The 2019 Federal budget that came down March 19 is reflective of the Prime Minister, looks good on the outside but is mushy on the inside. There are improvements that have garnered some applause but considering what is needed on issues like climate change, affordable housing and universal childcare it falls way short of the mark.
Read MoreA shift has been happening over the last couple of years. As a number of high profile sexual harassment and sexual assault cases in the entertainment industry have become headline news, there seems to be a real change in how sexual relations are regarded. The patriarchal structure of our society is being called to account.
Read MoreBack in 1975, as a worker in the Vancouver Post Office, I joined 18,000 other postal workers across Canada on the picket line. We were attempting to not only win a wage increase to keep pace with inflation, but more importantly to win protections and some control over the mechanization of our work lives. We were out from Oct 21 until Dec 2 for a total of 43 days.
Read MoreAfter finish reading Rod Mickleburgh’s new history of the BC Labour movement ‘On the Line’, the first emotion I feel is anger. Anger at how the apparatus of the State, through the decades and at the behest of robber barons, company bosses and the corporate elite, have conspired to thwart working people from not only our rightful share of the economic bounty but simply having some measure of control of our lives.
Read MoreOn October 20th citizens all across BC will have an opportunity to elect mayors, councilors, and area directors – the leadership of our local government. Unfortunately, only about 25-35 per cent of those citizens will exercise that right. As a participant, a few years back, in a group called the Citizens Voice Project, I feel strongly that not voting in these elections is a serious omission. Local governments are the most accessible level of democratic expression and City Hall, in many ways, has the most influence on people’s day to day lives.
Read MoreCanadians value fairness yet we tolerate a basically unfair system to elect our representatives. In BC this autumn we have an opportunity to correct that problem. Between Oct 22 and Nov. 30 there will be a referendum conducted by mail in ballot in which the question is asked, ‘Do you want to change the present past the post electoral system –yes or no?’ If you do want to change it, you have three choices for proportional representation voting systems and you can decide on the one you want.
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