In a fitting end to four years of chaos, bigotry, and wilful aversion to the truth, Donald Trump is refusing to accept the results of the election that he lost, surprising no one. His campaign has filed lawsuits in multiple states, seeking to overturn, or at least forestall, Joe Biden’s
Continue readingAuthor: David Taub Bancroft
Song of the Watermelon: Globe and Mail Letter
Clifford Orwin argues in a Globe and Mail op-ed that both Republicans and Democrats are behaving hypocritically in their fight over filling the Supreme Court vacancy before the election. In today’s Letters section, I concisely defend the Democrats’ approach: It does not seem like hypocrisy for U.S. Senate Democrats to
Continue readingSong of the Watermelon: Kidney March 2020
Hello out there in Blog Land! I realize I haven’t posted in a while, but for a change of pace I thought I’d let you know that I am participating in this year’s Kidney March, a 100 km walk to raise funds for The Kidney Foundation of Canada. The money
Continue readingSong of the Watermelon: Globe and Mail Letter
Today’s Globe and Mail contains a letter to the editor from yours truly (second from the bottom) in response to an op-ed criticizing those who take offence at J.K. Rowling’s misguided views on trans people. I discuss one of my pet peeves in the current “free speech” wars — namely,
Continue readingSong of the Watermelon: Top 10 Films of the 2010s
I don’t really write about movies in this blog (lately I haven’t written much of anything), but with the decade coming to a close, I figure why not take a look back at a few cinematic standouts? There may be omissions (Marvel and Star Wars fans need read no further).
Continue readingSong of the Watermelon: Globe and Mail Letter
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 readingSong 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 →