On the morning of Wednesday, February 15tth, I listened with interest as my very favourite radio host, Stephen Quinn on CBC’s Early Edition interviewed Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim on the 100-day anniversary of the Mayor and his ABC (A Better City) colleagues being sworn into office. Here are certain highlights (some, including me, might say…
Category: Vancouver
Canadian Healthcare: Half Empty or Half Full?
Do we finally have a breakthrough on healthcare funding from the feds to the provinces? On Tuesday February 7th, my jaw dropped when I heard the announcement that Prime Minister Trudeau was prepared to increase healthcare funding by almost $200 billion over the next ten years. This is an enormous amount, albeit that some of…
Learning to COPE with Vancouver Politics
Wow! The Coalition of Progressive Electors (COPE) held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Sunday, January 28th and it was a huge success! Considering COPE’s poor showing in Vancouver’s municipal election on October 15th, 2022, many expected a poor turnout at the AGM. Instead, over 120 members attended both by way of zoom and in…
Is the Vancouver Folk Fest Really Gone?
My life partner Penny and I were so sad and in fact stunned to learn on Tuesday January 17th that not only will the annual Vancouver Folk Festival not occur this year, but it may never happen again. The Vancouver Folk Music Festival Society will be considering a resolution to dissolve the Society at their…
The Rogue State, Israel, Moves Even Further Right
As readers of my blog will know, I am no fan of the nuclear-armed, apartheid state of Israel. At the same time, I do recognize why many progressives around the world were admirers of the State of Israel in its early years, as its early Labour Zionist government had at least the appearance of being…
My New Year’s Predictions for 2023
Happy New Year to all of you! With the beginning of a brand-new year, let me offer you my New Year’s predictions for 2023. The war in Ukraine will come to an end not on the battlefield but instead at the negotiating table, which is where almost all wars are settled. There will be no…
Libraries are not Profit Centres
Should our libraries be profit-making institutions? We would never agree to the installation of turnstiles on our places of worship. Likewise for the installation of meters in our public schools. Credit cards are not required to access our hospitals. Given all of the above, I say we should never permit politicians, not even Mayor Ken…