by Sean Orr | Gregor listened! The mayors from Canada’s largest cities gathered in Ottawa on Wednesday to call on the federal government to pony up more cash for housing. Ok, what else do you guys want me to tell him?
Campaign spending limits? Clearer conflict of interest rules? It’s a sad day when MLAs believe mayors and municipal councillors need longer terms in office. Got all that, Gregor? “Oakes will no doubt sing the praises of granting local politicians an extra year in office as some wonderful innovation that will lead to better government. Don’t believe it for a second”. Oh, I guess I won’t be holding my breath then…
…and exhale: Downtown Eastside’s $1-billion fix? “That good old Canadian compromise of coming down the middle”. Still holding on to the myth that Canada is some benevolent, liberal utopia? “Unlike other neighbourhood plans, this one doesn’t involve tall towers as it’s not on a rapid transit line, Coun. Andrea Reimer said”. I want to believe. I really do. “Still, Jackson believes the plan is truly achievable. He is confident the city will be able to partner with the province”. Or how about, you know, raising the fucking rates?
Related: Why is urbanism so white?
Just when you think the Harper Government can’t sink any lower, watch them weasel out of NDP’s demands for a national inquiry into missing and murdered indigenous women. SHAME.
Bad segué alert: How about an inquiry into missing and murdered shellfish? Acid Ocean. I guess the term “happy as a clam” is now officially a contradiction in terms.
Tweet of the Day:
#Vancouver Police on the lookout for suspicious blue van with “free candy” written on the side. Last seen at 33rd and Fraser St.
— ScanBC (@ScanBC) February 27, 2014
Some good news? New Prosperity Mine rejection a huge win for the environment and human rights. “There’s no right way to do what’s wrong”.
There’s no wrong way to do what’s right: Will a homeless bike-share program work? Because success is absolute and quantifiable? Because “recovering addict” is a substitute for “homeless”? Congrats to my brother Jonathan. There’s no way I would have been that calm.
Coping with higher fares: More Buses, Lower Fares: A community forum. “Transit fares have gone up 10% in each of the past two years while service worsened”. But I thought we had to build a subway to UBC?
Honour Bound: CiTR Fun Drive.