Serving up some Christmas cheer with ⁦@victoriajungvan⁩ and a couple of the 2,500 turkey dinners that ⁦@ugm⁩ are expecting to feed hungry folk this weekend in the DTES - with thanks to the many many volunteers who make this happen!

Chag sameach, Happy Chanukah on this first night. In contemplating the blessing that frame the start of these holidays, I light a candle and bow my head for community, faith, and peace. שׁלום Shalom. Happy Hanukkah

Wow independent Park Bostd chair @BrennanBastyo spittin pure FIRE on Ken Sim’s broken promises, lack of experience and petty political moves to disband the board and consolidate power over parks into his office @CBCOnTheCoast cbc.ca/listen/live-ra…

Thanks @bctoday & @michelle_eliot for having me in to talk about Mayor’s plan to remove park board and centralize power over parks and recreation out of his office. Now that I’ve had a chance to read motion, it’s worse than I imagined youtube.com/live/TZ5VpU3tA…

@bobmackin Heh heh, from their platform: "An ABC Majority will limit partisan activity from Mayoral office staff" - that one never gets old

In 1989, I was naively ignorant to the existence of the kind of vile misogyny that begat the massacre of fourteen young women at École Polytechnique. In 2023, acutely aware that misogyny still infects society, I remember, and I stand steadfast as a feminist and an ally 🕯️♀️

This👇🏽 straw-man whattaboutism deflects extent of actual cronyism... I won't speak to substance of in-camera nom-com, but I did look up the surprise appointment at time: Parveen Mangat's since-scrubbed Linkedin described themselves as an ABC campaign manager, not just a "donor" twitter.com/kareemallam42/…

@JamieHannigan_ @christineeboyle @IAFF18 @VanFireRescue @Karen_Fry @DeputyTMoore @OneCityVan @AdrianeCarr 100km, apparently similar model in LA runs at 99% EV efficiency, never having to resort to fossil fuel

Process wise: Nom-com review applications, CVs & staff advice, to make recommendations for council consideration. Both are closed meetings though the latter doesn't need to be. In related news, ABC refused my motion last week to bring more transparency & accountability to closed

Before I was replaced at VPLBoard, I worked w/ Melody and found her to be a smart productive trustee, and did not bring unrelated partisan politics to her role. I advocated to reappoint Ma, but nomination subcommittee is *not* non-partisan, as one might deduce from membership... twitter.com/melodyma/statu…

An honour to welcome Nordic Delegation to Vancouver City Hall today w/ robust conversation about shared priorities, opportunities, and rich history of Nordic Canadians in BC @IcelandinCanada⁩ 🇮🇸 ⁦@SwedeninCAN⁩ 🇸🇪 ⁦@NorwayinCanada⁩ 🇳🇴 ⁦@FinlandinCanada⁩ 🇫🇮

Transparency promotes accountability and provides information for citizens about what their government is doing - appreciate the support from @bcfipa on my motion today twitter.com/bcfipa/status/…

@george_affleck I could have gotten chatGPT to simplify it a bit that's for sure

5. Despite concerns I've heard in political corner that would rather not release in camera votes, it is considered best practice for local government. For any concerned councillors tomorrow - I'm bringin' receipts c/o Toronto and others re how to do transparency

4. It's important to display accountability to the public for the decisions we make, even if its after the fact and especially if the info is no longer deemed sensitive... Like the decision to scrap Living Wage, the public have a right to know how we voted thetyee.ca/News/2023/10/3…

3. Passing resolutions in closed can never be used to conceal decision-making process from legitimate gaze of the public. Indeed, local governments should always try to provide as much information as possible about any resolutions passed in closed bcombudsperson.ca/assets/media/S…

2. Create clarity around closed meetings. While respecting safe space for discussion, accountability for the outcomes of those discussions should provide a counter balance. We release closed meeting decisions no longer sensitive, we should also release the vote

1. Let council ask questions of public speakers. In 2022 Council limited speaker time and eliminated option of clarifying questions. Many speakers struggle to make a cogent point in just 3 min. Our job is to thoughtfully hear and consider information from community.

Tomorrow, my motion calling for Transparency and Accountability in Conducting Council Business. It’s a bit dense w/ reasoning clauses, but the asks are clear & consistent w/ our Oath of Office: to be accountable for the decisions and actions we take. 1/6 council.vancouver.ca/20231129/docum…

Lots of language about reviewing council's mandate. Rreport was supposed to be presented to council & public in early Oct. Non-ABC Councillors only got eyes on the report this morning and it was not distributed on the public agenda council.vancouver.ca/20230411/docum…

Mayor’s budget task force report today. Among more eyebrow-raising suggestions: an appointed finance committee to gatekeep arts and community service grants. In media scrum mayor just suggested budget may be deferred to next year to consider final task force report in January.

Have you experienced harassment while working or socializing in Vancouver’s nightlife & hospitality spaces? We're partnering with @goodnightoutVAN and @NotMeApp so you can share your experience, get support, & contribute to industry change.💜 Learn more: ow.ly/FZ9k50Q3JuN

👀 @Vote4ABC priorities: having staff *look* at unlocking density potential in Shaughnessy or a Youth Climate Corps dismissed as bad use of staff time/resources... Instead 4mos for staff to create new housing programs/policies for households making up to $180k on City land🤔

Remembrance Day at Cenotaph with centenarian Percival Smith, merchant Navy veteran if World War II, signed up at seventeen and served four trips across the North Atlantic, then the Mediterranean and over to the Pacific and South China Sea #WeRemember #ArmisticeDay2023 🌺

Cold morning but warm remembrances this morning for National Indigenous Veterans Day. Considering people who stepped up to fight for their countries, even as their respective countries didn’t grant them equal rights. With gratitude and respect #nationalindigenousveteransday 🇨🇦🇺🇸

Celebrating Vancouver’s Bravest at the @VanFireRescue Firefighters Awards -catching up after a COVID hiatus— with 2022 @IAFF18 firefighter of year Massimo Cerantola, who off duty risked his life and suffered serious injuries to save a neighbour from a car fire.

@k3nt778 I think this particular story is correlating traumatic brain injury from proximity to constant artillery fire - that said, untreated PTSD can factor in the issues you list, I hope you can get some resources and treatment.

Wow, intense long read. Long before the US Military recognizes TBI and PTSD in these young soldiers, I imagine Hollywood will: Deer Hunter meets Concussion meets Jacobs Ladder. Shitty karma of worst job in the army aside, this is tragic on so many levels. nytimes.com/2023/11/05/us/…

@downtownvan @LumiereYVR @nzwc_ca The wings were broken off and the sculpture was leaning a bit - I happened to meet the artist on-site surveying damage that happened sometime before lunch (it was fine when I walked by around 7:30 am)

At the SFU Food Forward Summit and sampling some kick-ass delicious #EastVan-born woman-owned plant-based foods from Kindred kefir, Brightside burritos, and OhYas! goodies