When Expanding Police Training Isn’t the Same as Expanding Wisdom

 

When Expanding Police Training Isn’t the Same as Expanding Wisdom

Recently, the province of British Columbia approved new satellite police training academies in Vancouver and Victoria, overseen by the Justice Institute of British Columbia. The intention is to increase the number of officers being trained each year to address staffing shortages across police departments.

On the surface, this might sound like a practical solution. Communities want safety. Cities want adequate staffing. Governments want faster training pipelines.

But many citizens have very real concerns — and those concerns deserve serious discussion.

Because the issue isn’t simply how many officers we produce.

The real question is: what kind of officers are we producing, and are they prepared for the world they are entering?

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Six Months of Training for Society’s Hardest Problems

In British Columbia, basic police academy training lasts roughly six months. Afterward, recruits complete field training under senior officers before working independently.

Compare that with other professions expected to care for people during crises:

• Nurses train for approximately four years.
• Teachers often complete four to six years of education.
• Doctors train for seven to ten years or more.

Yet police officers are often the first responders to society’s most complicated human crises.

They are called to:

• mental health emergencies
• domestic disputes
• addiction and overdose situations
• homelessness outreach
• family breakdowns
• trauma and violence
• public disorder
• community conflict

These situations require far more than tactical training.

They require emotional intelligence, psychological understanding, life experience, and wisdom.

No classroom can teach wisdom in six months.

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The Problem With “Learning From the Old Guard”

After the academy, new recruits typically learn by shadowing experienced officers.

In theory, this mentorship model should help young officers learn practical skills.

But in reality, it can sometimes reinforce the very problems communities are worried about.

If previous generations of policing included:

• outdated attitudes toward mental health
• bias toward certain communities
• aggressive enforcement styles
• adversarial relationships with citizens

Then those attitudes can be quietly passed down.

Training becomes less about modern knowledge and more about absorbing the culture of the department.

And culture, once entrenched, is very difficult to change.

Many recruits enter policing wanting to help people. But when the dominant culture emphasizes authority, hierarchy, and “us versus them” thinking, idealism can erode quickly.

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A Military Structure in a Civilian Society

Police forces often operate with a strict command hierarchy similar to the military.

Orders flow downward.

Questioning superiors can be discouraged.

For new recruits, this structure can make it extremely difficult to challenge problematic behavior or outdated thinking.

If a young officer sees something wrong, the pressure to conform can be enormous.

Career advancement, peer acceptance, and workplace safety may all depend on staying silent.

This environment can unintentionally protect bad habits rather than reform them.

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Policing Has Become the Catch-All for Social Failures

Over the last several decades, many social services have been reduced or stretched thin.

Mental health services are overwhelmed.

Affordable housing is scarce.

Addiction treatment is limited.

Community supports have weakened.

When people fall through these cracks, who is called?

The police.

Officers are now expected to respond to problems that historically would have been handled by:

• mental health professionals
• social workers
• community mediators
• addiction specialists

Police are often placed in situations where they are the least appropriate tool for the problem, yet they are the only available response.

This creates stress for everyone involved.

Citizens feel misunderstood.

Officers feel overwhelmed.

And tragedies can occur when complex human crises are approached as enforcement problems rather than care situations.

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Trust Cannot Be Built Through Force

Public trust in policing depends on more than patrol cars and enforcement.

It depends on whether communities believe officers understand them.

People want officers who have:

• empathy
• cultural awareness
• patience
• life experience
• strong ethical judgment

Communities also want accountability when mistakes occur.

When misconduct scandals appear — whether involving excessive force, harassment, or discrimination — public trust erodes quickly.

And rebuilding that trust takes far longer than six months.

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Expanding Training Capacity Isn’t the Same as Improving Training Quality

Creating new academies may increase the number of officers graduating each year.

But quantity is not the same as quality.

A better conversation might include questions like:

• Should police training be longer?
• Should more time be devoted to psychology and conflict resolution?
• Should officers train alongside social workers and health professionals?
• Should departments recruit candidates with broader life experience?
• Should crisis response teams include non-police specialists?

These questions are not anti-police.

They are pro-community.

Because everyone benefits when first responders are well prepared for the realities they face.

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Communities Deserve Thoughtful Solutions

Safety is important.

But safety comes from thoughtful systems, not rushed ones.

Citizens, officers, and vulnerable people alike all deserve a system that prioritizes:

• wisdom over speed
• understanding over force
• prevention over reaction

Training more officers may be necessary.

But training better officers — with deeper education, broader perspectives, and stronger support systems — may be even more important.

The real goal should not simply be filling uniforms.

The goal should be building a society where the people entrusted with authority truly understand the communities they serve.

Because when the system works well, everyone benefits.

And when it fails, everyone pays the price.

When Technology Moves Faster Than Ethics

 When Technology Moves Faster Than Ethics

A Call to Businesses, Universities, Teachers, and Communities

By Tina Winterlik (Zipolita)

We are living through a moment where technology is moving faster than our ethics, faster than our laws, and faster than our public awareness.

Devices like the Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses, developed by Meta and EssilorLuxottica, allow people to record video almost invisibly. What looks like a simple pair of sunglasses can capture photos, video, and livestream what someone sees.

Most people nearby may have no idea they are being recorded.

Recent reporting has also revealed that some footage used to train artificial intelligence systems is reviewed by workers overseas, including in places like Kenya.

That means private moments captured by a wearable camera could potentially be seen by strangers thousands of kilometers away.

This raises serious questions about privacy, consent, and power.

⚠️ But the biggest concern may be this:
Technology is spreading faster than our ability to understand it or regulate it.

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A Message to Business Owners 🏪

If you own a café, a store, or any public-facing business, you may soon face situations where customers or staff are wearing recording devices.

Do you have a policy?

Do your employees know what to do if someone is secretly filming customers?

Businesses may need to start thinking about privacy signage, clear policies, and staff training.

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A Message to Professors and Universities 🎓

Universities helped create many of these technologies.

Now they must help society understand them.

AI ethics, digital privacy, and surveillance technology should not be niche topics hidden in computer science departments. They should be part of:

• journalism courses
• law programs
• sociology classes
• education training programs

Students must graduate understanding the world they are entering.

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A Message to Teachers and Schools 📚

High school students are already living in a world of cameras, social media, and artificial intelligence.

But many are not being taught the risks.

Students should learn about:

• consent when filming others
• digital footprints
• online exploitation
• AI training and hidden human labor
• ethical use of technology

Teaching these topics early helps young people become responsible digital citizens.

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A Message to Communities and Seniors 👵👴

Many elderly people have no idea that wearable cameras even exist.

That makes them especially vulnerable to exploitation.

Community centres could play an important role by hosting free workshops about digital safety, helping people understand:

• how wearable cameras work
• how AI uses images and video
• how to protect privacy in public spaces

Communities that learn together are communities that stay safer.

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Possible Scenarios We Should Be Preparing For ⚠️

Scenario 1

Someone wearing smart glasses records people inside a small business without permission.
The footage ends up online, where viewers make cruel comments about customers.

How should the business respond?
Should laws protect the people who were filmed?

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Scenario 2

A student secretly records classmates in a school hallway and uploads clips to social media.

The video spreads quickly and humiliates someone.

What responsibility does the school have?
What consequences should exist?

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Scenario 3

A wearable camera accidentally captures sensitive information — a credit card number, a private conversation, or a medical discussion.

Who is responsible if that information spreads?

The person wearing the device?
The platform hosting the video?
The company that created the technology?

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What Communities Could Do Right Now 🏘️

Waiting for governments alone may not be enough.

Communities can start acting today.

Ideas include:

• Digital literacy workshops at libraries and community centres
• Public discussions about AI and privacy
• School programs about ethical technology use
• Clear business policies about recording in private spaces
• Advocacy for stronger privacy laws

When people understand technology, they are less likely to be exploited by it.

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Ten Reflective Questions Journalists Should Be Asking 🎤

1️⃣ Should wearable cameras require visible recording indicators so people know they are being filmed?

2️⃣ What legal protections exist for someone who is secretly recorded and posted online without consent?

3️⃣ Are technology companies moving too fast compared to the laws meant to protect the public?

4️⃣ Who is responsible when AI training data contains private or sensitive footage?

5️⃣ Are low-wage workers reviewing private footage being adequately protected and compensated?

6️⃣ Should businesses and schools have the right to ban wearable recording devices?

7️⃣ What rights do citizens have when their image is captured unintentionally in AI training data?

8️⃣ How prepared are police and courts to deal with crimes involving wearable cameras?

9️⃣ Are governments investing enough in digital literacy for the public?

🔟 What ethical responsibility do tech companies have before releasing powerful new surveillance tools?

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The Bigger Question

Technology is not slowing down.

The real question is whether our ethics, laws, and education systems can catch up in time.

If we want a future where technology empowers people instead of exploiting them, we need to act now — together.

Business owners.
Teachers.
Journalists.
Students.
Community leaders.

Everyone has a role to play.

Because in a world where cameras can be hidden in plain sight, awareness may be our most powerful protection. ✨

*Last Thoughts*

A camera used to be something you could see.

Now it may be hidden in a pair of sunglasses.

In a world where anyone might be recording, the most important question becomes simple:

Who is protecting the people being watched?👀🙄😬🥺💩👽🤬🤢⏳️⌛️🛑

Bone Games, Bingo, and Casinos: Thinking About Gambling Through an Indigenous Lens

Bone Games, Bingo, and Casinos: Thinking About Gambling Through an Indigenous Lens

Recently I saw an announcement for the Suquamish Renewal Coastal Jam & Powwow that will take place partly at the Clearwater Casino Resort.

That made me pause.

Like many people exploring Indigenous traditions and ancestry, I sometimes find myself feeling conflicted about gambling. I dislike casinos and the modern gambling industry, yet I also know that games of chance have existed in Indigenous cultures for centuries.

In fact, family stories say that my great-great-great grandmother, Mary Ann Maranda dit Le Frise, was very skilled at the Bone Game.

That makes the conversation more personal.

Traditional Games Were Not the Same as Casinos

The Bone Game is an ancient Indigenous guessing game played across many regions of North America. It involves two teams, hidden bones or sticks, drumming, singing, and intense observation. Skilled players learn to read body language and anticipate their opponents.

Yes, sometimes people wagered items during the game. But historically these wagers were often things like blankets, food, tools, or horses. The game was also social and ceremonial. It brought communities together through music, laughter, and competition.

It was very different from modern gambling systems built around profit.

Colonization Changed the Story

Ironically, colonial governments often tried to suppress Indigenous cultural practices. Ceremonies such as the Potlatch were banned for decades under the Indian Act.

Traditional games were sometimes discouraged or outlawed as well.

At the same time, other forms of gambling gradually became normalized in colonial society. Churches and community organizations introduced games like bingo as social events and fundraisers. Many children encountered bingo in schools, youth clubs, and church halls.

Later, governments themselves began operating lotteries through organizations like the British Columbia Lottery Corporation.

So the message became confusing: traditional games were restricted, yet state-run gambling was promoted.

Why Some Tribes Operate Casinos Today

For many Indigenous nations, casinos eventually became one of the few economic tools available for generating revenue and supporting their communities.

Casinos can fund:

• healthcare services
• housing programs
• education and scholarships
• language and cultural revitalization.

For some nations, these businesses provide a degree of economic independence after centuries of economic restrictions.

Still, not everyone feels comfortable with gambling culture, even within Indigenous communities.

A Personal Reflection

My ancestor being known as a strong Bone Game player reminds me that Indigenous cultures were never static or simplistic. Communities played games, competed, laughed, and gathered together.

But it also reminds me that there is a difference between traditional social games and modern commercial gambling industries.

It is possible to respect the cultural traditions while still questioning the systems that exist today.

Exploring family history sometimes raises complicated questions. But those questions are important. They help us understand how traditions evolved and how colonial systems reshaped them.

And sometimes they remind us that our ancestors were far more complex and interesting than history books ever recorded.

When Grandparents Are Shut Out: A Question for British Columbia’s Child Welfare System

 When Grandparents Are Shut Out: A Question for British Columbia’s Child Welfare System

By Tina Winterlik (Zipolita)

Across British Columbia, many families are quietly struggling with something that rarely makes headlines: grandparents trying to stay connected with their grandchildren after a child enters the care system or is placed with another guardian.

Recently, I saw a message from a grandmother living in Surrey, BC. Her grandchild is in care or placed with other grandparents. She says she has been blocked from visits and cannot even get a letter of support from her own First Nation. Her lawyer is struggling to make progress.

If her account is accurate, this situation raises serious questions about how the child welfare system is operating and whether the laws designed to protect Indigenous families are actually being followed.

This is not just about one family. It is about a system that is affecting thousands of children.

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Indigenous Children and the Law

Canada passed a federal law meant to prevent the continued separation of Indigenous children from their families and cultures.

That law is An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families (Bill C-92).

It states that when Indigenous children are involved in child welfare decisions, priority should be given to:

• Family members
• Extended family such as grandparents
• Members of the child’s Nation
• Cultural continuity and connection

This law was created partly in response to the historic harms of residential schools and the Sixties Scoop, when Indigenous children were removed from their families and communities.

In theory, these protections mean grandparents should be considered essential relationships in a child’s life.

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British Columbia’s Child Welfare System

In BC, the primary agency responsible for child protection is the Ministry of Children and Family Development.

Their actions are governed by the Child, Family and Community Service Act.

That law says that the child’s best interests must be considered and that family connections should be maintained whenever possible.

But many families report that the system does not always function this way.

Sometimes children are placed with one side of the family and the other side becomes completely cut off unless they go through expensive and stressful court processes.

Grandparents may need to apply for a contact order through the courts under the Family Law Act.

For many seniors or low-income families, that is a difficult and slow process.

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Oversight and Accountability

When families believe a child in care is losing important family or cultural connections, there is an oversight office that can investigate.

That office is the Representative for Children and Youth.

This independent office reviews whether government agencies are protecting the rights and wellbeing of children.

Legal help may also be available through Legal Aid BC, which provides support for some family law matters.

However, many families say navigating these systems is extremely confusing and slow.

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The Bigger Context

Anyone who has spent time in the Lower Mainland recently knows that British Columbia is facing multiple overlapping crises:

• housing shortages
• homelessness
• addiction and mental health challenges
• rising poverty

Areas such as the Downtown Eastside have become symbols of these struggles.

Encampments have repeatedly appeared and been cleared along places like East Hastings Street.

When communities experience this level of stress, families often end up interacting with the child welfare system more frequently.

And when families fracture, children can lose connections that may be vital to their identity and wellbeing.

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Why Grandparents Matter

In many cultures, including Indigenous cultures, grandparents are not just relatives.

They are teachers, language keepers, and emotional anchors.

For children who may already be experiencing instability, maintaining relationships with grandparents can provide:

• continuity
• cultural knowledge
• emotional safety
• family history and identity

Removing those connections without clear explanation can cause deep harm.

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Questions That Deserve Answers

Cases like the one described raise important questions for leaders and institutions in British Columbia:

• Are the protections in Bill C-92 being consistently followed?
• Are Indigenous children truly maintaining family and cultural connections?
• Why are grandparents sometimes unable to obtain even basic visitation?
• Are families receiving clear explanations when access is denied?

Transparency and accountability are essential.

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Who Has the Power to Act

These questions deserve attention from decision-makers including:

• David Eby, Premier of British Columbia
• Mitzi Dean, Minister responsible for the Ministry of Children and Family Development
• the Representative for Children and Youth
• Indigenous governments and Nations across Canada

These leaders have the authority to review policies and ensure that the law is being respected.

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A Call for Compassion and Transparency

This article is not about assigning blame in one individual case.

Child welfare decisions are complex and must always prioritize the safety of children.

But families deserve clear answers.

And children deserve every chance to remain connected to the people who love them.

When grandparents are left outside the system without explanation, something is not working the way it should.

British Columbia can do better.

For the sake of the children.

Job Offer or Trap? A Warning to Women — And a Question for Government

 

⚠️ Job Offer or Trap? A Warning to Women — And a Question for Government

Police in West Vancouver recently warned women about a suspected kidnapping attempt connected to a job offer in Surrey.

Let that sink in.

A job offer — something meant to provide dignity, stability, and income — allegedly used as a setup for harm.

For parents of daughters looking for work, this is terrifying.
For women already navigating ageism, rejection, and housing insecurity, it is infuriating.

And we need to be honest: when economic systems become unstable, predators look for openings.

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🚨 This Is Not Just One Incident

When a case is discovered, we hear about it.

But how many attempts go unreported?
How many women walk away shaken but silent?
How many near-misses never become headlines?

Public warnings are important. But prevention must go deeper.

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🛡️ Practical Safety Steps for Job Seekers

Until systems improve, women need practical protection strategies:

1. Verify the employer.
Search for a legitimate website, business registration, and physical address. Call a publicly listed number.

2. First meetings should be in public professional spaces.
Never a private residence. Never an isolated warehouse. Never a hotel room.

3. Tell someone where you’re going.
Share location. Set a check-in time.

4. Watch for red flags.

• “Cash only”
• High pay, no experience required
• Pressure to come immediately
• Vague job description
• Refusal to provide written details

5. Trust discomfort.
If something feels off, leave. You owe no one politeness at the cost of safety.

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💔 The Bigger Issue: Economic Pressure Creates Risk

We cannot ignore the environment this is happening in:

• Housing costs are crushing. 🏠
• Stable jobs are harder to secure.
• Older women face quiet age discrimination.
• Gig work offers little protection.
• Online platforms are flooded with scams.

When women are desperate for income to pay rent, risk thresholds shift.

That is not weakness. That is survival pressure.

And predators know it.

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🏛️ A Question for Government

Public safety is not just policing after harm occurs.

It is preventing the conditions that make exploitation possible.

So we need to ask:

• Why are housing and employment insecurity treated separately from public safety?
• What protections exist for job seekers responding to online postings?
• How are governments regulating job platforms where scams flourish?
• What are municipalities doing to ensure safe hiring spaces?
• Why are women navigating economic vulnerability without stronger systemic safeguards?

If housing were secure…
If stable employment were accessible…
If age discrimination were meaningfully addressed…

Would women feel forced to respond to risky opportunities?

Safety begins long before a crime.

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🌎 This Is Everyone’s Problem

This is not about one city.
This is not about one police warning.

When society becomes economically unstable, exploitation increases.

Parents worry.
Women second-guess every opportunity.
Communities lose trust.

And yes — the fear spreads.

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❓ Reflective Questions

1. Have economic pressures ever made me consider something that felt unsafe?
2. How can we create verified, safer hiring systems?
3. Should job platforms be legally required to screen postings more rigorously?
4. How does housing instability increase vulnerability?
5. What would a truly protective system for women job seekers look like?
6. Why are we reacting to individual crimes instead of redesigning the conditions that enable them?

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We need more than warnings.

We need:

• Affordable housing. 🏠
• Transparent employment systems.
• Stronger oversight of job platforms.
• Clear public safety coordination.
• Economic policies that reduce desperation.

Because when a job offer becomes a potential threat, something in the system is not working.

And women should not have to risk their safety just to survive.

Eliza (Songhees Woman, Mother of Joseph Enos)

 Eliza (Songhees Woman, Mother of Joseph Enos)

Eliza was born around 1832.

Before Victoria was a city.
Before streets had English names.
Before ships lined the harbour.

She was Songhees — T’sou-ke? No. Tsongees — the people of the inner harbour of what is now Victoria.

When she was a child, the land was not “settlement.” It was village. Canoes. Reef nets. Smokehouses. Cedar. Reef-fishing, camas digging, reef-net knowledge passed down through women.

Her world changed fast.

In 1843, Hudson's Bay Company built Fort Victoria. She would have been about eleven. Imagine watching strangers arrive and stay. Watching fences go up. Watching the shoreline shift from canoes to ships.

Then the gold rush.

Then 1862.

The smallpox ship.

When the disease arrived in Victoria aboard the Brother Jonathan and others, Indigenous people were forced out of town. Entire encampments were pushed away while infected settlers were treated. The epidemic devastated Coast Salish communities.

Eliza would have been about thirty.

How did she survive?

Some Fraser River communities were vaccinated by missionaries. Some weren’t. Some families fled to islands. Some carried immunity from earlier exposure. Survival was not random — but it wasn’t guaranteed either.

The fact that she lived means something.
It means someone cared for her.
It means she endured fever, fear, or loss.

Five years later, in 1867, she had a son: Joseph.

His baptism record at St. Andrew’s Cathedral shows something striking. His father listed as “Joseph – native of St. Mary’s, Azores.” His mother: Eliza, Songhees.

That means her life bridged three worlds:

• Songhees
• Portuguese Azorean
• British colonial Victoria

That’s extraordinary.

Imagine her home. Likely near the harbour before the forced relocation of the Songhees reserve across the water. A place where Lusophone Catholicism met Coast Salish traditions. Where cedar baskets and rosaries existed in the same room.

Her son would later write in English. Keep diaries. Work land. Hunt cougar. Deal with Indian Agents. Navigate colonial systems.

Who taught him English?

Maybe mission school.
Maybe the Cathedral.
Maybe hearing it every day in town.
Maybe Eliza insisted he learn it to survive.

We don’t know.

But we know this: when she died in 1882 in Nanaimo District, he was fourteen.

Fourteen is still a boy.

He had already begun a diary. Then he stopped for two years.

That pause says more than any record.

Her death wasn’t just a line in a register. It was a rupture.

She died at fifty. Not elderly. Not frail. Just… gone.

And her son had to step into manhood without her.

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What might a day in Eliza’s life have looked like?

Morning smoke from cooking fires.
Camas bulbs roasting.
Children moving between languages.
Church bells from St. Andrew’s.
Fishing gear drying.
Watching the shoreline change year by year.

Holding both grief and adaptation in the same body.

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Questions to sit with

• Did she choose baptism, or was it required?
• What did she think of the Cathedral bells?
• Did she teach her son traditional knowledge alongside catechism?
• What did she lose in 1862?
• Did she ever imagine her descendants would still be asking about her?

She is not just “Tsongees (Eliza)” in a register.

She was a woman who survived epidemic, colonization, cultural upheaval, and raised a son who walked between worlds.

And because she did, I am  here.

Request for Leadership on a 6-Month Emergency Housing Plan

 Sample Letter,

Please Copy, Paste and send your letters and concerns 😟 

To: elizabeth.may@parl.gc.ca

CC: Elizabeth.May.C1@parl.gc.ca

Dear Ms. May,

I am writing with deep respect and admiration.

I have watched your work in the House of Commons for years. Your preparation, your integrity, and your willingness to speak truth — even when inconvenient — have consistently stood out. I have long supported and voted Green because of that leadership.

This is why I am writing to you now.

Across British Columbia — Vancouver, Surrey, Abbotsford, Hope — thousands of people remain unhoused. Women are being turned away from shelters. Residents are sleeping outside in a province as wealthy as ours.

I have personally been turned away from shelter twice.

Governments continue to announce 10-year strategies. Units promised for 2030. Plans for 2035.

But homelessness is not a 10-year issue. It is a 6-month emergency.

I have sent an open letter to federal MPs, provincial MLAs, and municipal governments requesting one simple action:

A joint, public, recorded forum including all three levels of government to answer one question:

What is the 6-month plan to house the people currently experiencing homelessness?

Not projections. Not future builds. Six months.

Housing responsibility is divided across federal funding (through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation), provincial housing programs and health services, and municipal zoning and land use. When they operate separately, people fall through the cracks.

You have consistently demonstrated the courage to raise uncomfortable truths in Parliament. I am asking if you would consider calling publicly for coordinated emergency housing action — not as a partisan issue, but as a human one.

This is a moment where leadership matters.

I believe this is where all parties must move beyond long-term promises and demand immediate coordination.

Thank you for your years of service and your example of principled leadership.

Respectfully,

Tina Winterlik

Open Letter: Joint Public Forum Request — 6-Month Housing Plan

 

Copy, Paste, Send

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📍 ELECTED OFFICIAL CONTACT LIST

(Vancouver, Surrey, Abbotsford, Hope – BC)

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🇨🇦 FEDERAL MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT

Vancouver

Hedy Fry – Vancouver Centre
📧 hedy.fry@parl.gc.ca

Don Davies – Vancouver Kingsway
📧 don.davies@parl.gc.ca

Joyce Murray – Vancouver Quadra
📧 joyce.murray@parl.gc.ca

Harjit Sajjan – Vancouver South
📧 harjit.sajjan@parl.gc.ca

---

Surrey

Sukh Dhaliwal – Surrey–Newton
📧 sukh.dhaliwal@parl.gc.ca

Randeep Sarai – Surrey Centre
📧 randeep.sarai@parl.gc.ca

---

Abbotsford

Ed Fast – Abbotsford
📧 ed.fast@parl.gc.ca

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Hope (Fraser Canyon area)

Hope falls under:

Mark Strahl – Chilliwack–Hope
📧 mark.strahl@parl.gc.ca

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🏛 PROVINCIAL MLAs (British Columbia)

Vancouver

David Eby – Vancouver-Point Grey (Premier)
📧 david.eby.mla@leg.bc.ca

Mable Elmore – Vancouver-Kensington
📧 mable.elmore.mla@leg.bc.ca

---

Surrey

Garry Begg – Surrey-Guildford
📧 garry.begg.mla@leg.bc.ca

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Abbotsford

Bruce Banman – Abbotsford South
📧 bruce.banman.mla@leg.bc.ca

---

Hope

Hope is in:

Kelli Paddon – Chilliwack-Kent
📧 kelli.paddon.mla@leg.bc.ca

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🏙 MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS

Vancouver

Mayor & Council
📧 mayorandcouncil@vancouver.ca

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Surrey

Mayor & Council
📧 city@surrey.ca

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Abbotsford

Mayor & Council
📧 mayorandcouncil@abbotsford.ca

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Hope

Mayor & Council
📧 district@hope.ca

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📧 SAMPLE LETTER (Copy & Paste)

Subject: Open Letter: Joint Public Forum Request — 6-Month Housing Plan

Dear Federal MP, Provincial MLA, Mayor and Council,

I am writing to formally request that all three levels of government meet together in one public, recorded forum to answer a single urgent question:

What is the 6-month plan to house the thousands of people currently experiencing homelessness in our region?

Not a 10-year strategy.
Not projected units for 2035.
Six months.

Homelessness is happening now. Women are being turned away from shelters. People are being denied safe spaces to sleep. Many residents have personally experienced being turned away.

Housing responsibility is divided across three levels of government:

• Federal — funding and financing through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
• Provincial — BC Housing, health services, social supports
• Municipal — zoning, permits, and land use

When these levels do not coordinate in real time, people fall through the cracks.

During floods, fires, and pandemics, governments act quickly. Funds are released. Buildings are secured. Timelines are immediate.

Homelessness is a public health and human emergency. It deserves the same urgency.

Therefore, I am requesting:

1. A joint public forum including all three levels of government.
2. A recorded session accessible to the public.
3. A clear written 6-month action plan outlining:
   • Immediate unit acquisition (hotels, vacant buildings, modular housing)
   • Funding already available
   • A timeline with measurable milestones

If people can be counted, they can be housed.

Please confirm whether you will participate in such a forum and provide proposed dates within the next 30 days.

Respectfully,
[Your Name]
[Your Postal Code]

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📢 BLOG CALL-TO-ACTION (You Can Post This)

I have sent my letter.

Now I am asking others to send theirs.

The more residents who send this request, the harder it becomes to ignore.

We are not asking for 10-year promises.
We are not asking for future projections.

We are asking one question:

What is the 6-month plan?

Copy the letter above.
Add your name and postal code.
Send it to your federal MP, your provincial MLA, and your mayor and council.

CC them all so they see each other copied.

Coordination should not take 10 years.

If 5,000 people can be counted, they can be housed.

The more who send, the stronger the demand.

Minimum Wage Increases Mean Nothing Without Affordable Housing

 Minimum Wage Increases Mean Nothing Without Affordable Housing

To the Elected Officials Responsible for Wage and Housing Policy in British Columbia,

Raising the minimum wage may look like progress on paper, but it does not reflect the lived reality of single adults trying to survive in this province.

Let’s speak honestly.

If a person works full-time at minimum wage, they may earn roughly $3,000 a month before deductions. After taxes, that drops closer to $2,500. When average one-bedroom rents are around $2,400 in many urban areas, that leaves virtually nothing for food, transportation, utilities, phone service, medical expenses, clothing, or emergencies.

There is no room for savings.

There is no room for stability.

There is no room for dignity.

This situation affects:

Young adults just starting out

Older single adults with no dual income support

People transitioning off social assistance

Workers in essential but low-wage jobs

Telling people to “budget better” is not a solution when 90–100% of their income goes to rent. The math does not work. It is structurally impossible.

Housing is no longer functioning as shelter first. It has become a financial asset class. Meanwhile, wages increase slowly and cautiously, while rents respond instantly to market pressures. Wages crawl. Housing sprints. People fall behind.

A minimum wage increase without meaningful housing reform is not economic justice. It is a headline.

If the goal is stability, public health, reduced strain on social systems, and a functioning workforce, then housing affordability must be tied directly to income reality. Otherwise, you are asking single working adults to live permanently on the edge of insolvency.

A society should not require roommates, debt, or family wealth simply to survive full-time work.

Please address the gap between wages and housing costs with the seriousness it deserves. Because this is not about luxury. It is about basic shelter and human dignity.

Respectfully,

Tina Winterlik

When the Bureaucrat Makes More Than the Prime Minister

 When the Bureaucrat Makes More Than the Prime Minister

It’s an interesting moment in Metro Vancouver politics.

The Chief Administrative Officer of Metro Vancouver, Jerry Dobrovolny, recently said that “laws may have been broken” in relation to information that became public about leadership turmoil inside the organization.

That’s serious language.

When a senior public official invokes potential criminality, it immediately shifts the conversation. It moves the focus away from governance concerns and toward identifying who disclosed the information.

But here’s what makes this moment particularly striking.

Dobrovolny’s total annual compensation in recent years has been reported at well over half a million dollars — in some years approaching or exceeding $700,000 when salary, taxable benefits, and expenses are included.

That’s more than the Prime Minister of Canada.

For comparison, Justin Trudeau earns roughly $400,000 annually in combined salary as Prime Minister and Member of Parliament.

Pause on that.

The head of a regional district — albeit an important one overseeing water, sewer, and regional infrastructure — is compensated at a level significantly higher than the elected leader of the country.

Is that illegal? No.

Is it unprecedented in public administration? Not entirely.

But is it interesting?

Absolutely.

When someone earning more than the Prime Minister speaks about possible laws being broken in response to internal disclosures, the public has every right to ask questions:

• What exactly is being investigated?
• How much taxpayer money will be spent investigating a “leak”?
• Why is the primary focus on the disclosure rather than the governance issues that prompted it?
• What accountability mechanisms exist for senior administrators at Metro Vancouver?

Metro Vancouver provides essential services to millions of residents in the Lower Mainland. It manages billions in infrastructure. It is not a minor entity.

But with high responsibility comes high scrutiny.

Executive compensation at this level is often justified by the complexity of the role, the scale of infrastructure oversight, and the need to attract experienced administrators. That is the policy argument.

The public-interest argument is different.

When compensation rises to levels that exceed national leadership salaries, transparency should rise proportionally.

This isn’t about personal attacks. It’s about structural accountability.

In a region facing affordability crises, housing instability, and rising utility costs, residents are paying close attention to where their money goes.

And when strong legal language is used in response to public disclosures, it’s fair to ask whether transparency is being treated as a threat — rather than as a democratic necessity.

Isn’t that interesting?

Public Is Not Permission

 Public Is Not Permission

Wearable smart glasses with built-in cameras are becoming more common in everyday life. While many people use technology responsibly, these devices can record video without the obvious signal of someone holding up a phone.

That shift matters.

For years, social norms developed around visible recording. You see a phone pointed at you — you know what’s happening. You can move away. You can object. You can protect yourself.

Wearable cameras change that dynamic.

Public space is not automatic consent to be filmed.
Nudity in certain communities is not permission to be posted online.
Private conversations in semi-public settings are not content.

As technology evolves, our standards around consent and respect need to evolve with it.

If you ever feel uncomfortable, you are allowed to ask:
“Are you recording? I don’t consent.”

If you discover yourself online without permission, document everything — screenshots, links, usernames — and report it immediately to the platform.

Businesses, event organizers, and community leaders should also be thinking proactively about clear policies around wearable recording devices. Protecting guests and patrons is part of modern responsibility.

This is not about fear.
It is about awareness.
It is about preserving trust in the spaces where we gather.

Technology moves fast.
Ethics must not fall behind.

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When Places Change: Las Vegas, Zipolite, Vancouver

 When Places Change: Las Vegas, Zipolite, Vancouver

I never liked Las Vegas.

The first time I landed there on a layover, I hadn’t even left the airport when I heard it — slot machines ringing, chiming, pulling at people before they had even collected their luggage. The sound felt invasive. Mechanical. Relentless.

I remember thinking about the electricity. The lights. The excess.
And the lives gambling has quietly broken.

Vegas has always felt like spectacle built on vulnerability.

For decades, it was run by the mob. Later, it was absorbed by corporations like MGM Resorts International and Caesars Entertainment. The mob era was criminal and violent — not something to romanticize. But today’s corporate era isn’t innocent either. It is simply legalized, polished, and shareholder-driven.

The model shifted.

From cheap rooms and volume tourism
to premium pricing and affluent clientele.

Now there are fees for everything. Parking. Resort charges. Dynamic pricing. Exclusive events like the Las Vegas Grand Prix that reshape the city for global spectacle.

Fewer tourists. Higher margins. Bigger corporations.

Vegas is an extreme example — but it isn’t unique.

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In a much smaller way, I have watched similar shifts in Zipolite.

When I first came decades ago, it was raw. Imperfect. Affordable. You knew the people running the places. It felt accidental, not curated.

Now it feels managed.

Yes, important progress has been made. Zipolite became internationally known as a safe haven for gay men. That matters. Safety matters. Visibility matters.

But safety for one group does not automatically recreate the feeling of home for everyone.

Large resorts rise. Branding replaces randomness. Prices climb. The rhythm shifts.

It is still beautiful.

But it feels different.

I feel different in it.

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And then there is Vancouver.

A city I have loved and struggled with.

A city that slowly transformed from a livable coastal port into a global investment vehicle. Housing became an asset class. Downtown became hollowed out in places. Community scattered under the weight of speculation.

Different scale. Same pattern.

When places become financial instruments, something subtle happens.

Belonging becomes conditional.
Intimacy becomes rare.
Community becomes fragile.

You are no longer part of the fabric — you are part of the revenue stream.

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This isn’t about romanticizing crime.
It isn’t about blaming any one group.
It isn’t about resisting change.

Places evolve. They always have.

But when the organizing principle shifts from human need to shareholder return, the emotional climate changes.

It becomes quieter. Harder. Less forgiving.

You can still walk the beach.
You can still see the lights.
You can still admire the skyline.

And yet something essential feels thinner.

A place can still be beautiful and no longer feel like home.

Housing Without Fragility

 Housing Without Fragility

Day 5

I’m writing this from a hammock in Zipolite.

Roosters. Wind. Human scale.

Not perfect. But breathable.

Vancouver needs housing.

But housing is not just units per acre.

It is:

Infrastructure

Access

Employment land

History

Mechanical resilience

Social stability

If industrial land disappears, jobs disappear.

If towers rise without infrastructure planning, fragility increases.

If land becomes speculation, communities become temporary.

I am on a housing list near 12th & Cambie.

This is personal.

But it is also structural.

We must ask:

Are we building homes?

Or financial instruments?

Are we building resilient systems?

Or vertical dependency?

A city is not just height.

It is balance.

The Elevator Nobody Talks About

 The Elevator Nobody Talks About

Day 4

Two elevators.

Fifteen floors.

Hundreds of residents.

Deliveries every hour.

Electric bikes.

Food apps.

People moving constantly because rent is $2400 for a one-bedroom.

Elevators break.

When they break:

Seniors are trapped.

Parents carry groceries upstairs.

Tension rises.

Repair costs rise.

Maintenance never ends.

Older elevators lasted decades.

New ones break frequently.

Is density being designed for reality?

Or for spreadsheets?

No one at public hearings asks: How many elevators per resident? What’s the repair budget? What’s the contingency plan?

Vertical living is mechanical living.

And mechanical systems fail.

🏙️ District 5: Safety, Policing, and the Future of the Downtown Eastside

 🏙️ District 5: Safety, Policing, and the Future of the Downtown Eastside

The creation of District 5 by the Vancouver Police Department marks a significant shift in how Vancouver is responding to ongoing challenges in the Downtown Eastside.

Eighty-eight officers now patrol an area that includes Chinatown and Gastown. The district operates out of the Woodward’s building and represents what police describe as a return to “old-school beat policing” — officers walking the streets, visible, present, and engaged.

For some residents and businesses, this brings relief. After years of street disorder, retail theft, violence, and overdose crises, visible enforcement feels like action. The closure of London Drugs at Woodward’s due to safety concerns was symbolic — a sign that something was breaking. Police leadership argues that stability must come first if the neighbourhood is to recover.

And there is evidence that targeted enforcement can produce measurable results. Weapons seized. Warrants executed. Fewer reported fires. A reduction in overdose calls during the task force period.

These outcomes matter.

But they are not the whole story.

The Downtown Eastside is not simply a crime hotspot. It is the epicentre of intersecting crises: addiction, untreated mental illness, poverty, trauma, and housing instability. Many of the calls police respond to are not traditional criminal acts — they are health emergencies playing out in public.

Police officers are trained in enforcement and crisis control. They are not doctors. They are not psychiatrists. They are not long-term addiction specialists. Yet they are often the default responders because other systems are underfunded, overwhelmed, or unavailable.

This raises an uncomfortable but necessary question:

Are we investing in enforcement because it is effective — or because it is the only system that responds immediately?

Nearly $4 million is being requested for the district and a training academy. Meanwhile, detox beds remain limited. Supportive housing waitlists remain long. Mental health services remain stretched.

Public safety is essential. Communities deserve to feel safe. Seniors, people with mobility challenges, workers, and families deserve sidewalks they can use without fear.

But safety is not created by visibility alone. It is sustained by stability.

And stability requires:

• Housing
• Treatment
• Trauma-informed care
• Income security
• Community trust

If hundreds of officers are simultaneously facing misconduct investigations, public trust becomes even more critical. Expansion without accountability risks deepening skepticism.

This is not a simple “pro-police” versus “anti-police” issue.

It is a structural question:

Are we addressing symptoms, or are we addressing root causes?

District 5 may bring short-term order. Whether it produces long-term healing will depend on what comes next — and whether policing is paired with serious investment in social infrastructure.

Because enforcement can clear a sidewalk.

But only social systems can rebuild a life.

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📘 Reflective Questions for Readers

Understanding the Issue

1. What does “public safety” mean to you personally?
2. Do you believe visible police presence makes communities safer? Why or why not?
3. What is the difference between crime and social disorder?

Resource Allocation

4. If you had $4 million to invest in the Downtown Eastside, how would you divide it between policing and social services?
5. Should police be the primary responders to mental health crises? What alternatives could exist?
6. What role should housing play in crime reduction strategies?

Accountability and Trust

7. How important is police accountability when expanding enforcement budgets?
8. Does increasing police presence automatically increase public trust?

Long-Term Vision

9. What would a truly healthy Downtown Eastside look like in 10 years?
10. What balance between enforcement and social investment feels ethical and sustainable to you?

Why 25 Storeys?

 Why 25 Storeys?

Day 3

Why 25 floors?

Why not 8?

Why not 10?

Mid-rise buildings:

Are easier to service

Depend less on complex mechanical systems

Are easier to evacuate

Are more human scale

High-rises maximize land value.

They also maximize dependency.

Above a certain height:

Fire trucks cannot reach upper floors.

Everything depends on internal systems.

Elevators become lifelines.

We rarely discuss this.

Why?

💔 $18 Million on Naloxone: Could It Save More Lives in Treatment?

 💔 $18 Million on Naloxone: Could It Save More Lives in Treatment?

B.C. is spending $18 million on nasal naloxone kits — life-saving devices that reverse opioid overdoses in seconds. And yes, naloxone is a miracle drug. It’s preventing deaths right now. 💉

But here’s the tough question: what if that $18 million went to addiction treatment instead?

Let’s break it down:

Use of $18M	What it buys	Impact
Naloxone kits	~200,000 kits	Can save lives immediately during an overdose, but doesn’t treat addiction long-term
Treatment programs	~450 residential treatment spots for a year	Helps people recover fully from addiction, but doesn’t prevent immediate overdoses

So, we’re facing a real-life dilemma: save lives now or invest in long-term recovery?

The truth is, we need both. Naloxone stops deaths in the moment, but treatment gives people the support they need to rebuild their lives.

💡 Imagine if funding was balanced — more kits on the streets and more treatment spots open across B.C. That could turn a crisis into real recovery.

It’s time for a conversation about smart funding, life-saving interventions, and giving people a real chance to recover.

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Reflective questions for readers:

1. Would you prioritize saving lives immediately or investing in long-term recovery?
2. How can government spending balance emergency measures and treatment programs?
3. What barriers prevent more people from accessing treatment in B.C.?
4. Should communities push for both more naloxone kits and treatment spots?
5. How do we measure “success” in addressing the opioid crisis?

The Milagro Beanfield War: A Story That Still Speaks to Our Times 🌱

 🌱 The Milagro Beanfield War: A Story That Still Speaks to Our Times 🌱

I first read The Milagro Beanfield War while pregnant 🤰, and it left an indelible mark on me. Later, watching the movie adaptation 🎬 brought that vibrant story to life in a way that felt both intimate and epic. Robert Redford’s film perfectly captures John Nichols’ unique blend of humor 😄, heart 💖, and biting social commentary.

At its core, The Milagro Beanfield War is about more than just a small town in New Mexico 🏜️. It’s about water rights 💧, land rights 🌾, and the clash between development 🏗️ and community—issues that remain incredibly relevant today. It’s a story of ordinary people standing up ✊ to powerful interests, of activists who refuse to be silenced ✨, and of elders who carry the wisdom and traditions of generations 👵👴. And yes, there are even moments of magic 🕊️—angels, unexpected miracles, and that beautiful sense of hope 🌟 that blossoms in the most unlikely places.

What I love most is how the story celebrates resilience, community, and the courage to protect what’s rightfully yours 💚, even when the odds are stacked against you. It’s a reminder that change often starts with one small act of defiance—sometimes as simple as planting a beanfield 🌱.

If you care about justice ⚖️, the environment 🌎, and the quiet power of ordinary people, this book and movie are must-sees. They’re funny 😆, touching 🥹, and profoundly moving, weaving together the personal and the political with warmth, wisdom, and a touch of magic ✨.

💚 Watch it, read it, and let it remind you that even the smallest voices can make a difference 🌱💧.

Build Canada Homes: Hope, Urgency, and 10 Questions Canada Must Ask 💛

 Build Canada Homes: Hope, Urgency, and 10 Questions Canada Must Ask 💛

In recent months, the federal government has launched Build Canada Homes (BCH), a new housing agency aimed at building more homes faster, using modern construction methods like prefab and modular units and unlocking partnerships across provinces and cities. The initial $13 billion investment and emerging partnerships — including in British Columbia — show that real work is underway.

So first: thank you to the leaders, civil servants, and community advocates working to translate policy into homes. I mean that sincerely — including Mark Carney and others trying to bring more housing into Canadian communities. Your efforts are necessary. 👏

But this moment also needs clarity.

We’ve spent the last few posts exploring who affordable housing actually serves (Parts 1–3), what solutions might work (Part 4), and what success or failure could look like (Part 5). Today, I want to tie those ideas together and ask hard questions we all need to wrestle with.

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🧱 What’s Happening Now

Yes — Build Canada Homes is moving.
Yes — partnerships and funding agreements are starting to produce housing projects.
Yes — construction of supportive and transitional housing is beginning in the next 12–24 months.

This is progress, and it’s welcome.

But Canada still faces:

• Thousands of people experiencing homelessness in cities like Vancouver.
• Thousands more who can’t find housing they can afford.
• Shelters that turn people away because there is simply no space.

The structural crises we face are urgent and human. And good intentions must meet real results.

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🧠 Why This Matters

Build Canada Homes is more than a construction program. It should be a turning point — not just in the number of homes built, but in who gets them and how fast.

To be worth it, BCH must:

• Reach the lowest income Canadians, including people on social assistance.
• Deliver housing that is actually affordable, not just “below market.”
• Include rapid response solutions like tiny homes or modular villages.
• Ensure that eligibility rules don’t filter out the most vulnerable.

We know supply matters. But supply without accessibility leaves people behind.

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❓ 10 Hard Questions for Canada (Not Just Leaders — All of Us)

These questions aren’t easy. They require reflection, honesty, and empathy — whether you’re a policymaker, a renter, a homeowner, an employer, or someone early in your career:

1. What does “affordable housing” really mean if people on social assistance still can’t afford it?
   Is tying rent to market rates enough, or must we tie it to actual incomes?

2. How can we expect people to thrive if they are housed — but still living paycheck to paycheck?
   Should affordability benchmarks change?

3. If thousands are homeless now, why do so many housing plans focus on long-term supply rather than immediate shelter?
   What does urgency look like in practice?

4. How much are we willing to invest in truly affordable housing versus housing for “middle-income” households?
   Is there room for both?

5. Do we value housing more as an investment asset or as a basic human right?
   How would that choice change policy?

6. Are we prepared to rethink land use, zoning, and community resistance — even when it’s uncomfortable?
   What kind of country do we want to be?

7. What does success look like 1 year from now? 5 years from now? 10 years from now?
   Are we setting goals that truly reflect human dignity?

8. If modular and tiny homes can be built quickly and affordably, why aren’t they central to the plan?
   Whose voices are shaping those decisions?

9. How do we measure the success of housing programs — by units built or by people sheltered?
   What story does each metric tell?

10. Are we willing to hold leaders accountable when progress is slow — even when we want them to succeed?
    Accountability shouldn’t be about blame; it should be about results.

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🧩 Final Thought

Build Canada Homes can make a difference — but only if we insist that housing is defined by access, dignity, and urgency. It is not enough to build more homes. We must build homes that people can live in, afford, and thrive in.

So thank you, truly, to everyone trying to make this work — including those inside government. But let’s not let good intentions become excuses for delayed impact.

Housing is a human need. And Canada’s future depends on meeting that need now, not just promising more in the years ahead.

💛 Let’s keep asking the hard questions — and demanding answers that change lives.

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What Does “Industrial” Actually Mean?

 What Does “Industrial” Actually Mean?

Post Tomorrow

When people hear “industrial,” they imagine loud, dirty, stinky.

But I worked industrial laundry.

I worked in processing plants.

I’ve seen how these spaces operate.

Industrial zoning includes:

Production

Distribution

Repair

Storage

Film sets

Equipment yards

These are jobs that don’t require tech degrees.

They are working-class infrastructure.

Only about 6% of Vancouver’s land is zoned industrial.

Ninety percent is residential.

When industrial land gets rezoned, land values rise.

And when land values rise, small operators disappear.

The city becomes:

Service work

Real estate

Hospitality

Is that resilience?

Or fragility?