The Hook: Political news, freshly caught
‘I’m in a prison’: Shop owner on the 2010 Games
The proprietor of a gelato shop near the Olympics Village feels trapped by a mega-event city officials promised would bring nothing but dollar signs.
“This is a small family business,” Mario Loscerbo, president of Mario’s Gelati Inc., told the Tyee. “My losses are already way over what we could sustain, its totally impossible for us to continue on.” Read more…
Should There Be More Regulations on Big Tech?
- Yes.
- No.
- I don’t know.
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Are you watching the winter Olympics this year? Read the results of that poll here.
500-soldier brigade keeps watch on Whistler backcountry
500 soldiers, helicopters and a balloon are keeping watch on the Whistler backcountry for the Olympics. It's not clear, exactly, what they're watching for. Read more…
Create a VANOC for homelessness, campaign urges
A new campaign that calls for a VANOC-like body to end homelessness has the support of mayor Gregor Robertson.
“Love them or hate them,” said Rev. Ric Matthews of the First United Church, “VANOC and the Olympic Games have proved to this city that we are capable of doing amazing things.” Read more…
NDP push opening Olympics to FOI
A motion to encourage premier Gordon Campbell to bring VANOC and Olympic spending under British Columbia's freedom of information laws was quickly quashed today by the chair of a Liberal-dominated special committee reviewing the legislation. Read more…
Poverty Olympics torch en route to Vancouver
It travels with a tiny entourage and a fraction of the fanfare of the real Olympic torch. But, via foot, public transit and boat, the Poverty Olympics torch is making its way to Vancouver for a different kind of games this weekend. Read more…
Vanoc to auction off Olympic podiums
The highest bidders will take home 20 of the 23 podiums build for the Games, money will go to cash-strapped Vanoc. Read more…
Feds put Olympic bailout rumours to rest
News reports that the Canadian government might step in to save Fortress from foreclosing its Whistler resort company during the Olympics are inaccurate, says a government spokesperson. Read more…
Robertson calls for post-Olympic homeless count
Mayor Gregor Robertson wants to tighten the city's plan to end homelessness, and has called for a March homeless count to help the city track its progress -- or lack thereof.
"We need a homeless count specific to Vancouver, an annual progress report on homelessness with clear metrics, and a long-term plan that reflects the current economic climate," said Robertson, who was elected on a promise to end street homelessness by 2015. Read more…
'It's not a spin centre': Mayor Robertson
Mayor Gregor Robertson defended the new Downtown Eastside Connect centre, saying there's value in highlighting organizations making a difference in the neighborhood. Read more…
VANOC ready to stop ambush marketing at venue gates
When it comes to so-called guerrilla marketing, quantity matters. Spectators can wear whatever brand of clothing they want into 2010 venues.
But get, let’s say, 20 people sporting the same non-sponsor t-shirt at the gate, and there might be a problem. Read more…
Downtown Eastside info centre a "whitewash" say residents
Downtown Eastside residents say a new Olympic information centre about the neighborhood ignores the real problem: B.C. and Vancouver's enormous housing crisis. Read more…
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- Housing
Olympics won't stop women's march
Organizers of the annual Women's Memorial March on Feb. 14 hope this year's event will bring international attention to B.C.'s murdered and missing aboriginal women. Read more…
Intrawest could avoid auction: UBC expert
Intrawest could avoid an auction in the middle of the Olympics, a finance expert told Pique Monday.
Kai Li, the W.M. Young Chair in Finance at UBC's Sauder School of Business, said in an e-mail that Intrawest could file for bankruptcy and thus bypass an auction by its lenders. Read more…
Grits still tied with Tories: Ekos
"It would be a mistake to assume that extensive coverage of the Olympics in coming weeks will bring the government relief simply by distracting voters," said EKOS President Frank Graves. Read more…
Chief celebrates VANOC, Four Host First Nations pact
The economic pact between VANOC and the Four Host First Nations is the new standard for partnerships with Aboriginals, said the new National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations. Read more…
My socks don’t match. Am I world class?
The City of Vancouver has published a handbook prescribing how its workers must smile and dress.
The Walrus has published an essay in which Gary Stephen Ross unearths the question that lies beneath the city's etiquette handbook. Read more…
Expensive party for convention centre
Last spring’s party to open the Vancouver Convention Centre’s western expansion cost taxpayers $1,377,518, according to documents obtained by 24 hours. Read more…
Vision Vancouver ‘can’t support’ red tent campaign
Vancouver’s ruling party won’t endorse a plan to give red tents to homeless people during the Olympics.
“We can’t support this campaign as its currently set out,” Vision councillor Kerry Jang told the Tyee Tuesday. “It’s primarily because of health and safety concerns.” Read more…
‘We’ve already won’: Anti-Olympics agitator
Vocal Olympics critic Chris Shaw declared victory over 2010 Games organizers and security forces with just over two weeks until the opening ceremonies.
“We’ve already won,” he told the Tyee Monday evening. “They’ve deployed a billion dollar security budget against protests…they’ve already created the conditions where people will see this around the entire world.” Read more…
Log structure impeding free speech at the VAG?
A mysterious log-frame structure has appeared on the Howe Street side of the Vancouver Art Gallery’s north plaza and free speech advocates fear it means less space for legal protests during the 2010 Winter Olympics. Read more…
