Democracy Watch

In today's show, the News Collective unpacks the TRPP or Tenant Relocation and Protection Policy and asks if its recently updated protections are working. The show also features an interview with local high school climate change activist Malka Martz Oberlander, as well as a group discussion on Trudeau's recent blackface debacle.

Vancouver's Granville riding brings up interesting questions about how identity politics, party politics and strategic voting factor into the way people vote, especially people on the left. CiTR's News Collective speaks with two local activists about whether former Liberal Jody Wilson-Raybould or the NDP's Yvonne Hanson, are a better fit for left-leaning voters. After that, we have an interview with Councillor Christine Boyle about a narrowly passed rezoning at 8636-8656 Oak Street and how the TRPP is good but not good enough.

How do minority governments form? How will your MP represent you in Ottawa? In this week's episode of Democracy Watch, UBC political science professor Kathryn Harrison gives a federal election primer and former Vancouver city councillor and NDP MP, Libby Davies, talks about her new book and her experience as a rabble rouser running for city hall in the 1970s-80s.

On today’s show, we hear local headlines, then move to an interview with organizer Susan Russell from last week’s “The 19th Birthday Youth in Care Deserve” demonstration in front of City Hall. After that, a Kashmiri-Canadian student tells us about an upcoming protest and explains how the situation in Kashmir affects Kashmiri-Canadians in the Lower Mainland. The show ends with an in-depth look at local artist Sára Molcan’s 24 hour art show, Love/Madness, happening at the Arts Factory this Friday, August 23rd. Sára’s work explores social media and its effect on our emotions and ability to communicate.

After local headlines, the News Collective takes listeners to last week's "Rave Against Renovictions." This protest/dance party was staged in front of billionaire Chip Wilson's mansion in Point Grey. The rave protested Wilson’s company, Low Tide Properties, which has repeatedly renovicted artists from affordable DIY spaces around the city. After that we hear from SFU Research Assistant, Todd Wong who discusses the 2019 DTES Monitoring Report. The report provides a portrait of the neighbourhood’s socioeconomic and community dynamics.

In this episode of Democracy Watch, the News Collective goes over some local headlines, then turns to a story on the stolen, forgotten and forsaken bikes of Vancouver. Alex de Boer speaks with bikers, then the VPD, about how bike theft is investigated and what measures can be taken to prevent it. The show ends with a profile on local business, Bella Roma Pizzeria, done by Adeline Peng.

Happy Pride 2019! CiTR News presents an audio tour of UBC special exhibit, “A Queer Century, 1869-1969” with UBC professors and co-curators Dr. Gregory Mackie and Dr. Kyle Frackman. After that, Thomas O'Donnell joins to discuss their recent reporting on the forgotten history of the UBC Pride Collective.

After local headlines, we hear an interview with Green MP candidate, Lawrence Taylor. Taylor is running in the Vancouver-Kingsway riding in the coming federal election. He tells the News Collective about differences between the federal and municipal Green parties and why he believes folks will vote Green, in this historically dominated NDP riding. After that we hear from Globe and Mail reporter Frances Bula. Bula gives a break down on the development of Vancouver's first City-Wide Plan in nearly a century.

*apologies for the technical errors*

After local headlines, reporter Alex de Boer speaks with COPE city councillor Jean Swanson about last week’s contested redevelopment rejection at 4575 Granville Street. Councillor Swanson says her major concern with supporting this particular redevelopment, is its unaffordability. After that, News Collective reporters Christina Song and Adeline Peng ask Vancouverites what they think of a new South Granville, three-section crosswalk, designed by Musqueam artist Robyn Sparrow. The show ends with a collective discussion on public art.

Today's show features an interview with Hogan’s Alley Director Stephanie Allen, on the process involved in having Cecil Rhodes' name removed from L’ecole Bilingue elementary school. The News Collective also discusses the Vancouver Aquarium's recent lease renewal and its future programming direction, which will no longer focus on captive cetaceans. You’ll also learn a bit about the Aquarium’s remaining dolphin, Helen, and where she’s moving to!