There was a time when borders were wide open for people and much more restricted to capital flowing in or out of countries. Only toward the end of the 20th century did it change when significant controls were enacted to restrict people’s ability to cross borders while money could flow freely. For centuries, nation-states could…
Category: social justice
Making gold dust out of viaducts
No. 1 issue on City Council’s agenda over the past few months has been the removal of the Georgia and Dunsmuir viaducts. Last week this issue was finally put to a vote. With 5 in favour and 4 against, Council decided to remove them. At first blush, Council’s decision would appear to be the right…
Are we still in Canada? Or a banana republic?
We’ve all been hearing a lot of disconcerting stories in the last few days about the problems voters have been experiencing at advance polls for the federal election. We also know that, generally speaking, increased voter turnout is bad for incumbent governments. In other words, there’s a very high correlation between high voter turnout and…
The only national housing strategy stands firmly on Green ground
The federal election is now down to the wire. It is time for those of us who have not yet made up our minds on who to vote for to focus on the issues that are the most important to us. We need to take a look at where the parties stand on these issues….
Penny Ballem: Vision Vancouver’s “Fall gal”
Once again, this time at cost to you and I of over half million dollars, Mayor Gregor Robertson and his Vision Vancouver majority have missed the point. Let me explain. There is no disputing the fact that Dr. Penny Ballem is an incredibly capable city manager, perhaps one of the most competent in the city’s…
Canada has dragged the welcome mat inside
It’s been about a week now since the ground-shifting photo of three-year-old Alan Kurdi flooded the media. While I was initially optimistic that this photo would create a fundamental improvement in Canada’s response to the unprecedented refugee crisis I am now, sadly, not so sure. We all remember — well, most of us do —…
It’s looking like a melt down so what can we do right here?
Like most Vancouverites I’m enjoying the best summer I can remember! Day after day of clear skies, warm sun and beautiful outdoor times. Unfortunately, this recent lengthy bout of consistently dry, sunny weather is the result of cataclysmic changes in global climate — cataclysmic changes that may very well spell the end of our species…