With Glowing Hearts
October 7, 2009 12:42 PM Subscribe
The British Columbia Civil Liberties Association has filed suit against the City of Vancouver over a recently enacted 2010 Olympic bylaw which the BCCLA claims limits free speech and is in violation of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Recently, a college student was approached at school by plainclothes police officers who wished to discuss her friendship with a high-profile Olympics opponent, "Five Ring Circus" author Chris Shaw.
In July the city of Vancouver passed a new bylaw which temporarily amended 10 existing bylaws, repealed 3 existing Olympic bylaws and wrapped it all up into the new "2010 Winter Games By-law[pdf], to create one consolidated enactment which deals with all aspects of the Games."
At the time even some in the mainstream media noticed that the bylaw could potentially be used to infringe individuals rights.
This morning the BCCLA filed suit[pdf] against the City on behalf of Chris Shaw and Alissa Westergard-Thorpe of the The Olympic Resistance Network.
Recently, a college student was approached at school by plainclothes police officers who wished to discuss her friendship with a high-profile Olympics opponent, "Five Ring Circus" author Chris Shaw.
In July the city of Vancouver passed a new bylaw which temporarily amended 10 existing bylaws, repealed 3 existing Olympic bylaws and wrapped it all up into the new "2010 Winter Games By-law[pdf], to create one consolidated enactment which deals with all aspects of the Games."
At the time even some in the mainstream media noticed that the bylaw could potentially be used to infringe individuals rights.
This morning the BCCLA filed suit[pdf] against the City on behalf of Chris Shaw and Alissa Westergard-Thorpe of the The Olympic Resistance Network.
Recently I've become a really big fan of BCCLA (as well as Pivot, who's working with them on a lot of these issues). There is a lot of bullshit flying around Vancouver, such as the proposed "assistance to shelter act" which allows police to force homeless off the streets into shelters (or alternatively, cells) for their own safety in inclement weather. Which is perhaps plausible if our winters suddenly became un-survivable (it seldom drops below freezing in Vancouver winters), but a god damn joke considering the timing.
There's more, too. Olympic bylaws restrict freedom of speech in order to protect exlcusive sponsor's rights and to prevent non-approved messages from being distributed near olympic events (e.g. inside or outside venues, along the torch rely route, etc), but these restrictions may conflict with the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. It is far from clear what happens when such a conflict actually occurs. Many Canadians, including this one, are frankly not OK with temporarily suspending Charter rights for any reason.
posted by PercussivePaul at 12:58 PM on October 7, 2009 [2 favorites]
There's more, too. Olympic bylaws restrict freedom of speech in order to protect exlcusive sponsor's rights and to prevent non-approved messages from being distributed near olympic events (e.g. inside or outside venues, along the torch rely route, etc), but these restrictions may conflict with the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. It is far from clear what happens when such a conflict actually occurs. Many Canadians, including this one, are frankly not OK with temporarily suspending Charter rights for any reason.
posted by PercussivePaul at 12:58 PM on October 7, 2009 [2 favorites]
(vi) anything that makes noise that interferes with the enjoyment of entertainment on city land by other persons,
As its written there would appear to be a case for getting to an olympic venue early, setting up some sort of entertainment event then complaining about the noise from the Olympics and getting them shut down.
posted by biffa at 1:00 PM on October 7, 2009
As its written there would appear to be a case for getting to an olympic venue early, setting up some sort of entertainment event then complaining about the noise from the Olympics and getting them shut down.
posted by biffa at 1:00 PM on October 7, 2009
The most ridiculous part:
Clause 4B makes it illegal during the Winter Games without authorization to:
posted by rokusan at 1:00 PM on October 7, 2009
Clause 4B makes it illegal during the Winter Games without authorization to:
(a) bring onto city land anyOutlawing sticks and stones. It's so silly it's almost funny.
(i) weapon,
(ii) object, including any rock, stick, or glass or metal bottle useable as a weapon, except for crutches or a cane that a person who is elderly or disabled uses as a mobility aid,
(iii) large object, including any bag, or luggage that exceeds 23 x 40 x 55 centimetres;
(iv) voice amplification equipment including any megaphone,
(v) motorized vehicle, except for a motorized wheel chair or scooter that a person who is elderly or disabled uses as a mobility aid,
(vi) anything that makes noise that interferes with the enjoyment of entertainment on city land by other persons,
(vii) distribute any advertising material or install or carry any sign unless licensed to do so by the city."
posted by rokusan at 1:00 PM on October 7, 2009
No vehicles can carry exterior advertising on city streets. Buses are exempt, but Vanoc has already purchased all that advertising space.
This one is interesting. The overwhelming majority of service businesses plaster their vehicles with identification and advertising. Is Vancouver really proposing to require Pepsi, GFS and SYSCO to repaint any part of their fleet that operates in Vancouver that is plastered with advertising? Or are all those food vendors just not supposed to recieve supplies for the weeks of the Olympics?
posted by Mitheral at 1:12 PM on October 7, 2009
This one is interesting. The overwhelming majority of service businesses plaster their vehicles with identification and advertising. Is Vancouver really proposing to require Pepsi, GFS and SYSCO to repaint any part of their fleet that operates in Vancouver that is plastered with advertising? Or are all those food vendors just not supposed to recieve supplies for the weeks of the Olympics?
posted by Mitheral at 1:12 PM on October 7, 2009
I was really proud, as a little girl, when the Olympics came to my hometown of Sarajevo. I even participated in the opening ceremony as a folkloric dancer, dressed in a cool outfit and excited beyond belief. I spent most of the next few weeks grabbing tourists by the hand to point out the sights I felt most important - This is the Old Mosque! This is the best place for cevapcici in town! This is where my mother has her hair done! (I was only ten.) But only a few years later, the excitement and the "Olympic dream" faded as the war broke out, and all the international attention that had been focused on my city not long before suddenly vanished. The Olympics - up to that point - were the biggest thing to happen in Sarajevo since our inglorious kickstart to World War I with the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand. We felt it meant something, but this delusion was fixed when the electricity went out, we started to starve and the media so keen to cover ice skaters and bobsled runs proved less interested in the most grueling attack on a European city since what, Dresden? I realized the image of the Olympics was pretty much thoroughly bullshit then and there.
But, though I'm neither paranoid nor a conspiracy theorist, even I'm a little amazed at how things have changed since Sarajevo, 25 years ago. Do they solely exist as a way to implement some sort of nefarious New World Order within the cities hosting? Vancouver, of all places, would have seemed to me to be more immune to this sort of bullshit than most places.
How sad.
posted by Dee Xtrovert at 1:14 PM on October 7, 2009 [16 favorites]
But, though I'm neither paranoid nor a conspiracy theorist, even I'm a little amazed at how things have changed since Sarajevo, 25 years ago. Do they solely exist as a way to implement some sort of nefarious New World Order within the cities hosting? Vancouver, of all places, would have seemed to me to be more immune to this sort of bullshit than most places.
How sad.
posted by Dee Xtrovert at 1:14 PM on October 7, 2009 [16 favorites]
Outlawing sticks and stones, as you put it, is amusing, but understandable, they may break your bones after all. It's outlawing the name calling that's disturbing.
posted by nax at 1:17 PM on October 7, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by nax at 1:17 PM on October 7, 2009 [1 favorite]
You are in error; sticks and stones do not break bones, people break bones.
posted by biffa at 1:28 PM on October 7, 2009 [2 favorites]
posted by biffa at 1:28 PM on October 7, 2009 [2 favorites]
I've heard they will also be banning music containing unauthorized chord progressions.
posted by Forrest Greene at 1:30 PM on October 7, 2009 [2 favorites]
posted by Forrest Greene at 1:30 PM on October 7, 2009 [2 favorites]
Dee Xtrovert, I'm folding my tinfoil in the the prescribed pattern as I type this.
Btw, I'm going to have to do a quick numbers study on your Dresden theory....ok, Berlin wins and I'm willing to bet that Sarajevo isn't in the top ten.
posted by jsavimbi at 1:31 PM on October 7, 2009
Btw, I'm going to have to do a quick numbers study on your Dresden theory....ok, Berlin wins and I'm willing to bet that Sarajevo isn't in the top ten.
posted by jsavimbi at 1:31 PM on October 7, 2009
The problem here is that these are municipal bylaws. They go way beyond the typical authority of the municipality. If these laws had been passed at a provincial level, they would probably be sound... but they haven't been.
The Straight did a great article about how this lawsuit was inevitable because these laws are junk. All they had to do was get a BC Liberal rubber stamp (how hard could that be?) to have some vague semblance of legality, but apparently that was a no-go.
Even then, trying to ban protesting on private property would be a hard sell to the courts.
posted by mek at 1:38 PM on October 7, 2009
The Straight did a great article about how this lawsuit was inevitable because these laws are junk. All they had to do was get a BC Liberal rubber stamp (how hard could that be?) to have some vague semblance of legality, but apparently that was a no-go.
Even then, trying to ban protesting on private property would be a hard sell to the courts.
posted by mek at 1:38 PM on October 7, 2009
Btw, I'm going to have to do a quick numbers study on your Dresden theory....ok, Berlin wins and I'm willing to bet that Sarajevo isn't in the top ten.
Dresden was a guess - the question mark and the word "what" suggested as much. Sarajevo was subject to the most grueling attack on any major city in Europe since WWII, which is why I used the word "since."
posted by Dee Xtrovert at 1:43 PM on October 7, 2009 [1 favorite]
Dresden was a guess - the question mark and the word "what" suggested as much. Sarajevo was subject to the most grueling attack on any major city in Europe since WWII, which is why I used the word "since."
posted by Dee Xtrovert at 1:43 PM on October 7, 2009 [1 favorite]
"If people believe these security measures are being taken to protect them," Eby told the Vancouver Observer, "they are sorely mistaken. All the documents that we have ever seen of the mandate of the Integrated Security Unit (ISU) is to protect the athletes at the Games...
That right there is a good enough reason. Let the games begin.
posted by rocket88 at 2:02 PM on October 7, 2009
That right there is a good enough reason. Let the games begin.
posted by rocket88 at 2:02 PM on October 7, 2009
Is the City of Vancouver proposing a constitutional amendment? No?
Then let me remind everyone what s.101 of the Constitution Act says:
52. (1) The Constitution of Canada is the supreme law of Canada, and any law that is inconsistent with the provisions of the Constitution is, to the extent of the inconsistency, of no force or effect.
No one is "suspending the Charter". People can (and no doubt will) lodge Charter challenges to this provision, and the courts will decide if it infringes the Charter, and if so, if it is justified under s.1.
All of this takes time, of course.
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 2:15 PM on October 7, 2009 [1 favorite]
Then let me remind everyone what s.101 of the Constitution Act says:
52. (1) The Constitution of Canada is the supreme law of Canada, and any law that is inconsistent with the provisions of the Constitution is, to the extent of the inconsistency, of no force or effect.
No one is "suspending the Charter". People can (and no doubt will) lodge Charter challenges to this provision, and the courts will decide if it infringes the Charter, and if so, if it is justified under s.1.
All of this takes time, of course.
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 2:15 PM on October 7, 2009 [1 favorite]
(personal guess: infringes, not justified as it fails to meet the minimal impairment step of the Oakes test)
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 2:18 PM on October 7, 2009
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 2:18 PM on October 7, 2009
Bah. Here I was thinking that the Ministry of the A.G. of B.C. has really not been given good advice, but of course this is simply the municipality. Who knows what those people think is good law.
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 2:19 PM on October 7, 2009
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 2:19 PM on October 7, 2009
I didn't vote for them. The Olympics that is.
posted by philip-random at 2:29 PM on October 7, 2009
posted by philip-random at 2:29 PM on October 7, 2009
Outlawing sticks and stones. It's so silly it's almost funny.
IANAL, of course, but it looks to me that the law merely includes sticks and stones in the larger class of "objects," which are themselves outlawed. If a security officer takes a disliking to an attendee, what is to stop him from citing this as a reason to confiscate a camera or a phone? These are objects.
That being said, I would support a constitutional amendment banning those dickish bluetooth earpieces.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 2:40 PM on October 7, 2009
IANAL, of course, but it looks to me that the law merely includes sticks and stones in the larger class of "objects," which are themselves outlawed. If a security officer takes a disliking to an attendee, what is to stop him from citing this as a reason to confiscate a camera or a phone? These are objects.
That being said, I would support a constitutional amendment banning those dickish bluetooth earpieces.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 2:40 PM on October 7, 2009
sticks and stones do not break bones
Landslides can and they do not need people.
http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/Middle_East/Israel/Central/Sharon/Netania/photo1103037.htm
posted by rough ashlar at 2:57 PM on October 7, 2009
Landslides can and they do not need people.
http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/Middle_East/Israel/Central/Sharon/Netania/photo1103037.htm
posted by rough ashlar at 2:57 PM on October 7, 2009
Ahahaa. s.101: "52(1)...".
My head is in another game. Carry on.
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 3:07 PM on October 7, 2009
My head is in another game. Carry on.
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 3:07 PM on October 7, 2009
Isn't the suspension of civil liberties, freedom of speech, homeless rights, etc. pretty common in Olympic hosting cities? Probably wasn't as noticeable in China last year, where freedom of speech wasn't exactly protected beforehand, but generally city officials spend a lot of money "cleaning up their city", getting rid of anything that might tarnish their imaginary self-images.
The Olympic Games which serves to show the world's greatest athletes also serves to show the world how much the rights of normal people can be trampled on.
posted by meowzilla at 3:09 PM on October 7, 2009
The Olympic Games which serves to show the world's greatest athletes also serves to show the world how much the rights of normal people can be trampled on.
posted by meowzilla at 3:09 PM on October 7, 2009
The Olympic Games which serves to show the world's greatest athletes also serves to show the world how much the rights of normal people can be trampled on.
When did Vancouver get normal people?
posted by srboisvert at 3:26 PM on October 7, 2009 [2 favorites]
When did Vancouver get normal people?
posted by srboisvert at 3:26 PM on October 7, 2009 [2 favorites]
douché, srboisvert, douché.
I may not agree with a lot of the Olympic protesters (in my opinion there are a lot of complete idiots mixed in with what are legitimate problems), but Vancouver is in Canada. Last time I checked, protests were allowed. If they want to restrict them, then they better do it correctly or the relevant legal fund will be getting a couple of dollars from me.
How else could we keep up with our reputation of being the neighbor who actually practices what the loudmouth down the street is preaching aboot?
posted by concreteforest at 3:43 PM on October 7, 2009
I may not agree with a lot of the Olympic protesters (in my opinion there are a lot of complete idiots mixed in with what are legitimate problems), but Vancouver is in Canada. Last time I checked, protests were allowed. If they want to restrict them, then they better do it correctly or the relevant legal fund will be getting a couple of dollars from me.
How else could we keep up with our reputation of being the neighbor who actually practices what the loudmouth down the street is preaching aboot?
posted by concreteforest at 3:43 PM on October 7, 2009
"When did Vancouver get normal people?"
They bus 'em in from Surrey.
posted by klangklangston at 3:47 PM on October 7, 2009 [2 favorites]
They bus 'em in from Surrey.
posted by klangklangston at 3:47 PM on October 7, 2009 [2 favorites]
How else could we keep up with our reputation of being the neighbor who actually practices what the loudmouth down the street is preaching aboot?
You could stop saying "sorry" when someone breaks your nose and hit the bastard back for a change.
posted by Talez at 4:05 PM on October 7, 2009
You could stop saying "sorry" when someone breaks your nose and hit the bastard back for a change.
posted by Talez at 4:05 PM on October 7, 2009
Here I was thinking that the Ministry of the A.G. of B.C. has really not been given good advice, but of course this is simply the municipality.
The BC AG has shown little interest in good advice, as we recently saw in the Blackmore polygamy case, where the judge called the former AG's actions unlawful. BC politics are fun!
posted by ssg at 4:07 PM on October 7, 2009
The BC AG has shown little interest in good advice, as we recently saw in the Blackmore polygamy case, where the judge called the former AG's actions unlawful. BC politics are fun!
posted by ssg at 4:07 PM on October 7, 2009
(ii) object, including any rock, stick, or glass or metal bottle useable as a weapon, except for crutches or a cane that a person who is elderly or disabled uses as a mobility aid,
I would be tempted to point out that articles of clothing can be used as weapons (wrapping one's shirt around someone's neck to strangle them, beating them with one's shoe, etc.) and strictly obey this law.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 4:18 PM on October 7, 2009
I would be tempted to point out that articles of clothing can be used as weapons (wrapping one's shirt around someone's neck to strangle them, beating them with one's shoe, etc.) and strictly obey this law.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 4:18 PM on October 7, 2009
I would like to invoke Godwin's Law and remind everyone that Hitler is largely responsible for the character of the modern games, so there is that authoritarian DNA in there right from the get-go.
posted by KokuRyu at 4:21 PM on October 7, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by KokuRyu at 4:21 PM on October 7, 2009 [1 favorite]
Canada's government is even more authoritarian than the government of the US, and its citizens more oblivious to the fact in general than US citizens.
I've been pointing out things like this and the Montebello agents provacateurs to Canadians for a couple of years and been met with utter disinterest.
posted by MaxK at 4:27 PM on October 7, 2009
I've been pointing out things like this and the Montebello agents provacateurs to Canadians for a couple of years and been met with utter disinterest.
posted by MaxK at 4:27 PM on October 7, 2009
"Isn't the suspension of civil liberties, freedom of speech, homeless rights, etc. pretty common in Olympic hosting cities? "
Sure. Doesn't mean we have to stand for it this time.
posted by Mitheral at 4:28 PM on October 7, 2009 [1 favorite]
Sure. Doesn't mean we have to stand for it this time.
posted by Mitheral at 4:28 PM on October 7, 2009 [1 favorite]
Canada's government is even more authoritarian than the government of the US, and its citizens more oblivious to the fact in general than US citizens.
Ahaaa - no. Not even close. Pre-9/11, you might have had a case with regard to Customs, but now that's nowhere near the case either. Though, you know, we're trying.
Really this is all par for the course. The courts are constantly redrawing constitutional limits on government action, including legislation. The only unusual thing here is that they rolled this out early enough to challenge. Not very shrewd.
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 5:03 PM on October 7, 2009
Ahaaa - no. Not even close. Pre-9/11, you might have had a case with regard to Customs, but now that's nowhere near the case either. Though, you know, we're trying.
Really this is all par for the course. The courts are constantly redrawing constitutional limits on government action, including legislation. The only unusual thing here is that they rolled this out early enough to challenge. Not very shrewd.
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 5:03 PM on October 7, 2009
If they want to restrict them, then they better do it correctly or the relevant legal fund will be getting a couple of dollars from me.
That's the most Canadian thing I've read since... I don't know, Dresden.
posted by regicide is good for you at 6:33 PM on October 7, 2009
That's the most Canadian thing I've read since... I don't know, Dresden.
posted by regicide is good for you at 6:33 PM on October 7, 2009
I always imagined Vancouver as a dyed-in-the-wool liberal sort of place.
posted by clockzero at 7:33 PM on October 7, 2009
posted by clockzero at 7:33 PM on October 7, 2009
Canada's government is even more authoritarian than the government of the US, and its citizens more oblivious to the fact in general than US citizens.
Yeah, you keep telling yourself that. Meanwhile, we'll continue to smoke pot on the street with our same-sex spouses.
posted by Sys Rq at 7:34 PM on October 7, 2009 [5 favorites]
Yeah, you keep telling yourself that. Meanwhile, we'll continue to smoke pot on the street with our same-sex spouses.
posted by Sys Rq at 7:34 PM on October 7, 2009 [5 favorites]
There are plenty of things worthy of protest in Canada, and likely even more in Vancouver.
The fucking Winter Olympics isn't one of them.
For me the Olympics, and any athletic event, is about the athletes. I don't like to see it become all about the corporate sponsors, and I don't like to to see it become all about the anarchist protesters.
posted by rocket88 at 8:59 PM on October 7, 2009 [1 favorite]
The fucking Winter Olympics isn't one of them.
For me the Olympics, and any athletic event, is about the athletes. I don't like to see it become all about the corporate sponsors, and I don't like to to see it become all about the anarchist protesters.
posted by rocket88 at 8:59 PM on October 7, 2009 [1 favorite]
Politics in BC has always been a bloodsport and big projects always end up boondoggles (ferries, convention centres, etc). If BC were the USA, we'd elect George Bush in a landslide, get really mad at him and next vote in Ralph Nader in a landslide, then get mad at him and go back to Bush. That's just how it is here.
Usually it's fun, but now that the municipalities are trying to get in on the action it's just no good. It's one thing to have one nutbar swing-to-the-left-no-the-right-no-righter-ok-back-again level of government (the Premier's latest was hinting at giving businesses a vote), but that's it. That's all that's allowed!
As the games get closer things are getting weirder. Count your blessings, Chicago.
posted by Salmonberry at 9:04 PM on October 7, 2009
Usually it's fun, but now that the municipalities are trying to get in on the action it's just no good. It's one thing to have one nutbar swing-to-the-left-no-the-right-no-righter-ok-back-again level of government (the Premier's latest was hinting at giving businesses a vote), but that's it. That's all that's allowed!
As the games get closer things are getting weirder. Count your blessings, Chicago.
posted by Salmonberry at 9:04 PM on October 7, 2009
...sticks and stones...
What about newspapers?
clockzero - I always imagined Vancouver as a dyed-in-the-wool liberal sort of place.
Well... kinda. The provincial "Liberal" political party has nothing to do with the national Liberal party, and are much closer to the national Conservatives (big business, tax cuts, service cuts, &c.). Vancouver is an expensive city to live in* and odds-are/statistically-speaking residents are willing to give up some social progressiveness in return for continuing to be able to afford/employed to live here. There's no "Conservative" party in the province, per se so the BC Libs get a lot of votes from the population-wise over-represented rural BC ridings and pay a lot of lip/actual service to get those votes, not that they really need to.
Then again, this is purely a municipal thing, but I guess they're learning bad habits from Campbell's BC Lib government. It's funny, the middle class/those aspiring to be (which describe most of my friends from HS) are rubbing their hands in glee hoping to turn a quick buck subletting their residences out for the olympics or auctioning tickets that they got by lottery. As usual, it's the poor that are getting screwed - but this year, I think a lot of those aspiring-types will also, as the global economy will probably put brakes on how much tourists will spend here.
*mostly in housing costs; a considerable subset of people who are able to afford to live in Vancouver bought their primary residence many many years ago and are therefor older, and tend to maintain more "conservative" values
posted by porpoise at 9:13 PM on October 7, 2009
What about newspapers?
clockzero - I always imagined Vancouver as a dyed-in-the-wool liberal sort of place.
Well... kinda. The provincial "Liberal" political party has nothing to do with the national Liberal party, and are much closer to the national Conservatives (big business, tax cuts, service cuts, &c.). Vancouver is an expensive city to live in* and odds-are/statistically-speaking residents are willing to give up some social progressiveness in return for continuing to be able to afford/employed to live here. There's no "Conservative" party in the province, per se so the BC Libs get a lot of votes from the population-wise over-represented rural BC ridings and pay a lot of lip/actual service to get those votes, not that they really need to.
Then again, this is purely a municipal thing, but I guess they're learning bad habits from Campbell's BC Lib government. It's funny, the middle class/those aspiring to be (which describe most of my friends from HS) are rubbing their hands in glee hoping to turn a quick buck subletting their residences out for the olympics or auctioning tickets that they got by lottery. As usual, it's the poor that are getting screwed - but this year, I think a lot of those aspiring-types will also, as the global economy will probably put brakes on how much tourists will spend here.
*mostly in housing costs; a considerable subset of people who are able to afford to live in Vancouver bought their primary residence many many years ago and are therefor older, and tend to maintain more "conservative" values
posted by porpoise at 9:13 PM on October 7, 2009
With the lowest minimum wage and highest cost of living in the country, with 92% funding cuts to the arts...Vancouver is feeling less and less friendly to me these days and Toronto is looking more and more tempting, loathe as I am to admit it.
posted by stray at 9:14 PM on October 7, 2009
posted by stray at 9:14 PM on October 7, 2009
For me the Olympics, and any athletic event, is about the athletes. I don't like to see it become all about the corporate sponsors, and I don't like to to see it become all about the anarchist protesters.
I checked your profile and saw that you apparently don't live in Vancouver, is that accurate?
Calling the Olympics an "athletic event" kind of makes me smirk. Because that's what it is, of course, and that's what it's supposed to be, but for the host city it is oh so much more than that. It's years of construction, it's billion dollar debts, it's the tipping point for development projects that were politically uncertain, and it is Long Term Consequences which are really uncertain.
Why do cities bid for the Olympics? Because they like athletes so much that they want to throw a big fancy party? Obviously not. The Olympics are a brand - a powerful one - and cities that are developing their own brands want to associate themselves with the Olympic brand. If I had to identify the qualities of the Olympic brand, I would use words like "Elite", "beautiful", "strong", "worldly", "powerful", "inspirational", "important". A city that can grab words like that attracts residents and businesses. It's pure marketing. See for examples Vancouver's recently announced new brand, "Vancouver: Green Capital".
I mean there's nothing controversial or sinister about this, the city says plainly on its website that this new brand is "part of a strategic effort for the City to leverage the once-in-a-lifetime economic development potential of the 2010 Games. "
The problem, as I see it, is that Vancouver is already a really out-of-balance city. The cost of real estate is shocking - on par with major cities like San Francisco or fucking New York City, but what are the industries here - logging, mining, tourism, a bit of software, what else? The result is a heavily stratified city trending towards a luxury resort, with rich visitors and working poor who will never be able to buy property there. People tell me things started getting out of whack after Expo 86 (world's fair) and have never really recovered. Moreover, there are some really complex issues involving the poor and especially homeless, who are disproportionately mentally ill and/or First Nations, and who are, few people doubt, are the ones who are going to get fucked. Some people are rightfully questioning whether the City (and the Province and the country who are participating) have their priorities straight. Some people think the problems that already make this city out of balance are going to get a lot worse. That's what this is about. Athletes? Just a sideshow.
posted by PercussivePaul at 10:22 PM on October 7, 2009 [6 favorites]
I checked your profile and saw that you apparently don't live in Vancouver, is that accurate?
Calling the Olympics an "athletic event" kind of makes me smirk. Because that's what it is, of course, and that's what it's supposed to be, but for the host city it is oh so much more than that. It's years of construction, it's billion dollar debts, it's the tipping point for development projects that were politically uncertain, and it is Long Term Consequences which are really uncertain.
Why do cities bid for the Olympics? Because they like athletes so much that they want to throw a big fancy party? Obviously not. The Olympics are a brand - a powerful one - and cities that are developing their own brands want to associate themselves with the Olympic brand. If I had to identify the qualities of the Olympic brand, I would use words like "Elite", "beautiful", "strong", "worldly", "powerful", "inspirational", "important". A city that can grab words like that attracts residents and businesses. It's pure marketing. See for examples Vancouver's recently announced new brand, "Vancouver: Green Capital".
I mean there's nothing controversial or sinister about this, the city says plainly on its website that this new brand is "part of a strategic effort for the City to leverage the once-in-a-lifetime economic development potential of the 2010 Games. "
The problem, as I see it, is that Vancouver is already a really out-of-balance city. The cost of real estate is shocking - on par with major cities like San Francisco or fucking New York City, but what are the industries here - logging, mining, tourism, a bit of software, what else? The result is a heavily stratified city trending towards a luxury resort, with rich visitors and working poor who will never be able to buy property there. People tell me things started getting out of whack after Expo 86 (world's fair) and have never really recovered. Moreover, there are some really complex issues involving the poor and especially homeless, who are disproportionately mentally ill and/or First Nations, and who are, few people doubt, are the ones who are going to get fucked. Some people are rightfully questioning whether the City (and the Province and the country who are participating) have their priorities straight. Some people think the problems that already make this city out of balance are going to get a lot worse. That's what this is about. Athletes? Just a sideshow.
posted by PercussivePaul at 10:22 PM on October 7, 2009 [6 favorites]
Vancouver is an expensive city to live in* and odds-are/statistically-speaking residents are willing to give up some social progressiveness in return for continuing to be able to afford/employed to live here.
This sentence starts out okay and then gets into crazy town pretty fast. Vancouver is pretty heavily NDP - when they were almost wiped off the map in 2001, the only two ridings they held were Vancouver-Hastings and Vancouver-Mount Pleasant. And how does giving up "social progressiveness" make it easier to live in a place with a high cost of living?? Last I checked the Liberals want to up the sales tax, cut taxes on corporations and throw piles of money at oil and gas companies... while privatizing public resources so they can be sold back to us... with 12% sales tax!
Anyway, I have no idea what you were trying to say. The reason why our politics sucks so bad is because we have a grand total of one provincial newspaper (The Province doesn't even count), and as a result people have basically no comprehension of the reality of provincial politics. Our "scandals" end up being about trifling nonsense, like Glen Clark's $10k reno scandal, of which he was eventually acquitted of criminal wrongdoing.
posted by mek at 10:59 PM on October 7, 2009
This sentence starts out okay and then gets into crazy town pretty fast. Vancouver is pretty heavily NDP - when they were almost wiped off the map in 2001, the only two ridings they held were Vancouver-Hastings and Vancouver-Mount Pleasant. And how does giving up "social progressiveness" make it easier to live in a place with a high cost of living?? Last I checked the Liberals want to up the sales tax, cut taxes on corporations and throw piles of money at oil and gas companies... while privatizing public resources so they can be sold back to us... with 12% sales tax!
Anyway, I have no idea what you were trying to say. The reason why our politics sucks so bad is because we have a grand total of one provincial newspaper (The Province doesn't even count), and as a result people have basically no comprehension of the reality of provincial politics. Our "scandals" end up being about trifling nonsense, like Glen Clark's $10k reno scandal, of which he was eventually acquitted of criminal wrongdoing.
posted by mek at 10:59 PM on October 7, 2009
Damn blast and fuck the Olympics. Did I mention fuck the Olympics? Because yeah. Fuck 'em.
posted by jokeefe at 11:07 PM on October 7, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by jokeefe at 11:07 PM on October 7, 2009 [1 favorite]
^^ Sorry, that's not very interesting or constructive. From where I am sitting as I type this, I can see the cranes on the "Millenium Water" building site down the hill. That's where they're going to house the athletes. After the athletes leave, they're going to try and flog the condominiums for the usual (bubble-high) prices-- 1 or 2 million per apartment. The project is already 131 million over budget. I have some memory that as it was originally put forth, there was going to be mixed or middle-income housing included in the development, but no longer. And after this horrific waste of public money we now have cuts to the arts budget-- a piddling amount of money, not even half of one percent of the provincial budget-- reduced by 90%. So I'm angry.
posted by jokeefe at 11:19 PM on October 7, 2009
posted by jokeefe at 11:19 PM on October 7, 2009
and I don't like to to see it become all about the anarchist protesters.
Calling anyone who protests the 2010 Olympics an anarachist is a strawman, and you know it.
Thinking that the Olympics should be about the athletes and the spirit of competition is fine, but don't forget that this is the Vancouver 2010 Olympics, and it is Vancouver that will bear the social and economic consequences of the games, whatever they may be, after everyone packs up their skis and goes home. So yeah, I think it's fucking important to hear what Vancouverites have to say about the matter.
posted by threetoed at 11:29 PM on October 7, 2009 [1 favorite]
Calling anyone who protests the 2010 Olympics an anarachist is a strawman, and you know it.
Thinking that the Olympics should be about the athletes and the spirit of competition is fine, but don't forget that this is the Vancouver 2010 Olympics, and it is Vancouver that will bear the social and economic consequences of the games, whatever they may be, after everyone packs up their skis and goes home. So yeah, I think it's fucking important to hear what Vancouverites have to say about the matter.
posted by threetoed at 11:29 PM on October 7, 2009 [1 favorite]
Yep, the City of Vancouver is doing a damn fine job imitating the BC Liberals, aren't they?
posted by mek at 11:29 PM on October 7, 2009
posted by mek at 11:29 PM on October 7, 2009
Hey, but Canwest filed for bankruptcy protection today, that's worth celebrating, right?
posted by [expletive deleted] at 11:32 PM on October 7, 2009 [3 favorites]
posted by [expletive deleted] at 11:32 PM on October 7, 2009 [3 favorites]
Canada's government is even more authoritarian than the government of the US...
posted by MaxK at 6:27 PM on October 7 [+] [!]
This is in regard to carbonated beverages:
Give me caffeinated Mountain Dew or give me death.
posted by vapidave at 5:33 AM on October 8, 2009
posted by MaxK at 6:27 PM on October 7 [+] [!]
This is in regard to carbonated beverages:
"Caffeine is strictly regulated under the Food and Drug Regulations. It is approved as a miscellaneous food additive under Table VIII, Division 16, and it is only permitted to be added to cola-type beverages up to 200 ppm in the final product. Caffeine may not be added to any other food...I was in Canada for a month and a half before I figured out why my Mountain Dew wasn't working.
Interpretation issues have forced Canadian regulators to clarify the caffeine law over the years. Dr. Pepper was grandfathered. Health Canada agreed that caffeine could be added to root beer because it considers it a cola-type beverage because traditionally root beer used natural sources of caffeine such as the kola nut. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has recently stated that for a drink to be a cola-type it has to be brown. ...And, it is now well settled that if any drink contains more that 100 mg of caffeine per six-ounce serving, Health Canada will insist that it be regulated as a drug, meaning that the manufacturer will have to apply to have it approved as a natural health product."
Give me caffeinated Mountain Dew or give me death.
posted by vapidave at 5:33 AM on October 8, 2009
I don't live in Vancouver, but I am a Canadian so I'm sure I'm helping foot the costs to some extent. And I realize most of that is ultimately going to make some rich bastards even richer, which pisses me off.
My point is that the Olympics as a project: bid committees, host cities, building projects, facilities, housing, etc, are nothing but a scam for taking tax dollars and funneling them to corporations and well connected individuals. Protest the hell out of that, and I'll join you and contribute to your cause. I've supported the fight closer to home when Toronto was bidding for the games. I don't want them her. I don't want my tax money wasted like that.
But for Vancouver, that fight is over. They got the games, and they will go on. Disrupting the athletic events (which for me can be and should be separate from the corporate circus) doesn't hurt anybody but the athletes. The athletes and the athletic competitions aren't your enemy here, and shouldn't be targeted by protests.
By all means, keep up the fight against the profit motive at work here, but don't direct your anger where it doesn't belong, at the athletic events themselves.
posted by rocket88 at 7:30 AM on October 8, 2009 [1 favorite]
My point is that the Olympics as a project: bid committees, host cities, building projects, facilities, housing, etc, are nothing but a scam for taking tax dollars and funneling them to corporations and well connected individuals. Protest the hell out of that, and I'll join you and contribute to your cause. I've supported the fight closer to home when Toronto was bidding for the games. I don't want them her. I don't want my tax money wasted like that.
But for Vancouver, that fight is over. They got the games, and they will go on. Disrupting the athletic events (which for me can be and should be separate from the corporate circus) doesn't hurt anybody but the athletes. The athletes and the athletic competitions aren't your enemy here, and shouldn't be targeted by protests.
By all means, keep up the fight against the profit motive at work here, but don't direct your anger where it doesn't belong, at the athletic events themselves.
posted by rocket88 at 7:30 AM on October 8, 2009 [1 favorite]
Somehow I can't get on board the "make it easier to add adulterants to food" bandwagon.
The flip side is we can buy as much pseudo ephedrine as we want, in a single purchase, without showing ID. And batteries. I don't know if that's a government or corporate thing but the last time I attempted to buy batteries in a WalMart in the States they wanted ID.
Besides caffeine is available in pill form all over the place. Add as much or as little to your Dew as you want.
posted by Mitheral at 7:35 AM on October 8, 2009
The flip side is we can buy as much pseudo ephedrine as we want, in a single purchase, without showing ID. And batteries. I don't know if that's a government or corporate thing but the last time I attempted to buy batteries in a WalMart in the States they wanted ID.
Besides caffeine is available in pill form all over the place. Add as much or as little to your Dew as you want.
posted by Mitheral at 7:35 AM on October 8, 2009
For the accordion-deprived, here is a low-budget Official Anthem for the games.
posted by Acari at 7:35 AM on October 8, 2009
posted by Acari at 7:35 AM on October 8, 2009
I was in Canada for a month and a half before I figured out why my Mountain Dew wasn't working.
Ha. I had that same experience: This. Mountain Dew. Broken.
Related to main topic: IOC worried about "unnecessary" level of security for 2010 Games
posted by rokusan at 8:12 AM on October 8, 2009
Ha. I had that same experience: This. Mountain Dew. Broken.
Related to main topic: IOC worried about "unnecessary" level of security for 2010 Games
posted by rokusan at 8:12 AM on October 8, 2009
we'll continue to smoke pot on the street
Keep telling yourself that, just don't grow any in your rented home. In my case the inspector comes by every two months (provincial law says they can come by monthly) to make sure your a Good Lawabidin' Citizen without any horticulturist tendencies*. And, god forbid you use "too much hydro" as a home owner, that could raise a red flag and, allow the electrical inspectors in. Some restrictions apply to the above, natch.
*I wish I could remember more specifics so I could link to it, but there was a single father who was arrested after the person inspecting his apartment found equipment totally unrelated to growing plants that they deemed "illegal". He was ultimately charged and, found guilty of making counterfeit ID's IIRC. Being a renter with a wet plate darkroom containing chemicals like ether, silver nitrate, glycerine, it really gives me pause ... though, thankfully, my house nazi is cool.
I don't want to start a fight over the notion of who's lives in a less authoritarian country. But, the reality is there are things that are happening on both sides of the border that have infringed on rights.
posted by squeak at 8:29 AM on October 8, 2009
Keep telling yourself that, just don't grow any in your rented home. In my case the inspector comes by every two months (provincial law says they can come by monthly) to make sure your a Good Lawabidin' Citizen without any horticulturist tendencies*. And, god forbid you use "too much hydro" as a home owner, that could raise a red flag and, allow the electrical inspectors in. Some restrictions apply to the above, natch.
*I wish I could remember more specifics so I could link to it, but there was a single father who was arrested after the person inspecting his apartment found equipment totally unrelated to growing plants that they deemed "illegal". He was ultimately charged and, found guilty of making counterfeit ID's IIRC. Being a renter with a wet plate darkroom containing chemicals like ether, silver nitrate, glycerine, it really gives me pause ... though, thankfully, my house nazi is cool.
I don't want to start a fight over the notion of who's lives in a less authoritarian country. But, the reality is there are things that are happening on both sides of the border that have infringed on rights.
posted by squeak at 8:29 AM on October 8, 2009
mek - and then gets into crazy town pretty fast
... in that voters perceived that the BC Libs were the least bad choice in regards to business and corporations - and thus their continued ability to afford to live in Kits, Point Grey, West End, Downtown. It doesn't help that the BC NDP, like the federal Libs, aren't fielding strong party leaders.
The HST wasn't even a glimmer in Campbell's public eye during the elections and was pretty much a stealth proposal well after the elections were over.
posted by porpoise at 8:52 AM on October 8, 2009
... in that voters perceived that the BC Libs were the least bad choice in regards to business and corporations - and thus their continued ability to afford to live in Kits, Point Grey, West End, Downtown. It doesn't help that the BC NDP, like the federal Libs, aren't fielding strong party leaders.
The HST wasn't even a glimmer in Campbell's public eye during the elections and was pretty much a stealth proposal well after the elections were over.
posted by porpoise at 8:52 AM on October 8, 2009
vapidave: We do have caffeinated Mountain Dew in Canada. It's marketed as an "energy drink" (of which we have many, many, many; we also have caffeinated gum, fer chrissakes). It's godawful, IMO, but if that's your thing, go nuts.
posted by Sys Rq at 9:39 AM on October 8, 2009
posted by Sys Rq at 9:39 AM on October 8, 2009
^^ Sorry, that's not very interesting or constructive. From where I am sitting as I type this, I can see the cranes on the "Millenium Water" building site down the hill. That's where they're going to house the athletes.
god you can just tell that olympic village is going to dissolve after the first long rainey season.
posted by concreteforest at 10:34 AM on October 8, 2009
god you can just tell that olympic village is going to dissolve after the first long rainey season.
posted by concreteforest at 10:34 AM on October 8, 2009
Keep telling yourself that, just don't grow any in your rented home.
posted by squeak at 10:29 AM on October 8
Hell no, everybody who grows does it at their summer cottage, or quite frequently at somebody else's summer cottage, where there's plausible deniability.
(I know this because I know a bunch of people who've found stuff growing at their cottages.)
posted by joannemerriam at 11:14 AM on October 8, 2009
posted by squeak at 10:29 AM on October 8
Hell no, everybody who grows does it at their summer cottage, or quite frequently at somebody else's summer cottage, where there's plausible deniability.
(I know this because I know a bunch of people who've found stuff growing at their cottages.)
posted by joannemerriam at 11:14 AM on October 8, 2009
Cottages? Not many of those 'round these parts. It's more common in BC for someone to rent a house in suburbia or farm and, convert that into a quasi greenhouse with tenants who are in the know about the operation.
posted by squeak at 4:36 PM on October 8, 2009
posted by squeak at 4:36 PM on October 8, 2009
... in that voters perceived that the BC Libs were the least bad choice in regards to business and corporations
This is a false and misleading generalization. Vancouver (east & west) is still half NDP, and most ridings the Liberals held onto they only obtained a minority, with >50% of the vote being split between NDP and Greens. Whatever "voters perceived", your opinion isn't it.
Re: marijuana growing, this article is enlightening.
posted by mek at 5:50 PM on October 8, 2009
This is a false and misleading generalization. Vancouver (east & west) is still half NDP, and most ridings the Liberals held onto they only obtained a minority, with >50% of the vote being split between NDP and Greens. Whatever "voters perceived", your opinion isn't it.
Re: marijuana growing, this article is enlightening.
posted by mek at 5:50 PM on October 8, 2009
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This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
Also, how does Canadian law work regarding the separation of commercial versus non-commercial speech? It looked like one of the bylaws that would restrict protests also would eliminate competing, unauthorized advertisements, something I'd figure that corporate sponsors would be more concerned about.
posted by klangklangston at 12:50 PM on October 7, 2009