Book Review: The Candidate by Noah Richler

Good stories about politics are disappointingly rare. Good stories about politics set in Canada are even rarer. When I first got wind of Noah Richler's The Candidate: Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail I hesitated to pick it up for a variety of reasons, but having finished reading it I am very glad I did.

In 2015 I was a very active member of the New Democratic Party. After four years of a Harper majority I was ready to put my shoulder to the wheel and push to replace the Conservative government with the first New Democratic government in history. It was a heady time, but my closest political friends and I knew that it was going to be a difficult fight and nothing could be taken for granted. However, there was also a whiff of hope and ambition - that we could pull it off and make history. Little did I know Noah Richler and I were on a similar journey.

I bring up my personal narrative here because so much of my experience fed into my enjoyment of the book. I don't believe you have to have been engaged in politics or a New Democrat to enjoy this book, but I think it adds something tremendously to have that little smirk and nod knowing precisely the sort of experience Richler is describing. It is wonderful to have those experiences reflected.

Noah Richler was the NDP candidate for Toronto-St. Paul's in 2015 challenging the incumbent MP Carolyn Bennett. The book follows the journey from his decision to run to working with the party to find a seat to challenge and then the campaign.

Richler describes the bizarre and informal world of politics with great human and a certain wry look. One of the things that I like best is that Richler is motivated by genuine issues of concerns. He has topics that he is opinionated and passionate on and struggles how to square that passion with the realities of running a real campaign. Richler is also flawed, like everyone. He has to find a way to deal with the fact that he expressed his opinions in public and therefore gets in trouble for how his words on social media from the past are interpreted.

There's a bunch of aspects that I appreciate in the story. For example the way the riding executive is described. The unglamorous and unassuming people who dedicate themselves to the political process. The awkwardness of politics, mainly approaching strangers and trying to convince them of a point of view out of nowhere. How the NDP volunteers was described also made me smile because it fit my experience for the most part.

What Noah Richler expresses about the party itself and the frustration about the campaign in 2015 mirrors my own. Four years on that disappointment still clouds some of my political thinking. People made mistakes during that campaign, I have no doubt. One of my favourite scenes is when Richler describes an event in Toronto and the well-heeled audience is full of Liberals and Conservatives back-slapping each other, the true powers behind the country and the NDP feel excluded and unwanted. Perhaps that shapes elections more than we'd like to think.

Overall, I have to very much recommend this book to people curious about how elections work and the more human side of things. It is a great read for people thinking about running, certainly. I'd also add that it would be fun for veterans of the political process.

Book Review: Frontier City by Shawn Micallef

Frontier City very much captures a moment in time in a city that that could use more attention, and in particular to the quiet neighbourhoods that many of the residents call home. Shawn Micallef explored various neighbourhoods and wards of Toronto during the 2014 election period to try to gain an understanding of the city. I think Micallef very much succeeded in his ambition and paints a portrait of parts of the city that don't often appear in the news.

The impetus for the book is pretty clear. 2010 saw the election of Rob Ford, a figure that one half the city never truly understood and another portion of it viewed as their champion. While electoral politics may distort the number of supporters and detractors Ford had it is clear that he spoke to some part of the city that felt underrepresented. Micallef sought to explore that side of Toronto.

Micallef does this by visiting wards all over the city of Toronto and meeting with challengers for the city council seats primarily. His survey goes from  the Downtown, to Etobicoke, Scarborough, and places in between. Issues raised range from transit, housing, social housing, education, support for culture, parks and waterways, and on and on. It provides fascinating insights into the issues that were percolating at ground level in 2014, and no doubt have many parallels to issues that continue to fester or evolve to this day.

I think this book is valuable in gaining some insight into the "suburb vs. downtown" debate and how it is often more nuanced that it may appear on the surface. As Toronto continues to grow and expand the various neighbourhoods are adapting differently, which in some cases means not as well.

Does a book like this have value years after it is written? Well, as I wrote above I believe it speaks to ongoing issues in the city of Toronto between its diverse neighbourhoods and how it functions (or doesn't) as a city. Afterwards I think it'll act as an important time capsule to understand Toronto as it was in 2014 at a more granular, neighbourhood level. I think the book speaks to issues that are going on in big cities struggling to be big and that likely reflects issues in places like Brampton, Mississauga, Ottawa, Calgary, and so on.

I enjoyed this examination of political life and civic life in Toronto and would recommend it to local political watchers.

Book Review: The War that Ended Peace by Margaret MacMillan

The best history I have read in recent years has got to be this book. The basic premise of the book is fairly simple. MacMillan seeks to overturn the classic question "what caused the start of the war?" and invert it to "what caused the peace to end?" This subtle reframing does a great deal to reshape the thinking about the world leading up to June 1914.

It is important to recall that the First World War was in no way inevitable. During MacMillan's thorough description of the events that transpired until the irrevocable outbreak of hostilities there were many points in which the Great Powers (or minor ones) could act to save the peace. What the author does so well is provide the oppressive evidence that made peace a less and less appealing option for various factions and countries around Europe.

Much of the answers to what caused the end of the peace was sewn in the decades of peace during the nineteenth century. The conservative Concert of Europe that tried to manage affairs peaceably struggled to address the various changes and political shifts that rocked Europe, whether that is the Industrial Revolution, decay of the old empires, or nationalism's unpredictable currents.

I think it is more than fair to say that MacMillan does not have a sympathetic view of Kaiser Wilhelm II and lays a lot of the blame for the gradual slide into war on him. The Germans were a disruptive force in Europe for its rapid appearance and significant power. Overnight a great power, the strongest nation in continent arguably, was born overnight. Only careful diplomacy prevented a coalition, led by France, from forming to stop Germany.

Kaiser Wilhelm II was not a diplomatic man, seemingly by every metric. The descriptions of his desperate attempts to keep personal connection with the fellow royals of Europe and his belief that strength would earn the respect, or demand the respect of others in Europe certainly failed to avoid a conflict, and played a part in causing it. Many countries still operated like their diplomacy could be settled through interactions between the heads of state, ignoring economic, political and social forces. This error would cause millions to die.

While the century between 1815 and 1914 can be viewed as a mostly peaceful, punctuated by uprisings, unifications and the Crimean War, this disguises some of the forces working underneath the surface. The absence of major wars meant that major issues were festering. The fact that war had been avoided so many times actually made war more likely the longer it was postponed. For example, Russia could not sit idly by again as a conflict touched off in the Balkans without intervening if it was going to preserve its prestige and diplomatic initiative to be the protector of Slavs.

Growing tensions between major powers, but mostly Germany and France, Britain, and Russia resulted in historic grievances being resolved and leading the doors open to alliances and deeper cooperation. It's important to remember that for most of the 19th century France and Russia were the British Empire's principle rivals.

MacMillan's exhaustive survey of the decades leading up to the First World War paints a picture of leaders making small choices and each one slowly narrowing the options available until war seems the only path. The text is beautifully written and presents a fascinating picture of a wide swath of modern history. I highly recommend this book to lovers of modern history, the First World War, and diplomatic history.

I think this book serves somewhat as a cautionary tale. The First World War is often held up as an example of humanity must never fail again to preserve peace. However, by 1914 it was too late in so many ways. Leaders must adopt a long-term vision and collaborate to avoid the sort of devastation the war unleashed, and small, reasonable decisions can have horrendous consequences down the road.

Podcast Review: Canadaland's Thunder Bay

A few months ago I subscribed and began to listen to the newest podcast created by Canadaland, a Canadian-based media company. The podcast had been in development for at least two years as far as I can tell. The name is simple and instructive. Canadaland's audio documentary seeks to explore the culture, criminality, social tensions, politics, and racism in Thunder Bay.

The show is led by Ryan McMahon, an Anishinaabe comedian, writer, and activist. Given the sensitive material he takes a deft and careful hand at exploring the lives of indigenous Canadians living in Thunder Bay or their experiences with Thunder Bay. He spent months building relationships with the subjects and gaining background information to share the story.

It's possible to summarize Thunder Bay as a true crime podcast, but I think that quite misses the mark. True crime, generally, focuses on a single case or a single criminal. Thunder Bay is about systemic failures and crises. While time is spent to look at the corruption and cronyism that has pervaded local politics it is not simply about that. I feel the time spent looking at a mayor charged with extortion, or a police chief facing obstruction of justice is to demonstrate that radical failure is taking place in the community and it is going largely unchallenged.

The racism faced by indigenous people in Thunder Bay is not hidden or obscured. It is often visible right on the surface for all to see in public postings, statements, public leaders, and widely-held opinions. Many First Nations people have to come to Thunder Bay for schooling. Many of the smaller communities do not have high schools so the children are brought to Thunder Bay for their education. These generally leaves them poorly supervised, lonely, isolated, and in a high-risk area. There is a chilling and recurring fear stated by many that they will be "thrown in the river." Indigenous people in Thunder Bay seem to drown in icy rivers with startling regularity, and some indications exist that there are killers who stalk native people for just this purpose.

The tone of Thunder Bay is not what I would call emotional, but it is definitely sensitive. McMahon in his narration and interviews clearly is speaking in a revelatory manner, and also expresses deep regret and sympathy for victims. Another powerful element is simple disbelief, that there is a city in Canada that can flagrantly flaunt was many assume to be our norms and get away with it.

There is a question that McMahon and Thunder Bay leaves the audience with, one that is deeply chilling - what if Thunder Bay is working exactly as it is intended? Pointing to the litany of stories Canadaland has collected and calling them "isolated incidents" begs incredulity. If you don't believe me, give it a listen for yourself, but be prepared to see a darker side of our country that some are intimately familiar with and others have had the privilege to be shielded from.

To check out Thunder Bay you can use this link, or subscribe using your favourite podcast app.

Note About the Future of this Blog

Hello readers,

I'm sure a few of the regular readers have noticed the inconsistency in most posting lately. Through a combination of things I've been finding it a lot harder to post with the usual regularity I did even a few months ago. I'd like to talk a little bit about that and what it means going forward.

The news is depressing. It is frustrating to say the least to look at the litany of bad news and talk about it. The worst part about that is that it's often the same news in different flavours. While Trump manages to be racist, sexist, and damaging to democracy in many different ways, I only have so much will to talk about it. Likewise, the Doug Ford government could be given the same treatment. I've wanted to write about issues that came up in their convention, but it's all a bit draining. Ditto with Patrick Brown about to become mayor of my city.

Next, I'm tired. In the last few months I have gotten more hours at my part time job, but that also means that I get home later, I'm more tired when I do go home and often after finishing dinner and unwinding for a bit I just want to sleep. I'd rather write something well than write something fast and some post feel like I'm just going through the motions to meet my artificial schedule. I also suffer through periods of insomnia, which compounds these issues. I am currently in one of those periods.

Finally, this year I've tried to put more effort into fiction writing. I think I've had some real successes and I find it very satisfying. This is especially true when measured against the political pieces I write.

So, what does this mean for the future? First, I'm scrapping any notion of a schedule. I know it's death for blogs, but I'll be writing when and if I feel like it. I don't think that this will mean a permanent hiatus, but it's a possibility if nothing inspires me to write. I will say I invite feedback. This blog is a very solo project. If you enjoy it, or want my take on something in particular feel free to reach out. It would certainly encourage me to continue.

Feel free to reach out to me on Twitter at @SLee_OT, where I tweet about politics and retweet smarter people and interesting reads.

I hope you see something up here before too long.
Steven

A Century After the War

Earlier this week marked the one hundredth anniversary of the end of the First World War. I have a hard time imagining what event in the relatively recent past has shaped the world more than that single conflict. When I read the news, especially international news, or news that covers post-colonial nations I can still vividly see the scars there. Europe paid a devastating cost during the conflict, and so did the peoples within their empires. The transformative impact of the war can still be seen inside much of Europe domestically, not just internationally.

Over the last couple of years my interest in the First World War has grown considerably. I still have a stack of books that I intend to read that explains the time period. However, I've read and watched some content that may be of interest to others.

Recently I have been reading The War that Ended Peace by Margaret Macmillan. Macmillan, as the title suggests, is attempting to explain why a century of relative peace came to an end in 1914, rather than why did the war start. The context, personalities and history makes for a fantastic read. I have yet to finish the book and expect I'll write a review when I do. It reminds me a bit of the Guns of August but with a broader scope and a longer view.

Next, I've been watching a YouTube channel called The Great War. The Great War has been a project that lasted four years and released weekly videos describing the events of World War One week by week. I'm about mid-way through 1915 myself. Most of the videos are under 10 minutes long so it can be very easy to fall into a rabbit hole. Perhaps the best feature of the videos is that the examine the truly global nature of the war. There is a tendency to become fixated on the Western Front, but around the world tragic and incredible stories were playing out.

Finally, I already reviewed this on my blog, but Paris 1919 by Margaret Macmillan seems a valuable tool to expand one's understanding of the war. How World War I ended and the motivations behind the victors is an important. Most people know that the events and decisions of World War I set up the Second World War, but it also clearly determined the stage for all the following decades. Countries created from that time period persist. Mistakes made continue to cause problems. Historic arrangements continue to endure.

The First World War had many causes, but one of the big ones was that the Great Powers, concentrated in Europe, could not come to a peaceful understanding with one another. Ego, arrogance, hubris, and so on culminated to make leaders make disastrous decisions that resulted in the deaths of millions. It is difficult to truly comprehend the horror. However, Europe has, for the most part, overcome the divisions that led to the First World War. Germany and France united in shared grief to mark the anniversary this week, along with other countries that participated.

Leaders of Germany and France mark Armistice Day together.

We should never forget the lessons of World War One and be conscious of how it shapes us today. Never forgetting requires us to know first.

Book Review: It Can't Happen Here by Sinclair Lewis

It seems with great irony that I finished reading It Can't Happen Here by Sinclair Lewis on the day of the American midterm election. I've known about this novel for many years, and it popped back into my consciousness as it regained popularity in the wake of the 2016 Presidential election. I picked up a copy for myself when a friend of mine read it and posted particularly effective excerpts from the book that seemed to stab at the character of American politics, and perhaps Canadian politics as well, lest I be accused of deriding America and glorifying my own country's virtues.

It Can't Happen Here is remarkable in a few ways, but perhaps the most important one from my point of view is that it is a product of its time. Oftentimes that can hinder a work. Not in this case. Lewis was critiquing fascism and communism in real time when authoritarianism seemed to be on the rise around the world. As much as I love Nineteen Eighty-Four it is easy to look coldly at the tactics of the Soviet Communists and the Nazis and deride them. Lewis' scathing examination of fascism does not have the horrors of genocide or war to enforce his case.

The novel is set in a small Vermont town on the brink of the 1936 elections. As the Great Depression drags on American politics is increasing mired and dogged by extremists. The story opens at a society debate where speakers and supporters of a radical candidates couch their language in 'Americanism'. Senator Berzelius "Buzz" Windrip is a populist modeled in part on Huey Long. His folksy charm and extravagant promise to deliver $5000 to every American garners him a great deal of support.

The protagonist of the piece is Doremus Jessup, a newspaper editor in Fort Beulah, Vermont. Jessup, his friends and family provide the main lens from which we view the story. Doremus is a classic liberal and democrat. He cherishes the republic and the ideals which he believes it stands. He is also remarkably privileged. I think Sinclair is trying to comment on class and the rise of radical movements. The Jessup's hired man ends up a major leader within the fascist party.

Jessup witnesses with horror as people naively and enthusiastically embrace Windrip to become president. He replaces Roosevelt as the Democratic nominee and defeats an inoffensive Republican candidate - Walt Towbridge - to become president. Not long after Windrip is elected and his cronies get themselves into office does the hammer fall. Congress and the courts are repressed and bullied into submission. The Corporatist Party becomes the only legal party and the Minute Men become the paramilitary apparatus similar to the Stormtroopers or Black Shirts.

Something that makes the novel more effective in my opinion is that Lewis sets the story in a small town. It allows him to quickly sketch the power dynamics at the outset and show how the Corpos corrupt and deform relationships within the community. It is far more effective to see the liberal-minded teacher kicked out of his position and ostracized than have it be theoretical. Or the harassment the few Jewish residents must endure under the new anti-Semitic state. The Jessup family endures incredible hardship under the regime even though they occupy a privileged position. Members are murdered, imprisoned, and routinely threatened. It adds gravity to the horror of the situation. It gives faces and voices to the tragedy.  

As the afterward writes the novel is not a how-to guide in resisting fascism, but a simple case that America (and other democracies) are not immune to populist autocrats who will rob and abuse the citizens of a country for their own personal gain. Germany and Italy were democracies before they succumbed to fascism. No country is immune and requires vigilance. The story is rooted in enough real history and figures to be believable even if some of the details seem incorrect.

It's  a short read. Those interested in dystopian political visions, the 1930s, fascism, etc. will find something worthwhile in these pages. I think it's also valuable as a historical document. Check it out.