at least ten world titles, not to mention other monikers such as ‘fighter of the decade,’ ‘the people’s champ,’ and the best ‘pound for pound fighter’ in boxing today. The book is called, appropriately enough, Manny Pacquiao. It is the first and only authorised book of photographs of Pacquiao, and it features a foreword from the boxing promoter Bob Arum. David Drebin who joins me from Miami Beach this day, is a graduate of the Parsons School of Design, and is an internationally renowned photographer. His work has sold at record prices, and he counts celebrities as fans and collectors of his pieces. Mr. Drebin’s work is known for its dramatic, epic, and cinematic qualities. They’re described as voyeuristic, psychological and opulent, among some choice adjectives. The book is published by C.J. Oyster Publishing and is available at www.mannyboxingbook.com, where you can get a deluxe hardcover, or a more affordable paperback. The website for more is at www.daviddrebin.com. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, David Drebin; Good morning, Mr. Drebin.

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

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

Chris Gailus joins me now. The Global BC personality anchors the landmark News Hour broadcast weekdays at 6.00pm here. He joins me today to talk about news, being the anchor, BC’s anchor if you see him across town on billboards and the sort. He began his career in Calgary and went to work in Dallas, anchoring there, before co-anchoring the morning program Good Day New York, in well, New York City. He returned to Canada in 2006 as a weekend anchor, and transitioned in as the lead anchor around 2009-2010 when Tony Parsons left Global BC. He’s a new dad too, his wife Jane Carrigan, also at Global, have recently adopted. The website is at www.globaltvbc.com. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Global BC News Hour anchor Chris Gailus; Good morning, Mr. Gailus.

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

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

It’s the Monday after the election here in Vancouver, and joining me now to look at what happened is the Georgia Straight’s editor Charlie Smith. With the re-election of Gregor Robertson as mayor and a majority of his Vision Vancouver candidates on council, as well as majorities on parks and school boards, where do we go from here over the next three years? What happened to COPE, their allies in this election, who got shut out? Where’s the NPA? There’s been some thoughtful analysis on the vote on the Straight’s website over the weekend, www.straight.com. Please welcome back to the Planta: On the Line program, Charlie Smith; Good morning, Mr. Smith.

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

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

We continue looking at the municipal election here in Vancouver with my guest now Sean Antrim. He’s someone whose work has hit my radar because I’ve been following him on Twitter. His handle is @seanantrim. He’s an artist, economist, and thoughtful political observer. He co-founded The Mainlander, a website that’s covering this municipal election, providing analysis and interviews with candidates. That’s at www.themainlander.com. It’s billed itself as ‘Vancouver’s Place for Progressive Politics.’ Sean’s got another website, VIEWdalism, it’s also quite good www.viewdalism.wordpress.com. We’ll discuss the campaign from his vantage point a week before the November 19th vote. Who’s up, who’s down, who’s ahead and who’s not. Also, we’ll look at the themes throughout this campaign. Occupy Vancouver seems to be revolving around and in this election. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Sean Antrim; Good morning, Mr. Antrim.

Boy From Nowhere: A Life in Ninety-One Countries by Allan Fotheringham. (Dundurn, 2011) Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: Boy From Nowhere

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

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

It was Dalton Camp who said that because of my guest now, people read their issues of Maclean’s magazine from back to front. For 27 years from 1976 to 2003, Allan Fotheringham was the back page columnist, skewering as he did and shining a light on the politics and culture of this country in his winning and witty way. Before that he was a long time columnist in the Vancouver Sun and in a number of Southam newspapers, and he’s also appeared regularly in the Toronto Sun, the Globe and Mail, and the National Post. He’s the author of eight previous books, and he’s just come out with his memoirs: Boy From Nowhere: A Life in Ninety-One Countries. He was born in Hearne, Saskatchewan nearly 80 years ago, a town so small, he writes, that they didn’t have a village idiot, everyone took turns. He’s lived in Toronto now for 30 years or more, where he joins me from this morning, but he’s identified as from these parts, being from Vancouver, from British Columbia. I grew up reading Fotheringham in high school in the mid-to-late 1990s, idolising his style on the page and off. I don’t dress as well, and I don’t write anymore, because he does both seemingly so well and so effortlessly, it’s mind-boggling. This new book is a wonderful reminder of what a terrific writer Allan Fotheringham has been for well over fifty years, and how much he’s missed from the regular pages of our press. We’ll discuss this charming book, and this charmed life and career, the recent medical disaster in his life, and how he views the country today. I’ll also get him to remember some giants in this country, namely Jack Webster and Marjorie Nichols. The book is published by Dundurn. I’m very pleased to welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Allan Fotheringham; Good morning, Mr. Fotheringham.

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

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

Tomorrow and Friday at the Vancouver International Film Festival screens a fascinating, important documentary, Give Up Tomorrow. It’s about a young man in the Philippines, Paco Larrañaga, half-Spanish, half-Filipino who’s sent to death row for a crime he didn’t commit. Two sisters in Cebu, an island nearly 600 kilometres from Manila, Marijoy Choing and Jacqueline Choing disappear in 1997. At the time of their alleged disappearance, rape and murder, Larrañaga was elsewhere, which some 35 witnesses have testified to.

Over the years, I’ve indulged my interest in the Philippines by talking about its politics, history and its culture with various guests. With my guest now, the film’s producer, Marty Syjuco, we’ll talk about this case, what happened, how the country dealt with capital punishment, how corruption and the media twist things beyond recognition. I’ll ask Mr. Syjuco about the politics involved, the lives lost and the incarceration which continues to this day, albeit in Spain. It’s an interesting journey. Mr. Syjuco’s brother is married to Mr. Larrañaga’s sister, but beyond that, this film is a fair, sobering account of Larrañaga’s fight for justice. The movie screens tomorrow night, Friday afternoon, and there’s an additional screening next Thursday morning. Check out www.viff.org for more information. The website for the movie is at www.pacodocu.com. It’s already won awards at the Tribeca Film Festival. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Marty Syjuco; Good morning, Mr. Syjuco.