A no messing around guide to the coolest things to eat, drink and do in Vancouver and beyond. Community. Not clickbait.

On Slumlord Millionaires & The Fraser Institute Sucking Koch For Cash

FullSizeRender-(89)

by Sean Orr | Should not be shocking: Canada shocks COP21 with big new climate goal. Wow, it’s almost as if we’re a constitutional democracy that just elected a brand new government!

What is shocking is how no government is setting in motion plans to deal with the consequences if and when we don’t meet those ambitious targets. In spite of a healthy amount of cynicism regarding the conference, it still seems we trust our governments to deliver on these targets. I mean, it’s not like I have my fingers crossed hoping we achieve some magical number that will reset the inconceivable damage we’ve already done and are continuing to do. You think the Syrian refugee crisis was bad? Just you wait for climate refugees.

Especially when one of the politicians at the Paris climate talks is our own premier and an environmental hypocrite of the worst kind. Among other things, Christy Clark has impeded transit infrastructure at every turn. Of course she’s saying everything right at COP21, but at home she’s approved a plan to annually export eight million tonnes of thermal coal.

But hey, at least we have bike lanes, right? Eight new bike lanes proposed for downtown Vancouver. Maybe that will balance out the new 8 lane George Massey bridge. Maybe not.

Related: Click Here to Save the World.

No shit of the day: Fraser Institute co-founder confirms ‘years and years’ of U.S. oil billionaires’ funding.

Amidst revelations that the Fraser Institute accepted at least $500,000 from the Koch family between 2007 and 2010, the institute’s co-founder acknowledged that the US oil billionaires have a long history of donating to the think tank.

Related: The tawdry fall of the Postmedia newspaper empire. Featuring the lede of the year: “I’m not going to lose my job over a fart joke…” (if I had a dime for every time I’ve said those exact words).

Breaking: slumlord is a…slumlord: ‘Slumlord millionaire’ has poor record as landlord. I’m sure there are dozens just like him. How can a city as (supposedly) progressive as Vancouver continue to allow this to happen?

Honour Bound: Wrap up hope this holiday season. Cool idea!

On Ken Sim’s So-Called “Swagger” and ABC’S Class War

Sean Orr is back from his hiatus with a rundown of the local headlines that have been running on a ticker tape through his mind over the past six months...

On Post-Election Recuperation, Platform Paradoxes and Refund Communities

In his latest read of the local news headlines, Sean Orr finds irony in "safety, affordability, and sustainability", and shouts out a bunch of amazing local organizations working on the frontlines.

On Running for City Council, Playing Whack-a-Mole with Homelessness, and the Public Washroom Deficit

In his latest read of the local news headlines, Sean Orr finds a park ranger with a grudge, a gross misuse of air quotes and Tripadvisor slander.

On Living in a City Preoccupied with Street Cleaning, Chandeliers, and Campaigns Against the Homeless

In his latest read of the local news headlines, Sean Orr hones in on the recent Langley shootings, and the ongoing criminalizing and dehumanizing of the homeless population.