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The legendary singer-songwriter Susan Aglukark talks to Joseph Planta about her career, activism, her Inuk roots, and an upcoming concert at the Chan Shun Concert Hall, Sunday, 12 April 2026 with PIQSIQ. Text of the introduction by Joseph Planta: I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca.   Susan Aglukark joins me now. The legendary singer-songwriter will share the bill, Sunday evening, 12 April 2026 at the Chan Shun Concert Hall, with acclaimed throat-singing duo PIQSIQ. Part of the Chan Centre’s Made in Canada series, this evening featuring Inuit artists, who on their own have captivated Vancouver audiences previously. I’ll ask Susan, who I spoke to earlier this week, about coming to Vancouver, and her storied career. She was the first Inuk artist to ever win a JUNO Award, and last year, celebrated the 30th anniversary of her album This Child, which featured the hit O Siem. I’ll ask her about her music, and about writing and performing. Last year, she also released her memoir Kihiani, co-written with our old friend Andrea Warner. That was released to great reviews. I’ll ask Ms. Aglukark about her activism as well. As the founder of the Arctic Rose Project, she’s worked to provide Inuit and Northern Indigenous youth safe spaces for arts and literacy programs. Visit www.chancentre.com for tickets and information. Since This Child, Susan Aglukark has gone on to write and record ten albums and win three more JUNOs. Other than her memoir, she’s authored two children’s books, and is an Officer of the Order of Canada, and a recipient of the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award for lifetime artistic achievement. Visit www.susanaglukark.com for more. Again, the concert is Sunday, 12 April 2026 at 7.30pm. We spoke this past Monday, with Susan joining me from Oakville, Ontario. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Susan Aglukark; Ms. Aglukark, good morning.  The post Susan Aglukark first appeared on thecommentary.ca.

Rob and Laurel Bailey of the YouTube channel Global Feast talk to Joseph Planta about their reviews of restaurants in Metro Vancouver and beyond. Text of the introduction by Joseph Planta: I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca.   There is no shortage of food influencers on social media as well as vloggers on food online on platforms like YouTube. But how many good ones are there? I found myself curious about what I felt are the good ones, you know the ones that actually know what good food is, likely because they know how to cook or at the very least their way around the kitchen; and aren’t just consumers for the sake of aesthetics or what’s trendy. An important thing for me in my viewing of the type of video, is whether the people reviewing actually pay for their own meals. We’ve all heard the stories of Instagram personalities shaking down restaurants, or exploiting their perceived influence in other ways. As I continued to watch the regulars I enjoy, I figured I should invite them on the program to find out why they do what they do, what places they enjoy eating at, how they navigate the waters of ethics when it comes to filming and paying, and how they’re able to find good places to eat that provide good value even in this economy. I reached out to seven longtime duos or personalities, but have only heard back from two, one which declined. Four haven’t even responded. I’ll give them the benefit of doubt that it’s likely an email issue like a spam filter. But if they’re listening, they’re welcome on the program in the coming weeks. Joining me now are Rob and Laurel Bailey of Global Feast. They’ve written and blogged about travels around the world, as well as experiences in their own kitchen in their home on Bowen Island, where I reached them last week. They’re often in Vancouver, especially on Kingsway in Vancouver and Burnaby, as well as in Richmond trying all sorts of cuisines, showcasing good food, often mom and pop operations, or holes-in-the-wall, eschewing chains. I ask them about what they’re looking for when they go out and eat, and their recent travels to Southeast Asia. See their weekly videos on YouTube. The channel’s called Global Feast, or Global_Feast. They’re funny, and you’ll often get great tips as to places to go. As well, visit their website atwww.real-food.ca. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Rob and Laurel Bailey; Mr. And Mrs. Bailey, good morning.  The post Rob and Laurel Bailey first appeared on thecommentary.ca.

The former journalist Sunny Dhillon discusses his new memoir Hide and Sikh: Letters from a Life in Brown Skin (Wolsak and Wynn, 2025), with Joseph Planta. Hide and Sikh: Letters from a Life in Brown Skin by Sunny Dhillon (Wolsak and Wynn, 2025). Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: Hide and Sikh Text of the introduction by Joseph Planta: I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca.   I was a fan of Sunny Dhillon when he was a reporter at the Globe and Mail based out of the bureau here in Vancouver. In 2018, he leaves the paper, and in a public piece that got a lot of attention at the time, cites the difficulties of being a journalist of colour, and how that seemingly didn’t matter to his editors. The episode and its fallout are written about in his new book, Hide and Sikh: Letters from a Life in Brown Skin. It’s an often-touching memoir, that’s also funny. It’s a series of letters to his daughter where he recounts what it’s been like living in Canada as somebody who isn’t white. I could relate to a lot of the experiences Mr. Dhillon writes about growing up, and as he moves through life as an adult. The anecdotes about being a parent are moving, and more painful moments about experiencing prejudice or being stereotyped are important to read about, even if they seem bewildering. I remain a big fan of Sunny’s because he writes about tough subjects with an honesty that’s refreshing. There’s also some optimism, even if we’re finding it tough at times. Sunny Dhillon is a former news reporter, who has also appeared on television and radio, and spoken at conferences. He holds a master’s degree in journalism from the University of British Columbia. He is currently attending law school. The book is published by Wolsak and Wynn. He joined me from Ottawa ten days ago. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Sunny Dhillon; Mr. Dhillon, good morning.The post Sunny Dhillon first appeared on thecommentary.ca.

The composer and writer Rob Rokicki discusses writing the music and lyrics for The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical, whose Original London Cast Recording has just been released by Center Stage Records, with Joseph Planta. Text of the introduction by Joseph Planta: I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca.   The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical, based on the Rick Riordan novels is one of the most popular musicals produced today. It is the top licensed musical in the Concord Theatricals catalog since its premiere in 2014. Since then, the show’s opened on Broadway, and has had productions throughout the world, including an Original London Cast Recording that’s out now from Center Stage Records. The new album features fifteen minutes of musical material not on the original cast recording, and it brings to life the record-breaking West End production. Rob Rokicki, who wrote the musical’s music and lyrics joins me now to talk about the album, writing the show’s score, and the life this show has had beyond the 2014 run off-Broadway, two US tours, another off-Broadway run in 2017, and a 16-week limited run on Broadway in 2019. I’ll ask about how he came to write the score, as well as how he writes. Visit www.robrokicki.com for more. We spoke ten days ago, with Rob joining me from New York City. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Rob Rokicki; Mr. Rokicki, good morning. The post Rob Rokicki first appeared on thecommentary.ca.

The actor, director, teacher and producer Jennifer Copping discusses the new Mitch and Murray Production of Harm by the playwright Pheobe Eclair-Powell (20-29 March 2026 at Studio 16), with Joseph Planta. Text of the introduction by Joseph Planta: I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca.   Jennifer Copping joins me now. She’s directing the new Mitch and Murray production of Harm, by the British playwright Pheobe Eclair-Powell. I’ll ask Ms. Copping about the play, which is having its North American premiere, a timely play that is described by its publisher as a “thrilling, twisted and razor-sharp comedy on the corrosive effects of social media and isolation.” The production features a solo performance by Kelli Ogmundson, who plays an estate agent who develops an unhealthy obsession with a social media influencer. I’ll ask Jennifer about working with her, and what audiences to Studio 16 at 1577 West 7th Avenue, can expect when they see the show between 20-29 March 2026. Visit www.mitchandmurrayproductions.com for tickets and information. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Jennifer Copping; Ms. Copping, good morning.The post Jennifer Copping first appeared on thecommentary.ca.

The professor and curator of Tupananchiskama: Ancient Andean Cosmovision (at the Museum of Anthropology, 19 March 2026-03 January 2027) Luis Manuel González discusses the exhibit and more, with Joseph Planta. Text of the introduction by Joseph Planta: I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca.   At the Museum of Anthropology, starting Thursday, 19 March 2026, and running through to 03 January 2027, is the world premiere exhibition of Tupananchiskama: Ancient Andean Cosmovision. It’s an exhibit curated by Peruvian anthropology professor Luis Manuel González, who joins me now. I’ll ask him about teaching at the University of British Columbia, and going through the Museum’s collection of ancient Andean artifacts from ceramic, textile, bone, shell, and wood. There are items going back over 2,500 years. I’ll ask Luis about what this word from the Indigenous Andean language of Quechua, Tupananchiskama means, and what he hopes visitors to the Museum will get out of this exhibit. Visit the museum’s website for more information: www.moa.ubc.ca. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Luis Manuel González; Professor González, good morning.The post Luis Manuel González first appeared on thecommentary.ca.

The activist and former athlete Betty Baxter discusses her memoir Outspoken: A Journey from Olympic Athlete to Activist (Nightwood Editions, 2026), with Joseph Planta. Outspoken: A Journey from Olympic Athlete to Activist by Betty Baxter (Nightwood Editions, 2026). Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: Outspoken Text of the introduction by Joseph Planta: I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca.   Betty Baxter joins me now. She’s just published a memoir, Outspoken: A Journey from Olympic Athlete to Activist. In the book she recounts her experiences growing up in a small town in Alberta, to finding sport, and going on to play volleyball representing Canada abroad, even playing in the 1976 Olympics. The book narrates the reality of sports then as now, and how there are inequities that still need addressing. In 1980, Baxter becomes the first woman to coach the Canadian women’s volleyball team. But in January 1982, at the age of twenty-nine, she was fired because of rumours about her sexual orientation. There was never a question of misconduct, which surrounded some of her male colleagues one should note. She talks about that and the devastating effect it had on her career, and even how she viewed sports themselves. I’ll ask Betty about why she wrote the book, and what she’s had to work through over the years. For a while, because of the firing, she couldn’t even set foot in a gymnasium, she felt so unmoored by the firing. I’ll ask Betty about leadership too, and about the 1990 Gay Games, which she played an important part in bringing to Vancouver. Betty Baxter also initiated the National Coaching School for Women, and founded Canadian Women & Sport. After her expulsion in 1982 as Canada’s national coach, she became an outspoken activist for 2SLGBTQIA+ community and human rights. In 1993, she was the first open lesbian to seek federal office in Vancouver Centre, and in 2011 she was elected to her local school board, serving two terms. This new book is published by Nightwood Editions. We spoke last week, with Betty joining me from Roberts Creek, British Columbia. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Betty Baxter; Betty, good morning.The post Betty Baxter first appeared on thecommentary.ca.

The celebrated ballet dancer and choreographer Guillaume Côté discusses his new show Hamlet, Prince of Denmark (which will be at the Vancouver Playhouse 18-21 March 2026), his career and more, with Joseph Planta. Text of the introduction by Joseph Planta: I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca.   Guillaume Côté joins me now. The celebrated ballet dancer and choreographer will be coming to town 18-21 March 2026 with the BC premiere of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, which he’s choreographed and will star in. Created by Côté and director Robert Lepage, the full-length production explores the Shakespeare work’s themes of power, betrayal and inner turmoil through movement, evocative lighting, and minimal set design. And the reviews have been quite good wherever the show’s played. A number have pointed out the timeliness of the piece, and I’ll ask Guillaume about the relevance of Hamlet today. This is a production of Ex Machina and Côté Danse, at the Vancouver Playhouse. Guillaume Côté retired from the National Ballet of Canada in the spring of 2025, after being a principal dancer there since 2004, and joining the company in 1998. He was educated at Canada’s National Ballet School, and in his long career has been a guest performer at various companies around the world including Teatro alla Scala, English National Ballet, The Royal Ballet, and American Ballet Theatre, among many others. In 2021, he was named Chevalier de l’Ordre national du Québec. Visit www.dancehouse.ca for tickets and information. We spoke one week ago, with Guillaume in between performances of Hamlet at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Guillaume Côté; Monsieur Côté, good morning.The post Guillaume Côté first appeared on thecommentary.ca.

The writer and post-doctoral fellow Anita Slominska discusses her new book Other Endings: Organ Transplantation and the Burdens of Hope (McGill-Queen’s University Press, 2026), with Joseph Planta. Other Endings: Organ Transplantation and the Burdens of Hope by Anita Slominska (McGill-Queen’s University Press, 2026). Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: Other Endings Text of the introduction by Joseph Planta: I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca.   There’s a fascinating and engaging book out now on organ donation, but other than statistics or research, which the book has, it also is the personal story of the author, and her sister Shauna Saunders who was listed for a liver transplant, the only curative treatment for her end-stage liver disease, but who died waiting for a donor organ in 2003 at the age of 29. Joining me now is Anita Slominska, who has written Other Endings: Organ Transplantation and the Burdens of Hope. It honours Shauna’s life by telling her story, and narrates the agonising wait for a liver, and the precipitous decline as none turned up. The book began as part of Anita’s post-graduate work in an interdisciplinary health studies program that researched organ donation. And it’s not just the statistics of how many organs are donated, but the ethics of organ donation, and the realities of how organs get donated. The fact that somebody has to die, or be dying, and often in gruesome circumstances, gets overlooked when we’re hearing of a “gift of life” or a “second chance” or even “rebirth” when a new organ is found. Anita looks at how often organ transplantation fails as well, and the reality that there are lots of people year after year who die waiting. It’s a compelling memoir; raw and intimate. Anita Slominska is a postdoctoral fellow at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre and the Institute of Health Sciences Education at McGill University. The book is published by McGill-Queen’s University Press. We spoke last week, with Anita joining me from Montreal. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Anita Slominska; Dr. Slominska, good morning.The post Anita Slominska first appeared on thecommentary.ca.

Jean-Benoît Dumais, General Manager of the Independent Booksellers of Quebec joins Joseph Planta to discuss the new e-commerce service Booksellers.ca. Text of the introduction by Joseph Planta: I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca.   There’s a new way to buy books in Canada, www.Booksellers.ca. The e-commerce service allows Canadian consumers a chance to avoid multinational conglomerates like Amazon when buying books. And it’s not just tactile books, but e-books as well. Independent booksellers across Canada have pooled resources to create the website, which allows us to look up books we want to purchase, and how many might be available either at local stores or other stores across the country. That gives us the chance to weigh whether we’ll buy close to home, or that independent bookstore in the province next door or on the other side of the country. And with a collective agreement with Canada Post, free shipping can be had for orders over $49. Joining me now is Jean-Benoît Dumais. He’s the General Manager of the Independent Booksellers of Quebec, which has had the Quebec version of this site, www.leslibraires.ca up and running for fifteen years now. I’ll ask him about its success and why they’ve expanded across the country. We’ll reflect on the importance of the local independent booksellers, and the consumer’s desire to buy Canadian. This all comes at a critical time, and it’s a welcome addition to our options of buying books online. We spoke last week with Jean-Benoît joining me from Quebec City. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Jean-Benoît Dumais; Monseuir Dumais, good morning.The post Jean-Benoît Dumais first appeared on thecommentary.ca.