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.

Now the work begins! And I’m not talking about the fact that 2020 has given us the return of 30-something white dudes in kitchens doing the Borat voice. I’m talking about holding the NDP’s feet to the fire: Canada’s Only Social-Democratic Government Has Been Decisively Reelected in British Columbia.

We need to organize and keep fighting for an actually progressive government. We need to stand up for the rights of tenants who are still at risk of being evicted during a pandemic and we need to campaign for real rent control. We need keep fighting for reconciliation, racial diversity and reforms to the Police Act. We need to keep fighting against the export of raw logs and the destruction of old growth forests. We need to keep pressing them on Site C and LNG because just a few days after the election they approved a 5-year extension for Woodfibre LNG, with no conditions. And hey, don’t look at me. I wrote in Kanye West.

Oh, and if you complain about the system when it benefits the BC Liberals, you better complain about it when the Dippers get a false majority. And whether you believe Andrea Reimer that the BC NDP’s big election win is a triumph for Canadian civil society or…um…Clean Energy Canada that an NDP victory positions B.C. to be a global climate leader (cough) there’s no denying this was an historic win.

Hell, they even picked up seats south of the border:

Some reports that the BC NDP are projected to take most of Washington state and parts of northern Oregon.

— David Moscrop (@David_Moscrop) October 25, 2020

But enough about the NDP. How awesome is it that Mr. Burns Andrew Wilkinson’s campaign of fear and scapegoating of drug users failed miserably in Vancouver? How awesome is it that voters saw through his blatantly populist schemes around PST and private auto insurance? How ironic is it that suburbs like Richmond, Langley and Chilliwack (really?!) that have never gone orange, flipped because so many new families who were forced to move there under the BC Liberals’ disastrous housing file changed their demographics?

And how awesome is it that Sam Sullivan, Mary Polak, Jas Johal and Jane Thornthwaite all lost? How awesome is it that TERF Lorraine Brett lost? And Marvin Hunt? Unfortunately, dinosaur Laurie Throness may still prevail. Personally, I’m a little upset that Silverado Socrates didn’t do better…

And this: Andrew Wilkinson resigns as leader of BC Liberals. What on the surface looks like grand old news becomes a sad reality once you realize that you actually enjoy seeing the BC Liberals lose elections. Diane Watts? Yeah, no thanks.

Remember though, left of the Liberals isn’t very left. Sonia Theroux:

“Many will be celebrating the results of this election as a shift to the left. But left of the BC Liberals is not necessarily ‘left,’ and governments with hefty majorities tend to come with a lot of hubris, little incentive to listen to outside input and a powerful pull to centrism and corporate capture.”

Finance minister Carole James tears up at outpouring of support as she retires. “‘There are nice people in politics and Carole is one of them,’ Bray says”. Ugh, booooring.

Unacceptable: ‘I felt so embarrassed’: North Vancouver woman feels singled out because of her race at polling station. Because of course this was in North Van.

Has anyone checked on Chip Wilson? Opinion: MEC or NDP, is there a difference?. Not that anyone cares what Chip “are erections important” Wilson thinks.

On the same day that voters rejected the appalling poor bashing and regressive reactionary politics of the Liberals, this happened: Man behind controversial J.K. Rowling billboard arrested at Vancouver protest – but not for protesting. “’I go to crowds because I like to have conversations,’ he said”. That’s funny, then why did you block me on Twitter, coward?

The day before voters rejected the blatant homophobia of the BC Liberals this happened: Anti-gay preacher charged with assault in Vancouver’s West End. Of course, if you thought that this would stop “if the preacher is guilty then why hasn’t he been charged?” crowd, you’d be wrong.

Vancouver transit police investigate video of woman pushed off bus after apparently spitting on man. PSA to everyone with enough guts to do what this guy did: tell the person they are under arrest and then push them off the bus.

Surrey man offers ‘bounty’ to anyone who tears down white supremacist flyers. Another PSA: be very careful when removing these posters as these chuds often put razor blades behind them.

Vancouver police arrest suspect for arson fire at Main and Broadway that engulfed six businesses. What’s going on in Mount Pleasant? Do we need to add gentriFIREcation to the Lexicon?

Also, I wouldn’t feel too bad for Frenchies: Tormented waitress awarded $12,000.

Dandelion on the other hand: Help Jeff & Laura at Dandelion Records & Emporium.

Also in Mount Pleasant: Petition Support for City Councillor Mike Wiebe.

Just in time: Feds pledge $51.5M to quickly house homeless people in Vancouver. Not sure how quickly “quickly” means but Patrick Condon has a plan for tiny homes that sure as hell beats these dystopian French inventions.

I’m just gonna put this here: Crime going down in Vancouver, amidst COVID-19 and Strathcona tent city.

Let’s make it go down even more: It’s time to decriminalize drug possession in Vancouver!

Hey, wanna barf? I’m 25, live with my parents and own 20 rental properties. Here’s how I did it.

Practice safe six! Two Schools Closed, Family Gatherings Limited as BC’s COVID-19 Cases Rise.

City of Vancouver proposes tolls for cars entering downtown and Central Broadway. On paper this sounds great, but in reality it will most likely punish blue collar workers.

BCLC suppressed investigations of casino high rollers, investigator says. Put this on the epitaph of the BC Liberals.

Headline of the day: Naked teen covered in ranch dressing crashes at Kansas gas station, sheriff says.

Bonus: How conspiracies like QAnon are slowly creeping into some Canadian churches.