Let’s Celebrate!

Last week I celebrated my birthday with my family. The highlight of my day? An absolutely delicious gelato cake! But that’s not the main point of my little anecdote, though the cake really was marvelous. Rather, I want to reflect on the broader link between celebrations and culture. There are probably millions of different ways…

A snatched victory

                          Quebec’s latest electoral campaign has confirmed what recent elections in many provinces, including British Columbia, have recently suggested: campaigns are more crucial than ever. Recall that Liberal Christy Clark’s victory last year was a product of her campaign. This time around it…

Harper’s unfair Elections Act must be stopped

Stephen Harper is trying to rewrite the rules around elections in Canada, and we can’t afford to let him get away with it. The prime minister won a majority government in 2011 with 39 per cent of votes, which were cast by a mere 61 per cent of eligible voters. He doesn’t need either of…

The housing market’s war on culture and community

World’s best city to live in”, and “World’s most reputable city” were the accolades thrown around by just about anyone who learned about my imminent departure to Vancouver. To my mind, the city has an immediate appeal and aura that these various reports and surveys seem to have tapped into: it’s pleasant, safe and in…

The White Sentinel

It’s a rare occurrence to view Mount Baker’s splendor apparent in the background of this picture. Located east of Bellingham, Washington, in Whatcom County, this massive peak can be viewed from the Vancouver, Victoria and Seattle areas. Its First Nations names have variations sounding like “Kulshan.” Many First Nations people believe “Kulshan” means a kind…

Armenian Easter bread recipe

Choereg is a traditional, slightly sweet bread, especially made for Easter time. It is delicious for breakfast with a nice cup of coffee, similar to a French brioche bread. Choereg can be made individually or as a large braided loaf of bread. One of the ingredients is a spice called Malheb, which is used in cooking throughout the Middle East,…

Watch out for the zombies

Vancouver. I was jet-lagged and confused when I met you for the first time; fifteen hours away from everything I had known in Sweden and you, to be honest, didn’t make much sense to me. You didn’t speak the way I do, we almost whisper words in Sweden but you talked loudly about everything and…

Barack Obama’s last stand: humour?

Well, we’ve now seen it all. The President of the United States of America – a title that defines its holder as the most powerful man in the world – is having to resort to an appearance on a satirical web show in order to salvage what he can of his healthcare reform. But, short-term…

An example worth following:
The life and politics of Tony Benn

It’s the same each time with progress. First they ignore you, then they say you’re mad, then dangerous, then there’s a pause and then you can’t find anyone who disagrees with you. Tony Benn The world is a little bit darker place this week, after the death of Tony Benn, a shining light of progressive politics…

Billowing Beauty

World–renowned artist Janet Echelman has coloured Vancouver’s waterfront with a billowing beauty. This incredible net sculpture that spans 745 feet is suspended between the rooftops of the Fairmount Waterfront Hotel and the Vancouver Convention Centre. It is her largest and most technically ambitious installation to date. It is made from Honeywell Spectra fibre, a lightweight…