Tea & Two Slices is a long-running local news round-up by NEEDS frontman and veteran dishwasher Sean Orr, who lives and works in Gastown, deeply aware of his privilege.

David Staples: Chaos has come to Canada — and it could quickly get much worse. Wait, chaos has only just arrived…now? We weren’t in chaos when we ravaged westward with guns and small pox blankets? We weren’t in chaos at the Plains of Abraham or when the elder Trudeau invoked the War Measures Act? What about when the Atlantic fishery collapsed? Or during the 1995 Quebec Referendum? How about the War in Woods, the largest act of civil disobedience in Canadian history? Oka? Gustafsen Lake?

To be clear, thousands of people dying on our streets from a poisoned drug supply is chaos. Reserves without access to clean drinking water, a melting arctic, renters priced out of every major city in Canada — more chaos.

And what about the comment sections? I ask because some among the slightly inconvenienced are literally calling for protesters to be murdered. That seems pretty chaotic…

The bullshit artists in corporate media are coming out swinging: Mike Smyth: The inconvenient truth for pipeline blockaders “Pipeline blockaders say they’re standing with First Nations in their fight against Coastal GasLink. Just one problem: First Nations support it.” Just not the ones that matter. I mean, heaven forbid an entire nation of people have differing opinions! We aren’t a homogeneous blob, Mike. Sometimes the bribes work.

Of course, if gaslighting First Nations doesn’t work, just make shit up: Victoria councillor Ben Isitt says “corporate media” is spreading false narrative about protests. TIL about Mission Creep, and it’s not an Okanagan Winery.

Horgan fires back: ‘My thoughts on that individual are not printable:’ Horgan responds after Victoria councillor Ben Isitt accuses VicPD of campaign against protesters. Yeah, no…it’s totally out of the realm of possibility that police protect corporations, not people.

Here’s a handy guide to what Horgan is actually saying: Premier’s statement on protest activity, translated. This is amazing:

Using reconciliation as a tool of co-optation and counter-insurgency is something we are deeply committed to. Dividing Indigenous communities and marginalizing land-based resurgence is critical to our province and our country. As Premier, I am determined to see it through.

Moving on: Veteran journalist Christie Blatchford was known for her work ethic and wit. You spelled ‘vile, contemptuous, reactionary’ wrong. She was a spiteful mouthpiece for an unjust, oppressive and racist society and Canada is a better place without her. And no, I will not respect her passing by saying “I may not have agreed with her, but…” Not speaking ill of the dead is not talking shit about your alcoholic aunt who just died. It isn’t keeping silent about powerful corporate “journalists” who blamed a 15-year old rape victim for her suffering and denounced Jack Layton’s final “love is better than anger” letter to Canadians as vainglorious sophistry in the immediate wake of his burial.

Because that’s what Postmedia does. They always punch down, never up. That is, of course, unless it’s one of their vaulted elites: Postmedia columnists take a break from dehumanizing drug users to humanize Jordan Peterson’s drug problem. (I’m rage-laugh-crying at this.)

Dan Fumano: ‘Empty storefront tax’? Vancouver councillors, staff look at retail vacancies. Yes, please. Speculation is speculation, and it is destroying our city.

Also, yes please: Seattle City Council unanimously votes to ban evictions in winter.

Nice gig, if you can get it: Alleged money launderer wants his $25,000 casino bank draft back.

Vancouver would be cooler if: The ‘Tesla of eco-villages’ is developing off-grid villages that grow their own food and generate their own power.

Bonus: No matter what you think of protesters, you have them to thank for society’s progress.