BC Lags Behind Other Provinces in Life Satisfaction

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Table 5

I went to my youngest daughter's Christmas Concert a few days ago. It was all pretty safe and generic stuff (bells, snowmen, reindeer), but I was surprised they managed to get a Silent Night in. I'm sure they won't make that offensive mistake again.

My eldest daughter's school doesn't have a concert. They have a "winter solstice assembly" and for the students only. My daughter keeps making fun of it...I think even kids get how clinical schools have gotten.

We're already a fairly shallow country when it comes to shared heritage and culture, but I guess we're looking to get even more antiseptic. Personally I think if we're trying to be a multicultural society, then instead of trying to reduce everything to the bare inoffensive minimum, we should use holidays as a learning opportunity...teach children about Christmas, about Hanukkah, about Chinese New Year, about Diwali, etc. And instead of boilerplate land acknowledgments at ceremonies, how about using it as an opportunity to illuminate or share about indigenous traditions. You're not offending, you're teaching and enriching...that's the whole point of school.

The lead up to Chinese New Year was a big deal at my kid's school. Probably more so than Christmas this year and I think all the kid's really enjoyed it. Even now my kid is obsessed with goats because she learned she was born in the year of the goat. Even Halloween was a bigger deal than Christmas, which if you really want to get down to it, has a root in religion.

It does go both ways though. I heard a story from a teacher with Asian heritage who had kids draw and colour Yin and Yang symbols in art class. She received a complaint from one of the parents saying that she didn't appreciate pushing her religion on kids. The teacher was surprised because to her, it wasn't a religious symbol, but just a cool design with a non-offensive meaning. I guess for some people it has a religious meaning, but in general it is just a positive symbol that looks cool. I thought it was one of the dumbest things for a parent to complain about.

[TheIronMaiden]

Some people are always picking fights, because they grew up watching their parents fight and now thats the only way that they can express their emotions.

[rubecube]

They were called "Winter Concerts" as far back as grade 3 for me (in Calgary), which would have been around 1994.

[TheIronMaiden]

As long as they don't take away my right to make micro plastics I'm fine with whatever they call the darkest days of winter.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Galakanokis

Did my daughters concert last night and it was very Christmas themed. All Santa, elves and reindeer. Some classic songs but most written by the music teacher. This was in Burnaby. Few if any references to religion which is how it should be but still very Christmasy.

And there's no war on Christmas or anything else for that matter. It's just not want you think or want it to be. That's it. Times change, things change.

Maybe it depends on the principle or demographic make up of the school. My wife was talking to a co-working whose kid goes to public school in Richmond, and they just straight up cancelled it all together this year.

[Galakanokis]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

Maybe it depends on the principle or demographic make up of the school. My wife was talking to a co-working whose kid goes to public school in Richmond, and they just straight up cancelled it all together this year.

Quite possibly. I would imagine in parts of Richmond that christianity is actually the minority. I could see schools ditching Christmas concerts in that regard.

We have done a Christmas concert in Burnaby since my oldest (28) was 5. I don't think they have changed all that much but I don't pay enough attention really. We are 1-7 and 8-12 in high school. Only the elementary schools do a concert.

[chemgear]

Should be interesting to see how things pan out from this.

https://vancouversun.com/news/local-...c-drug-use-law

B.C. court blocks new law against public drug use, warning of ’irreparable harm’

The B.C. Supreme Court has blocked new provincial laws against public consumption of illegal substances, prompting concern from the government and one Lower Mainland mayor who called the decision “pathetic.”

“(This) decision temporarily prevents the province from regulating where hard drugs are used, something every other province does, every day,” he said.

The Restricting Public Consumption of Illegal Substances Act was passed by the legislature in November, allowing fines and imprisonment for people who refuse to comply with police orders not to consume drugs in certain public places.

“In case you were worried about the modest rule of not being allowed to use fentanyl in playgrounds, a judge is there to stop the ’irreparable harm.’ Pathetic!”

“If the restriction doesn’t stand, then we’ve truly entered the Wild West of unrestricted drug use, anywhere and everywhere.”

[bc-chris]

^^^my province is an embarrassment

[Winsor_Pilates]

It's already pretty much like that but this will make things harder for police to enforce anything.
In Vancouver you just get used to it I guess. Things that shouldn't be normalized are just normalized.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by bc-chris

^^^my province is an embarrassment

Yeah, the leopards are eating the faces of all those stupid UC.... Oh wait

[Zulu29]

Originally Posted by bc-chris

^^^my province is an embarrassment

Case in point of an activist judiciary.

[White Out 403]

the older I get the more convinced I am that the policy of policing referred to as "broken windows theory" holds a lot of water and makes sense. Allowing people to freely shoot up and get high in public on the streets is bad for society. Not to mention bad for the people slowly killing themselves with junk.

[Winsor_Pilates]

Originally Posted by White Out 403

the older I get the more convinced I am that the policy of policing referred to as "broken windows theory" holds a lot of water and makes sense. Allowing people to freely shoot up and get high in public on the streets is bad for society. Not to mention bad for the people slowly killing themselves with junk.

Wasn't familiar with this theory but seems accurate to me.
Kind of like when you go to a public toilet & it's already nasty; you're not going to wipe it down after or care about your splashes.
Dirty Toilet Theory.

[Zulu29]

Originally Posted by white out 403

the older i get the more convinced i am that the policy of policing referred to as "broken windows theory" holds a lot of water and makes sense. Allowing people to freely shoot up and get high in public on the streets is bad for society. Not to mention bad for the people slowly killing themselves with junk.

100%

[Winsor_Pilates]

I just saw a guy get pulled over for going straight in a must turn right lane here in Vancouver.
There was a lane to go across into, it's not rush hour where he's trying to get around traffic. Probably just didn't know that was coming up and was in the wrong lane.

My mind immediately went to how things like that are enforced (correctly) but doing fentanyl in a school playground is A Ok.
It has become a 2 tier justice system.

[flames_fan_down_under]

Even if that does eventually become the law I do wonder if that would even be enforced by the VPD? My suspicion is that it would bog down the entire police force as the open use of illegal drugs is rampant Or maybe the police enforce it with more discretion? Oppenheimer park? Move on? Quilchena Park? Enforce the law?

[activeStick]

Yep, you have the right idea. Given all the other things to look into, cops would spend any time they have only on parks frequented by the wealthy. So, yes, anything in Vancouver West down to UBC. Even folks doing relatively well (though wouldn't compare to those who live in Vancouver West) who live in Yaletown as an example wouldn't be getting any patrolling in Emery Barnes Park or Yaletown Park. Parks near high traffic tourist areas would also get a good amount of attention by cops too.

[chemgear]

Probably not great having civilians having to deal with this or acting this way, though likely a byproduct of frustration with lack of enforcement and ongoing issues.

https://vancouversun.com/news/vigila...mixed-reaction

Following a rash of thefts in Fort Langley homes and businesses this winter, a group of local fathers decided to do something about it.

Twenty-seven men, some dressed in black or camouflage clothing and others with their dogs in tow, went out on a neighbourhood patrol Christmas Eve to try and catch the suspect.

It worked.

Police say a man was arrested and charged with break-and-enter and theft after three of the fathers spotted him inside a closed flower shop at 12:50 a.m. The man was initially released from jail, but is now back in custody and awaiting his next court date on Jan. 10.

“I told him, ‘Here we are. Twenty dads left their families on Christmas Eve to find you. We’d love to meet you in a coffee shop when you’re sober and well.'”

It wasn’t the first time Miller had encountered the suspect. On Dec. 6, he said he found the same man sleeping in his trailer.

Two weeks later, Fort Langley’s Allie Fendez said she came across the same man while reviewing her home security footage. On Dec. 21, she saw him pry his way into the family’s garage.

Van Herk confirmed that the suspect is known to police.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by chemgear

Probably not great having civilians having to deal with this or acting this way, though likely a byproduct of frustration with lack of enforcement and ongoing issues.

https://vancouversun.com/news/vigila...mixed-reaction

Following a rash of thefts in Fort Langley homes and businesses this winter, a group of local fathers decided to do something about it.

Twenty-seven men, some dressed in black or camouflage clothing and others with their dogs in tow, went out on a neighbourhood patrol Christmas Eve to try and catch the suspect.

It worked.

Police say a man was arrested and charged with break-and-enter and theft after three of the fathers spotted him inside a closed flower shop at 12:50 a.m. The man was initially released from jail, but is now back in custody and awaiting his next court date on Jan. 10.

“I told him, ‘Here we are. Twenty dads left their families on Christmas Eve to find you. We’d love to meet you in a coffee shop when you’re sober and well.'”

It wasn’t the first time Miller had encountered the suspect. On Dec. 6, he said he found the same man sleeping in his trailer.

Two weeks later, Fort Langley’s Allie Fendez said she came across the same man while reviewing her home security footage. On Dec. 21, she saw him pry his way into the family’s garage.

Van Herk confirmed that the suspect is known to police.

Say whatever else you will....but the man is clearly industrious.

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by Winsor_Pilates

I just saw a guy get pulled over for going straight in a must turn right lane here in Vancouver.
There was a lane to go across into, it's not rush hour where he's trying to get around traffic. Probably just didn't know that was coming up and was in the wrong lane.

My mind immediately went to how things like that are enforced (correctly) but doing fentanyl in a school playground is A Ok.
It has become a 2 tier justice system.

There might be a two-tier justice system in this province, but what you're referring to ain't it.

For the record, I think public consumption of drugs should be treated with the same scrutiny as public consumption of alcohol. That said, there are areas where people can safely and legally consume alcohol (e.g. bars, certain parks, etc.).

The province does not have the same capacity for illicit drug users, especially those who are experiencing homelessness. Where exactly would you like to see these people go to get high if the safe-consumption sites are at capacity or not easily accessible? Arresting those people is essentially arresting them for being unhoused, which would be much closer to the definition of a two-tier justice system.