Urban challenges
I've been reading two books: Broken City by Patrick Condon, and Happy City by Charles Montgomery. Both are compelling and deeply researched, and each offers practical, evidence-based ways to improve…
Norman Farrell
Lessons from Finland.
At the Canada West Forum website, you’ll find a video contrasting two very different responses to homelessness. It shows formerly unhoused people in Finland now living securely and comfortably in…
BC’s uncomfortable political reality — REDUX
The material below the separator line was first posted at IN-SIGHTS in April, 2013. Today, an acquaintance reminded me about Sean Holman’s important work across many years. In the early…
Darlene Marzari on local governments
UBC Professor Patrick Condon used Facebook to circulate an opinion from former NDP Minister of Municipal Affairs, Darlene Marzari. It had been published in BC Orders of the Day, a…
Housing and homelessness online forum – February 23
Affordable housing is a major problem, with many Canadians struggling with high costs and the inadequate supply of suitable homes. These struggles can impact health, happiness, and financial stability, and…
White House For Sale — Trump’s Profiteering Hits $4+ Billion
The New Yorker is one of many prestigious properties owned by the Newhouse Family. Their wealth is estimated at about C$33 billion. So if one of the most respected journalists…
From A Reader
Soldiers from British North America (the precursor to modern Canada) were part of the military force that burned Washington DC in 1814. 2025 saw the end of a peaceful friendship…
Register now for Wealth and Inequality Forum
We have organized an exciting event at Canada West Forum on February 4th. Please register in advance and spread this information to others through your social media accounts. This citizen…
After words of the Presidente-for Life
This is a response from A. Reader to Mr Stewart's comment at the post Middle powers must act together because if we’re not at the table, we’re on the menu.,,
Immigration questions
Different questions asked and answered in different countries.
About Canada’s sick neighbour
One of the most articulate critics of Donald Trump and his warriors is Boston College historian Heather Cox Richardson. Below the separator is the text of her recent Substack post:
Middle powers must act together because if we’re not at the table, we’re on the menu
A friend who worked in the PMO years ago says Mark Carney was known in Ottawa as a straight-shooter who often wrote his own speeches and did so very quickly.…
Canada West Forum 1: Wealth and Inequality
Canada West Forum Society invites you to an engaging conversation about the important issue of widening wealth inequality. The wealth inequality gap has been expanding for decades, leaving more and…
Canada West Forum 2: Affordable Housing and Homelessness
Affordable housing is a major problem, with many Canadians struggling with high costs and the inadequate supply of suitable homes. These struggles can impact health, happiness, and financial stability, and…
IN-SIGHTS 2026-01-21 20:05:33
I generally avoid spending money on American publications, but The Atlantic remains indispensable. Today, staff writer David A. Graham describes a deeply dangerous individual whose towering arrogance convinces him he…
Wealth inequality — How did it get so extreme, and what can we do about it?
Wealth inequality is a lot like the climate crisis. Both are slow-moving train wrecks of immense proportions. Just as climate change is wreaking societal destruction around the globe, so is…
Fascism
Spectres of Fascism, Historical, Theoretical and International Perspectives is a book edited Dr. Samir Gandesha, Director of the SFU'S Institute for the Humanities. It was published in 2020 but is…
USA’s mad Health Secretary
Kennedy, who is a nephew of late US President John F Kennedy, openly opposes the use of vaccines and has also backed several conspiracy theories, including on so-called chemtrails allegedly…
One individual driving change
MacKenzie Scott is one of the world's wealthiest women, despite living away more than US$19 billion. In 2020, she issued a statement that began with this...