Redeye

Vancouver Council has booked themselves a heavy meeting schedule between now and the municipal election in October. Over and above their general council and committee meetings, they have 20 public hearing dates, with multiple redevelopment and rezoning applications to consider. Redeye’s Ian Mass joins us to talk about rezonings, world cup soccer, fireworks,  Vancouver politics and lots more in his regular City Beat report.

The Hungry Stories Project is a team of scholars, dietitians and artists who are fighting for the elimination of food insecurity by sharing what it takes to collectively care for each other’s food needs.  They are producing resources to understand food insecurity, and they say that we need to look at root causes. Dr. Jennifer Black is a member of the Hungry Stories Project  and Associate Professor in Food, Nutrition and Health at the University of British Columbia.

First Nations across the country are reporting a  major loss of funding for children’s programs after the federal government changed Jordan’s Principle rules last February. Mis­sissaugas of the Credit First Nation have been at a hearing at the Cana­dian Human Rights Tribunal since October, accusing Ott­awa of sys­tem­at­ic­ally under­fund­ing on-reserve child and family services in Canada. We speak with law­yer Kent Elson.

The Vancouver organization Rungh has conducted several Wikipedia Edit-a-thon events and, in 2024, they launched Rungh Wikipedia Scholars. The program focuses on researching and creating Wikipedia entries about BIPOC artists and communities. Kika Memeh is a Vancouver-based Nigerian writer, journalist, and interdisciplinary producer. She is one of 2025’s Rungh Wikipedia Scholars. She talks about her research into the artist Chloe Onari and the goals of the Rungh program.

The American invasion of Venezuela — along with fresh threats to annex Greenland — is seen by many commentators as marking the collapse of the international legal order, based on rules enshrined in the United Nations Charter of 1945. The events in Venezuela suggest that this system, with its emphasis on sovereignty and fundamental rights, has been replaced by one more like the pre-Second World War system, when nations could go to war for almost any reason. Jorge Sanchez-Perez says it’s time to accept this reality if we are to build a better international order next time. Jorge Sanchez-Perez is Assistant Professor in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Alberta.

Allowing more childcare in residential neighbourhoods, paying city staff and contractors a living wage, safe public washrooms for everybody and lots more. Redeye collective member Ian Mass brings us his preview of Vancouver Council’s agenda over the coming week with his City Beat report.

Under B.C.’s Environmental Assessment Act, industrial projects must be substantially started within a set period or their environmental certificates expire. KSM Mining ULC is arguing that its gold-copper mine in Northwestern BC is substantially started despite little having been done on the site in the past 10 years.  In December 2024, Ecojustice filed a judicial review on behalf of SkeenaWild, challenging the Environmental Assessment Office’s decision that the mine meets the substantial start requirement. The case went to the BC Supreme court in September. We speak with Adrienne Berchtold, ecologist & mining impacts researcher with Skeenawild.

In 2021, Amber Bracken, a freelance photojournalist on assignment for the Narwhal, was arrested by the RCMP on Wet’suwet’en territory and held in jail for 3 days. The charges against her were later dropped. The Narwhal and Amber Bracken are suing the RCMP in a case about press freedom. That trial begins in Vancouver on Jan 12. We speak with Carol Linnitt, editor-in-chief of the Narwhal.

Vancouver politics were busy in 2025 and with an October 2026 municipal election approaching, things won't be quieting down any time soon. Redeye collective member Ian Mass brings us his New Year's City Beat report.

In Canada, the policies affecting disabled people do not always follow a consistent approach. Alfiya Battalova says our narratives around disability shape our policies – and some key laws reveal a profound tension in Canada’s approach to disability rights and social responsibility. Alfiya Battalova is Assistant Professor in Justice Studies at Royal Roads University.