Vancouver is in the Spotlight!!!

We all know with the Olympics comes a media frenzy that will focus on the games themselves and our wonderful city. However with the poverty and homelessness situation in Vancouver there will undoubtedly be more scrutiny on Vancouver then we have ever witnessed. Looks like it has already started…

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/05/sports/olympics/05eastside.html?ref=olympics

This article, from the New York times nonetheless, interviews former Vancouver Mayor and his take on the situation in Vancouver. He calls the Down town East side the “cutural heart of the city”. Interesting…. Will our visitors feel the same? Would anyone visiting a new city want to miss the “cutural heart”? We can only wait and see what the report card is on our city and how the protests shine light on our cities ugly underbelly (which might now take on the face of our city), post Olympics.

Let the Games Begin!

It’s amazing how they care about the homeless now!?

Details have become known about how the BC liberal government are trying to pass a bill that will force Vancouver’s homeless into shelters during “extreme weather”.

http://www.theprovince.com/news/force+homeless+into+shelters+dubbed+Olympic+cleanup+trick/2017692/story.html

Is this an act of compassion or an act of deception?

Where was this bill last winter when Vancouver fell victim to one of the worst winters in history? Is this a response to that or a response to the fact that the Olympics are coming and the term “extreme” can be subjective and therefore so can the implementation of this law.

Remember back to “Operation Homeward Bound”, where during the Atlanta Olympics, the city gave each homeless person a 1-way ticket to go home (realistically, just stop them from being their problem).

Now stuffing homeless people into shelters to clean up the streets is a step in the right direction but this comes on the heels of closing down a large co-op housing project and numerous SRO closures.

I don’t think anyone could argue that this isn’t a ploy to hide the homeless problem, while on the world’s stage.

MC