Around this time of year, thousands of 18 to 30-year-olds around the world apply to take part in International Experience Canada (IEC), a one or two year working holiday program.

Andrew Bhatti, 33, was only nine years old when he was sexually abused by his Big Brother from the Langley Big Brothers Association. The abuse continued until the age of 14. Bhatti is now an activist for male sexual abuse and a patient at the B.C. Society for Male Survivors of Sexual Abuse (BCSMSSA), the only one of its kind in B.C.

A year after the Liberal party approved a resolution for the legalization of marijuana during the last Biennial Convention, the party released its first draft policy paper on January 18, 2013.

The Burnaby region of the B.C. library system will expand its free computer training sessions with new classes for seniors starting February 2013.

On a bright cold Saturday morning in downtown Montreal, Ken Lyotier, founder of Vancouver’s non-profit United We Can Bottle Depot (UWC), is counting his stash, tying full plastic bags and dragging them to a storage area.

British-born Canadian Gary Owens is a self-taught toy maker who looks forward to the Christmas season each year. Owens casual hobby as a toy maker quickly grew into a successful home business, and then into the internationally renowned Tuff Toys store, established in 1987.

Afzal Mangalji, is a social worker with Vancouver Coastal Health. He says that South Asian and Chinese seniors are struggling between traditional and modern practices of senior care.

Jordan Eng, Vice President of the Vancouver Chinatown Business Improvement Association (VCBIA), is part of a group involved with the city council that is planning to bring new life to one of Vancouver’s oldest districts.

However, Meetup groups are not for everyone. Singapore-born Kane Tan, a Vancouver resident of at least 24 years, is uncomfortable with the idea of using services like Meetup to make friends.

Takako Kobayashi, is a Japanese international student, who moved to Vancouver six months ago to learn English. She believes that Japan has a better recycling system than Vancouver, and that Vancouver should have programs educating newcomers about being green and how to recycle effectively.

Leanna Maslyuk, and six local mothers have formed a group called the Veronika Children Leukemia Foundation. They created this organization to help children in need of medical care in former Soviet Union countries, like Ukraine.

If you find yourself in downtown Montreal this June 24th, you will see large crowds of Quebecois waving flags and singing songs with gusto. What you will be observing is not the latest student protest, but rather the celebration of Saint-Jean Baptiste Day, Quebec’s fête nationale (national holiday).