The two judges who resigned from the panel were the two international ones. Megha Majumdar from India (author of A Burning) and Dinaw Mengestu who is Ethiopian/American (author of several books, most recently Someone Like Us).
In the UK several big music festivals cut ties with Barclays bank for the same reason (well that, plus their investment in fossil fuel) after several artists boycotted the festivals. And there was some debate around how the arts are the ones to suffer, not the bank (but there's a call to boycott the bank itself too, of course). As for Elbit systems, activists managed to get one of their UK factories shut down (sold) in 2022 after 18 months of protesting. So objection to Elbit is not new, but protests have now increased and at one point one of the factories were raided. The police are holding some of the people involved indefinitely for questioning under the new anti-terrorism laws, but have only charged the leaders and only with "regular" offences. Meanwhile British civil servants requested legal advice as they were concerned that having to process weapons sales to Israel could make them complicit, and several quit in protest over the previous government dismissing their concern. The UK has now temporarily suspended some of the arms licenses, but only after a human rights group took them to court. Basically, anything associated with Elbit Systems is tainted. The Giller Prize is at one remove from it (like the UK music festivals) but the way the Giller has responded to the issue reflects really poorly on them.
I wasn’t aware of the controversy. (Given that I don’t pay much attention to fiction new releases, it’s not surprising.) Thank you for the information and the thoughtful opinion.
Thank you for this informative video. I'd seen something about a boycott, but somehow I'd totally missed what it was about and had just been thinking I should do some research, but now you've done it for me!
Thanks so much for the detailed explanation. I was only aware of some of this, and it’s good to see the big picture. I don’t want it to affect my view of authors/books on the Longlist, and really it shouldn’t since it’s not like inclusion is directly showing support for the war, but it does put a bad taste in my mouth. I think you’ll like If an Egyptian Cannot Speak English, I thought it was fascinating.
Thank you for this, I hadn't heard anything about the controversy here in Australia until I saw Ben Reads Good's latest video. You've explained it well.
Thank you for this very informative video. The biggest hurdles these boycotts have is the lack of information and people talking about it, so you have countered that. The Giller are the ones being anti Canadian literature by setting it up in support of mass murder. On boycotting the govern general prize - because Canada is not a company and investing in the prize as a marketing tool, boycotting doesn't seem a sensible form of protest... Although if there is another prize that isn't problematic... Anti-nestle solidarity!
Your remark "The Gillers are the ones being anti Canadian literature by setting it up in support of mass murder" is totally inaccurate. The Giller did not "set up" the prize in this way. The prize is 30 years old, named for Jack Rabinovitch's late wife Doris Giller, and Scotiabank came on board in September 2005. (And the name of the other prize mentioned is the Governor General award, not the "govern general." The Gillers have given incredible support to Canadian writers over the years. The concern and criticism is with Scotiabank being involved, not the Giller prize directly. I don't believe you are Canadian so coming on here and posting misinformation is not welcome. I'm unsubscribing from your channel now.
@blabbinglobster I didn't say it set up in support of murder at inception. I used the word setting not set, implying current tense, not past tense. Although the timing of the support doesn't seem like the point here. I'm not spreading misinformation, I'm replying to the information Jess set out on her video. I encourage your boycott of my channel if you think I'm being politically objectionable.
@@GunpowderFictionPlot I am not "boycotting" your channel (a childish statement), I have unsubscribed. Your comment that the Giller is supporting "mass murder" is ludicrous. Scotiabank is the sponsor and the Giller prize existed prior to their sponsorship. The Giller has done great things in Canada for literature. Watching a single youtube video is not doing due diligence as far as research goes.
@@blabbinglobster the expectations of due diligence for every comment on a friends video is unrealistic. If I were making my video I would research this more, as it's a video on another channel and I commented that I wasn't aware of the issue prior to the video, I have clearly cited where my information is coming and I trust Jess has done her research... None the less, I don't think I've said anything incorrect other than a spelling error. I'm open to having my mind changed if I have missed something or got something incorrect, if you think I've missed anything I will listen to you. I am not saying the Giller hasn't done wonderful things for Canadian Lit, but you are implying that means it's okay to support genocide? Am I misunderstanding you? Being anti-genocide is more important than books. Readers should not be placed in a situation where they feel the need to take sides between a book prize and genocide. I don't see how anybody can disagree with that statement, which is what I'm saying in my OP. I am going to work now, I won't be able to reply for 12 hours. So take you time if you need.
@@GunpowderFictionPlot Sir, you miss every point I've made. Take up your issues with Scotiabank, not the Giller Prize. To borrow a very old saying, you are throwing the baby out with the bathwater. If you believe the Giller prize and genocide are one and the same, I cannot help you. And do you automatically believe everything your "friends" say when - and correct me if I am wrong - neither of you is Canadian with extensive knowledge of this prize prior to this video? Going forward, I would hope you would educate yourself with more than just a friend's video before making such remarks, but that is entirely up to you.
Well done, informative video. Thanks for disseminating this knowledge ❤lots of facts and I’m sure it took awhile to put together, I hope you have a good weekend!
Thanks for all the time and research you put into this, Jess. And thanks for the reminder not to purchase books from Indigo here in Canada. I’m sometimes tempted because it’s the closest book store to me. The nearest good indie book shop is an hour away by bus. Thank goodness for my library card.
Great video Jess! I’m a former Shadow Giller juror and I decided, on account of Scotiabank complicity in genocide, to not feature the Giller on my channel anymore (except in passing). I will focus on the GGs instead. I have been reading the books on the list of authors who are boycotting the Giller and talking about them on my channel.
Yes, this is difficult because the Giller has supported Can Lit in such a big way. I’m all for that. My plan is to continue doing that in other ways. The longlist is amazing and it’s sad to not be doing my usual reaction/prediction videos. However there are so many ways to still talk about the books. Interesting about them dropping “Scotiabank” too. 😊💙
So difficult and clearly a struggle for everyone. It's especially hard to speak out about. I tried to get the tone right on this video but I have still managed to upset people.
How exactly do you feel educated now? This doesn't seem like education. This seems like getting onboard a political movement. You want to be in that tribe. Okay. That's not educated.
The repeated use of the word genocide without definition is puzzling. A literate person can be expected to respect the meaning of words. You have fallen prey to propaganda of those who poured resources into tunnels and arms rather than building civil society.
The two judges who resigned from the panel were the two international ones. Megha Majumdar from India (author of A Burning) and Dinaw Mengestu who is Ethiopian/American (author of several books, most recently Someone Like Us).
In the UK several big music festivals cut ties with Barclays bank for the same reason (well that, plus their investment in fossil fuel) after several artists boycotted the festivals. And there was some debate around how the arts are the ones to suffer, not the bank (but there's a call to boycott the bank itself too, of course). As for Elbit systems, activists managed to get one of their UK factories shut down (sold) in 2022 after 18 months of protesting. So objection to Elbit is not new, but protests have now increased and at one point one of the factories were raided. The police are holding some of the people involved indefinitely for questioning under the new anti-terrorism laws, but have only charged the leaders and only with "regular" offences. Meanwhile British civil servants requested legal advice as they were concerned that having to process weapons sales to Israel could make them complicit, and several quit in protest over the previous government dismissing their concern. The UK has now temporarily suspended some of the arms licenses, but only after a human rights group took them to court. Basically, anything associated with Elbit Systems is tainted. The Giller Prize is at one remove from it (like the UK music festivals) but the way the Giller has responded to the issue reflects really poorly on them.
I love people broadcasting about when and how they learn and do better 💯💗
Great vídeo! Thank you for all the details and deep thoughts
I'm glad you appreciated it! Thanks for watching.
I wasn’t aware of the controversy. (Given that I don’t pay much attention to fiction new releases, it’s not surprising.) Thank you for the information and the thoughtful opinion.
Thank you for this informative video. I'd seen something about a boycott, but somehow I'd totally missed what it was about and had just been thinking I should do some research, but now you've done it for me!
Thank you for this information. I don't follow prizes closely, but it's good to know.
Very informative Jess! I had no clue! 😢
Thanks so much for the detailed explanation. I was only aware of some of this, and it’s good to see the big picture. I don’t want it to affect my view of authors/books on the Longlist, and really it shouldn’t since it’s not like inclusion is directly showing support for the war, but it does put a bad taste in my mouth.
I think you’ll like If an Egyptian Cannot Speak English, I thought it was fascinating.
Thank you for this, I hadn't heard anything about the controversy here in Australia until I saw Ben Reads Good's latest video. You've explained it well.
Very informative - thank you!!
I don’t really follow prizes but this kind of controversy or discordancy is worth understanding. I appreciate the breakdown.
☕️
Thank you for this very informative video. The biggest hurdles these boycotts have is the lack of information and people talking about it, so you have countered that.
The Giller are the ones being anti Canadian literature by setting it up in support of mass murder.
On boycotting the govern general prize - because Canada is not a company and investing in the prize as a marketing tool, boycotting doesn't seem a sensible form of protest... Although if there is another prize that isn't problematic...
Anti-nestle solidarity!
Your remark "The Gillers are the ones being anti Canadian literature by setting it up in support of mass murder" is totally inaccurate. The Giller did not "set up" the prize in this way. The prize is 30 years old, named for Jack Rabinovitch's late wife Doris Giller, and Scotiabank came on board in September 2005. (And the name of the other prize mentioned is the Governor General award, not the "govern general." The Gillers have given incredible support to Canadian writers over the years. The concern and criticism is with Scotiabank being involved, not the Giller prize directly. I don't believe you are Canadian so coming on here and posting misinformation is not welcome. I'm unsubscribing from your channel now.
@blabbinglobster I didn't say it set up in support of murder at inception. I used the word setting not set, implying current tense, not past tense. Although the timing of the support doesn't seem like the point here.
I'm not spreading misinformation, I'm replying to the information Jess set out on her video.
I encourage your boycott of my channel if you think I'm being politically objectionable.
@@GunpowderFictionPlot I am not "boycotting" your channel (a childish statement), I have unsubscribed. Your comment that the Giller is supporting "mass murder" is ludicrous. Scotiabank is the sponsor and the Giller prize existed prior to their sponsorship. The Giller has done great things in Canada for literature. Watching a single youtube video is not doing due diligence as far as research goes.
@@blabbinglobster the expectations of due diligence for every comment on a friends video is unrealistic. If I were making my video I would research this more, as it's a video on another channel and I commented that I wasn't aware of the issue prior to the video, I have clearly cited where my information is coming and I trust Jess has done her research... None the less, I don't think I've said anything incorrect other than a spelling error. I'm open to having my mind changed if I have missed something or got something incorrect, if you think I've missed anything I will listen to you.
I am not saying the Giller hasn't done wonderful things for Canadian Lit, but you are implying that means it's okay to support genocide? Am I misunderstanding you? Being anti-genocide is more important than books.
Readers should not be placed in a situation where they feel the need to take sides between a book prize and genocide. I don't see how anybody can disagree with that statement, which is what I'm saying in my OP.
I am going to work now, I won't be able to reply for 12 hours. So take you time if you need.
@@GunpowderFictionPlot Sir, you miss every point I've made. Take up your issues with Scotiabank, not the Giller Prize. To borrow a very old saying, you are throwing the baby out with the bathwater. If you believe the Giller prize and genocide are one and the same, I cannot help you. And do you automatically believe everything your "friends" say when - and correct me if I am wrong - neither of you is Canadian with extensive knowledge of this prize prior to this video? Going forward, I would hope you would educate yourself with more than just a friend's video before making such remarks, but that is entirely up to you.
Well done, informative video. Thanks for disseminating this knowledge ❤lots of facts and I’m sure it took awhile to put together, I hope you have a good weekend!
Oh, Vermette! 😮 I am curious too.
Thanks for all the time and research you put into this, Jess. And thanks for the reminder not to purchase books from Indigo here in Canada. I’m sometimes tempted because it’s the closest book store to me. The nearest good indie book shop is an hour away by bus. Thank goodness for my library card.
That's insane.
A very thoughtful video, Jess. ❤
Great video Jess! I’m a former Shadow Giller juror and I decided, on account of Scotiabank complicity in genocide, to not feature the Giller on my channel anymore (except in passing). I will focus on the GGs instead. I have been reading the books on the list of authors who are boycotting the Giller and talking about them on my channel.
Yes, this is difficult because the Giller has supported Can Lit in such a big way. I’m all for that. My plan is to continue doing that in other ways. The longlist is amazing and it’s sad to not be doing my usual reaction/prediction videos. However there are so many ways to still talk about the books. Interesting about them dropping “Scotiabank” too. 😊💙
So difficult and clearly a struggle for everyone. It's especially hard to speak out about. I tried to get the tone right on this video but I have still managed to upset people.
How exactly do you feel educated now? This doesn't seem like education. This seems like getting onboard a political movement. You want to be in that tribe. Okay. That's not educated.
The repeated use of the word genocide without definition is puzzling. A literate person can be expected to respect the meaning of words. You have fallen prey to propaganda of those who poured resources into tunnels and arms rather than building civil society.