May 8 would have been Harry Rankin’s 98th birthday. I was reminded of this special date when I attended the premiere of The Rankin File: Legacy of a Radical at the Playhouse Theatre May 3 as part of the DOXA documentary film fest. Harry Rankin — my hero and mentor — was an unforgettable individual….
Category: Vancouver
Better to debate than deliberately disrupt
The provincial NDP are proposing a new school tax on homes worth more than $3 million. The revenue projections are in the vicinity of $200 million and would largely be used for seismic upgrades for school buildings. Many of the homes that would be affected by this new tax are located in the Vancouver-Point Grey…
Shauna Sylvester: A Trojan horse for Vision?
Does it really appear that Vision Vancouver will not be running a mayoral candidate in this fall’s municipal election? With Vision Vancouver’s deadline for individuals seeking the party’s mayoral nomination now passed — and nobody having declared an intent — it would appear at first glance that Vision will not be running a mayoral candidate….
Vision’s falling star and no pockets to put it in
Vision Vancouver’s struggles continue to mount. Last fall’s by-election was a complete disaster for Vision Vancouver. Their candidate, Diego Cardona, came a distant fifth. Over the month that followed, all but two of Vision’s incumbent city councillors announced they would not be running for re-election in this fall’s municipal election. Then Vision Vancouver’s Mayor…
No vision for Vision in progressive alliance
On Sunday, March 11, the Coalition of Progressive Electors (COPE) held a meeting to begin looking at what an alliance of progressive parties might look like in the upcoming October 2018 municipal election. The event was very well attended — in fact, it was the largest turnout for a COPE meeting in quite some time. Over…
Getting to first base with basic income
It’s been two weeks since the provincial budget was released. Many of you may be unaware of the fact that the new budget contained $4 million to “test the feasibility” of a guaranteed basic income for all British Columbians. The basic income movement has been around for many decades. In the 1970s, the federal government…
Thanks for the memories!
Last Thursday, February 15, COPE held a tribute for me as I step away from the front line of civic politics and COPE’s executive after more than 30 years. It was a night I will never forget. I want to share some of my reactions to that special night and extend my deep appreciation to…