The Secrets Of Vancouver BC, Canada

Hey Ann Coulter – Ask Canada This.

Ann Coulter is speaking in Canada this week, and a senior University of Ottawa administrator has warned her to use “restraint, respect and consideration” when speaking at the school.

In an email sent to Ms. Coulter on Friday, a copy of which has been obtained by the National Post, Mr. Houle wrote: “Our domestic laws, both provincial and federal, delineate freedom of expression (or “free speech”) in a manner that is somewhat different than the approach taken in the United States. I therefore encourage you to educate yourself, if need be, as to what is acceptable in Canada and to do so before your planned visit here.”

He continued, “Promoting hatred against any identifiable group would not only be considered inappropriate, but could in fact lead to criminal charges.”

This law apparently excludes our Heather Malick.

This has been applied to include anything insulting to the poor, our multi-generational welfare class predominantly in the eastern third of Canada, our postal workers, women of course, any identifiable race except white, and the french.

So as not to be hateful.. just ask:

Why do the French want to leave Canada so badly? Is it they are tired of all the money we throw at them after every tantrum? Or is because we threaten their culture – ignoring the 20-30 million just south of their new country. It’s one of the Canadian puzzles.

Why do we lay back for every tax that is slapped on us? Remember what was said when GST was dropped? My mother-in-law even lamented over the removal of the toll on the Coquihalla after it was paid for… “they should just keep taking the money”. Not to mention the wide array of enviro taxes, stacked on top of “HST” and deposits, and anything else they can slip in. We never met a tax we couldn’t love.

Ask how many have family doctors? How long does it takes to get results from tests? How much does free health care really cost? How long to get an aged parent looked after? Does the system actually drag things out to save money with your aged parent? This type of questioning could get you run out of the country though.

Why do we put up with state-run media. Even the Chinese complain about theirs. We seem to enjoy paying ours so they can keep our nasty anchors that no one watches on the air.. these folks would have been retired 20 years ago anywhere else. Yes, we have to pay to watch Fox News. CNN is free.

Have we noticed that the entrepreneurial spirit – the one that brings wealth, has been effectively bred out of our kids? When the state looks after you, tells you what not to do, you kind of lose incentive to become something great. (We have employment insurance – go figure.) And, if we do find great success, where is the first place we move to?

And don’t forget to ask what’s up with that David Suzuki guy? Was he appointed a czar? If you want to see Al Gore in 20 years – we have his clone. Except he has made his living by not ever getting elected.

All of the above are respectful and shouldn’t get you charged. Welcome to Canadian leftwing-approved free speech.

But you may want to watch this video of the last controversial American that came here.. they stripped it off of YouTube… here’s the last video there that is allowed, as it doesn’t allow us to embed or share the hate.

Welcome to Canada.

Brian Williams Left Us A Note:

Brian Williams, anchor and managing editor:
After tonight’s broadcast and after looting our hotel mini-bars, we’re going to try to brave the blizzard and fly east to home and hearth, and to do laundry well into next week.  Before we leave this thoroughly polite country, the polite thing to do is leave behind a thank-you note.

Thank you, Canada:

For being such good hosts.

For your unfailing courtesy.

For your (mostly) beautiful weather.

For scheduling no more than 60 percent of your float plane departures at the exact moment when I was trying to say something on television.

For not seeming to mind the occasional (or constant) good-natured mimicry of your accents.

For your unique TV commercials — for companies like Tim Hortons — which made us laugh and cry.

For securing this massive event without choking security, and without publicly displaying a single automatic weapon.

For having the best garment design and logo-wear of the games — you’ve made wearing your name a cool thing to do.

For the sportsmanship we saw most of your athletes display.

For not honking your horns. I didn’t hear one car horn in 15 days — which also means none of my fellow New Yorkers rented cars while visiting.

For making us aware of how many of you have been watching NBC all these years.

For having the good taste to have an anchorman named Brian Williams on your CTV network, who turns out to be such a nice guy.

For the body scans at the airport which make pat-downs and cavity searches unnecessary.

For designing those really cool LED Olympic rings in the harbor, which turned to gold when your athletes won one.

For always saying nice things about the United States…when you know we’re listening.

For sharing Joannie Rochette with us.

For reminding some of us we used to be a more civil society.

Mostly, for welcoming the world with such ease and making lasting friends with all of us.

Also, to the American Hockey team… Thanks for coming.

A Cool HD Video Of Vancouver

Something for those that haven’t had the good fortune of making it to Vancouver. The city at its best for your Sunday viewing.

“Vancouver City” video created by Innerlife Project and TimeLapseHD

Go Canada!!

Here’s How We Roll In Vancouver

Don’t even try to drive in Vancouver. I’ll be so happy when all the people go home.

The train actually isn’t that bad… maybe because the Olympics have kept our bums off the train.

And that green stuff along the tracks.. it’s almost  back. Spring is here. The rest of Canada should see it in a few months.

NY Times Pees On Our Parade

As the Grey Lady brings up the subject none of want to hear about until after Canada wins Gold in hockey.

A $1 Billion Hangover Awaits an Olympic Party

Organizers insist the operating budget will break even. But that forecast includes $423 million in emergency money from the International Olympic Committee, and detailed financial information will not appear until after the Games are over.

As for Vancouver’s municipal government and the taxpayers, the bad news is already in. The immediate Olympic legacy for this city of 580,000 people is a nearly $1 billion debt from bailing out the Olympic Village development. Beyond that, people in Vancouver and British Columbia have already seen cuts in services like education, health care and arts financing from their provincial government, which is stuck with many other Olympics-related costs. Many people, including Mrs. Lombardi, expect that more will follow.

While the mood in the city has picked up since the start, when many people were suffering a severe case of buyer’s remorse, the looming budget realities make it unlikely that all will be forgiven or forgotten.

“While it’s very hard to see all the costs, I think people are going to pay for it for a long time,” said Lee Fletcher as he walked past several flowering cherry trees near his apartment outside Stanley Park, a large tract of forest tucked up against the city’s downtown. “Some people are going to benefit hugely, not the average guy. The average guy is going to see his taxes increase.”

Let’s hope the positive reviews of the Olympics translate into the crowds coming to Vancouver this summer.The protestors seem to have gone away and the party is in full gear.

We all know what happens after a great party… just don’t tell us until we are sobered up.

photo credit: TylerIngram

Lying To Be Perfect – Olympic Games

Vancouver Is Awesome…

As the 2010 games approach, the PR blitz has begun.

But just like the Miss America 2010 Winner, Vancouver will need to hide its blemishes.

We have more than a few groups ready to challenge the Winter Olympics committee’s best efforts at packaging us:

We have the Anarchists: Anti-2010 protesters, some carrying black flags and burning torches, gathered for what had all the hallmarks of a dress rehearsal for the street protests that could erupt during the Winter Games just over two weeks away.

Wherever the world’s media is, you can count on the nuts to arrive.

Don’t worry though, we have been given the rules:

If you’re coming here to protest, just follow the rules please. Unfortunately, Vancouver anarchists can’t read. Also, we get to see how valid our Canadian Charter Of Rights really is, against an omnipotent Olympic committee.

Our well-planned  weather emergency is set for next week. (Even though in only city in Canada that never gets snow, we aren’t getting snow.)

Some background:

I looked out the taxi window again. It was another city. Dozens of people stood in what looked like a breadline outside a shelter. At least 100 people sat or lay on garbage-strewn sidewalks. Surrounding buildings were boarded up. A skeleton of a woman was begging on the curb.

Had the Great Recession finally hit Vancouver? Had I been transported to Detroit?

Nope. Just another day in the Downtown Eastside, on East Hastings Street. First, I wondered if the people at Mercer had seen this. Then I wondered what our political leaders have been doing for the last five years.

Many hoped the arrival of the Olympics would be a catalyst for action on our poverty ghetto. The conventional wisdom was we had no intention of being embarrassed as the world watched in 2010. By now, our leaders were supposed to have put in the resources and brainpower to make strides to help the poor get off the streets.

Well, it looks like they’ve failed.

This is hammered home by the report’s idea of “launching the extreme weather response shelter program for the duration of the games.” Translation? Even if it isn’t cold, we’ll open the beds to get the homeless off the streets and out of those TV shots during the Games.

Good – now that we have East Hastings hidden, let the games begin.

Cars are not allowed – take a bus, like it or not. Vancouver transit is great. Let’s hope they stop the practice of giving our homeless free rides. Nothing like a shaking meth/heroin addict to scare you off the bus. Hopefully, our weather emergency will relocate these people.

Vancouverites have been lectured to not forget to mind our manners… they even they’ve printed a 4-page guide to tell us how to act. Someone upstairs believes Vancouver residents need this. Hmmm.

Last, as an incredible indicator of how the 2010 games are the great hope for our salvation is the auction of the main venue while the games are on. That’s another first…

Whislter is going to the top bidder. Creditors holding $1.4 billion (U.S.) in debt on Intrawest ULC have begun foreclosure proceedings on some of the company’s assets, including the Whistler Blackcomb ski resort, and say they plan to auction them off on Feb. 19. Get there early if you’ve always wanted to own an overpriced ski resort.

My advice to would be buyers: Wait till October 2010 - we’ll have gotten the bill for the games, realize just how much they’ve charged up on our card. The anticipated boom in real estate will become a mirage.

It’s all part of the game of lying to be perfect.

Hope the organizers prove me wrong – that this wasn’t just a looting of BC.

Things To Do In Vancouver – An Olympic Guide For Visitors

Here’s a first in my series of the Best Of Vancouver List, for those brave enough to make the trip to Vancouver for the 2010 Olympics.

You won’t find these on any of those tourist site, and they are guaranteed to be a “tourist trap” free zone.

1) Best Street for Restaurants: West 4th Avenue – walk over the Burrard Street Bridge and then hang a right on 4th. Blows away Robson Street. My favorite is still is Sophie’s Cosmic Cafe. (2095 West 4th Avenue). In general, if it’s on this street, it’s good.

2) Best spots for a “walk on the wild side”. Keep in mind that Vancouver rolls up the carpet around 10. They’ll have a lot of “Olympic” events that will be going on on Georgia street – I’d avoid this all together, unless you’re accompanied by a bobsled team.

Here’s a few spots that will give you the Vancouver Experience:

The Amsterdam Cafe. – 301 West Hastings Street.. Like the ads says: The New Amsterdam Cafe™ is North America’s Premiere Smoke friendly Cafe. You can have a coffee and a joint at this quaint hangout. Just don’t ask to bum or buy anything. The crackdown on sales started a while back. Take you time, visit with the locals outside… this is Vancouver when the games are not in town.

The Yale: The Yale Hotel began in the mid 1880′s as a CPR bunkhouse – now is a place to catch the Blues. The Vancouver Blues Festival is running during the Olympics, and although Vancouver isn’t know for the blues.. it’s worth catching. Hopefully they’ll have some great bands in for the games.

Skip the Capilano Suspension bridge and walk down a mountain bank to Wreck Beach. (Northwest Marine Drive & University Blvd). A lot more swinging going on here, although there’s that “shrinkage” factor in February.

More later…

photo credit: Proggie

2010 Olympics – How About A Mega-Yacht?

Your Guide To Dim Sum In Vancouver

photo credit: Ruth L

Here is a list of Dim Sum restaurants worth eating at:

Happy Valley Seafood Restaurant (The Best)
3432 Broadway, Vancouver
Tel: 604-216-0100
Links: Map
Prices:
Range from $2.95 to $6.95

Kirin Seafood Restaurant (Cambie location)
Address: 2nd Floor, City Square, 555 West 12th Avenue (& Cambie Street)
Phone: (604) 879 8038
Homepage
Dim Sum prices: $3.50-$8.50 with most items in the $4-$5 range

Spicy Court
Address: 5638 Cambie, #101 (map)
Phone: (604) 325-1189
Prices:
Range from $2.95 to $6.95

Come Along Seafood Restaurant
Address: 2550 Kingsway (map)
Phone: 604-439-1318
Prices:
Range from $2.95 to $3.95

Golden Ocean
Address: 2008 W 41st Ave (map)
Phone: 604-263-8886
Prices:
Range from $3.10 to $4.95

Sun Sui Wah (Main St.)
Address: 3388 Main ST (map)
Phone: 866-872-8822 (toll free)
Homepage
Prices:
Range from $3.20 to $4.20