Editorials - July 24, 2026
Breakout
The Citizen editorial board scans headlines continuously, on the hunt for news stories that affect, baffle, confuse, anger, astound or bewilder us. Sometimes we pick up on one that just downright amuses us. This week, CBC News proudly proclaimed “William Shatner, 95, performing at Riot Fest with his heavy metal band”. Wait, what?
Now, we have all heard of Shatner’s spoken-word albums where he dramatically reads the lyrics to popular songs set to very serious instrumentals. He’s also been nominated for two Grammy awards for a spoken-word recording and an audiobook.
Taking on a new career at any age is daunting, but to venture into the world of heavy metal as you approach your centenary takes real chutzpah! After looking through several sources, it appears that the Star Trek icon really has launched a heavy metal band called The *uckers with a group of veteran rock musicians. They will be making their live debut at the Riot Fest music festival in Chicago. The audience can expect original tracks as well as his own unique, spoken-word-style covers of heavy metal classics by Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, and Judas Priest.
In the true spirit of a rock star, Mr. Shatner has developed a rider that would make Van Halen, Iggy Pop and Mötley Crüe proud. It includes (among many things) requiring the city of Chicago to name a boat and a beloved street food after him, and Riot Fest to provide a green room themed as “Shatner’s Shag Shack” and a Montreal Canadiens sweater signed by John Stamos. One can only dream of maintaining such a vibrant level of activity, creativity, and wit well into our twilight years as this legendary actor has. Rock on, Bill, rock on! – DS
My hero
In recent years, as the White House has coddled and, in many cases, employed everyone from your run-of-the-mill ne’er-do-well to proper criminals. It has become the loving embrace that those who do wrong seek when they have nowhere else to turn. Think Russell Brand. He turned a slew of sexual assault allegations into a comically-bad attempt at finding Jesus (and his favourite Bible verse) and support for U.S. President Donald Trump. A government always needs useful idiots.
The same seems to be happening in the sports arena. After Trump’s painfully transparent lean on FIFA President Gianni Infantino to review Folarin Balogun’s red card, resulting in his reinstatement and an eventual 4-1 loss to Belgium that was good to the last drop, Trump now appears to be on speed-dial for athletes who need a boost. Not too long ago, when Tiger Woods rolled his SUV whilst high as a kite, he said he was on the phone with Trump when police approached him. To be fair, he might have actually thought that. He might have thought he was on Mars too, despite the fact that the crash happened in Jupiter (Florida).
On the weekend, American meathead and occasional golfer Bryson DeChambeau, under the cover of stomping around in tall grass at The Open, was found improving his club path and was handed a two-stroke penalty in a gentleman’s sport that often sees players call their own penalties. After a comically performative argument that held up the rest of the field, DeChambeau is alleged to have invoked Trump’s name.
The patron saint of tax evasion, sedition, sexual assault, bankruptcy and more is now the man to call over disputed balls and strikes. It might be a while until the Blue Jays win another World Series. – SL
Monkey wrench
These days, environmental headlines often bring grim news. Forests disappear, species decline, oceans warm and ecological worries grow. That is why a newly-described monkey species from the forests of the Democratic Republic of Congo deserves a moment in the spotlight.
Meet the Likweli, a newly-recognized colobus monkey with a striking orange-cream patch around its mouth and nose, a dramatic black coat and a distinctive deep call. The discovery is more than a charming animal story. Researchers spent years gathering evidence and studying the monkey’s appearance, genetics and vocalizations before confirming it as a separate species. The Likweli was first noticed in 2008, but it took nearly two decades of work to formally recognize it.
In a time when environmental stories often focus on what we are losing, the Likweli offers a rare reminder of what remains to be discovered. But discovery also brings responsibility.
The Likweli has a limited range and faces threats from habitat loss and hunting. Finding a new species does not mean finding something to exploit. It means finding something worth protecting. That may be the greatest lesson from this monkey’s story. Conservation is not only about preventing loss. It is also about preserving curiosity, wonder and the possibility that the natural world has surprises waiting.
The Likweli reminds us that Earth is not just a record of damage. It remains a place of discovery, with creatures announcing themselves from the treetops today. For once, the environmental news is not asking us to mourn. It is asking us to look up. – SBS