Jarret “Stoll” the Show
By Matthew Inouye, Grade 11
First is better than last, one is higher than eight, and 111 points is more than 95. So the Canucks beat the Kings, right? Well, despite having the superior roster and regular-season record, the Vancouver Canucks were shown the door by Jared Stoll, who scored the series-winning goal in the overtime period of Game 5.
The Windermere List – Homelessness Edition
- The most common misconception: most homeless people are drunks, drug dealers, criminals, and/or failures in society
- Length of time: 47% of the 752 unsheltered homeless people interviewed last year had been living on the streets for 10 years of more
- Total homeless population: 2,650 homeless people were found in Metro Vancouver on March 15–16, 2011
- Number of homeless youth: 397 found in Metro Vancouver last year
- Number of homeless families: 56 families found in Metro Vancouver in 2011
- (more…)
2012 Earth Day Parade & Celebration
By Kaitlyn Fung, Grade 11
Almost a year ago, a group of students from Windermere organized Vancouver’s first-ever youth-led Earth Day Parade and Celebration. The intent was to engage the community and raise awareness of serious issues concerning the people and the climate of our planet, as well as to empower others, especially youth, to take action. With the planning for the second annual Earth Day Parade well underway, the group (appropriately called “Youth for Climate Justice Now”) and their legacy have continued to grow. This year’s parade will be happening on Sunday, April 22nd. People will once again march down Commercial Drive, but this time the ensuing celebration is to be held at the recently renovated Grandview Park. Brilliant speakers will be there to inspire and educate, local performers will provide lively entertainment, and different organizations will be present a variety of opportunities to get involved.
Rustic Roots Productions
By Dani Miller
What is Rustic Roots Productions?
Rustic Roots Productions is a new company emerging from the vast music industry and out onto the public stage. The agency is dealing with music artist management and booking.
Owner, Dani Miller, began working on this project during her time at the Art Institute of Vancouver, where she studied Independent Recording Arts. While learning the skills needed in audio engineering, Dani found herself leaning more towards the business side of the music industry.
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To visit the website of Rustic Roots Productions:
http://www.rusticrootsproductions.com/.
Become a fan of Rustic Roots on Facebook or Twitter!
http://www.facebook.com/RusticRootsProductions
http://twitter.com/RusticRootsPro
To see Dani’s music reviews, please visit
http://www.tumblr.com/blog/daniofrustic!
If you would like to be included in
Rustic Roots Productions’ emailing list, please send an email to
rusticrootspro@gmail.com.
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Currently, Rustic Roots Productions is working with musicians such as (more…)
An Epiphany after Homeless Film Night
By Zhong Zhong, Grade 11
When you walk down the street during the winter, do you notice that some people have created some extremely simple places to sleep somewhere on the street corners? Only a few pieces of thin paper may form their bedding; this is an example of homelessness. What are your thoughts when you see something like that happening in the lovely city of Vancouver? Do you just walk past them? Or do you go up and chat with them instead?
Photo credit to Social Development Department of the City of Vancouver
A month ago, something changed my mind about homelessness. (more…)
Food Security: The Future of Food
By Brendan Chan, Alumnus
An article about a couple from East Vancouver and their garden was published in Georgia Straight. According to the couple, Jodi Peters and Jeffery Radke, the reason why they decided to rent was because they were allowed to grow their own food. However, this statement was not formalized as part of the contract. The couple has been renting since November 2009, and their garden has been running since then. Their extensive knowledge on food has transformed a normal green lawn into a flourishing Gaia’s Garden that consists of a vegetable garden, a greenhouse, rain barrels, and an aquaponics system. Through gardening, the couple has been able to not only sustain themselves, but also grow food for their neighbors and others in the community. However, on August 5, 2011, they were given instructions by their renter to remove the garden. (more…)
The Law 12 Homelessness Campaign – Editors’ Note
Hello Warriors!
This month, we are very lucky to have a large number of articles thanks to Ms Lee’s Law 12 class! As part of their homeless campaign project, many Law 12 students have written and submitted articles or interviews relating to the issue of homelessness in the City of Vancouver. While some of these articles can be found in print, the majority are online. This doesn’t mean they are any less well-written, though! They are, in fact, exclusive! You can’t read them anywhere else!
Because of the large influx of articles this month, our editors did not have enough time to edit all the articles, and so many Law 12 articles are presented in their original form; questions regarding an article should be directed to its writer.
Thank you, and enjoy!
Editors of the Windermere Word
Homelessness in Vancouver
By Francesca Drake, Grade 12
(Published online only)
In a city teemed with business, tourism, and urban life, one might think it is unlikely to find poor people living on the streets. Unfortunately, 1,715 Vancouver citizens are forced to call the street their home, according to the Vancouver Homeless Count taken in March, 2010. Among those 1,715 Vancouverites, half are addicted to drugs or alcohol, and a quarter of them suffer from mental illnesses.
While these numbers are startling, there are many citizens dedicated to ending homelessness, who are involved in government projects or non-profit organizations. For example, Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson administered the Homeless Action Plan, with a main priority of ending homelessness by 2015. However, in our present 2011, what measures are being taken to ensure we reach this goal?
(more…)
Canucks Update: Belly-Flopping October
By Chris Tam and Mike Chen, Grade 12
Editor’s Note: The following was written on October 20th and does not contain the most up-to-date information.
Being so early in the season, the Canucks have yet to find their Presidents’-Trophy-winning form, but it’s clear that the road to the Stanley Cup will not be easy. Great expectations are projected for the home team, but are they up to the test?
(more…)
An Interview with Jacqueline from Covenant House Vancouver
By Celia Lee, Grade 12
If you were given a choice, would you want to live in a house or spend your life on the streets? Covenant House Vancouver offers basic needs to 500 to 1000 homeless youths living in Vancouver. It consists of three core services. The first is the Community Support Services (CSS), consisting of street outreach, daily drop-ins, and housing support. Secondly, we have a crisis shelter that provides safe housing, food, clothing, and counselling to people from sixteen to twenty-two of age. The last service is the Rights of Passage (ROP), which is a temporary living program providing up to twenty-four months of supported living. (more…)
Occupy Vancouver
By Max Miller, Grade 12
Editor’s Note: This article was written on October 21st and does not account for more recent developments at the Occupy protest; see next month’s article for more up-to-date information.
It’s a rather surreal experience, walking through downtown to come across what looks like a cramped, crowded, haphazard campsite at the doorstep of the Vancouver Art Gallery. Occupy Vancouver assembled on Saturday, October 15th (known as a global “Day of Rage”) in response to the ‘Occupy Wall Street’ movement, instantly brings to my mind the Tent City protest that took place during the 2010 Olympics. (more…)
If You Live in Vancouver
By Talya Perla, Grade 12
If you live in Vancouver, you are probably aware of the growing issue of homelessness in the city. According to the 2010 Annual Homelessness Count, there are a total of 1,715 homeless people living in Vancouver. That’s 139 more than the number counted in 2008. Forty-five percent of these people have been homeless for at least a year. Some live on the streets or in their cars, while others either live in inadequate housing or stay with friends or family. With these growing numbers, how can we help reduce and ultimately stop the problems caused by homelessness? (more…)
Burns Bog, “The Rough Diamond under Tons of Garbage”
By Tammy Lee, Grade 12
Burns Bog is a remarkable natural site located in the suburban region of Vancouver, and it is the largest raised bog on the west coast of North America. Although it may not be as acclaimed as the “gem in the city” we know as Stanley Park, Burns Bog is considered to be the “rough diamond buried under tons of garbage”, due to the endless garbage disposal at the landfills located right on the edge of the peat bog. Burns Bog is a self-sustaining ecosystem that provides shelter to over twenty-four different species of mammals. It is home to over one-hundred and fifty species of birds, as well as many plant species. Sadly, many of them are on the verge of extinction. Despite the Bog’s scientific significance at both the local and national level, the public just isn’t told enough about this jewel. What makes the situation worse is that the government is doing nothing to help protect this area, but rather, destroying it.
In recent years, there has been much controversy regarding the future of Burns Bog. Although environmentalists have been trying very hard to preserve this land, they are struggling with cleaning up the mess caused by the clash of government-run projects and natural disasters. However, this in turn has raised people’s awareness about the plight of the Bog. As the government continues to be scrutinized for its actions regarding, the greatest question for the community is what its future will be like. Will it eventually be destroyed by development? Or will it be protected as a treasure?
Ownership caused some of the biggest environmental problems. Although First Nations people have lived on the land for thousands of years, they are not given any rights to harvest and gather in Burns Bog, whereas the City of Vancouver owns a share. Western Delta Lakes, a major private landowner who also owns one of the mountain resorts in the Lower Mainland, owns a majority of the Bog. In other words, Western Delta Lakes could easily do what they please with the land and no one could stop them. However, it seems that not all governments are good at using its power of land control wisely. In the past, the city of Delta has approved the bulldozing of over 32 hectares of the Bog for cranberry farming. The construction of a radio tower and the clear-cutting of private land along the Bog’s edge only showed the government’s negligence. Above all, permitting the establishment of private landfills along the northern edge is greatly disappointing to those who initially thought the government would be happy to help protect the environment. The Bog’s ecosystem, which sustains a wide variety of flora and fauna, is disrupted by these dumpsites, as well as by the City of Vancouver Landfill found on the southern part. In 1993, it was recorded that an estimated 830 tonnes of waste, generated from land clearing and construction, were dumped. Almost two decades have passed since then. Considering the massive boom in population, it’s easy to say that the amount of waste being dumped nowadays has doubled or even tripled. In short, the government’s conservation efforts are best illustrated by what Delta mayor Beth Johnson said years ago, “There’s not much we can do to preserve the bog, given so much of it is somebody’s private land.”
So, what other problems are apparent at Burns Bog? Since Vancouver was ranked the most liveable city, Metro Vancouver has become much more populous. New residents are moving into the area monthly, and many move towards the Surrey and Delta areas. As a result, more cars are driving into, and out of, Vancouver than ever before. Naturally, roads have become too congested, and the government believes the best way to solve this problem is to create more roads. But what does this have to do with Burns Bog? Well, the government’s South Fraser Perimeter Road Project is planned to plough right through the Bog, destroying hectares of magnificent ecosystem. If this project indeed proceeds according to plan, we will be saying goodbye to the natural site whose beauty many people have yet to appreciate. It’s a pity that the government is willing to destroy it without a second thought.
On the other hand, thousands of people are determined to protect Burns Bog. Many protesting groups around the Lower Mainland, such as the Wilderness Committee, Burns Bog Conservation Society, and the StopThePave.Org, are utilizing their rights as citizens to fight for what they believe in. The best course of action would be to reach a compromise with the Government of BC, who needs to understand that Burns Bog is essentially the “lungs of the Lower Mainland” and its destruction will be devastating. Not only would destroying the Bog affect the plants and wildlife in the area, it would also affect us. The amount of greenhouse gases released upon the disappearance of the peat bog would result in a huge negative impact on our environment. In 2004, over two thousand hectares of Burns Bog had been purchased to be protected as the Burns Bog Ecological Conservancy Area, with its four shareholders being the Province of British Columbia, the Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD), the Corporation of Delta, and Canada. Although Burns Bog has yet to be placed under the world’s spotlight, it has been nominated to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2008. The title has yet to be granted.
The Windermere List
By: Thea Sample, Grade 10
- The 125th anniversary of Vancouver: April 6, 2011
- Nicknames of Vancouver: Rain City, Terminal City, and Hollywood North
- One of the first Europeans to explore British Columbia: Jose Maria Narvaez in 1791
- The year Japanese Canadians were forced out of the West Coast: 1942, after the Pearl Harbour attack by Japan in World War II
- Oldest television station in Western Canada: CBC
- Number of workers who died in the construction of the Second Narrows Bridge: 19
- The year B.C. Place Stadium opened: 1983
- Constructions for Expo 86: Skytrain, B.C. Place Stadium, Science World, Canada Place and the Plaza of Nations
- First un-elected premier of BC: Christy Clark
- The three First Nations traditional lands on which Vancouver is located: Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh
- The oldest school in Vancouver: Lord Strathcona Elementary School
- The oldest remaining secondary school in Vancouver: Britannia Secondary School
Earth Day Celebration – Friday, April 22nd, 2011
On Friday, April 22nd, a historic Earth Day event took place in Vancouver!
Youth For Climate Justice Now is a group of East Vancouver high school students from Windermere Secondary. They organized this year’s Earth Day Parade and Celebration with great support from organizations such as the Wilderness Committee, Transformation Projects, Metro Vancouver, and the David Suzuki Foundation. This Earth Day event provided a great opportunity to increase youth participation in democracy, especially as environmental issues have been sorely missing from the discussion in the ongoing federal election campaign.
This youth-led Earth Day Parade started at 11:00 AM on the intersection of Commercial Drive and Grandview Highway. An estimated 3000 people from all around the Vancouver area paraded down Commercial Drive to Britannia Secondary School, where the Earth Day Celebration would later be held at. Guest speakers at the celebration included MP Libby Davies, MLA Jenny Kawn, and Melina Laboucan-Massimo, an advocate for indigenous rights with a focus on the impact of the tar sands. The event focused on the need to keep global temperatures from rising beyond 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. Throughout the day, student volunteers circulated a petition urging governments to do 2 things that would significantly reduce the supply and demand for oil: redirecting money from highway expansion to public transit and banning oil tankers on the Pacific coast.
Although this year’s Earth Day had already gone by, Youth For Climate Justice Now is not going to stop there! They would like to continue to encourage more and more of their peers to learn, take action, and show everyone that the time to save the Earth is NOW!
Animal Cruelty
By: Thea Sample, Grade 10
You may have heard of the recent tragedy in Whistler associated with one hundred healthy sled dogs being shot or stabbed to death. It brought outrage and questions from around the world. News of these killings came when an employee asked for post-traumatic stress disorder compensation from the BC Worker’s Compensation Board. The employee said he was forced to kill 100 healthy sled dogs and was suffering from depression and nightmares as a result. The employee claimed that his employer had told him to get rid of the dogs after business slowed during the post-Olympic slump. In a later statement, however, the company (Outdoor Adventures Whistler) said that they had never instructed the employee specifically on how to go about getting rid of so many dogs.
The main questions now are why no charges have been laid against the killer, what role the employer played in this tragedy, and why the BC Worker’s Compensation Board accepted the employee’s application for compensation. You might be surprised to know that it is not against the law to kill dogs, but it is illegal to kill them in an inhumane manner. In this case, the animal massacre has definitely gone beyond legal bounds. The dogs did not die instantly as a matter of fact. Some dogs even tried to crawl out of the grave they were thrown into after being shot.
Another question people have is why the employee or the company did not try to put the dogs up for adoption. There has been much controversy over this subject and the company says that it could not be done because the dogs were trained/working dogs. Then what happens when a dog retires from being a sled dog or even from being a bomb-sniffing dog? Well, the answer is that it is up to the company or the breeder to make sure that there is a plan for the dogs after their retirement.
“You have to have a ten- or fifteen-year plan for the dog. Our dogs are raised like pets, so they can be adopted.” said Jason Smith from Kingmik Dogsled Tours.
As a result of the sled dog slaughter, many people are calling for “stronger protection for animals and tougher laws for abusers”, according to Mike Farnworth, a BC NDP leadership candidate.
After this incident, organizations including the Vancouver Humane Society think that sled dog tour companies should be banned. However, this has yet sparked more controversies as there are companies who treat sled dogs well. Furthermore, this tragedy has raised an important discussion on how we treat animals in society, how animals are used for profit by businesses, and what our responsibility is to those animals.
Homelessness and The Law
By: Leslie Goh, Grade 12
In the lower mainland, especially in downtown eastside, homelessness is a major problem. As
the years go by, the homeless count has risen. For example, in 2002, the total number of homeless
people in Vancouver was 1121. In 2005, it was 2174. The latest count in 2008 had 2660 homeless people
living in Vancouver.
The causes of homelessness are usually due to youths who run away from home, drug abuse,
low income, etc. Some people may just think that homeless people should get jobs, but it’s not that easy
for them. Since homeless people are mostly on the streets, they can’t take all of their belongings with
them, such as identification, which is very crucial when it comes to getting a job.
My thoughts on homelessness in Canada is that it’s very sad to see someone who has lost
everything and has ended up on the streets, which is why I think that more shelters should be built. I
believe that it goes against sector 7 of the Charter of Rights, where it states “everyone has the right to
life, liberty and security.
Interview with Adrian Dix – Provincial Member of Legislature & Don Davies – Federal Member of Parliament
Our Law 12 Class has been exploring the issue of homelessness in Vancouver. Unfortunately, our city (as wealthy as it may be) has a significant number of homeless people. For our project we interviewed two members of parliament: Don Davies and Adrian Dix. Mr. Adrian Dix, was kind of enough to take the time out of his day to see us in person. Meanwhile, Mr. Don Davies who is currently in Ottawa was kind enough to go into great length in responding to our questions in a detailed e-mail.
1) Can you please define homelessness in your own words?
Adrian: People without a permanent home or do not have a home address.
Don: The state of not having a regular, safe, clean, healthy place to live.
2) Can you list some of the causes of homelessness?
Adrian: One of the main problems is the lack of an affordable, appropriate, and or supportive housing. Vancouver is already an extremely expensive city to live in and with it being even harder to find work; it’s harder to get off the streets.
Don: Every homeless person has a unique story and unique circumstances that led to their homelessness. Some factors include; poverty, addiction, mental illness, ill health, victimization, marginalization, and lack of affordable housing.
3) Can you list some of the ideal solutions for this issue?
Adrian: The ideal solution is to build affordable housing; though a short term solution is to build more temporary shelter.
Don: From my perspective an elected official, I believe that there is much that all levels or go government can do to combat homelessness. These include developing a national housing strategy, investing in affordable housing, supporting mental health and addiction programs.
a) What are your views on this issue?
Adrian: We have to view this as our problem, and have sympathy. As humans we have to treat everyone with dignity, and respect. Also, we have to put resources out to help these people in their times of need.
Don: It is absolutely unacceptable for there to be any homelessness in a country as wealthy as Canada. Curing cancer is hard, curing homelessness is easy. Build affordable homes, house the poor!
b) Are there plans to implement any of the solutions you mentioned?
Adrian: They are starting to build more affordable housing. Also, some of the housing in Olympic Village will be turned into affordable housing.
Don: Libby Davies has a bill (Bill C-304) before the House that would require the government to establish a national housing strategy. Solutions to end homelessness require co-operation between all levels of government
4) In your opinion, is allowing homelessness to proceed violating the Charter of Rights and Freedom? Please elaborate.
Adrian: More important is actually trying to solve the problem. You can take a case and get justice that won’t build you a house.
Don: Interesting question. The right to shelter is considered a basic human right by many people and organizations, however, it is not explicitly enshrined in the Charter.
I think the answer is probably no. For it to be a Charter violation, it would have to be proven that the government is explicitly responsible for causing homelessness and that it therefore caused harm to the security of the person. That said, an argument could be made that government policies and laws have aggravated homelessness or that the government has a constitutional responsibility to deal with homelessness. I would be interested to see how the Supreme Court would rule on these issues. I would note that there have been cases where laws surrounding homelessness have been ruled unconstitutional. Look up the case of tents in Victoria for an example
5) Over the years the homeless have increased in population, why do you think that is?
Adrian: Homelessness has increased in population for many reasons. One being that it’s more expensive to live in Vancouver and affordable housing has stopped being built. Another situation may be that jobs that supported families have stopped supporting them.
Don: Poverty is the most direct cause of homelessness. Over past three or four decades, successive federal and provincial governments gave enacted a series of neo-liberal economic policies that have had the result of growing the gap between rich and poor, and reducing in real wages for the poorest people in our society.
Also, allowing the market to set rents caused an extreme escalation in rents and drastically reduced affordable rentals. This causes a cascade whereby middle income people can no longer afford the homes in the areas where they used to live. Those middle income earners end up in areas usually occupied by low income earners and the lowest income earners end up homeless.
6) How much government funding is put into homelessness annually and/or monthly?
Adrian: I am not sure.
Don: This is a hard figure to pin down. I have not looked into this personally.
7) What do you think are some of the reasons why homelessness is at its highest among First Nations than any other community?
Adrian & Don: Many of the causes of homelessness which I have spoken about already disproportionally affect First Nations people in Canada. All Canadians should learn about how centuries of government policies have devastated the family bonds in many First Nations communities. We are living with the legacy of centuries (literally) of policies that were designed to kill first nations culture.
Take the example of Residential schools: Children were forcibly taken away from their families and raised by people of a different religion and culture. They were not allowed to speak their language or practice their religion. Many were sexually and physically abused by those who were in a parental role and other positions of power.
Imagine the effect that this would have on your self-image, self esteem. Subsequent generations were ill-equipped to parent. This has had a compounding effect on generations of First Nations and led to higher rates of substance abuse, depression and other mental illness, all factors in homelessness.
This is just one example. You must also take into account racism, housing on reserves, the 60s sweep, etc. It will take generations of effort, Government policies and healing to overcome this dark history. Remember, the last residential school was closed in the 1980s. This is not ancient history. I would encourage you to learn all you can about these issues.
8) Have you ever been personally effected by homelessness?
Adrian & Don: No, not personally. However, I did participate in the city-wide homeless count in Vancouver last spring. We went out at four in the morning to count the homeless in our city. This was a profound experience for me and really brought home the magnitude of the problem in our community.
9) Would you ever hire a homeless person for employment? Please elaborate on why or why not.
Adrian: Yes, but no guarantee they would actually get a job. It’s hard when you don’t have any bank account or address.
Don: If a homeless person were qualified for a job in my office, I would not discriminate on the basis that they were homeless. Yes, I would hire them.
10) Was it a necessary step clearing up the Vancouver streets of all the homeless during the 2010 Games?
Adrian: This was a good thing. I give credit to the mayor for this, because they created a lot of temporary housing. They were not clearing people, they were giving them opportunities.
Don: Absolutely not. Homeless people are part of our community. Removing homeless people from our streets prior to the Olympics was entirely cosmetic. Governments should be using their resources to deal with the problems of homelessness, not pretending homeless people don’t exist.
C = Choke?
By: Chris Tam, Grade 11
Don’t get me wrong; I am a die-hard Canucks fanatic, but this whole captaincy fiasco needs to be cleared up. Amid all
the controversy over Luongo resigning from his captaincy, only one thing seems clear; any captain of the Canucks will somehow manage to choke when they need him most.
Not since Trevor Linden carried the entire team on his back en route to a Game Seven loss in the Stanley Cup Final has a captain of the Canucks showed what it really takes to be the leader of his team. After Trevor Linden was traded, subsequent captains have failed outright at getting the Canucks past the second round.
Mark Messier, the 6-time Stanley Cup champion? He couldn’t even get the Canucks into the playoffs for three straight years; however, it wasn’t entirely his fault. Markus Naslund? Pfft, the guy had three, maybe four excellent regular seasons then went on to choke just about every time in the playoffs. Then the fan favourite Roberto Luongo gets to have the coveted C on his chinny chin chin. No goalie has ever been the captain of any team since the late 1940’s, and for good reason.
As both the goalie and the team spokesperson, if the team had a terrible game, it puts Luongo in a very awkward position. If he has to be the honest spokesman it would sound like he’s putting the blame on the defence rather than himself, which happened a few times during his time as captain. “It was a precarious position to be in,” he said. “Sometimes, it came off the wrong way.”
Maybe the media got to his head or maybe he was more concentrated on other things; but for whatever reason, Luongo was missing in action for both Chicago series, especially for both Game 6 losses. However, I digress; the entire defence was flat-out depleted. Salo had a ruptured testicle, Mitchell had a concussion, and the rest were banged-up as well.
At any rate, Luongo managed to follow in the footsteps of the past captains and choke when they needed him to make the clutch save. Whoever is given the “honour” of being the next Canuck’s captain, whether it be Henrik or Kesler (most likely Henrik), I hope they can wear that C like Linden did and make the chokes of the past forgotten.
Canucks Update
By: Jasmin Gadey, Grade 8
Welcome back to Canucks hockey everyone! Now that the Winter Olympics have ended and we’ve proved to our neighbours below the border that hockey is truly Canada’s game, it’s time to get back to the NHL. The Canucks are back in action and ready for the month of March which begins with the team continuing the ridiculously long road trip. Last month our hometown boys had played fairly well, going 3-4 in the two weeks of road games they had. Although each game was on the road, the Canucks were playing solid and working hard each game. Speaking of games away from home, the Canucks will play another six games before returning to GM Place to take on the Senators on the 13th. Believe it or not Canucks fans, that’s one of the last ten home games left. In fact, there are only 21 games left in the regular season. If the Canucks keep up with the level of play they had just before their incredibly long road trip, they’ll stay high in the standings and most likely make the playoffs! Plus, it doesn’t hurt that Luongo is an Olympic Gold Medalist and Kesler and Salo also took home silver and bronze medals. The future is looking friendly for the Vancouver Canucks who have now made a name for themselves. Go Canucks Go!
Happiness – ‘Opened’?
By: Jenn Lin, Alumnus
Despite all the political controversy the Olympics has brought to town over the last couple months, I think we can all agree that there was definitely an uplifting wave of comradery and patriotism that swept over a good portion of us Vancouverites. Whether you were taking a walk down a jam-packed Robson street or riding the Skytrain during any given day, you were guaranteed to see at least a dozen pairs of red mitts and hear at least one full-fledged attempt at the Canadian anthem. Witnessing thousands of people cheering in the streets because Canada won a gold medal was just something you didn’t see everyday – etc., etc. To be brief, it was as if the Olympics spontaneously brought out this whole other side to Vancouver that I had never seen before. When people get together with a goal in mind – in this case, to cheer Canada on – great things happen.
Canucks Update
By: Jasmin Gadey, Grade 8
The Canucks are just over the halfway mark of the 2009-2010 season, and have a record of 25-16-1. Their only overtime loss happened recently on their four game road trip where they picked up seven of eight possible points. Now that they have 51 points, they are extremely close to Calgary and Colorado in the Division standings. Also, the Canucks are now in the mix for a playoff spot, currently placing in and around the seventh spot. The Canucks have been getting quite a few wins lately; they actually went 10-4-1 in the month of December and picked up a win on their first game in 2010 as well. The Canucks are definitely on a hot streak with Henrik Sedin getting points almost every game, it’s no wonder he’s tied for first for having the most points in the NHL. It’s amazing; our team seems to be getting stronger every game we play. In addition, we have 9 home games to play this month, and hopefully we play well in those games and take advantage of being at home. If you’ve been watching some of our home games lately, then you’ve probably seen the “Green Guys” behind the opposing team’s penalty box, I hope we’ll see them in the upcoming home games as well!
Watch what you do. Someone else is…
By: Emily Chan, Grade 11
Imagine yourself walking in the streets, when all of a sudden you see a cat sitting in the middle of the road. You walk up to it, while calling out, “Here, kitty-kitty! Come here, let me pet you.” The cat stays there, which you think is peculiar. As your feet slowly tiptoe closer and closer to the cat, your eyes widen in surprise. It’s not a cat sitting there in the middle of the road. It’s a garbage bag! Embarrassing, huh? In your mortification, you look around to see if anyone saw your humiliating assumption. You exhale in relief, glad that no one caught you in a moment such as this.
Unfortunately, you could be wrong. In all seriousness, did you know that around 40 – 60 security cameras will be set up in the city during the 2010 Olympics? They’re meant to monitor crowds during the games. Although they’re considered to be temporary, there are no promises that these cameras will be taken down after the Olympics are finished. In fact, William Dunn, an author, claims that, “once [closed circuit television cameras] are installed, they beg for expansion.” He further states, “[The UK] has been forced to add more cameras that will continue to cover increasingly wider areas.” His point is that it’ll be difficult to get rid of these cameras once they’re introduced to society. Our reliance on these systems will prompt us to set up permanent service networks. This is exactly what happened at the Olympic Games in Athens in 2004.
