More On The Newspapers

Ross Howard is an award-winning journalist, a marvelous intructor at Langara College, and a good friend. He spends considerable time in Africa and other remote regions teaching journalism. The following is an email he sent earlier today. (Tuesday, October 21/08)

David: while I agree with your excoriations of The Sun's latest putative improvements, I think in your criticisms and polling you have to sharpen the audience's understanding of what appears to be going on.

The Sun is not sacrificing local news and god forbid, enterprise reporting because the newsroom is populated with wholly incompetent reporters and idiot editors. Left to their own and professional instincts they would generally prefer to be doing more, better work.

However, the latest redesign yet again appears to reflect a corporate imperative to maximize profit by spending the least possible on content improvements as opposed to cosmetic rearrangements of limp content.

In some ways its not fair to beat up on journalists. They don't run newspaper anymore, in many cases (especially most big dailies.) .

Bean-counters, accountants, media corporation managers are the ones dictating the underlying impetus for such changes, which is to treat news production as a profit centre, not as a public service.

Within a generation, perhaps within five years, even in Canada where the newspaper crisis is different, weak papers like The Sun risk a real collapse in their readership numbers (old habits eventually die, young ones go online) because of the irrelevancy of the paper edition as useful (aside from reassuring status quo ideas) to readers young and old. Belatedly then the corporate directives may encourage the remaining Sun journalists to rediscover relevance and perhaps modestly invest in the pursuit, but it may be too late.

To belabour my point: it isn't journalists who are killing the print media in Canada. It is the owners.

Ross Howard

Secret Formula Discovered

O.K.

I get it.

It took a while, cause I'm not too swift, eh?

But now I got it.

The Sun's new page design means that we will be blessed with a columnist taking up the bottom half of the front page.

I'm guessing that this means they think they are competing with or getting in synch with blogs.

They think we rush to read other people's opinions.

Surprise!

Some of us like to read this odd thing called THE NEWS.

Murder

There are only a few oddities about the case of David Shearing that need be noted.

Shearing killed six people, but he was convicted in each count of second degree murder.

Which should open a twelve hour discussion about what constitutes pre-meditation.

In this case, I suppose someone argued, or the judge istructed, that the accused seized an opportunity, rather than planned anything, as he apparently came across these two families camping and then destroyed them all.

A fine point no doubt.

So what are the time limits for pre-meditation? You have to devise your murders months - or minutes - in advance to qualify for first degree murder?

Then, there is this small oddity.

Shearing has been in prison for many years now, but in 1995 he married a lady from Prince Albert. Her name is Heather. You cannot write material like this.

And finally, the parole board must now go through the charade of considering this nut job for various of their forms of freedoms.

Let us all pray together. We know about the efficacies of the parole board.

And so it Goes

RCMP's E Division should stand up for itself

Margret Kopala, Citizen Special

Published: Monday, October 20, 2008

The RCMP has its problems but nothing justifies cowering before special interest groups. This time, it's E Division that's under fire from the Pivot Legal Society in a Vancouver battleground where electoral politics has nothing on the politics of supervised drug injection.

The Downtown Eastside's Insite is on the brink of becoming Canada's worst public policy disaster, yet last week the Pivot Legal Society called for Canada's auditor general to investigate the RCMP's authority to commission research into the facility's effects on crime and associated issues.

The problem? First -- and despite the information being available on one website over a year ago -- Pivot alleges the research was "secretly" commissioned; secondly, though two reports were favourable to Insite, two were critical: one by Garth Davies, a professor at Simon Fraser University and the other, the now seminal analysis titled A Critique of Canada's INSITE Injection Site and its Parent Philosophy.

Written by Dr. Colin Mangham, a veteran of nearly 30 years in substance abuse prevention and a former professor of health education at Dalhousie University, the critique painstakingly questions studies suggesting Insite either saves lives, reduces crime and disease transmission, or encourages treatment. It also exposes the facility's parent philosophy that drugs are a lifestyle choice, a premise whose ethical contradictions can only be resolved by legalizing drugs or, as the city of Oslo recently determined, by closing its injection facility.

Dr. Mangham confirmed to me this week that nothing in his paper has been disproved or even specifically challenged. Instead, and given its status as the new four-letter word, it is being dismissed as "ideologically" biased though as someone once observed, name-calling is the last refuge of the intellectually bankrupt.

It's not the first time. Like Davies and Mangham, Health Canada's panel of experts summarized first the studies' positive findings then their methodological and design flaws. Among many qualifications to the studies' assertions, the panel noted how only five per cent of drug addicts in the area were using the facility and of those, only 20 per cent on a regular basis.

Its report was promptly dismissed as "political."

And when addiction treatment specialist Dr. Donald Hedges attempted to appear before a parliamentary committee to argue Insite is encouraging risky behaviour (the heroin addict needs progressively higher highs), he was harrassed and intimidated by demonstrators.

Thug democracy rules and now it's the RCMP. Never mind the quality of the work, just question the right of a beleaguered institution to undertake it. To make matters really interesting, point to derogatory remarks coined by a retired constable about the B.C. Centre for Excellence in HIV/Aids which nonetheless powerfully symbolize the deep chasm between the epidemiologists who dominate Insite scholarship and officers who must work in an area which after five years of Insite remains an open-air lavatory. Literally.

Let's be clear. All experts, however narrow their disciplines, have important contributions to make. Those with experience in the field are no less important than those in academe. But there is good reason why neither should dictate public policy which must save lives, reconcile competing interests and address complex issues. Only the citizenry through its elected representatives can do this.

Still, if the Pivot Legal Society wishes to involve the auditor general, so be it. Transparency is always a good thing. And while she's at it, why not open the books of all the service organizations in the Downtown Eastside. Why not reveal the names of board members, peer reviewers, their fees and salaries, spousal relationships, political connections and who, in what government department, motivated by what rationale, is authorizing payment for all this.

Better still, why not just concentrate on ending drug use and addiction.

As the RCMP begins its internal review into this matter, let E Division stand tall for its own area of expertise. Since access to drugs is the biggest challenge to recovery from addiction, no treatment or prevention agenda is possible without a law and order agenda. Sweden's zero-tolerance model and mandatory treatment for addicted repeat offenders should also be considered.

Margret Kopala's column on western perspectives appears every other week.

Taxi!

Mysteriously, inexplicably, the local transit system, hated and feared by all who use it regularly, keeps winning international awards.

Clearly the juries who give out these prizes have not been talking to the drivers.

"The overcrowding, the delays, the pass-ups, the inadequate service. It's gone on for years."

This a quote from the local union president, Don MacLeod, calling for many, many more buses.

Will Transclunk or Coast Mountain Bus or whoever is claiming to run the show these days hear this plea?

Or will people trying to get home from a day's work still wait for 30 minutes in the cold and dark and rain?

Janis to Stephane

Bye, Bye, Baby Bye, Bye

It is likely - and to be hoped - that Stephane Dion steps down today.

Not that there are so many shining lights waiting in the wings. But surely, Dion was one of the weakest leaders the Liberal party have ever put forward.

Dan Gardner, writing in today's Sun, has an interesting analysis that is worth the read.

I don't know that I will ever be persuaded that carbon taxes make any sense, but Gardner makes a good argument for the idea and how Dion missed his main chance.

Today's Province Column

Sunday » October 19 »

2008 Federal and provincial governments must step up to help our homeless

David Berner The Province

Sunday, October 19, 2008

While the rest of us went through the somewhat hollow exercise of re-electing the same minority government that had just dissolved, a truly significant change occurred on Tuesday.
A B.C. Supreme Court decision made camping in Victoria's public parks a legal activity.

Lawyer Catherine Boies Parker, who acted on behalf of the homeless campers in their court challenge of the city's anti-camping bylaw, confirmed the 108-page judgment upheld their argument that a City of Victoria bylaw that prohibits using "temporary abodes" like tents and large tarpaulins for shelter in parks and public spaces violates the rights of the homeless.

Now, Victoria Mayor Allan Lowe is not one of my all- time favourite politicians. He is, after all the man who wants not only four safe injection sites in his city, but one of them to be "mobile." (Are you familiar with the mobile cancer clinic or arthritis centre in your neighbourhood? Of course not. They don't exist.) But Lowe did get it right when he predicted this decision will reverberate across the country.

"This judgment demonstrates what years of cuts to social programming and housing programs have done. Municipal governments were never in the business of providing housing and social support services to individuals in need," Lowe said, calling on higher levels of government to respond to the court decision.

Peter Ladner and Gregor Roberston, both campaigning to be the next Mayor of Vancouver, have homelessness at the top of their platforms. Yet both know that housing and shelter are provincial and federal responsibilities.

For many years, Central Mortgage and Housing Corporation invested wisely and creatively in low cost "public" housing under a broad range of guises and the results were simple -- people had places to hang their hats.

But these initiatives were abandoned at least 20 years ago and the federal government has had almost no impact on housing matters since then.

The Campbell government has shown little taste for aiding the poor in any arena, whether treatment for addicts or housing for anyone other than Olympic athletes.

Are we elitist if we decry the sight of homeless encampments on English Bay beach when we take a Sunday stroll?

Enabling tent cities in public parks may be manna for civil libertarians, but it's very bad public policy.

Parker, the lawyer who acted on behalf of the homeless in this case, and others who wish to help, might better serve the homeless by suing a few governments for not providing care to our most vulnerable.

Or maybe I am being naïve. Maybe this is just a clever ploy to bring this problem a larger spotlight and force the comfy sleepyheads in Victoria and Ottawa to do something real - like build buildings with kitchens and bathrooms and bedrooms in them.

You know . . . homes.

david@davidberner.com

© The Vancouver Province 2008

The Wrong News - Again

New treatment works

Painkiller better than methadone therapy

What a sad and naive story this is.

Of course, anything works better than methadone. A conversation with your Aunt Tilly, a cup of green tea or a ride on the bumper cars all work better than methadone.

That alleged scientists publish "results" like this is to laugh or cry.

That newspapers pubish these stories is to laugh or cry all over again.

This is not, by any standard imaginable, treatment.

This is substituing one drug for another.

This is saying to the addict, "You are a hopeless idiot and you can never move on. So we, the DOCTORS WHO KNOW EVERYTHING, will keep you enslaved.

The addict, of course, is too stoned and too wired on his habit to resist.

But, if only one other human being reaches across the aisle and says instead, "You are not sick, Brother. You are stupid. You've been making some lousy choices, and you can learn to make new choices that are more productive..." if one person says that, at least 25% of the addicts will, with some work, become clean and sober and stay that way.

Stop the enabling and let's move on.

Fox in the Hen House, part 3,927

Now, it is called "Government Sachs."

So many of the well-compensated executives at the heart of one of the worst offenders in the meltdown, Golman Sachs, have now to been recruited to be a part of the "solution," that the bankrupt company has taken on a new moniker.

Read this truly disgusting course here.

Powell for Obama

Colin Powell's very public endorsement of Barack Obama on NBC's "Meet the Press" this morning is very much worth reading about.

Better yet, you can watch the video and hear it all for yourself.

Reach Out - Again...

Is the Daily Paper Finished? There are no more Fish to wrap, so what purpose will is serve?

You will see to the right a new survey.

Is is just me, or is the newly revised, revamped and reconfigured Vancouver Sun basically devoid of news?

Or is this just a slow news period?

I appreciate that the paper did a big themed exercise on the economy and that they covered the nightmare from every imaginable angle (except, of course, how the sex trade is flourishing or languishing as a result of the...wait for it...downturn.)

BUT.

I didn't find one story, not one, worthy of blogggismentis.

One friend says that the Sun now considers its biggest rival - and model - 24 Hours.

Yikes!

That would 'splain a lot.

I suppose like many of you I could cancel the daily delivery and save all that paper recycling.

Take the survey.

Help me understand what the Captains of Communication think they are doing.

Congratulations

At last...some good news and some legitimate news.

Mike Mccarthy's front page piece in Friday's Courier tells the most encouraging story about the Aboriginal Mother Centre and Builders without Borders.

Neil Griggs, the architect and planner, who is the passion behind Builders without Borders, deserves all our thanks and praise for doing exactly what should be done and what can never be done by governments.

The Pivot Legal Society is completely wrong in kvetching that this kind of project relieves the government of its responsibility to build social housing.

A) Pivot might start by simply being thankful for this great initiative.

B) They might recognize that government has contributed many dollars to this project, and

C) Governments never have Vision or Passion and they can never do this kind of good work. They never have and they never will. Always look to non-profits and the private sector to do good in the world.

Important Community Announcement

Southeast Seniors to Confront Vision Vancouver Candidates About Seniors Centre;

Staggering New Statistics to be Released

October 17, 2008

Vancouver, BC - The Southeast Vancouver Seniors' Arts and Cultural Centre Society will be unveiling staggering new statistics regarding Vancouver's seniors population at a public forum on Monday, October 20th at the Killarney Community Centre. The group is devoted to developing, promoting and providing programs, activities and services for seniors of all cultural backgrounds within Southeast Vancouver.

Since the mid-1990's, the idea of a seniors centre in Southeast Vancouver emerged in response to an embarrassing lack of resources for seniors in the area, encompassing such neighbourhoods as Victoria-Fraserview, Killarney, and Champlain. This quadrant of the city continues to lag behind other areas as currently there are nine stand-alone seniors centres within Vancouver, none of which reside in Southeast VancouverIn April of 2001, Vancouver City Council and Vancouver Park Board approved in principle the construction of a seniors centre at Killarney Community Centre subject to the availability of funding from other sources such as the provincial and federal governments.

Subsequent changes in both levels of government have killed these initial pledges of support. The Southeast Vancouver Seniors' Arts and Cultural Centre Society have invited Vision Vancouver council candidate Raymond Louie and Vision Vancouver Park Board candidate Raj Hundal to attend the forum to make them aware of powerful new census data that shows that 1/3 of all Vancouver seniors live in the city's southeast quadrant as well as the severe lack of services and resources devoted to this population.EVENT DETAILS: Southeast Seniors ForumWho: The Southeast Vancouver Seniors' Arts and Cultural Centre Society; Vision Vancouver candidates Raymond Louie & Raj Hundal

Date: Monday, October 20, 2008 Time: 11:00a.m. - Noon (Doors open at 10:30) Place: Killarney Community Centre 6260 Killarney Street

Room 203 , 2nd Floor

For further information: Keith Jacobson (604)816-7472

Someone to Vote For

Looking for a place to cast a good vote in November?

Vote for Eileen Le Gallais, an old friend, who is running for School Trustee. The following is her recent message.

Friends & Colleagues,

I am very excited to share with you my decision to run for School Board Trustee on the Non Partisan Association, (NPA), slate in the November 15, 2008, Civic Election.

I have over 30 years experience teaching Elementary and Secondary in Vancouver schools, with special training in ESL. Our three children attended Vancouver schools, and now our four grandchildren continue the tradition. I believe my experience as a parent and as an educator, gives me a valuable perspective to bring to the Vancouver School Board.

My goal as a Trustee will be to bring my expertise, energy and enthusiasm to actively support students and ensure that all available resources are accessible to them.

Please contact me at elegallais@npavancouver.ca if you would like to support my campaign through donations, lawn signs (large 4X4, small 24X18), delivering flyers, etc. For now, one of the easiest ways to assist, is to forward this email announcement to people you feel would be interested in supporting my drive to make positive changes in the Vancouver school system.

Find out more about me, and my credentials at www.npavancouver.ca/candidates.

Eileen Le Gallais

Reach Out/Four tops - Levi Stubbs RIP, age 72

MY FRIDAY PROVINCE COLUMN

will appear on Sunday or Monday...

Don't even ask...

Miro Cernetig's Wet Noodle Rehash of Tired Old Tropes has no Business on the Front Page

What refreshing, new thoughts has Cerntig brought to the marketplace in his chanting of accepted wisdoms on Ladner and Robertson this morning?

This drivel isn't worthy of the back pages, let alone the cover of a major daily.

He buys and re-sells the fantasy that property crime is down.

No, Miro.

Check it out.

The reporting of property crime is down.

If you call your local police office in Metro and tell them that someone has broken into your home, violated your sense of security, rifled through your socks and underwear and made off with the plasma tube while you were at Costco, they will YAWN IN YOUR FACE.

The average tax-paying home-owner has forsaken the reporting of these kinds of crimes because all they get for it is A FILE NUMBER.

Crime is up, way up, and if you don't know that, what do you know?

Ladner is absolutely right to talk about more cops.

I don't agree with him on more "Ambassadors," but that's another argument for another day.

And then there is this ancient mantra, repeated by the Lazy and the Bored:

"His brutal, backroom ousting of Mayor Sam Sullivan, whom he deposed as NPA leader, still sticks."

Get serious, Miro.

You want brutal? Try looking at the real record of the worst and most vicious mayor this city has ever tolerated.

Everybody in City Hall wanted to see the end of Sullivan and Peter Ladner was simply playing out all our wish fulfilment dreams.

The NPA had a contest; they had a vote. One guy won, the other didn't.

Stop whining.

And try writing something original and not a regurge of beer parlor barf.

Justice Denied

If headline writers deliberately aim to provoke, they certainly struck gold with this one:

Vancouver trafficker gets sentence cut for being aboriginal

Man was 'raised white,' but judge says he identifies as first nation and deserves a break

Isaac Jenkins checked two suitcases in at YVR for a flight to Montreal. The suitcases were filled with cocaine, an illegal substance and a deadly dangerous one.

In other words, Jenkins knowingly went out of his way to break the law. In fact, his entire enterprise is about breaking the law. That's how he spends his day.

So, if I exported cocaine, could I claim that I am one of god's "chosen people" and therefore deserve a lighter sentence.

Ha!

I can hear the Rabbis laughing already. They would argue that I deserve a harsher sentence for disgracing the tribe!

This kind of weeping "justice" only besmirches the name and deserves round condemnation.

When will judges be held in some way accountable to the people they fail to serve?