The Letters section in today’s Globe and Mail is filled with readers’ thoughts on climate change. One such reader is me. Please see the fifth letter from the top for my response to the “What about China?” excuse for Canadian climate inaction.
Continue readingAuthor: David Taub Bancroft
Song of the Watermelon: Pro Rep: Infinity War; or, In Defence of Endless Referendums
Winston Churchill (apocryphally, as it turns out) is believed to have said, “The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter.” In light of British Columbia’s referendum on electoral reform this past fall, one is tempted to agree. But let’s not let the media, politicians, and
Continue readingSong of the Watermelon: Vancouver Sun Letter
I have a letter in today’s Vancouver Sun, not so much supporting proportional representation (although I do support proportional representation) as addressing what I consider to be baseless objections to the current electoral reform referendum. My letter is second from the top, under the (perhaps regrettable) heading “Complexity isn’t a
Continue readingSong of the Watermelon: My Vancouver Election Endorsements
Still wondering how to vote in next weekend’s Vancouver municipal elections? Wonder no more … Mayor: SYLVESTER, Shauna City Council: BOYLE, Christine (OneCity) FRY, Pete (GREEN) ROBERTS, Anne (COPE) SWANSON, Jean (COPE) BHANDAL, Taqdir Kaur O’KEEFE, Derrick (COPE) WONG, David HT (GREEN) YAN, Brandon 甄念本 (OneCity) CARR, Adriane (GREEN) WIEBE,
Continue readingSong of the Watermelon: National Post Letter
In today’s National Post, I’ve got another letter to the editor on everyone’s favourite topic: the Trans Mountain pipeline. (I’ll stop repeating myself once people start listening!) My letter appears only in the print edition, so I cannot provide a link. Accordingly, here is the full text: The pipeline crisis
Continue readingSong of the Watermelon: Of Premiers and Pipelines
In an interview with the National Observer last week, Justin Trudeau raised more than a few eyebrows by comparing B.C. premier John Horgan to former Saskatchewan premier and climate policy obstructionist Brad Wall. “Similarly and frustratingly,” said the prime minister, “John Horgan is actually trying to scuttle our national plan
Continue readingSong of the Watermelon: Globe and Mail Letter
In today’s Globe and Mail, you will find a letter from me (fourth from the top, under the heading “In the national interest”) relating the present interprovincial pipeline kerfuffle to global efforts efforts to solve the climate crisis. Never hurts to remind ourselves how much is really at stake.
Continue readingSong of the Watermelon: 9 Favourite Tragically Hip Songs
I’ve never considered myself a Tragically Hip superfan, but in the wake of singer Gord Downie’s passing last night, it is hard not to feel impacted. The group produced many great songs over its three-decade career (as well as a few not-so-great ones) and gradually cemented its status as “Canada’s
Continue readingSong of the Watermelon: Vancouver By-Election Endorsements
Just in case anyone is wondering how I will vote in this Saturday’s Vancouver municipal by-election, here’s the plan: City Council: Pete Fry (Green Party) School Board: Judy Zaichkowsky (Green Party) Allan Wong (Vision Vancouver) Mike Lombardi (Vision Vancouver) Erica Jaaf (OneCity) Estrellita Gonzalez (Green Party) Janet Fraser (Green Party)
Continue readingSong of the Watermelon: What Is a Left-Leaning Green to Do?
With less than a week to go before election day and polls tightening across British Columbia, I find myself in the all-too-common predicament of dreading the electoral options before me. The Liberals, naturally, are out of the question. They have governed this province horrendously through 16 years of the wrong
Continue readingSong of the Watermelon: An Open Letter to Justin Trudeau on Donald Trump’s Muslim Ban
Dear Prime Minister Trudeau, In the wake of Sunday’s horrendous terrorist attack on Quebec’s Muslim community, I am writing to ask that you forcefully condemn not just the shooting itself, but the rising tide of Islamophobia that appears to have prompted it. On January 27, US President Donald Trump signed
Continue readingSong of the Watermelon: Vancouver Sun Letter
For what is likely to be my last letter to the editor of 2016, see today’s Vancouver Sun (fourth letter from the top). The gist of my argument is that Kinder Morgan is bad. Fun fact: this ain’t the first time I’ve responded to a pro-Kinder Morgan op-ed by former
Continue readingSong of the Watermelon: The Travesty of the Electoral College
Of the myriad outrages that define last week’s United States presidential election — namely, the elevation of scandal over policy, of demagoguery over competence, of unabashed sexism and racism and conspiratorial paranoia over reasoned debate — perhaps the most egregious is the fact that the winner of the popular vote
Continue readingSong of the Watermelon: An Open Letter to Elizabeth May Regarding BDS
Dear Elizabeth May, Please don’t resign over Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions. Far from being “polarizing, ineffective and unhelpful,” the BDS movement seeks to employ moderate, non-violent means (i.e. boycotts and other economic measures) to pressure Israel to end its decades-long … Continue reading →
Song of the Watermelon: National Post Letter
You will find a letter of mine in today’s National Post enumerating the many benefits of proportional representation. In order to read it, please click here and scroll down to the second last entry (or see the last entry in … Continue reading →
Song of the Watermelon: Vancouver Sun Letter
I have a letter on The Vancouver Sun’s website (online only, it would appear) replying to a ridiculous op-ed piece that blames the high cost of housing on “mass immigration.” My response is restrained in both tone and word count, … Continue reading →
Song of the Watermelon: Six Ways That the Greens Are Canada’s Most Progressive Party
In the midst of a campaign dominated by horse races and attack ads, by fear and scandal and appeals to our basest political instincts, it is easy to forget that elections are meant above all to be about policy. Which party offers the kindest, most equitable, and most sustainable vision
Continue readingSong of the Watermelon: Toronto Star Letter
Greetings loyal blog readers! I am happy to report that today’s Toronto Star contains a letter of mine (the first of the two on this page) about the Ontario Court of Appeal decision on expat voting rights. Rather than address this issue directly, I briefly examine the related matter of
Continue readingSong of the Watermelon: The Case for ‘Yes’ in Metro Vancouver’s Transit Referendum
Well, anybody could have called this one. According to a new survey by Insights West, 53 per cent of residents plan to vote No in the upcoming 2015 Metro Vancouver Transportation and Transit Plebiscite. Only 38 per cent say they will vote Yes to the proposed half-percentage-point sales tax increase
Continue readingSong of the Watermelon: Short Story in ‘Trust & Treachery’
This one’s a long time coming, folks. A short story I wrote a while back — “Infinitas,” it’s called, about a group of shipwreck survivors who slowly lose touch with reality while trying to forge a new society aboard their life raft — is now available in an anthology of
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