If you are shaking your head in disbelief at some of the stunning flip-flops and bad policy choices of our current provincial government, you are not alone.

Decriminalization: a disastrous policy now abandoned.

How about the infamous Land Act, which would have given First Nations co-control with the government of all the Crown land in the province? It was so controversial that it disappeared.

Premier David Eby loudly and repeatedly said that private property wouldn’t be affected by the aboriginal title agreements being negotiated – until a judge ruled in the Cowichan decision that maybe private property could be affected after all.

Another court has now ruled that the provincial system for mineral claims staking violates their own act, saying that all BC laws and regulations MUST be consistent with the Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (DRIPA).

Interesting that David Eby was the Attorney General at that time, who helped draft those very words – “MUST be consistent.”

Realizing that the act would now have to be rewritten, Premier Eby presented changes that he said were urgent and non-negotiable – until they weren’t, and instead there would just be a 3-year pause on the troublesome phrases.

Then the Premier declared even this pause motion to be a matter of confidence, meaning the government would fall if it didn’t pass. Then lo and behold, he changed his mind yet again and announced it wouldn’t be a confidence vote.

Then the 3-month pause became 1-month and now it's completely off the table for this legislative session.

What is going on in Victoria? To help make sense of it all, Alec Lazenby, one of the top reporters covering the provincial government for the Vancouver Sun, joins us.

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Carole Taylor's Journal is a public affairs dialogue that digs deep into the most pressing issues of our times. For more, see our website at http://www.caroletaylorsjournal.ca.

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That statement won’t be a surprise to anyone touched by this industry, be it municipalities, First Nations, the provincial government, or the workers and their families. More than two dozen mills have closed in the past four years, laying off more than 8,000 workers. Many companies have decided to do their capital investments elsewhere, in the US or Europe, but not in British Columbia.

The report called, “From Conflict to Care,” acknowledges that currently in forestry, “we have a complex system of legislation that is hard to comprehend, combined with bureaucratic inefficiencies such as Ministries working in silos and sometimes at cross purposes with opposing mandates. Adding to this challenge is the instability caused by election cycles which drive frequent shifts in priorities and mandates.”

That brutal assessment is not from opposition literature – it is taken word-for-word from this new report compiled by the Provincial Forestry Advisory Council done for the BC government. One of the chairs, Garry Merkel, calls it “another freakin’ review of BC forest policy.”

So, the table is set:

What can be done to save this important resource industry that used to be such a major player in our province?

Shannon Janzen, Merkel’s co-chair, a forester, and former vice-president of Western Forest Products, believes there is a way. First of all, we must accept the status quo is broken; then, after broad consultations, come up with a radical new model that works in 2026.

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Carole Taylor's Journal is a public affairs dialogue that digs deep into the most pressing issues of our times. For more, see our website at http://www.caroletaylorsjournal.ca.

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Brought up by his mother after his father died, Brad remembers the importance to the family when she finally got a union job, good wages, and good hours. Brad went on to study at the University of Victoria before taking a job in communications with the United Steelworkers.

You can see with his personal experience he would be a natural fit with the NDP of British Columbia, a social democratic party. So how surprising was it when, last year, Brad West took a swing at the NDP government by saying they were more interested in pronouns than jobs?

In other words, ideology over workers.

Recently in another op-ed, the mayor elaborated. This time, about how governments in general are failing and frustrating their citizens.

People, he says, want results not announcements. Service, not ribbon cutting.

Based on his successful time in municipal government – elected as a councillor in 2008, the youngest mayor elected in Port Coquitlam’s history in 2018, then re-elected by acclamation, meaning no one chose to run against him. Based on that alone, his ideas are worth listening to.

For instance:

Less high school behaviour in the legislature, more listening to citizens and their needs.

Fewer studies and more action.

And stop overspending taxpayer’s hard-earned dollars.

Mayor Brad West joins us to outline a road to recovery and a way for politicians to regain the public trust.

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Carole Taylor's Journal is a public affairs dialogue that digs deep into the most pressing issues of our times. For more, see our website at http://www.caroletaylorsjournal.ca.

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We have highlighted the crisis in healthcare that many of our cities face every time their local ER is unexpectedly closed, or the maternity ward, or the pediatric unit.

But imagine if you lived in a community where there may be limited road access – or no access at all. How do you get food supplies? Medications? Medical attention?

Owen Sitnam, a helicopter pilot and whose father Danny Sitnam founded and built Helijet, saw a need and set out to fill it. In 2021, he formed a non-profit called Helicopters Without Borders to ensure there is a method for marginalized communities and people in distress in British Columbia to access health and wellness services.

For Owen, he didn’t believe it was right that there are children in our province who had never seen a dentist or a doctor. So Helicopters Without Borders started to fly in medical and support teams.

Imagine being excited to see a dentist – the joy and smiles on the faces of these little ones tells you all you need to know.

Last year, they transported health professionals to over 700 clinical sessions, meeting with over 3000 individuals across BC.

By partnering with others, they also support a travelling team of pediatric specialists. And believing food security to be a major issue, they work with charities and food banks across the province, flying in these essentials.

We meet the man behind this wonderful initiative, Owen Sitnam.

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Carole Taylor's Journal is a public affairs dialogue that digs deep into the most pressing issues of our times. For more, see our website at http://www.caroletaylorsjournal.ca.

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My premise is they are essential to a vibrant community. They lift us up out of our daily worries. They help form our identity. Think of New York: Broadway. Think of Paris: galleries. Italy: opera.

So, why are they constantly underfunded here, especially since they are also economic engines providing jobs, not just for the actors, the singers, the painters, and directors, but for the people who build the sets, write the words, the music, and design the makeup and costumes?

I found it incredibly ironic to see politicians proudly celebrating the work of so many Canadian artists honoured at the Oscar, when government funding and support has been unreliable for years. Go Canada!

One man who has worked in the arts around the world all his life is Christopher Gaze, founding artistic director of Bard on the Beach.

I mean, honestly, who would have believed that anyone could inspire 88,000 people each year to sit out on a warm summer evening to listen to the words of Shakespeare?

But not one day of his journey has been easy. He has had to wiggle and squirm every day to make ends meet.

I loved the story of his early days as a penniless actor. He could be seen hauling a bag of his meager belongings to yet another audition. Ah, but the secret was, in his battered bag was one beautiful, well-pressed tux, always ready for showtime.

Make no mistake – for 37 years, Bard on the Beach, one of Canada’s largest theatre companies, has only been possible because of Christopher Gaze’s ingenuity.

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Carole Taylor's Journal is a public affairs dialogue that digs deep into the most pressing issues of our times. For more, see our website at http://www.caroletaylorsjournal.ca.

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His story is so interesting: born in Punjab, India, he came with his family to Canada at age 5. A boy who lived next door to him in Kitsilano was unable to pronounce his name, Satwinder Singh, so he named him Steve. So, Steve it is.

A new immigrant, his dad found work in maintenance at the Vancouver Police Department and loved it, perhaps influencing his son’s decision to join the VPD at the age of 23.

When the Chief talks about his first assignment, walking the streets of East Vancouver 36 years ago, his amazement and enthusiasm boils over. “Remember that?” he says to a Business in Vancouver reporter. “Gun violence every day. Open warfare with machine guns out the back windows of cars, shooting each other on Kingsway.”

Sometimes we think we are the only ones living in dangerous times.

Steve Rai has always believed in hard work, education, and learning. While he was carrying out his policing duties on the streets of Vancouver, he was also learning by taking many additional courses, including being the only Canadian police officer accepted for the US International Leadership Development program in 2006.

And now, Chief Rai can put all that experience to work, starting with his dream of Vancouver having its own police academy. Steve once said that about 40% of his time is spent lobbying and, for sure, that has paid off with the province and city officially blessing this new academy.

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Carole Taylor's Journal is a public affairs dialogue that digs deep into the most pressing issues of our times. For more, see our website at http://www.caroletaylorsjournal.ca.

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My head is spinning with all the contradictory information that is out there. Private property is not affected, says our premier. Oh, maybe it is, says a judge.

One pattern is emerging – decisions are being made by governments in negotiations with First Nations in private, then grandly announced as a fait accompli to the broader public, businesses, and property owners. That’s no way to build support or buy-in.

To whit, the proposed-then-withdrawn Land Act giving First Nations a 50% say on all the province’s Crown land, the Haida title agreement, the dispute on the Sunshine Coast, the Cowichan court case, and then the federal signing of a deal with the Musqueam claiming vast sections of Metro Vancouver and surrounding municipalities as their hereditary land.

It is a fact that when you lose trust, you lose trust. So now, when any of these players say, “Oh, trust us. We won’t touch private property,” it’s a hard sell, especially since the judge in the Cowichan case said her decision may give rise to some uncertainty for private property owners. Indeed.

A final irony is that some of the agreements are now being challenged by other First Nations: the Musqueam and Tsawwassen First Nations are appealing the Cowichan decision, Squamish First Nation said it wasn’t consulted on the Musqueam decision, and even the Cowichan First Nation is appealing its own successful court case because they only were awarded half of what they asked for!

Thomas Isaac, one of Canada’s top lawyers in the field of aboriginal law, joins us to say what worries him about the BC situation.

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Carole Taylor's Journal is a public affairs dialogue that digs deep into the most pressing issues of our times. For more, see our website at http://www.caroletaylorsjournal.ca.

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If you are a government or a nonprofit or a business of any size, if you get the governance right, then you are on your way to success.

Sadly, it is often in government that we find problems. The example that is glaring in its unmanageability is Metro Vancouver.

Imagine: you are the Chair of this organization with 41 members, many mayors sitting around a very large table representing 21 municipalities, Tsawwassen First Nations, and Electoral Area A. Every single one of them has their own priorities and problems they want addressed.

How can you ever make that work?

Importantly, how are decisions made? Like for the overdue, vastly over-budget wastewater project that went from $700 million to $3.6 billion? Is it by consensus or by accepting a staff recommendation?

In part because of this dollar shock for taxpayers, Deloitte was asked to have a look. Their report highlighted many challenges with the Metro Vancouver model, including the obvious fact that the Board is just too large to manage, that directors’ expenses should be trimmed, and perhaps the Chair should not be a politician.

With all these problems, why would anyone willingly take on the near-impossible task of reorganization? Well, fortunately, mayor Mike Hurley of Burnaby has stepped into the fray and is serving as Chair. He calls himself a person of action and warns that possibly big changes are coming.

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Carole Taylor's Journal is a public affairs dialogue that digs deep into the most pressing issues of our times. For more, see our website at http://www.caroletaylorsjournal.ca.

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To be charitable, Premier Eby is having a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day (to borrow from a children’s book).

Even before the actual numbers were released, one headline from Business in Vancouver magazine stated: “Eby may go down as the worst fiscal manager in BC history.”

Another said, “The stunning deterioration in BC’s fiscal health during Premier Eby’s tenure will not soon be reversed.”

Vaughn Palmer said, “NDP’s fiscal credibility shredded.”

And on and on.

The facts are these – during Premier Eby’s time, the province has gone from a $6-billion surplus to a deficit of $13.3 billion dollars.

Our debt in the 3 year budget will be up 200% since 2021/22 – and the cost of paying interest on that debt will have gone up 220% during that time, making interest charges the fastest-growing line in the budget.

As we all know, money going to the bank to pay for past borrowing excesses means less money for health, seniors, and our kids.

As if that weren’t bad enough, in a time of economic stress for many, taxes are going up on everything from basic cable and land lines to shoe repair, accounting services, and – oh yes – on security costs that many small businesses have been forced to absorb because of retail crime and street disorder.

As columnist Rob Shaw says: all pain, no gain.

To make sense of all this is David Williams, vice-president of policy at the Business Council of BC.

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Carole Taylor's Journal is a public affairs dialogue that digs deep into the most pressing issues of our times. For more, see our website at http://www.caroletaylorsjournal.ca.

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What could be a better pitch? It is clean energy to run your enterprise.

In fact, Premier Eby has had press conferences highlighting the government’s demand that new mines, LNG, data centres, will be powered by electricity.

Sounds pretty appealing in a time of climate awareness. But is it the reality?

A couple of hard facts – for the third year in a row, BC has not produced enough electricity to even serve our own current needs, let alone all these new initiatives. That’s right: we import electricity.

And, besides that, according to Energy Futures, BC Hydro has a backlog of demands for more clean energy.

So we already have an electricity deficit in our province, a queue of current requests for more permits while at the same time, we are actively encouraging new businesses to electrify, customers to buy electric cars, and home heating to move away from natural gas to electric heat pumps.

Realizing the impending crisis, the Premier announced this week heavy users such as AI and data centres will have to compete for electricity through a managed process. How will that work? Who decides which businesses win the lottery?

Barry Penner, Chair of the Energy Futures Institute and a former BC cabinet minister calls this “a serious case of policy dissonance.”

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Carole Taylor's Journal is a public affairs dialogue that digs deep into the most pressing issues of our times. For more, see our website at http://www.caroletaylorsjournal.ca.

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In the good old days – actually only 9 months ago – when Journal last spoke with Lenore Newman, one of Canada’s top experts in this field, much of the focus was on the effects of climate change: how our supply chains must adjust and how Canada’s own agriculture would be affected.

Who would have believed that Lenore would now pen an op-ed that says, “We are living in a world of sharks who don’t think twice about sacrificing communities to the whim of politics.”

She goes on to say that “an irascible US government could starve us within days and we would have no easy alternatives.”

Wow. This, of course, comes on the heels of our Prime Minister’s remarkable speech at Davos, where he posited that “a country that can’t feed itself, fuel itself, defend itself has few options.”

So, this discussion of food security has become a lot more serious – and fast. What if CUSMA goes away? What if 100% tariffs were put on all food imports – remembering that over half of our agrifood imports come from the United States? What if the border was “temporarily” closed?

So what are we to do? As Prime Minister Carney has said, “Nostalgia is not a strategy.”

To help guide us in this discussion is Dr. Lenore Newman. Besides being the Director of the Food and Agriculture Institute at the University of the Fraser Valley, she also holds a Canada Research Chair in food security.

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Carole Taylor's Journal is a public affairs dialogue that digs deep into the most pressing issues of our times. For more, see our website at http://www.caroletaylorsjournal.ca.

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We hear about doctor shortages and nurse shortages, but did you know we have a paramedic shortage? In rural and remote areas of the province alone, there are close to 400 vacancies.

The problem is exacerbated when an emergency call comes in but the ER is closed or on diversion. According to Mayor Goetz (of Merritt, British Columbia), a paramedic – if available – must transport and accompany the patient around 100 kilometres to the nearest hospital for emergency care. That takes time, leaving the community vulnerable.

Also, the province does not allow the service to pre-schedule overtime coverage in advance when there are known holes in the schedule – for vacations, as an example. This results in a patchwork system, sometimes covered by firefighters but often resulting in wait times that are too long.

So, a few questions:

What is a day in the life of a paramedic like?

What training is required?

Why aren’t more people applying for these vacant positions?

I can’t help but worry about the constant stress that our overdose crisis has added to the job of being a paramedic. Imagine reviving the same person over and over again with the same result. That must take a toll.

To talk about some of these issues is Ian Tait, spokesperson for the Ambulance Paramedics of BC, who are currently in negotiation with the government. What are the biggest issues and possible solutions?

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Carole Taylor's Journal is a public affairs dialogue that digs deep into the most pressing issues of our times. For more, see our website at http://www.caroletaylorsjournal.ca.

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Dr. Julian Somers, a clinical psychologist and distinguished professor at Simon Fraser University, was one of the first voices to speak up about the perils of decriminalization and safe supply of drugs when these initiatives were first announced, and the powers-that-be didn’t like that – or him. At one point, he was told to destroy his report and not rock the boat.

Initially, we were all told that the goal of these policies was to destigmatize drug addicts and prevent overdose deaths. But as the Minister of Health, Minister Osborne, has now admitted, it didn’t work. What it did do, however, was lead to increased public use of drugs on our streets and in our neighbourhoods, raising disorder and public safety concerns – an unintended consequence that should have been anticipated.

So, now we are moving on. To what, you might ask? And how?

Is there a consensus on first steps? I would suggest one of the most important changes that must happen is a sea change in attitude away from just supplying drugs to addicts, to the consideration of other strategies for care or recovery.

For sure, it will involve more treatment beds, more available social services for support, and – in some severe cases – involuntary care models. But are we ready to even have this conversation?

Dr. Somers believes that underpinning any future success must be data. “We need to state how our interventions are expected to result in improvements and how we’re going to measure progress.”

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Carole Taylor's Journal is a public affairs dialogue that digs deep into the most pressing issues of our times. For more, see our website at http://www.caroletaylorsjournal.ca.

ctj064 #decriminalization #britishcolumbia #bcpoli

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Built in 1903, the Woodward’s building was the place to be in Vancouver – a one-stop department store famous for its renowned food floor. Glory days.

But few things stay the same forever. The Woodward's decline began in the 1960s as both shopping patterns and Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside began to change. Many shoppers chose the shiny new suburban malls rather than the deteriorating downtown location. The losses at Woodward’s began to mount company-wide until they declared bankruptcy in 1993, 90 years after its much-celebrated opening on Hastings Street.

But that wasn’t the end of the Woodward’s story. The heritage building remained empty until the city bought it in 2001, with grand visions of a revitalized anchor for the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, providing homes and services for the community. This project was controversial from the outset, with some fighting against this so-called gentrification, while others worried that too much social housing in one project would not work.

But reopen it did, in 2009 with much fanfare about the anchor tenants supporting the redevelopment: Nesters Market, TD Bank, London Drugs, J.J. Bean, among others. But that was then and this is now: TD bank has closed its doors, J.J. Bean is gone and now London Drugs has announced its imminent closure.

The reasons are all similar – increased crime and disorder on the streets, worry about safety for staff and customers, and financial losses.

Clint Mahlman, CEO of London Drugs, joins me to talk about this difficult decision.

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First, we had the BC government’s introduction of the Land Act, which unsettled many of its assertions of co-management with First Nations of all the Crown land in the province. The Act was withdrawn, but not before some name-calling.

But then in a splashy press conference, Premier Eby announced the granting of aboriginal title to Haida Gwaii. When people of all stripes and professions raised questions about what that would mean for private property owners, the Premier announced again and again it would not affect private property.

And then, boom – there was the court decision granting aboriginal title over land in Richmond to the Cowichan, with the Judge suggesting – despite what had been asserted by Premier Eby – there were issues around private property rights.

Finally, last month in another twist on this reconciliation journey, a different judge in a separate case found that BC’s mineral claims regime, fundamental to our hoped for resurgence in mining, is inconsistent with the province’s own declared law, DRIPA – the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act – because mining claims were made before receiving free, prior, and informed consent from First Nations.

With all of this cumulative confusion and uncertainty, is it any wonder that support for reconciliation has fallen in recent polls?

Joining me to make sense of all this is Thomas Isaac. As one of our country’s leading experts on aboriginal title and the law, he has concerns about what he is seeing in BC.

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Two things seem obvious. First, no one is coordinating these various programs, since some of them overlap and some even contradict each other. At one point last spring, research showed there were at least 60 initiatives aimed at developers and builders, supposedly to increase the supply of housing, therefore leading to affordability. But have they?

Second, the whole issue of housing is fractured into parts. There is home ownership, market rental, below market rental, social housing, seniors housing, assisted living, and on and on. Each category gets debated on its own with little attention to how it fits with all the other needs. Policies are then developed sector by sector.

Beau Jarvis sees this as a problem. Beau is the President and CEO of Wesgroup Properties, one of Canada’s largest housing providers. For many years, his company has been a major player in purpose-built rental housing. Many people in government and in the community feel that this is the only answer to affordability, but is it?

Have we completely given up on the idea of ownership – in any form – because it seems so expensive and so impossible?

But at the moment, rental is the flavour of the month, garnering much of the attention and policies to support it. Despite Wesgroup’s strong presence in that market, Beau feels it is a mistake if we aren’t talking about housing as a whole with all its permutations and combinations since piecemeal policy does not guarantee a liveable, affordable city.

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When I was a councillor in the late eighties, I remember one example of how neighbourhood planning was done in those days: on the street, not in backrooms.

A brand new False Creek residential development, to be built on industrial land, while controversial, was to be a centrepiece of new urban planning principles. Immediately, questions arose. How can you have density without amenities like parks? Or the idea that you can’t start building without thoughtful plans for infrastructure and traffic management. Most importantly, you have to talk to residents (or future residents) about their needs.

Larry Beasley, an urban planner for the city, was not content to just send paper reports to Council – he took a group of us councillors down to False Creek so we could actually see the design initiatives that were important to liveability, rather than just plunking down apartments.

As a sidebar, part of the lesson was about quality, dramatically emphasized when he was mid-sentence explaining why a certain kind of rock – rip-rap – had to be used along the shoreline to prevent rats from infesting the residential area. Just at that moment, a rat appeared and scampered up to us. Alright, alright. Pay for the right rip-rap! 

But the point actually is, Larry Beasley was always hands-on: walking the streets, talking to residents, asking questions, listening and responding, ensuring we built a city for its citizens. It is a big reason why Vancouver has so many unique neighbourhoods. And for many years, those streets became mini communities – safe to walk, shop, and talk to your neighbours.

Larry is not happy with what he is seeing today: that the province has decided it can design our cities from Victoria.

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The latest iteration was cobbled together just before the last provincial election when John Rustad, who had been kicked off the BC Liberals before they became BC United, joined up with the dormant Conservative party – and then Kevin Falcon, the BC United leader, pulled his party out of the race.

And we’re seeing the same kind of division on the right at the municipal level in Vancouver.  

Ahh, BC politics.

And unbelievably, this party with virtually no money, no organization, and a lot of newbie candidates almost won the election. Such was the unhappiness with the NDP government and Premier Eby.

Now, one might have thought that such a surprisingly good result would have given this new group hope and enthusiasm for the future. But no. Instead of all pulling together in the same direction with one eye on the future, the backstabbing and innuendo began.

Whispers and more whispers: John Rustad, the man who brought them so close to victory would be gone by Monday, or next week, or next month.

One year later, five MLAs have left or been kicked out of caucus and a majority of the Conservative Party executive have called for Rustad’s resignation, as have the presidents of five Metro Vancouver ridings. And yet, John Rustad is becoming more and more prominent on social media, talking about issues such as Cowichan, affordability and EV mandates.

To help us understand the machinations of politics in this province is my guest this week, Dr. Stewart Prest, a lecturer in political science at the University of BC.

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How can we ever have a meaningful discussion on how to improve healthcare delivery in Canada when we aren’t even allowed to ask the question? Medicare is perfect – until it isn’t.

Tangentially, this reminds me of the President Biden situation, when all his spokespeople were insisting that he was in perfect health until the public saw with their own eyes during the debate – that, in fact, something was very wrong.

So what are we seeing with our own eyes about healthcare delivery?

All seven OB-GYNY doctors – the entire unit – resigned their positions in the Kamloops hospital, citing unsafe working conditions and staff shortages.

People in Kelowna were told in the spring that the entire pediatric team at Kelowna General Hospital was being closed down due to poor working conditions.

Last year, British Columbia started sending some of our cancer patients to Bellingham, in the US, because we couldn’t guarantee timely treatment.

And of course, our headlines are filled with ER closures around the province: Merritt, Mission, Delta, and on and on. I can’t imagine the family that showed up in the middle of the night with a sick child, only to find the ER closed, thinking our healthcare system is just fine.

And I haven’t even mentioned waitlists and the shortage of family physicians.

One man who has been warning of this impending crisis since 1995 is Dr. Brian Day. He has devoted years – 13 of them – in court fighting provincial and federal governments, trying to be heard.

Brian has recently written a book: “My Fight for Canadian Healthcare.”

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I’m a baby boomer and to this day, I am astounded that institutions never saw us coming. With at least five years’ warning before this population boom hit the school system, it seemed to be a surprise when we all arrived – not enough desks, not enough classes, not enough schools.

But that bureaucratic “miss” is nothing compared to what we face today, as these same baby boomers age. Who knew?

Who knew boomers would need more and more complex healthcare as they got older?

Who knew that it would become harder and harder for some seniors to pay rising rents on a fixed income, leading to an increase in homelessness for those over 55?

Who knew that, along with longer lifespans, there would be a commensurate demand for those not able to take care of themselves – a demand for long-term care beds and assisted living services?

Well, here we are – and now we know.

According to British Columbia’s Seniors Advocate, we need at least 5,000 new long term care beds, as the waitlist for seniors needing these beds has grown by 200% in the last ten years.

And this shortage becomes a chokepoint for our entire healthcare system. Hospital beds are often occupied by someone ready to be released from acute care, but can’t until a long-term care bed is available. Then the E.R. gets backed up because a patient that should be admitted to a hospital bed has to stay in the hall of the emergency department because there isn’t an open bed upstairs.

Sounding the alarm on this issue, as well as ageism, is Dan Levitt, our province’s Seniors Advocate.

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You know, a lot has changed recently in how budget information is released. It used to be considered a major failure if anything was leaked before the minister stood up in Parliament and officially read the document into the record. This was to prevent insiders from using information for their own benefit.

In 1983, Marc Lalonde found himself in hot water because he had let a television crew into his office while the yet-to-be-released budget lay on his desk.

In 1989, Michael Wilson took responsibility when a leaked copy was handed to a reporter from a recycling plant. Michael didn’t resign but this was recognized to be a serious misstep.

Not anymore. Now, prereleasing budget initiatives is regarded as performance art. In the weeks leading up to Budget Day in Parliament this year, minister after minister would discuss initiative after initiative that would be included. Housing? We’ve got something for that. Critical minerals? We’ve got that covered.

Prime Minister Mark Carney even gave a speech promising the budget would be transformational, generational – whatever that means.

So while politicos probably regarded all the early positive stories to be a successful manoeuvre, it kinda backfired when Budget Day headlines said: “Over promised, under delivered” or “Big day wasn’t quite as advertised” or “Carney’s budget misses the mark.”

So what should we really be taking away from the government’s financial blueprint in 2025? Jock Finlayson has some warnings we should pay attention to.

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Last year, Caren McSherry, owner of the Gourmet Warehouse on East Hastings, told her story of how retail crime and intimidation is making her reconsider her business after more than 20 years. Broken windows (that she has to pay for), open theft where three big guys come in and simply take 3 very expensive juicers from the shelves, drugs and disorder on the street, even staff intimidation by one man who came in wearing a garbage bag and stripped. Is it worth it?

Another recent headline featured the owner of the Aura Nightclub on Granville Street, Allan Goodall, talking about how his business has been affected by the move to replace the Howard Johnson Hotel above him with supportive housing in 2020. Since that time, there have been more than 900 calls to the fire department and police say they have received thousands of calls. So, closed business for costly repairs – repeatedly – and intimidation of customers who really don’t feel safe coming into the area. How long can he keep going?

So many small businesses have given up – just look at the boarded-up “For Lease” signs.

John Clarides is the owner of Marquis Wine Cellars on Davie Street. Even though he is not in the direct hit of the Downtown Eastside, his business is also suffering from disorder on the street, vandalism, and shoplifting. His worry is that this is not just hurting his business; the long-term danger is that people are discouraged from coming downtown at all. He says, “When a street dies, a city dies.”

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As well, many citizens are turning against one of the principles of what it means to be Canadian: immigration.

A Nanos poll showed an erosion of support, with 71% of Canadians either strongly or somewhat strongly wanting to reduce the number of immigrants. Most of the wrath is focused on the careless way in which the numbers of Temporary Foreign Workers and international student visas were allowed to balloon, putting pressure on housing, healthcare, education, and social services across the country.

As mayor of Port Coquitlam, Brad West is no stranger to taking the brunt of policies designed by another level of government – the forced densification of British Columbia’s municipalities by the provincial government, which he calls “throwing urban planning out of the window.”

Brad also laments the lack of real action on involuntary care, when we need at least one other forensic psychiatric hospital to care for those who are in desperate need of help. Then there is decriminalization that precipitated such disorder on our streets.

So, it is not surprising that Brad West also has something to say about our economy and immigration. However, his analysis may surprise you.

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Not long ago, there was one newspaper story lamenting the disastrous state of residential construction and another story (the very same day) saying things were looking up.

And then, the confusing headline – “Housing starts are up but sales are down.” Huh? What does all this mean?

One thing to know is that in the real estate business, “starts” are a lagging indicator – that means those “starts” are about the past, as contradictory as that sounds. Many of those projects were initiated several years before today and may have been years in the developing / permitting / financing process and are just now in construction – thus, the use of the term “starts.”

On the other hand, sales tell you what is happening real time. How many actual properties successfully changed hands this quarter? How many built condos are sitting empty? One estimate says there are more than 2500 newly built, never lived-in condos available in Metro Vancouver – the highest number in this market in 25 years. rennie Intelligence calls this a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” for buyers.

But does availability mean affordability?

And why so many layoffs in the housing industry?

Ryan Berlin is the senior economist and Director of rennie Intelligence and the man leading a team of housing experts analyzing the data and the public policies shaping our housing market.

He has always been generous to me with his time, his analysis, and his predictions of where we are in the housing cycle and where we might be headed.

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Crystal Smith, Chief Counsellor of the Haisla Nation from 2016 to 2025, was a major public voice supporting LNG Canada in Kitimat, at a time when opposition was vocal and sometimes vicious. But she stood her ground. Crystal believed that only through economic development would she be able to help lift her people out of poverty and despair.

And she did it. LNG Canada is now operational and Cedar LNG, the world’s first to be majority owned by an Indigenous nation, is on its way.

Today, if you visit the Haisla Nation (as I have), you will see a large recreation centre hosting sporting and cultural events, a beautiful health centre offering mental health and addiction support, as well as seeing to the basic medical needs of the community. Overall there is a sense of confidence and well being in the Haisla Nation. Much gratitude is owed to Crystal and former Chief Ellis Ross.

But what did it take to become the leader Crystal is today? It wasn’t easy. She has talked emotionally about her personal or family connection to sexual abuse, drug addiction – and suicide.

Was being a woman an advantage or a disadvantage on this journey?

Was being indigenous an advantage or a disadvantage?

There are lessons to be learned from one woman’s already successful life – and she’s just beginning.

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Mayor Goetz has spoken movingly about the stress in his community of Merritt caused by the intermittent and unpredictable closings of his hospital’s ER. What do you do when your emergency department is closed and the next nearest is, maybe, a hundred kilometres away?

How many times in the last year have we seen these “temporary” closures in headline after headline, affecting hospitals throughout British Columbia? And it is not just ER closures – we have also seen pediatric care in Kelowna under threat, as well as maternity care in Kamloops and Prince George.

It’s as though we have come to accept the current state of healthcare delivery as the new model.

There are other issues: if your rural hospital can’t do complex operations and you must travel to a city centre – well, who pays for these additional expenses? Not just travel costs but also hotel stays if the procedure requires extended care. And doesn’t the Canada Health Act promise reasonable access to healthcare wherever you live?

Dan Levitt, BC’s Seniors Advocate, also raises the issue of long term care in rural communities. Where do you go if your community just doesn’t have these services?

Working on all these issues is Paul Adams, the executive director of the BC Rural Health Network. This network brings together more than 30 rural municipalities, several regional districts, and more than 70 non-profits to focus on needs and possible solutions. He believes this rural-urban divide has gotten worse since COVID.

So what can we do about it?

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One headline reads, “Feds on track to eliminate gas cars by 2035” – but are they? That’s only ten years from now – no gas cars being sold?

Besides which, the first deadline is in 2026, only 3 months from now. The federal government says by that time, 20% of car sales must be EVs, while our province is more ambitious in saying it must be 26%. In just 3 months!

So how are these mandates possible? Or is this another of those ambitious promises like the Paris Accords on climate that get signed but never done?

Like most people, I applaud aspirational goals, but I am against writing laws and regulations that are nearly impossible to meet.

Up front, I have to say I have driven an electric car for ten years and I don’t feel biased either for or against EVs. But when it comes to forced mandates on how many electric or plug-in hybrids dealerships must sell, I have some questions.

First of all, 56% of British Columbians oppose forced EV mandates. So how are you going to make this happen?

Then, as Barry Penner, Chair of the Energy Futures Institute, says: It’s like putting the cart before the horse – requiring people to buy electric cars before the infrastructure is in place. We don’t have enough charging stations in the right places to make it work.

Another major consideration is cost. So why would governments stop the rebates when you are wanting more people to buy these cars?

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It is bad news: a deficit of $11.6 billion, the largest in our history. And it would have been much worse except that the government chose to include revenues of $2.7 billion in future payments from a settlement with tobacco companies. In other words, even though the province is only receiving just over $900 million this year, they included all 18 years of future payments at once, as if it happened today. One journalist called this a dodge, but at the very least, it is misleading.

It’s hard to remember that Premier John Horgan had a surplus of $6 billion when he left government, even after dealing with COVID costs. Today? A different story.

And the much ballyhooed spending cuts are only $300 million in a budget of $95 billion – not even enough to cover revenue losses.

Talented journalist Rob Shaw, senior political reporter with CHEK-TV, says, “It’s like bailing out a flooded bathtub with a shot glass while the tap is still running full blast.”

So, why should we care, when households are focused on just trying to hold it together paying their own mortgage and expenses? 

Well, it’s exactly because households are doing that: trying to keep their finances in order that we should expect our provincial government to do the same.

Joining me to analyze how desperate things are in BC is David Williams, senior policy analyst with the Business Council of BC. David is a scholar who has long studied the direct relationship between public policy and a community’s well-being.

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This issue was brought to the fore by the NDP government’s introduction of the Land Act just before the last election. It was a bit of a bombshell, as it indicated that First Nations would co-manage all of British Columbia’s Crown land – 94% of the province.

Because this was done without proper consultation with all the many affected players, including private property holders and businesses, the resulting uproar forced the government to withdraw the Act.

Then this spring, an agreement between the provincial government and the Haida Nation announced the granting of aboriginal title throughout Haida Gwaii. Once again, the question of private property rights arose. Does aboriginal title override both government and private ownership?

And now, we have the momentous Cowichan court decision granting title of land in Richmond to the Cowichan Tribes. The voices expressing concern over private property are growing even louder.

In her judgement, the judge said, in part, that her decision “may give rise to some uncertainty for the fee simple title holders.” That means private property owners; she goes on to say “it may have consequences for their interest in land.”

To help us sort out the actual legal issues and repercussions is one of Canada’s top legal minds in the field of aboriginal law.

Thomas Isaac joins us to analyse these latest developments and what it means to homeowners.

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Think about it. You take an oath to serve and protect others, even if it means putting your own life on the line. Long gone are the days of peaceful protests, putting the bad guys in jail – and keeping them there as your mission.

Police are now expected to be mental health workers, peacekeepers, drug addiction experts, organized crime investigators, and, oh yes, please deal with the disorder on our streets.

Meanwhile, the legal and health environment keeps changing around them. Frequently, the police, after making an arrest, find that individual back on the streets, sometimes on the same day, ready to offend again and again. The courts are letting us down, but is it because of the way the law is written, or is it political directives that influence these decisions?

As well, a new term, complex co-occurring disorders, has entered our vocabulary. This refers to those who are both mentally ill and drug addicted. There is no debate that we as a society have not provided adequate care and facilities for these individuals. So where do they go? In part, due to decriminalization, we see them on our streets – often in desperate shape, sometimes violent.

Into this complex environment has stepped Steve Rai, Vancouver’s new Chief Constable. While he is new to this position, he is not new to the VPD, where he has served for 35 years doing everything from walking the beat in East Vancouver, to being a hostage negotiator for the Emergency Response Team.

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Mayor Mike Hurley is directly affected in his 2 roles: first as Chair of the Metro Vancouver Board and second as mayor of Burnaby.

First, an independent report looking at the governance of Metro Vancouver was needed as a result of the tremendous overrun on the wastewater treatment plant – a budget that went from $700 million to $3.6 billion! How could that happen?

Well, the Deloitte report that was just released paints a grim picture:

The Board is too big: 41 directors representing 21 municipalities, Tsawwassen First Nations and electoral area A – too many people around the table.

The politically elected chair should be replaced by a non-elected professional governance expert.

Expenses for the directors should be reevaluated and trimmed.

Basically, the report says that this regional government has outgrown its governance structure and must be changed.

And as if problems at Metro Van weren’t enough of a distraction, the province recently pushed through legislation that, in effect, overrides the municipal jurisdiction of zoning and permitting – Bill 15 – all in the name of fast-tracking favoured projects.

And who gets to decide these lucky winners? The premier and cabinet. Not the Legislature, not First Nations, not municipalities – certainly not you or me.

The government is saying, “trust me.” Already, at least one lawsuit is being threatened.

So for Mayor Hurley, the challenges and changes are coming at him from all directions.

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Prime Minister Carney has said our relationship with the United States will never be the same again as a result of this major politically driven trade dispute. Canadians must now rethink our defense policies: our supply chain vulnerabilities, our jobs, and our food security. Do we even have food security if over half of our agrifood imports come from the United States?

Does this need to be the case? What can we do to change that around? Can we grow or process more of our own food? Are we using our land and resources to the best advantage? Are there innovations that we should embrace with an open mind?

Dr. Lenore Newman is one of Canada’s top experts on food security. Currently, she is director of the Food and Agriculture Institute at the University of the Fraser Valley, where she holds a Canada Research Chair in food security.

As early as 2019, Lenore was part of BC’s Food Security Taskforce that presented to premier John Horgan and his government their recommendations on how we could improve our situation. Did anything come of that report?

Recently, she contributed to a Canada Research Council document called “The Next Course,” which enthusiastically makes the case for Canada to become a “living lab where the world’s food future is born.”

Dr. Lenore Newman joins us to explore the opportunities Canada has to enhance our own food security.

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The Conference Board of Canada has done reports identifying the factors that lead to successful economic development for First Nations communities. In brief they are: strong leadership and vision, an economic development plan, access to capital, good governance and management, accountability, and strong relationships and partnerships.

The Chee-act-in have ticked all of these boxes under Chief Epp’s leadership. Derek adds one more essential value: ownership. He is an active investor, developer, and partner. And as he says, they have flipped the script and gone from being 90% government-supported to 90% own source funding.

As well, as a result of their emphasis on healthcare and mental health support, they now have no children in the Ministry’s care. Derek Epp is a visionary as he tries novel solutions to the issues a small urban reserve faces.

While his first degree was in social work with a specialization in First Nations studies, he has gone on to study aboriginal management at the University of British Columbia. He is comfortable talking about zoning, infrastructure, financial partnerships, taxes, and deal making – all part of the Chee-act-in success story.

Chief Derek Epp joins us to discuss why his model works and what others can learn from their experience.

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I think most would agree that good transit makes for a liveable city or region and also helps with affordability. So when Translink announced that by June of this year, they would be running a $600 million deficit and would have to start cutting service, it got my attention.

Already there are some routes where the bus is full by the first stop, and others where service is too infrequent to be useful. So more people, less service – and a huge deficit.

Even more surprising was trying to figure out who is actually driving the bus. Who is responsible for a regional transit plan? Is there one? Since the business plan is obviously broken, who has the authority to fix it?

TransLink – the organization that announced it was in trouble – has its own board of directors but it isn’t exactly independent. The Mayor’s Council on Regional Transportation over at Metro Vancouver must approve their budget. But – and it is a big BUT – they can’t tell TransLink how to spend the money.

Ultimately it comes down to the provincial government. In an attempt to stanch the bleeding, the Eby government promised $312 million in operations funding, which will give TransLink stable funding for 2 years. At best, this has been described as a bandaid and not a long-term solution.

Mayor Brad West is the Chair of Metro Vancouver’s Mayor’s Council on regional transportation. He is very aware of the weaknesses inherent in this overlapping governance model and has some thoughts on the need for a long term solution.

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As Paul Wells says in one of his thoughtful commentaries, “Democracy is supposed to be a conversation.” But what happens if one of the sides stops talking? For instance, by proroguing parliament because no business could be done while the prime minister refused the Speaker’s order for him to produce requested documents?

Or what happens when the Emergencies Act, a powerful last resort to maintain the security of our nation, is enacted over a messy, noisy truck convoy? The courts eventually found this action to be unreasonable, not justified, and violated the Charter right to freedom of expression.

Or when Bill 7 is written enabling the Premier of British Columbia to override regulations and rules without engaging the legislature, all in the name of Trump tariffs? Public outcry forced Premier Eby to remove the most egregious Clause 4.

What is going on?

We, as a community, as a country, trust in the idea of democracy. We trust our elected leaders to not take advantage of their power position, to not ignore the rights of legislatures or parliaments to be part of the discussion.

So are honking horns and threatening trade tariffs on the same level of national security? I think not.

Clearly, democracy takes vigilance and work. Dr. Stewart Prest, a lecturer in political science at UBC joins me to consider these trends.

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Wow, what a ride! What started out as an expected pounding of then-prime minister Justin Trudeau by the Conservative Party under Pierre Poilievre ended up with a Liberal Party win for political novice Mark Carney, our new prime minister.

Mind you, there were a few bumps along the way – or rather, one big bump: President Trump. If you were writing a script that said, “Out of the blue, an American President will take over the ballot question for a Canadian federal election,” no one would believe you. But he did, by calling Canada his “cherished 51st state.”

All of a sudden we woke up, elbows up, and said, “NO WAY! No way you’re taking our water, no way you are dissolving what you call an ‘artificial line’ that we call a border. No way you are going to bully Canada with threatened tariffs and penalties.”

And so the ballot question became, “Which leader would be stronger in standing up to President Trump?” While there will be lots of finger pointing going forward, the people decided – Mark Carney.

Whatever happened to the anticipated issues: cost of living, inflation, housing, economic blues? All important, all real – but all put aside in the name of national pride. So very interesting.

To help us understand the undercurrents and consequences of this federal election, we are joined by Rob Shaw, senior political correspondent for CHEK-TV. Rob had a front row seat as he covered the drama of this surprising election with his daily reporting insights. What does it all mean for Canada going forward?

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Carole Taylor's Journal is a public affairs dialogue that digs deep into the most pressing issues of our times. For more, see our website at http://www.caroletaylorsjournal.ca.

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In just the last 3 months, there have been 35 assaults on Vancouver police officers.

In one horrific attack – one I’m sure we would all like to “unsee” – an officer was doused in a flammable substance and set afire. In this case, the assailant had ten outstanding warrants. In a rare show of emotion, the spokesperson for the Vancouver Police Department said that these attacks were enraging to our officers who are just trying to do their job: protecting us.

So we circle back to the question of why these dangerous individuals are out on our streets. Time and time again, they are repeat offenders, frequently with complex co-occurring mental health and addiction issues.

So how is our system letting all of us – including the police – down?

Is it bail reform that is needed? I mean, really – how can someone come before a judge thirty or more times and still be released?

Is it a lack of mental health support or a lack of involuntary care for those with deep, deep problems?

Is it an addiction treatment model that just doesn’t work?

These are some of the questions Elenore Sturko has been asking in the Legislature as the Conservative Critic for the Solicitor General and Public Safety.

Her passion comes, in part, from her thirteen years experience as an RCMP officer, seeing first-hand the devastation our current approaches have wreaked.

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Right at the pointy end of the stick are our food banks. They are among the first to sense when something is going very wrong. Usually when you say something has had a record-breaking year, it is a good thing. Not so with food banks.

In the last 5 years, visits to food banks in our province rose 81%. One month topped 100,000 visits, the most ever seen since food banks first started some 40 years ago in this province.

Even more concerning is the change in who is coming through the front door. More and more often, it is someone with a job, but a job that can no longer cover the costs of food and housing in BC. Towards the end of the month, many turn to our food banks for help in feeding their families.

As well, according to Dan Levitt, BC’s Seniors Advocate, many older British Columbians are feeling the squeeze, trying to pay their rising bills on a fixed income. Sadly, it is often the cost of food that is one bill too far – thus they turn to our food banks as well.

Food Banks BC is the provincial association of food banks; over a hundred hunger relief agencies belong. As executive director, Dan Huang-Taylor supports the mission to not only meet the emergency short term needs of British Columbians, but also work with others towards a hunger free community – a monumental task to take on.

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In Gordon Campbell’s governments, he served as Minister of Health, Finance Minister, Minister of Economic Development, Minister responsible for the Asia Pacific and the Olympics, back to Finance after I left, and then was named Deputy Premier.

One of his most challenging assignments was to tackle the interprovincial trade barriers between BC and Alberta.

Today we have the prime minister, most premiers, and many business people responding to Trump’s ever-changing tariff threats by recognizing that it’s sometimes harder to trade with our own provinces than it is to do business with the United States – thus, the renewed call for free trade within Canada.

Sounds good. I’m all for it, but it is not easy. I watched Colin Hansen struggle in 2006 trying to get a free trade agreement with just one province, Alberta.

Why can’t our doctors, nurses, engineers, etc. automatically have their credentials accepted in every province?

Whose standards for food safety or environmental requirements will be accepted?

I remember during Colin Hansen’s negotiations, there was a moment when we ran into a roadblock – literally – over the size of truck tires, which are different in each province.

So I applaud the words that are being said. It is the right thing to do. But turning those words into action will not be quick. Every province will have their own list of non-negotiables.

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This is particularly important for British Columbia since he has focussed on the mighty Columbia River, whose headwaters are north of Cranbrook. 

This is the faucet that the president suggests could be opened so that more of Canada’s water could flow to the US, helping with the drought and wildfires of California. Experts shake their heads at his concept – there is no faucet and the Columbia River doesn’t flow near to California. But politicians are paying attention. 

In 1964, after some pretty heavy negotiations, Canada and the United States signed the Columbia River Treaty, giving the two countries shared management of the river. Canada would build dams to control water flow, thus preventing flooding in Washington State. In return, Canada received 50% of the profits from the hydroelectric power produced downstream.

Interestingly, Senator Jack Austin, who was involved in those negotiations, says that Canada got more than it deserved in that Treaty.

As it stands, more than 40% of US hydroelectric power comes from this Columbia River system. So you can see why it has caught the President’s attention.

The Treaty was due to be renegotiated last year but try as they might, to have a new deal ratified before the change in presidency, it didn’t happen. As a result, there is plenty of uncertainty about how aggressive the US will now be to change the deal to their advantage.

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1987 was the year Adam joined the VPD, becoming Chief Constable in 2015. He leaves as the longest serving Chief in the department’s history. Just imagine how the streets have changed over those four decades.

In ’87, Vancouver was coming off the high of Expo ’86. There was a feeling of pride in our step; after all, we invited the world to our beautiful city. Of course there was a darker crime story as well, but not like today. Now, we are experiencing new and seemingly intractable and overlapping problems. Despite recent data indicating violent crime is actually declining, that’s not how it feels. We have an area of Vancouver that is almost a no-go zone, with homelessness exacerbated by drug addiction and mental illness.

How has our police department had to adapt to these challenges? How has their mandate expanded? What should we be thinking about from a public policy point of view going forward?

Sir Robert Peel, thought to be the father of modern policing, believed in the principle that “we don’t police the community, we police WITH the community”. That has been a hallmark of Adam Palmer’s time as Chief Constable.

At his retirement announcement he said, “This career is full of ups and downs, various crises, challenges, laughter and tears, but it’s also incredibly rewarding and I would do it all over again, in a heartbeat, without thinking twice.”

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Mayor Ken Sim of Vancouver shocked many when he announced the city would no longer permit net-new supportive housing. On the surface, this seems crazy when we see the homelessness on our streets, the criminality, and the crying need for mental health support. How could we say no to more supportive housing?

However, surprisingly to me, Dr. Somers sent a letter of support to the mayor, complimenting him on this initiative to put the brakes on more supportive housing in Vancouver. As a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in addiction who has worked in this field for 37 years, one would expect him to say give us as much supportive housing as you can.

His perspective on what we are doing wrong is illuminating.

Why are we concentrating so much of our support systems and services in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver?

Why are rural areas so under-serviced that people feel they must come to Vancouver to get help?

Why do we see crime and violence increasing in these areas rather than decreasing despite the concentration of services?

Perhaps we are offering the wrong kind of support in the wrong places?

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In the beginning, when the province mandated more density around transit hubs, people grumpily agreed, even though it was stomping on the right of municipalities to control their own zoning.

After all, having people live close to transit lines should lead to more people using the system, therefore making the massive infrastructure costs worthwhile.

Thus, the Broadway Plan allowed increased density and towers along the new rapid transit route.

But then Vancouver City Council went further by proposing to greatly increase the areas where this was allowed. It now encompasses many different character neighbourhoods, often at some distance from the transit corridor.

The idea that, without needing a rezoning process, anyone can build a 20-story tower next door has worried many city planners, architects, and community activists. Whatever happened to all the work that went into those individual neighbourhood plans?

Larry Beasley was one of 23 community leaders who wrote to Council, asking them not to pass this further expansion of the Broadway Plan and its towers.

However, the Council disagreed and passed the changes.

Larry Beasley is an internationally respected urban planner who, as Co-Director of planning for the City of Vancouver, helped develop what is now known around the world as Vancouverism. He is frequently asked to speak and advise on this urban planning concept.

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Poillievre is ahead of Trudeau by 20 points. Or now Carney is ahead, maybe. Or 45% of Americans think Trump is doing a swell job. 

And then we remember 2016, when the majority of American pollsters said with confidence that Hilary would win the election. Then she didn’t. Whoops.

Since that time, much self-examination has been going on in the world of pollsters. Who is your sample? How do you reach people when many don’t have a landline anymore or don’t answer their cell when they don’t recognize the number? Or how about those cagey folks who give the wrong answer just to complicate the results?

So, like it or not, polls play a big role in how we see the issues of our time.

What intrigues me is what the pollsters see behind the numbers. After all, they are looking at these questions over and over. What trends are they identifying? What changes are happening? What does it mean?

Mario Canseco is president of a well-respected and often quoted Canadian company, Research Co. He looks beyond the obvious question of which party are you going to vote for. He wants to know the why and who you are. A senior? A young man? Someone in the sandwich generation caught between raising a family and caring for aging parents?

And how do you capture in numbers the worries and uneasy feelings of the average Canadian? That’s where the analysis comes in.

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Others use the euphemism “the disorder in our streets.” But whatever you call it, it certainly denigrates the liveability of so many communities – and it started way before decriminalization.

All across North America, not just in British Columbia, there was a movement in the 1970s, away from institutionalized care for the mentally ill, in part as a result of the movie “One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest.”

That was a terrifying tale of abuse that no one would support.

However, rather than ask how we could improve the way we care for the severely mentally ill, it was broadly decided that almost no one should be in secured care. Thus, Riverview was closed. A huge mistake, in my opinion.

I realize that the percentage of those who are severely mentally ill and in need of help is small, but to think these individuals would be able to cope on their own, find housing, remember to take their meds, eat properly and be safe is absurd. Instead, so many have become the victims of drug dealers and pimps.

So now, this vulnerable population has to deal with a decriminalization experiment that has increased the public use and abuse of drugs. The drugs are stronger, overdoses are frequent, brain damage too often the consequence. And still there are those who hear of the violent stranger attacks or see individuals lying on the streets in a desperate state but continue to argue against secured care.

Mayor Leonard Krog isn’t one of them. He has been outspoken about the need for a new approach.

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Whatever you think of him, President Trump has certainly turned the status quo upside down. From his point of view, it works.

By simply threatening to apply tariffs to all Canadian goods if we didn’t take action on our border and fentanyl issues, our prime minister and premiers sprung into action. Helicopters to the border, more raids on mega drug labs! Drones in the air!

But how will we respond to actual tariffs?

Canadian politicians and economists have had various ideas: We’ll match your tariffs dollar for dollar – or we will target sectors that Americans care about the most.

Our NDP premier floated the idea that we would take liquor and wine off British Columbia’s shelves if they came from red Republican states. I guess that means Kentucky bourbon is out and California wines are in!

While one can’t give in to bullies, it is fair to ask some questions.

Will retaliatory tariffs work, stop a trade war and change President Trump’s mind? Or just up the ante?

And who pays the cost? Consumers on both sides of the border, I would say.

One economist has written an essay titled: “Tariff retaliation is a dead end.” Canada needs to retool its economy, not chase self-defeating tariffs. That economist’s name is Dr. Roslyn Kunin.

Roslyn is an award-winning labour economist and forecaster who has taught at both UBC and SFU. Amongst her many career accomplishments, she served 20 years as Regional Economist for the federal government.

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It always surprises me when I hear our governments described in this way – most important, the federal level, next the provincial, then the municipal.

When I served in Vancouver’s municipal government, I was often asked, “When are you going to run provincially, or federally?” – as if that must be the goal. It was never my aspiration, even though for other reasons, I did eventually serve provincially.

But municipal governments are closest to the people they serve. They know what the issues are. Constituents can visit you in your office. They can appear in person to state their concerns before council, whether it is about potholes, the symphony, or supportive housing.

And mayors are the pointy end of that stick. In our minds, they are the ones responsible for housing costs, crime in our streets, fentanyl deaths, not enough density, too much density, too few bike lanes, too many bike lanes.

In many ways, a thankless job. But when done well, the good mayors become our voice on the public stage.

Mayor Mike Hurley of Burnaby is certainly in the spotlight these days. Elected in 2018 as an independent, he was re-elected in 2022 by acclamation – a strong vote of confidence.

And, as if being in charge of this bustling, well-run, and growing municipality were not enough, Mayor Hurley has recently taken on the role of Chair of the Metro Vancouver Regional District at a tense time when the overdue and over-budget waste water plant fills the headlines. Brave.

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When I was in civic politics, things were definitely not perfect, but I would say the governance structures and roles were clearer than today.

For instance, at that time, the federal government did not deal directly with municipalities – they worked through the provincial government. Not today. The Trudeau government has gone straight to certain cities with financial enhancements, even if it’s not a provincial priority. Several premiers are not happy.

On the question of zoning: in the past, that was exclusively a municipal responsibility. Not today. British Columbia’s provincial government has introduced density rules. Some call it a one-size-fits-all policy for cities throughout the province. This initiative overrides any neighbourhood planning done by municipalities. Many mayors are not happy.

Of course, one of the consequences of increased density is the need for infrastructure improvements – water, sewer, and electrical loads all need to be upgraded. As Mayor Mike Hurley of Burnaby has said, we have to handle all those new flushing toilets. These are major costs. Who is going to pay?

And what about transit, the service that ties communities together? We have been told that BC Transit’s business model no longer works and they will be $600 million in the hole by summer – never mind even considering increasing service and buses for all those new residents.

These are all pieces of a puzzle that don’t seem to fit together. Andy Yan is someone who has the responsibility of looking at the city holistically. As the Director of the City Program at Simon Fraser University and a planner himself, he is a respected commentator on what makes cities work and what doesn’t.

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Carole Taylor's Journal is a public affairs dialogue that digs deep into the most pressing issues of our times. For more, see our website at http://www.caroletaylorsjournal.ca.

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Here’s a surprising question: is President Trump right on this? Does Canada have a problem with the protection of our border and are we exporters of fentanyl? He has repeatedly said these are genuine concerns, not a negotiating gambit to get a better trade deal. We’ll see.

One thing for sure, President Trump has got the attention of our federal government. All of a sudden, there is money – over a billion dollars – coming into the system for better border protection, helicopters, and manpower. Funny: isn’t it that in previous years when premiers, especially the premier of Quebec, complained about illegal crossings, with not much action?

But this last year, the headlines have changed:

 “2 men charged after US prosecutors say BC freight trains used for human smuggling.”

“Terror suspect accused of plotting a mass shooting in New York came to Canada on student visa. “ (He was then arrested trying to cross illegally from Canada to the US.)

So that’s the border issue. But what about the fentanyl concerns?

A recent assessment from Canada’s Criminal Intelligence Service that says Canada should be considered a source country for fentanyl and other drug shipments moving internationally.

And if that wasn’t blunt enough, a Wall Street Journal headline said, “Canada is becoming a fentanyl exporter and target for Trump.”

To help us ascertain the facts, I have asked Calvin Chrustie to join us. Calvin is an international security expert who has spent 25 years with the RCMP and is recognized for his work on transnational crime.

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King Charles III is represented in Canada by the governor general in Ottawa, and in our province by the lieutenant governor. For the past 7 years, that has been the Honourable Janet Austin.

It’s not uncommon for people to think this role is purely ceremonial. It is not.

This is the highest ranking position in government. The lieutenant governor has the authority to summon, prorogue and dissolve the legislature – and we have seen a few recent examples of this.

In January, prime minister Trudeau sought the permission of governor general Mary Simon to prorogue or interrupt parliament for a period of time. She agreed.

Prime Minister Harper was similarly successful in convincing governor general Michaelle Jean to prorogue parliament.

In a rather tumultuous time in our province, Christy Clark, unable to elect a majority, asked our lieutenant governor (Judith Guichon at the time) to call an election. She basically said no and instead gave John Horgan the opportunity to form a government – and the rest is history.

So influence, for sure.

Of course, there is a ceremonial aspect as well: hosting distinguished guests, honouring award recipients, recognizing the contributions of outstanding British Columbians and, in the name of the King, honouring indigenous traditions and heritage.

Janet Austin has been an exemplary role model as our 30th lieutenant governor. As Her Honour’s term comes to an end, we take a look back.

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Carole Taylor's Journal is a public affairs dialogue that digs deep into the most pressing issues of our times. For more, see our website at http://www.caroletaylorsjournal.ca.

ctj027 #lieutenantgovernor #monarchy #royalfamily

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What makes Marshall stand out is that he was once one of those individuals that we saw sleeping on the streets of the Downtown Eastside in Vancouver. As an addict, he had been beaten up, repeatedly, put in jail, and threatened.

What makes his story even more meaningful is that he came from a modest family, worked his way up to a position in the British Columbia government, and even served as part of the successful Olympic committee. He was in a good place.

And then came the Vancouver Sun headline: “BC Political Aid caught in Drug Raid.” That was in 2004 – and that’s when the spiral downward began.

Fortunately, this riches-to-rags story has an enormously happy ending.

After being told that it was treatment or jail by the police, Marshall, with a lot of help, was able to overcome his terrifying addiction.

This lived experience is the reason he is so passionate about making drug recovery the focus of provincial addiction initiatives, rather than solely concentrating on harm reduction.

Of course, as you can imagine, this approach is controversial in those circles promoting safe injection sites, free drug paraphernalia, along with a safe supply of drugs – some even want this so-called “safe” supply to be distributed even without a prescription, taking away a possible point of intervention by a doctor.

So what can we learn from the Alberta model that could be applied in British Columbia?

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Personally, I feel the longer we can support the decision of older citizens to remain in their own homes, stay in their familiar communities, living as independently as possible, the better.

It’s better for them, better for the community, and better for the government all round, given the cost and shortage of long-term care beds.

It surprised me to learn that 75% of seniors over 85 in British Columbia continue to live independently – that’s really good news. More are living longer and staying healthy. Understandably, they don’t want to be pushed prematurely into long-term care.

So what can we do as a society and as a government to support their choices? Recognizing inaction will cost governments significantly more.

Recent polls, and elections, point to the problems many families are facing with inflation: housing affordability, grocery store bills, transportation costs. These challenges are exacerbated when you are living on a fixed income or pension as so many of our seniors do.

So, increased rent means what? Less money for food? Less money for everything.

According to BC’s Seniors Advocate, “the most precarious group of seniors are the 1 in 5 who rent.” Our provincial government does have a program to aid these individuals, called SAFER, shelter aid for elderly renters. The question is, can these subsidies possibly keep up with today’s costly rental market?

Joining me to discuss some of these challenges and possible solutions is Dan Levitt, BC’s Seniors Advocate.

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Chris Gardner is CEO/President of the 4500-member ICBA (Independent Contractors and Business Association) based in British Columbia and is an expert on labour and construction issues affecting our progress. He gets frustrated with some of our public policies that impede the ability to build what our community needs, whether it is affordable housing or the supportive infrastructure that must go along with it.

In fact, the ICBA has brought lawsuits against both the provincial and federal governments, trying to bring attention to policies that they believe have negative consequences for our economy.

I remember last spring when Prime Minister Trudeau, after another round of announcing dozens of housing initiatives, declared that with these initiatives, we hope to build 400,000 homes annually – that’s almost double our current rate of about 250,000 homes.

I thought: What? How? It’s a nice idea but where will we find the labour we need to double our building output? Where will we find the money it takes to build affordable or rental properties that often depend on government support? And how do we improve the zoning and permitting process at the municipal level to make this happen?

Chris Gardner joins me to look at some specific policies that will have to change if BC, and Canada, are going to move forward as an economic and fair country, full of hope for our children and grandchildren.

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There was the machete killing and hand maiming near the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. Then last week, a sucker punch dropped another stranger outside the Hudson’s Bay store, followed by the knife attack on two individuals in a store on Robson Street in the middle of the day.

What is happening that led Vancouver’s Mayor Ken Sim to say, “Vancouverites are sick of this crap”? Unfortunately, there is enough blame to go around for this deterioration in our cities and a lot of finger pointing.

But let’s start with the decriminalization experiment that led to wide open drug use, safe supply drugs being diverted to young kids, a shortage of treatment beds or involuntary care for those who are seriously mentally ill, or the revolving door of catch and release for violent repeat offenders.

Sitting in judgement on all these issues is our court system. Broadly speaking, what is holding up real bail reform? Why are repeat violent offenders so often back out on the street? Is it a lack of facilities or policy direction?

And what about access to justice? We hear far too often about delays resulting in charges being dropped. Not enough judges? Not enough courts? Never mind the prohibitive cost of a lengthy trial.

Today I am joined by the Honourable Robert J. Bauman, former Chief Justice of BC and former Chief Justice of the Court of Appeal in BC. Recently retired, I want to ask him what the courts are doing right but also, where are the weaknesses and what are the solutions?

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A report released recently by the Canadian Federation of Small Business states that BC small businesses experienced a 27% increase in crime in just over the past year – and that is above the national average.

8 in 10 small business owners fear for their own safety and that of their staff and customers.

52% of businesses surveyed by the Save Our Streets Coalition believe that these retail crimes such as petty theft and shoplifting increase the costs to consumers: that’s all of us.

So those are some of the numbers. But what is it like day to day, being a small business owner in such a climate? Heaven knows that small businesses have a hard enough time making ends

meet in the best of times, but what is it like today when you may come in to work in the morning to find broken windows, again, or another smash-and-grab robbery?

Caren McSherry is the inspiration and founder of the Gourmet Warehouse located in East Vancouver. A chef herself, she felt that there was a need for a unique specialty food and housewares emporium. 

And so, in 1998, Caren built it. And boy, did the foodies of the world flock to her shop!

But things have changed dramatically in the last few years, to the extent that she has started to muse aloud about how long she can keep going – too much theft, too much damage, too many threats.

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This refers to the distribution to drug addicts, by the health authorities, of a drug called hydromorphone, an opioid some say is as potent as heroin. The idea behind this initiative is to move individuals away from the toxic street drugs that are causing so many overdoses.

But are they safe, as we understand the word? A proposed class action lawsuit has been filed in the BC Supreme Court suggesting this terminology is negligent misrepresentation – that they are not safe for our community.

An earlier report by an American drug policy expert commissioned by Bonnie Henry, our Medical Health Officer, stated that “rampant safe supply diversion is all but inevitable.”

“Diversion” means that while these drugs are initially given to drug users in the program, they are often traded for cash or stronger drugs on the street – these “dillies” (as they are often called) end up in the hands of our young people, even in our high schools.

Police have been quoted as saying that “everyday our officers observe people openly selling these diverted safe supply medications.”

This means that these drugs are often not staying with the intended user for the intended purpose, and thus increases the potential of expanding our drug-using community rather than decreasing it.

The reporter who has meticulously been documenting these issues in the National Post is Adam Zivo, the Executive Director of the Centre for Responsible Drug Policy.

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Carole Taylor's Journal is a public affairs dialogue that digs deep into the most pressing issues of our times. For more, see our website at http://www.caroletaylorsjournal.ca.

ctj021 #drugaddiction #addiction #addictionrecovery

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Did you ever wonder what it takes to be one of the chosen ones on this small team of would-be astronauts, when Canada didn’t even have a full space program?

The year was 1984 and the man was Marc Garneau, today’s guest.

His story is a remarkable tale of talent, guts, success and very hard work in a number of professions: a captain in our Navy, Canada’s first astronaut in space, President of the Canadian Space Agency and finally a turn in politics as the federal Minister of Transportation and then Foreign Affairs – and that is just a “fly-over” of his career, pun intended.

Marc has recently written a book on his adventures called “A Most Extraordinary Ride.” And indeed, it has been. He describes himself as a restless individual – a somewhat challenging young man testing all the rules.

In his career, Marc Garneau, wearing different hats, had dinner with President Ronald Reagan and Prime Minister Mulroney just before his first space flight, travelled the world trying to better understand the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific region, and then, as our Minister of Foreign Affairs, was involved in the chaotic aftermath of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan.

One of Marc Garneau’s last acts as a politician was to give a moving speech to the United Nations on Canada’s behalf, saying in part: “Space offers the unique perspective of seeing beyond one’s own national borders. In that sense, this body – the United Nations – offers that same perspective.”

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For 16 years she was the President and CEO of Covenant House Vancouver, an organization supporting youth aged 16 to 24 who are experiencing homelessness, meaning they may live on the street, or in cars, or occasionally find a bed with friends but no place they call home.

Sometimes they have been kicked out of their homes; sometimes they have been forced to run away because of abuse. Covenant House is there for them, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Recently, Krista led a major fundraising effort that resulted in a new building being opened that, with extra space, allows the counsellors to look after the very unique needs of the individuals who come to their doors seeking help – and believe me, their needs are complicated, often compounded by various addictions or history of abuse.

As Covenant’s material says: “One size fits One.”

There is no single solution that will work for every young person, so all of the care and counselling is intensely personal – What do YOU need, at this moment? Food? Bed? Mental health or addiction support? Covenant House currently has 60 crisis beds to be used for those in trouble – for as long as the crisis lasts.

As a result of Krista’s remarkable success, she has been tapped by Covenant House International to help other cities achieve their best results. Currently, she is on contract as interim CEO in Houston Texas until they complete their search for a new leader.

To talk about the overall challenges facing our youth today, Krista Thompson joins me.

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Carole Taylor's Journal is a public affairs dialogue that digs deep into the most pressing issues of our times. For more, see our website at http://www.caroletaylorsjournal.ca.

ctj019 #homelessness #youthhomelessness #youth

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We should probably start at the beginning – what happened to the BC Liberals?

I was elected in 2005 as a BC Liberal, which, at the time, represented a coming-together of the more central Liberals and the Conservatives of BC. 

But as we mostly know, it was not a happy or easy coalition. I doubt I went anywhere in my role

without those who were more conservative, complaining about the name. They hated the “Liberal” label and they were definitely NOT federal Liberals.

So I am not going to jump on Kevin Falcon and blame the loss of the election on the name change. Obviously, it wasn’t handled well and surely not marketed well.

So what now?

I served when Gordon Campbell had a slim majority and that meant that when the legislature was sitting, we had to be present in the building until 9pm, in case the opposition introduced a

motion of non-confidence. When that happens, the bells ring and everyone present runs to the legislature before the doors are locked.

If someone is sick on your side, or maybe off to dinner, the government can fall.

Premier Eby is in a much more precarious situation. And even though he and the Greens may be friendly on a number of issues, what happens to LNG expansion which the Greens oppose? Or involuntary care for those with severe mental disabilities? 

So, good luck to Premier Eby. This is not going to be easy. 

He indicated he listened to voters – but has he?

To discuss this election and what our government is going to look like going forward is someone who has watched every moment of this drama – Rob Shaw, the senior political reporter for CHEK News.

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Why is it that politicians here and in the US often say inflation is coming down, so all will be fine? Well, to start with, it is each year’s growth of inflation that is slowing. But each year’s numbers are added on top of the previous years’ jumps – it is cumulative. 

That’s why economists say the cost of living went up approximately 20% in the last five years when you add up those five years of increases. 

Wages, for the most part, have not risen at the same pace as inflation, so your paycheck just doesn’t go as far as it used to. 

So what does that mean to an average family? Well, it may mean you buy hamburger rather than steak – very likely, restaurant visits are reduced and it could mean you have to visit the food bank at the end of the month. 

It certainly means credit card defaults are up, which they are – 11%. And that is a very expensive way to borrow. 

Baby formula up 47%; shelter up 29%; food up 27%. 

Throughout this past BC election, people repeatedly said cost of living was their biggest worry and concern. Were the politicians listening? Did we get a calm, detailed analysis of how anyone intended to bring back fiscal discipline as a driving value? 

After all, if families have to watch their pennies, why shouldn't the government? 

Someone who has written extensively on this sticker shock is economist David Williams from the Business Council of BC.

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In my life in politics and journalism, I have met a lot of politicians, most of whom are decent people trying to do a good job. But once in a while, an individual stands out.

At 23, Brad was the youngest Councillor elected to Port Coquitlam city council, where he served three terms. In his first run for mayor, he received 86% of the vote – that’s practically unheard of. And for his second run, he was acclaimed. It was the first time ever that a mayoralty candidate was acclaimed in the City.

So obviously, he was successful from a very young age. But what interests me the most is what one commentator named as his “truth-telling.” Brad West tends to say the things many people are thinking, but don’t say aloud.

It is refreshing to hear a politician move off his briefing notes to express his thoughts or criticisms without worrying about any controversy that might ensue. He has an opinion on Riverview, decriminalization, and even China, for heaven’s sake! And even though his roots are firmly in the labour movement, he has criticized the NDP’s move towards what he calls “identity politics.”

People would like to pigeonhole him and say he is left-wing or right-wing, this party or that party. But so far, it hasn’t worked. Despite being asked by different political parties to run with them, he has so far declined.

Busy and happy as mayor of Port Coquitlam, Brad West also chairs Translink’s Mayors’ Council, as well as chairing Metro Vancouver’s Finance Committee.

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There is no question that this is a valuable business, bringing in over a billion dollars in economic activity to the province along with thousands of jobs – many supporting our First Nations communities.

There is also no question that open-net fish farming is controversial. Those who are against it talk about the poisoning of wild salmon through either transfer of disease or escaped fish

contaminating the stock.

Those in favour say much has improved over the years, greatly reducing the number of escaped fish, and they refer to a government report that suggested “marine operations pose

minimal risk to wild stocks.”

Despite this, the federal government has decided to take what they call a “precautionary approach” and close all open-net fish farms within five years. The assumption here is that the option of moving to land based containment is doable for all these enterprises – but is it?

The Coalition of First Nations for Finfish Stewardship has come forward to say this is a political decision not based on science – and Hereditary Chief Richard George of the Ahousat Nation has said that in his territory, a 5-year transition to closed containment is the same as shutting their operations down.

So, big questions: Can we have it all? Can we protect wild salmon and farm fish in the ocean

at the same time?

To further this examination I have invited Dallas Smith, President and Chair of the Nanwakolas Council business corporation and spokesperson for the Coalition, to join me.

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Carole Taylor's Journal is a public affairs dialogue that digs deep into the most pressing issues of our times. For more, see our website at http://www.caroletaylorsjournal.ca.

ctj015 #fishfarming #fishing #britishcolumbia 

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There is no denying, even by politicians, that the disorder and stranger violence we see on streets around our province has profoundly upset our communities. Now, there are obviously many complicated causes and many fingers to be pointed at policies or politicians.

But where are we at and how do we go forward?

Going way back, the closing of Riverview put many people with complex mental health issues on the street without guaranteeing the support they would need for their healthcare and housing.

Today’s guest, Fiona Wilson, actually wrote a report on this topic for the Vancouver Police way back in 2007, called “Lost in Transition.”

As well, there is no question that BC’s recent experimentation with decriminalization rapidly brought disorder to our public spaces and limited what the police could do to keep some semblance of order. Now that public use of drugs in certain public spaces has been re-criminalized, has that made a difference?

And then we have a court system, sarcastically called “catch and release,” that sends repeat violent offenders back out into the community – often to reoffend.

Why is that?

Is this because it is an intentional policy decision? Or is it a lack of judges? Or holding space in our jails?

Deputy Chief Fiona Wilson, one of the most accomplished and decorated women in Vancouver Police history, has spent 25 years immersed in these issues and will join us to give us her perspective on the current situation and possible solutions.

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Carole Taylor's Journal is a public affairs dialogue that digs deep into the most pressing issues of our times. For more, see our website at http://www.caroletaylorsjournal.ca.

ctj014 #publicsafety #police #vancouver

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The most dramatic is the political decision of the provincial government to override the municipal responsibility for zoning, demanding increased density being automatically allowed throughout even single family neighbourhoods with very high density allowed along transit corridors.

Perhaps because of my previous involvement with both levels of government, I have some sympathy for both sides of this issue. 

At the municipal level, I understand the desire for mayors and councillors to want control of their own zoning; after all, they are closer to their constituents and are usually quite sensitive to the differing needs of various neighbourhoods.

On the other hand, the provincial government is the big funder of rapid transit and for as long as I can remember, they have always asked for – and been vaguely promised – higher density near transit stops since that increased population feeds the system. 

Rarely and slowly did that ever happen, so they are frustrated.

In an attempt to address the pressing issue of affordable housing, the provincial government also promised to speed up the arduous permitting system seen in some urban centres – two sides of the same coin.

Michael Geller has seen it all in his 45 years as a Vancouver architect, planner, real estate consultant and developer.

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Carole Taylor's Journal is a public affairs dialogue that digs deep into the most pressing issues of our times. For more, see our website at http://www.caroletaylorsjournal.ca.

ctj013 #vancouver #housing #vancouverhousing

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The worry is that due to the volume of these announcements that we see scrolling across our TV screens every night, we are in danger of becoming numb to the seriousness of this issue – “it’s not my problem, until it is my problem.”

So let’s think about what is actually happening behind the headlines. An elderly man was found on the ground in respiratory distress in front of a closed ER in Merritt. A child in pain from a possible broken wrist finds her ER on diversion and the nearest hospital is more than 100 kilometres away.

ERs are, by definition, for emergencies – which can happen at any time day or night. And unfortunately, so many of these unexpected closures happen in rural areas where options are limited.

I know that government’s response is to quote the number of hires they’ve done but this problem has been a long time in the making and is getting worse, causing the mayor of Merritt to plead with the government: “Do something – anything,” causing the mayor of Massett in Haida Gwaii to speak out in frustration, suggesting if Northern Health can’t provide the service, maybe independent care providers can.

The mayor of Merritt, Michael Goetz, joins me to talk about what it is like on the ground trying to protect his community and cope with closed or “on diversion” ERs.

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Carole Taylor's Journal is a public affairs dialogue that digs deep into the most pressing issues of our times. For more, see our website at http://www.caroletaylorsjournal.ca.

ctj012 ctj2x03 #healthcare #health #britishcolumbia

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for an internationally-recognized art gallery based in BC has turned into one of those nightmares we have seen time and time again.

Its budget started out at around $300 million and has now doubled to a number in the $600 millions – before anything has been built.

How did this happen? Was the idea right in the first place? Did we need a costly, splashy international architectural firm to design it?

One person who has been public about his concerns with this project from the beginning is Bob Rennie. While most people know of Bob from his stellar real estate career, his big love in life

has always been the world of art.

He is regarded as one of the WORLD’S top collectors of modern contemporary art.

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Carole Taylor's Journal is a public affairs dialogue that digs deep into the most pressing issues of our times. For more, see our website at http://www.caroletaylorsjournal.ca.

ctj011 #vancouver #artgalleries #britishcolumbia

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What is going on? And how did we get here?

Well, we know some of the backstory from newspapers: the messy split between Kevin Falcon and John, leading to John sitting briefly as an independent and then his surfacing as the leader of a previously pretty quiet Conservative Party of BC.

Lo and behold, something about this reinvention has appealed to many British Columbians.

So, I ask again, who is John Rustad? What would his priorities be if he were to be elected Premier? Or, alternatively, how would he handle the job of Leader of the Opposition?

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Carole Taylor's Journal is a public affairs dialogue that digs deep into the most pressing issues of our times. For more, see our website at http://www.caroletaylorsjournal.ca.

ctj010 #bcpoli #cdnpoli #britishcolumbia

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Finally, our politicians have noticed the angst in our community about the cost of housing, rising mortgage rates, the lack of housing options – but at the same time, the fear of density.

The important question is, besides all of the photo-ops, will these initiatives make a difference? Will Vancouver ever be affordable, or is that just a pipedream?

Join Carole Taylor and Bob Rennie in a discussion about Vancouver’s housing conundrum.

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Carole Taylor's Journal is a public affairs dialogue that digs deep into the most pressing issues of our times. For more, see our website at http://www.caroletaylorsjournal.ca.

ctj009 #vancouver #vancouverhousing #housing

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The success of our country, our community, depends on the leaders we elect. It depends on their values, their talent and experience. So how do we convince more, good, people to participate?

Join Carole Taylor and Tamara Vrooman, the CEO of Vancouver International Airport, as they explore the root causes of a loss of interest in holding public office.

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Carole Taylor's Journal is a public affairs dialogue that digs deep into the most pressing issues of our times. For more, see our website at http://www.caroletaylorsjournal.ca.

ctj008 #cdnpoli #bcpoli #politics

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No question: we used to punch above our weight when our beloved country was listened to with respect at the United Nations and around the world. Not so much anymore.

So who are we now? What is Canada’s place in the world? Do we have influence?

Join Carole Taylor and the Hon. James Moore as they examine the root causes of Canada’s sinking reputation.

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Carole Taylor's Journal is a public affairs dialogue that digs deep into the most pressing issues of our times. For more, see our website at http://www.caroletaylorsjournal.ca.

ctj007 #cdnpoli #canada #politics

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Join Carole and Jock Finlayson as they dive into the factors that will leave today’s youth with a massive debt.

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Carole Taylor's Journal is a public affairs dialogue that digs deep into the most pressing issues of our times. For more, see our website at http://www.caroletaylorsjournal.ca.

ctj006 #cdnpoli #canada #canadianeconomy 

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Join Carole and Dr. Brian Day as they look at a system lacking doctors, nurses, hospitals and is sending cancer patients to the U.S.

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Carole Taylor's Journal is a public affairs dialogue that digs deep into the most pressing issues of our times. For more, see our website at http://www.caroletaylorsjournal.ca.

ctj005 #healthcare #health #cdnpoli

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As a result, women in particular need insights on personal protection and ways to avoid and escape from danger.

Join Carole and Inspector Colleen as they reflect on what is happening on the streets of Vancouver and how women can protect themselves.

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Carole Taylor's Journal is a public affairs dialogue that digs deep into the most pressing issues of our times. For more, see our website at http://www.caroletaylorsjournal.ca.

ctj004 #safety #crime #vancouver

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Where do you get your news these days? How do you know if it's true? Is print really headed to the graveyard to be replaced completely by digital media? What about local news?

Join Carole and Stuart McNish as they examine the myriad influences that are decimating the news business. 

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Carole Taylor's Journal is a public affairs dialogue that digs deep into the most pressing issues of our times. For more, see our website at http://www.caroletaylorsjournal.ca.

ctj003 #newsmedia #medianews #news

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The resulting “BC Land Act” was introduced in the legislature with fanfare, but landed with a thud. The headlines were brutal: no consultation. First Nations will co-manage with the government all of our crown land – 94% of the province. 

Government promises private land will be protected... or will it? And how will it work?

Join Carole and guest Thomas Isaac, one of Canada’s Top 25 most influential lawyers.

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Carole Taylor's Journal is a public affairs dialogue that digs deep into the most pressing issues of our times. For more, see our website at http://www.caroletaylorsjournal.ca.

ctj002 #reconcilation #firstnations #indigenouspeoples

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Thousands of British Columbians are dying annually due to toxic drug reactions and overdoses. How did we get to the point? Who's behind "Safe Supply" and why? What is decriminalization and its role in the deaths of thousands of people?

The evidence is in – and "Safe Supply is anything but Safe."

Join Carole and guest Julian Somers, SFU Distinguished Scientist in Health Sciences.

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Carole Taylor's Journal is a public affairs dialogue that digs deep into the most pressing issues of our times. For more, see our website at www.caroletaylorsjournal.ca.

ctj001 #safesupply #drugaddictiontreatment #addictionrecovery

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.