I had a great time at the Eglinton Grand in my home town of Toronto last night, and was glad to see so many readers, viewers and listeners there - some who'd come a long way, from Vancouver and Victoria. My thanks to you all.
Several old friends from Steyn shows past have been making headlines in recent days, so, if you've missed these interviews, I thought you might enjoy catching up.
First up is Lindsay Shepherd, the young teaching assistant at Wilfrid Laurier University who made the mistake of showing her students a clip of a TVOntario show including a brief glimpse of Jordan Peterson. Miss Shepherd is now suing Laurier for $3.6 million:
Wilfrid Laurier University investigated a graduate student for provoking the ire of a transgender activist (below) who previously dressed up as a "giant vulva" to protest a member of Canada's Parliament.
This is only one of the colorful allegations in Lindsay Shepherd's $3.6 million lawsuit against the Canadian university for the harassment, "bullying" and "intentional infliction of nervous shock" she has endured because of the school's actions since last fall.
There are no giant vulvas in this edition of The Mark Steyn Show, but Lindsay and I do discuss free speech, the corruption of higher education, and the wider climate that has led to her lawsuit. Click below to watch:
Next up is Lionel Shriver, the American novelist who's found herself in hot water on "cultural appropriation" and related issues. A week ago she wrote a column on the new "diversity" policies of Penguin Random House:
'We want our authors and new colleagues to reflect the UK population taking into account ethnicity, gender, sexuality, social mobility and disability...'
The accompanying questionnaire for PRH authors is by turns fascinating, comical and depressing. Gender and ethnicity questions provide the coy 'prefer not to say' option, ensuring that being female or Japanese can remain your deep dark secret. As the old chocolate-or-vanilla sexes have multiplied into Baskin Robbins, responders to 'How would you define your gender?' may tick, 'Prefer to use my own term'. In the pull-down menu under 'How would you define your sexual orientation?', 'Bi' and 'Bisexual' are listed as two completely different answers (what do these publishing worthies imagine 'bi' means?). Not subsumed by that mere 'gender' enquiry, out of only ten questions, 'Do you identify as trans?' merits a whole separate query — for 0.1 per cent of the population.
As a result of that piece, Ms Shriver no longer checks any of the right boxes:
Debbie Taylor, editorial director and founder of Mslexia, said that Shriver's comments in a piece for the Spectator magazine were "not consistent with Mslexia's ethos and mission" and would "alienate the very women we are trying to support". Consequently, Shriver would no longer be a judge on their annual short story competition, she said.
"Since our launch in 1999, Msxlexia's raison d'etre has been to provide a safe space for all women writers – whatever their circumstances – to develop their craft. We actively encourage submissions from marginalised writers and frequently draw attention to the issues they face," Taylor said.
The literary world is an increasingly unsafe space for Lionel. In the show below she and I talk through "cultural appropriation" and related controversies:
Finally, Maxime Bernier is the Canadian Conservative who at one time looked a shoo-in for Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition. Then, in a last-minute surprise to the interminable Tory leadership campaign, Andrew Scheer snuck through and took the prize. M Bernier has now become collateral damage in the Trump/Trudeau trade war on 270 per cent dairy tariffs to appease Quebec. Bernier's opposition to that all too sacred cow cost him the leadership - and have now cost him his shadow-cabinet post:
On June 5, amid U.S. President Donald Trump's latest attacks on Canada's supply management system, Bernier quietly added the chapter to his personal website, where it can be downloaded.
In April 2017, during the party leadership campaign, Bernier penned an open letter to Trump in The Globe and Mail, thanking him for raising the issue of supply management and agreeing with him that "this protectionist system is unfair for the farmers in Wisconsin and other states, who cannot make a better living by selling their products to their Canadian neighbours."
Bernier remains a hero of Canada's libertarian right - Mad Max, "the Albertan from Quebec", as he became known. Here Max and I talk about Canadian-US relations, and the trials and tribulations of being a conservative francophone in rural Quebec:
Among the benefits of Mark Steyn Club membership is that you can enjoy The Mark Steyn Show in any medium you desire: video, audio or text. So, if you prefer the above shows in non-visual form, please log-in to our Audio & Transcripts department.
The Mark Steyn Show is made possible through the support of members of The Mark Steyn Club. We appreciate that membership is not for everyone, but it does help assure that shows like this remain out there for everyone, winging their way around the world and perhaps changing a few minds. And we're proud to say that, thanks to the Steyn Club, this website now provides more free content than at any time in our fifteen-year history.
What is The Mark Steyn Club? Well, it's a discussion group of lively people on the great questions of our time (I'll be hosting the latest, live around the planet this Tuesday). It's also an audio Book of the Month Club, and a video poetry circle, and a live music club. We don't (yet) have a clubhouse, but we do have other benefits - and an upcoming Steyn Club cruise from Montreal across the 270 per cent tariff line to Boston. And, if you've got some kith or kin who might like the sound of all that and more, we also have a special limited-time Steyn Club Gift Membership. More details here.
Comment on this item (members only)
Submission of reader comments is restricted to Mark Steyn Club members only. If you are not yet a member, please click here to join. If you are already a member, please log in here:
Member Login
17 Member Comments
Really! Someone dressed up as a Swedish station wagon to protest a Canadian MP? That's nuts.
But perhaps the crazy left is beginning to self destruct. Once you start kicking enough people out of the club for rule violations, eventually there is only one raging loonie left.
The Lionel Shriver interview is outstanding. On the "Brisbane Brouhaha": the young woman to whom Shriver refers (who needs to "get a life"), is the infamous Yassmin Abdel Magied (YAM), a career victim who has received lavish tax payer funds to promote herself and her religion, both within Australia (on the ABC) and abroad (via the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade). At one time, she sought social media advice from her Hizb ut-Tahrir brothers about proselytising amongst the unbelievers, and (wait for it), publicly declared Islam to be "the most feminist religion". So she's a comedian too.
Bill Leak's YAM cartoon (following the announcement that DFAT had funded her book-promotion trip to various Islamic regimes), was undoubtedly one of his best works: a perfect snap shot of YAM's state-funded narcissism and her utter hypocrisy. (Google both their names for the image.)
Hope there are more interviews like these, Mark. Lots of scope for those who've fallen afoul of the New Order, including those on the left. Perhaps Germaine Greer on transgenderism, #MeToo, and wrongful rape allegations (see recent backlash covered by Camilla Long in The Times).... and being shunned by her comrades. In Lionel Shriver's words, "(white) men feel as though they can't say anything", which is especially true of these topics, but GG would happily outline her views for you!
In each of these cases, you saw the writing on the wall (also Jordan Peterson). These interviews were important. They warned of what was coming.
Who should you be interviewing now? What is the next battle in the ear on free speech that not everyone has yet realized, let alone predicted?
And when is the Mark Steyn Club going to have a live audience?
Great comment, Allison. It would be great to have more interviews of this type, as well as hearing from fellow travellers (Douglas Murray, Christopher Caldwell, James Mitchell etc).
Follow the Shepherd interview all the way and you will hear a clear demonstration of the vast difference between articulate and merely glib speech---composed, visibly thoughtful, nuanced, and remarkably precise. Sure it helps that she a treat to look at; if were forty years younger, 150 pounds lighter, and three feet taller I'd be thinking that it's time to make a move...But that is an inconsequential tangent.
I was really rooting for Mad Max. Unfortunately, the current CPC leader is a model of transparency. A good thing for scientists and bureaucrats, but a disaster in a political leader. By that, I mean that he is so "transparent" that he is equipped with his own cloaking device. Sadly, it will take a while for Canadians to remember that although they need the US, the US doesn't need them. I just hope that the current trade skirmish (it's not really a war) does not save Justin in the next election.
Congratulations Mark!
Sorry I wasn't able to make it to Toronto.
Meanwhile, a note of optimism: if the enclosed barking rubbish is typical of Lindsay Shepherd's critics, then we're winning: slowly-but-surely, mustn't-let-up sort of thing, but if we can just expose this stuff to the ridicule it so richly deserves, well ....
https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2018/06/14/entitled-or-unemployable-which-is-the-real-linday-shepherd.html
I seldom read "The Red Star" so I was a bit surprised to see the byline, "By Shree Paradkar Race & Gender Columnist". I am not surprised that they have such on staff, just surprised that anyone would consider that title beside their name to be a good thing. It screams bias from the get-go and the column lived up to it.
I hope Lindsay Shepherd mops the floor with her critics and doesn't end up in continuous litigation hell like Mark.
From Mark's recent column (on PC diversity nonsense): "It's burrowed its way into everything, and is slowly but remorselessly moronizing even vital areas of life."
Which is precisely what's happening. Way too few sane people— those like Lindsay Shepherd and Lionel Shriver— have been prepared to speak out and push back, and now identity politics "moronization" has seeped into everything.
The left is successfully waging a "war on competence" (Jordan Peterson's formulation), and with their fake virtue, safe-spaces, threats and tantrums, they have the rest of us collectively walking on eggshells, too afraid to point out that, no, we will not compromise the high standards in aviation safety/ healthcare/ armed forces/ scientific research etc etc, in the pursuit of diverse mediocrity.
~Congratulations on the award, Mark. There could be no other person (in Canada or elsewhere) more deserving of such recognition. Thank you for leading the charge in the global free speech battle!
Congratulations, Mr. Steyn! Those of us who could not attend hung out here at the club, raising out glasses, but not our eyebrows, to you. Jolly good work (my British), good on you, mate (my Aussie), y'all done good (my native tongue).
What a great, classy night it was, and what a great speech by Mark Steyn following a gracious introduction by Lord Conrad Black. Mark structured his speech around memorable statements made by George Jonas -- a clever -- and classy -- approach. Typical high-octane Steynian exegesis -- the emissions from it will probably warm the planet and bring on yet another lawsuit. Steyn yearning for the days when he could get by with just two or three lawyers and a paralegal on staff notwithstanding, it was a serious speech on a serious topic. I hope everyone gets to see and hear it soon.
Hear Hear! Or should I say hear here. I too hope we can soon see, hear, or read Mark's speech. I greatly anticipate it.
I second that!
Congratulations on your well-deserved George Jonas award, Mr. Steyn.
You see beyond where the Earth bands. You neglect to mention a former guest that's achieved phenomenal renown, Jordan Peterson. Thank you for the exposure your club members have to coming trends and the personalities associated with them.
Charter Club Member,
Ray Cleveland
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Max is from la Beauce in Quebec, an unusual area where entrepreneurial efforts have always been very much respected in the past and the people were nicknamed the "Quebec Yankees" for their direct to the point hard headed no nonsense practicality. It is a rarely found but vital quality Canadian politics could and will find much needed in our none too bright "business as usual" future.
What a contrast between Bernier - principled and reasonable compared with the train wrecks of Trudeau and Scheer. The Conservative Party of Canada certainly sh*t the bed electing Scheer as leader.
Congratulations!