In July of this year, I began hosting monthly Fireside Film Nights, a free monthly online series featuring progressive films and panel discussions. My goal was to attract 100 viewers by July 2022. By two months later in September, the viewing audience had increased slightly faster than I had hoped to approximately 50, but still…
Category: social justice
The Rankin File: Legacy of a Radical
This Friday, October 22 at 7pm, my partner Penny and I are hosting a virtual screening of The Rankin File: Legacy of a Radical, a documentary film about my hero and mentor, Harry Rankin. You can register to join us and see this wonderful film here, which will be followed by a political panel and…
The uncertain future of False Creek South
In the early 1970s, Vancouver’s Non-Partisan Association (NPA) lost its control of City Council. A new party led by Mayor Art Phillips, The Electors Action Movement (TEAM) came to power. My mentor Harry Rankin, who was on City Council at that time, described TEAM as simply a fresher, slicker, younger version of the NPA. While…
The real reason Cubans are taking to the streets
For the seventh day in a row, thousands of Cubans have taken to their streets to demonstrate. The Western media was very quick to frame their actions as demonstrations against socialism. These media portrayals could not be further from the truth. For example, on July 14 the New York Times published an opinion piece by…
The legacy of residential schools is not history
Content warning: This story has disturbing details about Indian residential schools. Survivors and their families can call the toll-free National Indian Residential School Crisis Hotline at 1-866-925-4419. On Thursday, May 27, Chief Rosanne Casimir of the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc Nation announced that they had located the unmarked burial sites of 215 children on the site…
End sweetheart deals for Vancouver developers
I have long been concerned about the sweetheart deals a majority of Vancouver City Council has given developers when approving developer rezoning applications. Two of Vancouver City Council’s best councillors, Jean Swanson and Pete Fry, kindly took time out of their busy schedules to assist me with researching the policy details involved. Here is what…
RIP the NPA!
The Coroner just arrived at NPA headquarters. She could find no pulse! The death certificate will be issued any day. On April 21 three of the four remaining NPA city councillors, Lisa Dominato, Colleen Hardwick, and Sarah Kirby-Yung left the NPA. Those of you who have been reading my blog over the last few months…