Bennett: The Rebel Who Challenged and Changed a Nation by John Boyko. (Key Porter, 2010) Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: Bennett

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

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

A tremendous book out this season is the biography of Canada’s 11th Prime Minister, Richard Bedford Bennett. John Boyko, the book’s author, has written one of the first major biographies of R.B. Bennett, who was in office during the worst years of the Great Depression. We learn more about Bennett’s politics and policies, and see how he’s gone down in history, whether fairly or unfairly in this highly readable, relevant book. I particularly enjoy the author’s grasp of history, how he connects various events and people in Canadian political history to Bennett, either in contrast or comparison. This, I think makes the book lively, and the history contextualised. John Boyko is the Dean of History and Social Sciences and Director of the North Cote Campus at Lakefield College School in Lakefield, Ontario. He’s written other books: Into the Hurricane: Attacking Socialism and the CCF, and Last Steps to Freedom: The Evolution of Canadian Racism. He joins me now from Lakefield. The book, Bennett: The Rebel Who Challenged and Changed a Nation, is published by Key Porter. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, John Boyko; Good morning, Mr. Boyko.

The Truth Shows Up: A Reporter’s Fifteen-Year Odyssey Tracking Down the Truth about Mulroney, Schreiber and the Airbus Scandal by Harvey Cashore. (Key Porter, 2010) Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: The Truth Shows Up

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

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

Next week, Mr. Justice Jeffrey Oliphant delivers to the government his commission’s report on the financial dealings between the well-connected and wealthy German businessman Karlheinz Schreiber and former prime minister Brian Mulroney. Schreiber lost his legal battle to stay in Canada, and last July was surrendered to Germany, where he subsequently faced charges of bribery, fraud and tax evasion. Earlier this month, he was found guilty of tax evasion and sentenced to eight years in prison. Just published is a fascinating book: The Truth Shows Up: A Reporter’s Fifteen-Year Odyssey Tracking Down the Truth about Mulroney, Schreiber and the Airbus Scandal. Its author Harvey Cashore joins me now. The award-winning producer at the fifth estate began his journalistic career as a research associate on John Sawatsky’s The Politics of Ambition, one of the first biographies on Brian Mulroney. He co-wrote The Last Amigo, a book that looked at Karlheinz Schreiber almost a decade ago. He is the head of CBC’s Investigative Unit. In The Truth Shows Up, he provides a fascinating overview of the whole Airbus scandal, as well as provides insights on how he’s covered the story with his colleagues at the CBC and elsewhere. It’s been said of the book, that his story, family matters as well, ‘makes All the President’s Men look like a weekend walk in the park.’ It’s highly readable and instructive, often riveting, and awfully timely as we await the Oliphant report. The book is published by Key Porter. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Harvey Cashore; Good morning, Mr. Cashore.

The Armageddon Factor: The Rise of Christian Nationalism in Canada by Marci McDonald. (Random House, 2010) Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: The Armageddon Factor

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

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

The author of one of the year’s most talked about books joins me now. Marci McDonald is the author of The Armageddon Factor: The Rise of Christian Nationalism in Canada. It’s gotten a lot of press over the last week or so. In this book, the author contends, that Canada isn’t far off from our American neighbours, where fundamentalist Christians wield tremendous power over the politics of the country. The culture wars in the United States has long been a fascinating topic, and this book suggests the groundwork is being done now to influence the government, namely that of Stephen Harper. We’re seeing some policy shifts from the government, such as that on abortion, same-sex marriage, and foreign policy, namely in the Middle East. Critics of the book call it anti-Christian, as she names some of the names that are active in this movement, as well as some of the beliefs they espouse, such as that Canada has a biblically ordained role to play in the final days before Armageddon and the Second Coming of Christ. Marci McDonald is an award-winning journalist, and former Paris and Washington bureau chief for Maclean’s, as well as a writer for US News and World Report. The book is published by Random House. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, in Vancouver this morning, Marci McDonald; Good morning, Ms. McDonald.

More Money Than Brains: Why School Sucks, College is Crap, and Idiots Think They’re Right by Laura Penny. (McClelland & Stewart, 2010) Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: More Money Than Brains

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

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

A few years ago Laura Penny wrote one of the best books ever, Your Call Is Important to Us: The Truth About Bullshit. It was a timely treatise against the bullshit around us. She returns now with a new book, equally timely, lively, and fascinating. The book is called More Money Than Brains: Why School Sucks, College is Crap, and Idiots Think They’re Right. It looks at our popular culture in North America and how we seem to celebrate the loud-mouth ignoramuses in the media and politics, and how education is devalued. Laura Penny joins me now from Toronto. She has been described as one of the country’s funniest and most incisive social critics. The last book was a bestseller and critical hit. She has a PhD in Comparative Literature, an MA in Theory and Criticism, and a BA in Contemporary Studies and English. She’s a university instructor at Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax, but lest you think she’s some sort of egghead, she’s hip to the cultural vernacular making this book a fascinating read. More Money Than Brains is published by McClelland & Stewart. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Laura Penny; Good morning, Dr. Penny.

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

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

And this also happens to be the 500th interview, and I’m pleased to have on again, Warren Kinsella. He is one of my favourite guests, appearing on here from the beginning nearly six years ago now. He is a Liberal and served former prime minister Jean Chretien for many years. I don’t envision myself ever voting Liberal, but Kinsella is a guy I have great admiration for. He’s loyal, and I just admire that quality. He maintains one of the country’s best read political websites at www.warrenkinsella.com. He is the president and co-founder of the Daisy Consulting Group, and the founder of a punk rock band, Shit From Hell. He’s a columnist, frequent political commentator and not infrequent author. His last book was The War Room, a great political read, as was his book from a few years now, Kicking Ass in Canadian Politics—one of my favourite books ever. I’m pleased to welcome back to the Planta: On the Line program, Warren Kinsella; Good morning, Mr. Kinsella.

Not a Conspiracy Theory: How Business Propaganda Hijacks Democracy by Donald Gutstein. (Key Porter, 2009) Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: Not a Conspiracy Theory

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

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

Over the last thirty years, so contends my guest now, there’s been a prolonged propaganda campaign mounted by business to influence the public by taking over the media agenda, thus influencing our thoughts on the important issues of the day. Whether it’s medicare and wondering if it’s tenable; climate change, whether humans are really causing it; or the idea of Canada integrating itself further with the United States economically and more—these ideas have been seen much media coverage and promotion. Donald Gutstein has written a fascinating, page-turning, thought-provoking book: Not a Conspiracy Theory: How Business Propaganda Hijacks Democracy. It gives evidence, examples of think tanks we’ve come to know like the Fraser Institute, the C.D. Howe Institute, and more, and their connections to big business. As well, we read how organisations are able to harness the media to propagate their message. Donald Gutstein taught in the school of communication at Simon Fraser University, and is the author of three acclaimed and also controversial books: e.com: How the Internet Undermines Democracy, the New Landlords, and Vancouver Ltd. He’s studied media for over thirty years, co-directing Project Censored and NewsWatch Canada. He’s appeared in various publications such as Maclean’s, Vancouver, The Tyee, the Georgia Straight, and Straight Goods. Not a Conspiracy Theory is published by Key Porter Books. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Donald Gutstein; Good morning, Professor Gutstein.

Who Owns the Arctic? Understanding Sovereignty Disputes in the North by Michael Byers. (Douglas & McIntyre, 2009) Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: Who Owns the Arctic?

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

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

The Arctic is a hot topic nowadays, but there are knowledge gaps and some misinformation out there. A good primer on Arctic sovereignty and more is Who Owns The Arctic?: Understanding Sovereignty Disputes in the North. Its author, Michael Byers joins me now. The book asks and illuminates many important questions, like who controls the Northwest Passage? Who controls the oil and gas beneath? And how does climate change factor in all of this?

Michael Byers was on last, a couple of years ago for his very fine book, Intent for a Nation. He is the Canada Research Chair in Global Politics and International Law at the University of British Columbia. He was the NDP’s candidate in Vancouver Centre in last year’s federal election campaign. And he’s a widely respected expert on the north and more. This book is published by Douglas and McIntyre. Please welcome back to the Planta: On the Line program, Michael Byers; Good morning, Professor Byers.

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

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

Gerry Nicholls joins me now. He’s one of Canada’s most prominent conservative thinkers, appearing in all the major papers, the National Post most prominently of late. He is now the president of The Libertas Post, a fervent, non-partisan voice for Canadians who believe in free markers, small government, and individual freedom. Gerry writes there regularly, and you can see his writing at www.libertaspost.com. I’ve long enjoyed his appearances on television, in print, and on radio throughout the country. He knows what’s going on, and he’s also rather funny. He is, as his bio states, ‘one of Canada’s top five political minds.’ He was a long time vice president of the National Citizens Coalition, and the author of a book out earlier this year, Loyal to the Core: Stephen Harper, Me, and the NCC. You can get copies of that through his website: www.gerrynicholls.com. In Toronto, this day, I’m pleased to welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Gerry Nicholls; Good morning, Mr. Nicholls.

Open and Shut: Why America Has Barack Obama, and Canada Has Stephen Harper by John Ibbitson. (McClelland & Stewart, 2009) Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: Open & Shut

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

The Globe and Mail’s John Ibbitson joins me now. We’ll discuss his timely, lively, and provocative short volume, Open and Shut: Why America Has Barack Obama, and Canada Has Stephen Harper. It’s a look at what’s going on in the United States and in this country, from his unique position as the paper’s Washington columnist and correspondent, a position he’s held since May of 2007. At one point in the fall, there were simultaneous elections here and in the United States, yet there were dramatically different results. There, a president was elected who set his country on a radically different course, while here, a minority Conservative government was returned. The book argues that there’s something right going on in their system, while there’s something seriously wrong here. The book is written in a way that there’s room for a national debate on the Globe’s website: http://www.globeandmail.com/open&shut, as the author raises some interesting and necessary questions, and suggests some provocative changes. John Ibbitson’s previous books include The Polite Revolution, Loyal No More, and Promised Land; he’s also the author of a young readers novel, The Landing. This book is published by McClelland and Stewart. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, in Washington this day, John Ibbitson; Good morning, Mr. Ibbitson.

Open & Shut wiki: http://www.globeandmail.com/open&shut

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

Martin Stringer is one of the best and recognised political reporters in Ottawa. For over twenty years now, he’s been covering politics. He reports regularly from Parliament Hill on CPAC, the Cable Public Affairs Channel. And during this election campaign, he’s been travelling throughout the country, talking to the candidates and profiling ridings. His reports can be seen regularly, and they are interesting views of a national campaign, locally. Before joining CPAC, Mr. Stringer was a researcher, reporter and producer at CBC Radio’s As it Happens. CPAC’s available throughout the country on cable, in over 10 million homes in this country. www.cpac.ca is where you can access it live, 24-hours-a-day on your computer. I am pleased to welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Martin Stringer; Good morning, Mr. Stringer.

CPAC: http://www.cpac.ca