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In the early 80s when I was five years old, my parents brought my younger sister and me to live in Vancouver. Our family stayed for four years while my parents started a business before moving back to Hong Kong. Back then, occupied with priorities such as my first trick-or-treat outing and building my first…
When it comes to politics, 2016 has been a nightmare. This year’s winter holidays – ostensibly a time for family and friends, rest and recharging – will be celebrated under the long shadow of the reality that Donald Trump, barring some Hail Mary intervention, will be sworn in as President of the United States on…
This is the mantra that accompanied the restoration and renewal of Christ Church Cathedral at the corner of Georgia and Burrard in the heart of downtown Vancouver. It is the Cathedral church of the Anglican Church of Canada’s Diocese of New Westminster, the Regimental Church of the Seaforth Highlanders and the place of worship for…
I am from Québec City and the decisive moment to throw it all out the window and start anew in the West came about rather suddenly. The original intention of moving to the West Coast went through a maturation process of about six months before a decision was made. The call of the peaks grew…
Nothing is impossible. That’s a phrase I’ve heard uttered by countless friends, colleagues, and acquaintances since Donald Trump’s unexpected victory over Hillary Clinton. Whatever the initial subject of a conversation these days, it inevitably turns quickly to discussion of the Nov. 8 shocker south of the border. All over the world, people and politicians are…
This small triangular park, on the north corner of Hastings and Carrall Streets is virtually on the east/west divide of Vancouver. It’s at the heart of Vancouver’s history, standing on the southeast corner of the 1870 Granville Townsite, which pre-dated the city of Vancouver. It’s also on the traditional territories of the Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh, and…
To leave your native land, your hometown, is never an easy task. Plenty of questions, and sometimes a few doubts, will overwhelm you. So in my opinion it’s important to settle in a place that suits oneself best despite cultural or even geographical differences. Before flying off for Vancouver, many people were intrigued by my…
The long nightmare known as the U.S. presidential election campaign has finally come to its end. I feel stupider just for having followed it. Donald Trump, that unrestrained id of right-wing xenophobic politics, has been melting the world’s collective brain for more than a year. That his opponent was a cynical, hawkish, Wall Street backed…
Located at 401 East Waterfront Road at the foot of Dunlevy Avenue, this house represents the historic area from which the City of Vancouver began its development. Vancouver’s first public school, the Hastings Saw Mill (circa 1865), the Hastings Mill Store (1865) that housed Vancouver’s first post office, library and community centre were all located…
What living and growing up in Canada has taught me is that the notion of “acceptance of all” is not a concept that is introduced or implemented everywhere in the world. This was not something that I ever even considered during my time in Sri Lanka. On the other hand, I never thought about being…
The B.C. election campaign is already underway. Unofficially, that is. The writ won’t actually be dropped until about a month before the fixed voting date of May 9, 2017. For that official campaign period, there’s a legislated spending of several million dollars. But the governing BC Liberals, having raked in piles of money from their…
On Oct. 27, Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s Documentary Film Festival will screen Kombit (Creole for cooperative), a film about efforts by Haitian agronomist Timote Georges and Canadian development worker Hugh Lock, co-founders of the Smallholder Farmers Alliance, to reforest Haiti and build a more sustainable agricultural future. Kombit’s trailer alludes to the monumental failure of foreign…
As the name implies, this is a tree associated with wishes. This one is located on the south edge of a park at Jervis St. in the West End between Burnaby St. and the alley which eventually becomes Drake St. The written wishes began appearing at the end of this summer of 2016. They are…
