This is a dark time for democracy. A very dark time. A very dark time for democracy in general and a very dark time for Vancouver’s municipal democracy in particular. For the first time ever, the Vancouver Police Union has decided to interfere in Vancouver’s municipal election by endorsing a specific party and candidates. A…
Category: Vancouver
Kennedy’s “Captains”
On September 13th 2022, a homeless individual, Stanley Q. Woodvine, came across a disturbing piece of paper that may determine the outcome of the race to be elected Mayor of Vancouver. Someone — we don’t know who – had mistakenly dropped a 2-page spreadsheet which listed potential donor “Captains” and donation targets, featuring an astounding…
Charity: water
This week’s blog is about the most powerful and moving video I have ever watched. The movie documents Scott Harrison’s life up until and after he created the non-profit organization charity: water. The mission of charity: water – the mission that drives Scott Harrison’s life — is to bring clean water to everyone on the…
TransLink CEOs are a Different Breed
Last week, I wrote about a recent experience I had encountered trying to book my return ride from the Vancouver Folk Festival for Sunday, July 17th with HandyDart (DART). I was told the return ride I wanted at or later than the 7:00pm-7:30pm slot was not available, but an earlier ride for the 5:35 –…
With Success Comes Bureaucracy
TransLink’s HandyDART is on the whole a truly great system. This innovative service – delivers over 5,000 trips per day in the Metro Vancouver area. I remember in my first year of law school, 1981, when I helped to get HandyDART off the ground. It was a huge victory. Then, still in my first year…
Cuba Remains Resolute and Resilient Despite 60 Year Embargo
On Monday, July 4th, my life-partner Penny and I had the great honour of hosting in our home Sandra Ramírez Rodríguez of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the People, and Aileén Carmenaty Sánchez, Press and Cultural Attaché at the Cuban Embassy in Canada. I have to say that Cuba and its people are an…
Is the City of Vancouver’s Ethical Purchasing Policy meaningful?
When I was in my second term on Vancouver City Council (2002-2005), I was approached by my good friend Tom Sandborn who had a very serious concern. Tom alerted me to the fact that the City of Vancouver was purchasing apparel manufactured in sweatshops located in many countries around the world where health and safety…