FREE | DECEMBER 30 / 2021 – JANUARY 6 / 2022
Volume 55 | Number 2811
BRUCE BOUDREAU
How far can the Canucks go?
HOT PROPERTIES Agents review big 2021 deals
CITY HALL SCRAMBLE Six news stories from this year that will shape the 2022 Vancouver election campaign CLIMATE ACTION • MICHAEL HARRIS • ARTISTS’ QUOTES • FOOD TRENDS
COMMENTARY
Start the presses because we’re back for another year
CONTENTS
December 30 / 2021 – January 6 / 2022
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COVER
Vancouver city politicians didn’t attract as much coverage as usual this year because so many other things were going on, but that will change in 2022.
by Charlie Smith
By Charlie Smith Cover photo by Maxvis/Getty Images Plus
5
SPORTS
New coach Bruce Boudreau will get the Canucks into the playoffs this season, but long-suffering fans will still have to wait for their Cup. By Martin Dunphy
6
REAL ESTATE
Vancouver experienced a torrid property market in 2021, and six local agents look back on some notable deals that stood out for them. By Carlito Pablo
In 2021, Vancity CEO Christine Bergeron spoke about green finance and MP Jenny Kwan discussed online misogyny (photos by Shimon Karmel); we also featured a study about Black people’s health.
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his might come as a surprise to some readers, but 2021 just might have been my most enjoyable year as editor of the Georgia Straight. Despite the pandemic. Despite the horrible heat wave that hit B.C. last summer. And despite the growing evidence that the climate predicament—which I’ve been covering since the 1990s—was turning out even worse than many scientists expected. So how on earth could anyone consider this a good year? Well, first off, the paper survived. We managed to avoid a newspaper graveyard already populated by the departed Vancouver Courier, StarMetro Vancouver, 24 hours, Xtra! West, West Ender, Asia Pacific Post, North Shore Outlook, Richmond Review, Burnaby News Leader, and other local newspapers across the region. I used to tell the founder of the Georgia Straight, Dan McLeod, that he survived his share of publishing tycoons—including the Southams, the Aspers, Conrad Black, and David Radler—on his way to becoming the longest-lasting publisher of a single newspaper in Canadian history. But our current team, led by company president Kirk MacDonald and anchored by senior editor Martin Dunphy, continued putting out the Georgia Straight through the first 20 months of a pandemic, which was an equally daunting task. For that, I personally want to thank the Liberal government for introducing a wage-subsidy program that enabled us to do what we love through the greatest economic contraction of my lifetime. As a result, the Straight maintained its tradition of nurturing the arts. We provided groundbreaking journalism on the climate crisis. We shone a light on the antivaccine movement while not letting the provincial government off the hook for underplaying the airborne nature of COVID-19. Th rough the pandemic, Mike Usinger delivered the liveliest liquor writing in the province at a time when more people
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were seeking some liquid courage to get through tough times. And thanks to Steve Newton, we continued to be at the forefront of events coverage. I’m particularly pleased about how we’ve gave a voice to a multiplicity of identities that make up Vancouver. Our covers, which are designed so well by Miguel Hernandez, demonstrated the diversity of the city in ways that no other mainstream media outlet can match. We’re not perfect—nobody is—but rest assured that this remains a priority. I’m also happy that the pandemic proved that the race baiters who blamed rising realestate prices almost entirely on foreign money were proven wrong. At the start of the pandemic, immigration plunged. Outof-country buyers comprised a negligible portion of the housing market. Yet there still weren’t nearly enough homes to meet local demand. Our coverage has withstood the test of time. I appreciate the efforts of real-estate reporter Carlito Pablo and one of our contributors, Ng Weng Hoong, for having the courage to go against the conventional wisdom. I also appreciate other contributors who continued fi ling thoughtful and often provocative columns to our website, such as Gurpreet Singh, Sarah Leamon, Eric Doherty, and David Suzuki. Do I have any regrets about the past year? Sure. I would have liked to have provided more in-depth coverage of Vancouver civic politics and the ongoing toxic-drug crisis, but the pandemic, a blazing real-estate market, the discovery of unmarked Indigenous graves at former residential schools, a federal election, and the effects of rising greenhouse-gas emissions also required attention. We plan on increasing local political coverage in 2022, which is a municipalelection year, and this week’s year-end cover story is an indication of that. Rest assured that haven’t forgotten about civic affairs, even if it often played second fiddle to COVID-19 in 2021. g
DECEMBER 30 / 2021 – JANUARY 6 / 2022
e Online TOP 5
e Start Here
Here’s what people are reading this week on Straight.com.
11 ARTS
9 BOOKS
14 CLASSIFIED ADS 4 CLIMATE
10 FOOD
12 MOVIES 13 MUSIC
13 SAVAGE LOVE
Vancouver’s News and Entertainment Weekly Volume 55 | Number 2811 #300 - 1375 West 6th Avenue, Vancouver, B.C. V6H 0B1 T: 604.730.7000 E: gs.info@straight.com straight.com DISPLAY ADVERTISING: T: 604.730.7020 E: sales@straight.com
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EDITOR Charlie Smith GENERAL MANAGER Sandra Oswald SECTION EDITORS Mike Usinger (ESports/Liquor/Music) Steve Newton SENIOR EDITOR Martin Dunphy STAFF WRITERS Carlito Pablo (Real Estate) SOLUTIONS ARCHITECT Jeff Li ART DEPARTMENT MANAGER Janet McDonald
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Why a $1.2-million Maple Ridge home beats other deals in the region in 2021. Dr. Bonnie Henry receives scathing criticism from atmospheric chemists. Businessman who claims tales of racism were false loses in B.C. Supreme Court. Critics’ recommendations of what to watch on Netflix in January. Surrey mansion sets record for home with most washrooms sold in 2021. @GeorgiaStraight
GRAPHIC DESIGNER Miguel Hernandez PRODUCTION SUPERVISOR Mike Correia ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES Glenn Cohen, Luci Richards, Catherine Tickle, Robyn Marsh, David Pearlman (On-Leave) MANAGER, BRANDED CONTENT AND MARKETING LEAD Rachel Moore CONTENT AND MARKETING SPECIALIST Alina Blackett CREDIT MANAGER Shannon Li ACCOUNTING SUPERVISOR Tamara Robinson
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THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT
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CLIMATE
Court ruling opens door to limiting oil production
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by Charlie Smith
here’s a widespread belief in Canada that provinces have exclusive jurisdiction over the production of nonrenewable resources, including oil and gas. It’s even spelled out in Section 92A(1) of the Constitution Acts, 1867 to 1982. As a result, Canadians are watching a surreal spectacle unfold in front of their very eyes. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has pledged to cut greenhouse-gas emissions from 730 million tonnes in 2019 to 503 million tonnes by 2030. But it also appears to be a hollow promise in light of the National Energy Regulator’s forecast for sharply increasing production of diluted bitumen until about 2040. Trudeau never talks about cuts to oil and gas production. Never. He only speaks about reducing “emissions”. But how can emissions be curtailed when the provinces continue giving the green light to new oil and gas projects? Trudeau’s talk of curbing emissions is like saying you’re going to lose weight as you keep scarfing down chocolate cake—for decades. There is a way, however, for the federal government to intervene to put the country on a fossil-fuel diet that will truly shed emissions and cut production.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Environment and Climate Change Minister Steven Guilbeault highlighted the carbon tax rather than production cuts at COP26. Photo by Adam Scotti/PMO.
The Supreme Court of Canada laid out a path in its 2021 ruling upholding the national Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act, which introduced the national carbon tax. The court found that this legislation was constitutional, even though it appeared to intrude into provincial jurisdiction. That’s
because a majority of judges concluded that global warming causes harm beyond provincial boundaries. Therefore, it’s a matter of national concern under the Constitution’s “peace, order and good government” clause. Writing for the majority, Chief Justice Richard Wagner declared that the provinces
must demonstrate an “inability to deal with the matter” because the failure of one or more governments to cooperate would prevent others from addressing it. Alberta is clearly not interested in curtailing production of oil and gas to prevent harm caused by rising greenhouse-gas emissions. “While each province’s emissions do contribute to climate change, there is no denying that climate change is an ‘inherently global problem’ that neither Canada nor any one province acting alone can wholly address,” Wagner wrote. “This weighs in favour of a finding of provincial inability.” He also cited previous rulings noting that international agreements can be relevant to any analysis of national concern. “Any province’s failure to act threatens Canada’s ability to meet its international obligations, which in turn hinders Canada’s ability to push for international action to reduce GHG [greenhouse-gas] emissions,” he added. Enough of Trudeau’s weasel words on “emissions”. For the sake of future generations, he needs to regulate production, regardless of what’s written in the Constitution Acts, 1867 to 1982. Otherwise, he’ll go down in the history books as the Liberal version of Stephen Harper. g
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THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT
DECEMBER 30 / 2021 – JANUARY 6 / 2022
SPORTS
Canucks will make playoffs but Cup still on hold
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by Martin Dunphy
he fictional Rip Van Winkle’s 20year dream has got nothing on Vancouver Canucks fans’ halfcentury nightmare. The Canucks have a long and not so honourable tradition of not winning the Stanley Cup. The Cup has been awarded 105 times since 1914, and no Canuck captain has hoisted Lord Stanley’s hardware over his head in the side’s 50-year history. But this is the time of the hockey season when fans of teams still in the hunt dare to dream. In the Canucks’ half-century of chasing glory, the team has made the playoffs 28 times, winning only 111 of their 246 tilts in the postseason. So, do the Canucks stand a chance? In the Pacific Division, only 10 points separate the first-place Vegas Golden Knights and the seventh-place ‘Nucks. A scrappy and improved Vancouver team should be able to make the postseason. To get to the finals and win, though, would require a near-miraculous improvement during the season’s second half. The biggest wild card in the hand is new coach Bruce Boudreau, a 13-year veteran who has only missed the playoffs three
New Vancouver Canucks head coach Bruce Boudreau brings an impressive regular-season record to his new team, along with an enviable history of boosting special-teams’ productivity.
times and who inspired his new team to six straight victories immediately following head coach Travis Green and general manager Jim Benning’s recent dismissals. The fact that Green only made the playoffs once in his first four full years as head coach was as much a factor in his firing as the Canucks’ dismal record at the time (9-15-2). As a rookie head coach in late November 2007, Boudreau took over the Washington Capitals when the team had a similar record
(6-14-1) and finished with a 37-17-7 mark and the Capitals’ first division title in seven years. There appears to be little doubt of Boudreau’s ability to inspire offensive heavyweights, given his success motivating talented forward units in both Washington and with the Anaheim Ducks, where he compiled eight division titles in as many full seasons. But it’s the Canuck defence that will need the most improvement to entertain any hope of a deep playoff run, despite the potential
for a repeat of goalie Thatcher Demko’s postseason heroics two seasons ago. Terrible special-teams play has improved but still needs tweaking, and defenceman Quinn Hughes’s vast offensive upside is only starting to be offset by fewer occasional bonehead errors. Boudreau’s remarkable successes with the penalty kill in Anaheim and the power play in Washington give reason for hope. And he has already improved both goals against and for, areas where Vancouver was flirting with the league’s basement. Continued upgrading by Vancouver stars Hughes, Elias Pettersson, Demko, and Brock Boeser this season—after somewhat of a tarnished first half—could set them up nicely for a run into the postseason. Pettersson, Boeser, and captain Bo Horvat, in particular, showed immediate improvement after Boudreau’s arrival. Young wingers Vasili Podkolzin and Nils Hoglander show great promise, and vets Horvat, J. T. Miller, and the banging Conor Garland are leading the team’s forwards in scoring at Christmas. But the Canucks’, and Boudreau’s, first sip from Lord Stanley’s chalice is probably still at least a couple of years away. g
DECEMBER 30 / 2021 – JANUARY 6 / 2022
THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT
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REAL ESTATE
Realtors share notable deals from a record year
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by Carlito Pablo
s 2021 draws to a close, many home sellers, buyers, and realtors are likely remarking on what a year it has been. As of November, year-to-date sales of 117,973 properties across B.C. have already surpassed the previous best provincial annual record of 112,425 units that was set for the entire year of 2016. Also, with the December tally still yet to be counted, sales have already exceeded transactions for the whole year of 2020. The Straight asked realtors about deals they either had a hand in or taken note of as interested market observers during the year. Here’s what they shared. BUYERS FIGHT BACK
Irene Querubin of RE/MAX Crest Realty represented a husband and wife who were looking for a condo for themselves and their two young sons. They found a two-bedroom-plus-den, two-bath unit on 102 Avenue near Guildford Mall in Surrey. The property was listed for $499,888. Querubin’s clients liked it so much, and knowing that they may be in a multiple-buyer situation, they offered about $50,000 above the asking price. About an hour after the offer deadline, the listing agent called Querubin. The agent said that three offers were received and everyone was being given a chance to “give it one more try”. Querubin relayed the message to her clients, and they became angry. They said that they didn’t care if they got the place or not. And to prove their point, the husband and wife changed their bid, and made it $10,000 less than what they had offered. In the end, they got the property. “I was so proud of them for fighting back as buyers in this crazy seller’s market,” Querubin said. PERFECT FOR BUDGET
Karen Conyers of Sotheby’s International Realty worked for more than a year with a married couple. Her clients were firsttime buyers. A generous parental gift increased the husband and wife’s home-finding budget. With a top budget of $400,000, it was quite a challenge to find something that would work. After being outbid on several properties, Conyers found a two-bedroom condo at 15290 Thrift Avenue in White Rock that had been on the market for 76 days for $426,000. Conyers noted that sellers, especially in a hot market, tend to get anxious when their homes don’t sell right away. She wrote an offer, including a letter explaining why the property was a perfect first home for her clients. 6
THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT
Irene Querubin, a realtor with RE/MAX Crest Realty, acted for a couple who knocked $10,000 off a generous offer for a condo after the owner got greedy; the Orchard House, at 1990 Fulton Avenue in West Vancouver, sold for an ocean-view price of $5.1 million despite offering only fruit trees.
After serious consideration, the sellers agreed to the buyers’ price and terms. They reduced their price by $26,000, matching the top budget of Conyers’s clients. “We were able to remove the conditions to the sale, and my first-time home buyers will get the keys to their first home on January 1, 2022,” Conyers said. “What a great way to start the year.” EQUITY GROWS
Randy Rinaldo of Rennie & Associates Realty Ltd. did deals that saw his clients enjoying a quick lift in the value of their homes as properties became more valuable. The realtor talked about a client who was looking for a fixer-upper townhouse in North Burnaby. He found one in a complex at 7305 Montecito Drive that backed onto a park and school. Rinaldo’s client liked the property and wanted to put in an offer. The problem was that the sellers already had an offer that they had countered. That told Rinaldo that the sellers received an offer that was lower than asking. He spoke with the sellers’ agent and said that if other buyers countered, Rinaldo would put in a good offer. That’s exactly what happened, and Rinaldo submitted an offer at the full price of $535,000. The offer was accepted, and while the conditions to the sale were being fulfilled, Rinaldo spoke with another realtor who had just listed another unit in the same complex. The other agent’s listing ended up selling over the asking price for $580,000. This property measures 1,238 square feet, which was 49 square feet smaller than Rinaldo’s client, who paid $535,000. That’s a difference of $52.80 per square foot.
DECEMBER 30 / 2021 – JANUARY 6 / 2022
“My clients’ equity grew by $68,000 in a single week,” Rinaldo said. “Happy client, happy realtor.” PROTOTYPE OF INSANITY
Adam Major of Holywell Properties gets to track deals because his company also operates Zealty.ca, a real-estate market information site. Major recalls the sale by another realty company of a two-bedroom unit in the Autumnwood townhouse complex in Langley last March for a particular reason. Major considers the $1,320,000 transaction in March 2021 for 29-8555 209 Street as the “prototype for the insanity of the year”. The Langley townhouse sold 61 percent over the asking price. Major noted that the nice thing about the property was that it was a “cool half-million over the asking price”. In addition, it was 77 percent over assessed value, and a half a million dollars above the price of any previous sale in that complex. “In other words, the property was not priced below market to attract a bidding war: it was just a confluence of factors that caused huge demand and got someone to put in a ridiculous offer to ensure they got the property,” Major said. The Zealty.ca CEO noted that since that sale, five other units in the same complex sold for over $1 million. Two of these went for over $1.2 million. “But #29 still holds the price record for Autumnwood,” Major said. WEST END AFFORDABILITY
David Hutchinson of Sutton Group– West Coast Realty represented a seller in
Vancouver’s West End neighbourhood. The property, at a 1534 Harwood Street development, was a leasehold condo. In connection with this, Hutchinson recalled that the Straight did a story about leasehold properties being more affordable that their fee-simple counterparts. “This is an example of affordability in one of the best locations in Vancouver,” Hutchinson said. “This unit with wonderful views is in an unbeatable location with an unbeatable price.” The one-bedroom condo sold for $360,000. “Another interesting thing about this sale is that it’s next to an actual detached house that I sold for over $6 million a couple years ago,” Hutchinson said. “That’s the beauty of the West End: you can buy a condo for under $400,000 with a $6 million neighbour!” ORCHARD VIEW
Trent Rodney of West Coast Modern says million-dollar views no longer mean ocean views only. Rodney noted that his boutique realty agency, which specializes in unique homes, proved this point with its $5.1 million sale of the Orchard House at 1990 Fulton Avenue in West Vancouver. He explained that the home, designed by the late architect Robert Burgers, “cross-pollinates West Coast architectural sensibilities with the Dutch-farmhouse look”. “Boasting 22 fruit trees, including multiple heritage apple varieties, it brings home the joy of summer fruit picking right in the middle of West Vancouver,” Rodney said. “It is truly a one-of-a-kind collectible work of art to live in.” g
NEWS
Six stories that set the table for a looming election
Vancouver City Hall mostly flew below the radar because of the pandemic, but that will change in 2022
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by Charlie Smith
ere are our choices for the six most significant news stories of the year from Vancouver City Hall.
MAYOR TO FORM HIS OWN PARTY
Mayor Kennedy Stewart revealed before Christmas that he plans to run with a slate of candidates for city council in the hope of securing a majority in the next election. This move will boost his fundraising capacity just when he needs it the most and help boost his appeal to diverse communities, given the likely makeup of the slate. Along with the boots-on-the-ground support of the labour movement, this new party could prove pivotal in helping the mayor retain his job. And it just might stem the growth of the pesky Greens, who went from one member of council, Adriane Carr, to three in the 2018 election. SECURED RENTAL POLICY
On December 14, all members of Vancouver council except for Coun. Colleen Hardwick voted in favour of amending zoning schedules to allow for more six-storey, mixed-use rental buildings along commercial streets. From Stewart’s perspective, this will help blunt Progress Vancouver mayoral challenger Mark Marissen’s frequent complaints that he hasn’t done enough to promote more rental housing. In 2018, tenants were a critical part of Stewart’s election efforts— and Stewart must keep them onside if he wants to avoid being a one-term mayor. “This policy checks all the boxes,” wrote commercial realtors Mark Goodman and Cynthia Jagger in the Goodman Report. “It offers assistance with meeting affordable housing targets and climate goals, speeding up permit times for rental, and shifting land use from low-density with few families to higher-density with new neighbours, shops and access to transit.” CITY REQUESTS DRUG-LAW EXEMPTION
On May 28, the City of Vancouver filed its formal request to the federal government for a citywide exemption from Section 56(1) of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. This would have the effect of decriminalizing possession of illegal street drugs within the city’s boundaries. “A central goal of decriminalization is to reduce the risks and harms that are associated with the stigmatization and marginalization of people who use drugs (PWUD),” the city stated in its submission. “This exemption represents an opportunity to better the health outcomes for people who use drugs by reducing the impacts of
One of the big bangs in Vancouver municipal politics occurred in April when three city councillors—Colleen Hardwick, Lisa Dominato, and Sarah Kirby-Yung—all bolted from the NPA caucus, leaving a once proud ruling party with just a single member in the chamber at City Hall.
drug law enforcement for simple possession, reducing stigma and promoting access to life-saving health services.” Then, in October, city council voted to support an application for a similar exemption for the Drug User Liberation Front so it could provide tested drugs in Vancouver. To date, Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos has not acted on those requests, even though a record number of illicit-drug overdoses occurred in B.C. in October. More than 200 people died that month, and in the first 10 months of 2021, B.C. eclipsed its previous annual record. NPA IMPLOSION
Vancouver’s centre-right party is starting to resemble the Agatha Christie mystery novel And Then There Were None. In April, the NPA lost three of its councillors and all three of its school trustees after the board anointed park commissioner John Coupar as the 2022 mayoral candidate. That left a rump of three in caucus: Coupar, Coun. Melissa De Genova, and park commissioner Tricia Barker. De Genova attended Marissen’s campaign launch along with former NPA and now independent councillors Lisa Dominato and Sarah Kirby-Yung. This suggests that De Genova might be next to bolt the NPA, just like her father, former park commissioner Al De Genova, did after many years in office. It has left the grand old party of Vancouver politics resembling the character in Monty Python and the Holy Grail who keeps declaring to the cart master, “I’m not dead”. PROLIFERATION OF PARTIES
The balkanization of Vancouver politics continued this year with the fracturing of
the old NPA coalition into a growing number of parties. In addition to Marissen’s development-friendly Progress Vancouver, former NPA mayoral candidate Ken Sim is leading the NIMBYish A Better City. And former NPA councillor Colleen Hardwick is the de facto leader of the even more NIMBYish TEAM for a Livable Vancouver. As of this writing, Progress Vancouver has 590 Twitter followers. A Better City has 420 Twitter followers. And TEAM for a Livable Vancouver has just nine Twitter followers. It’s hardly a sign that they’re setting Vancouver’s political house on fire— at least not yet. But hey, there are still more than nine months until voting day. ELECTION BUDGET
The Vancouver Police Department and Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services received what they wanted, enabling Stewart to go before voters next October with a message that he’s on the side of public safety. Plus, he covered his tracks on the climate by
persuading a majority to approve a new environmental levy to raise $100 million over 10 years to pay for the climate plan. Stewart had earlier voted with centreright councillors to defeat a parking tax that would have funded climate actions. But the overall tax increase of 6.35 percent in the recent budget provides ammunition for his centre-right opponents, most of whom don’t want to narrow the role of police, which might actually save the city some money. In a November presentation to a legislative committee, B.C. Human Rights Commissioner Kasari Govender laid out a road map for dramatic reforms to policing, including “de-tasking”. (She didn’t use the word “defund”.) Did this landmark document have any measurable effect on council and the mayor, a self-described police reformer, as they head into an election year? Nope. The last thing most of them want is to turn the influential police union against them in the months leading up to voting day. g
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THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT
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CHILL.
Enjoy stress-free reading without the noise on CreatorNews.
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THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT
DECEMBER 30 / 2021 – JANUARY 6 / 2022
BOOKS
Harris finds alternatives to rampant consumerism
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by Charlie Smith
ancouver writer Michael Harris’s new book about consumerism begins with a whole bunch of garbage. Literally. By page six of All We Want: Building the Life We Cannot Buy, readers are taken on a tour of the Vancouver landfill. It’s visceral, evocative, disturbing, and enlightening. In a phone interview with the Straight, Harris explains that he wanted to leave a “slightly apocalyptic taste in the mouth of the reader” at the outset of his book. “It was almost a poetic decision more than a logical decision,” he says. “It’s nothing more complicated than that. And I wanted the reader to look at it before we moved on to more, you know, historical or abstract things. I wanted to make something very concrete at the very beginning.” All We Want is so much more than a glimpse into a pile of discarded consumer goods. Harris takes readers through a speedy history of public relations, a digestible synopsis of Greek philosophy, and neuroscientists’ discoveries about dopamine. In synthesizing these disparate areas of research, he demonstrates how we’ve gotten into such a mess where humans’ consumption of goods is exceeding the planet’s carrying capacity. Then he supplements this with stories from his own life to drive home an alternative approach. He makes a plausible case that if people embrace craftwork, the sublime delights of nature, and caring for others, they can get off the consumerist hamster wheel. “I think my ideal tone that I’m aiming for is a really great dinner-table conversation,” Harris says. “I don’t want [my] books to be work. I certainly want them to be pleasurable. I certainly want a mix of narrative and philosophy or narrative and cultural study.” All We Want is a fascinating intellectual journey, driven home by Harris reporting that the brain chemistry linked
Author Michael Harris (photo by Tanya Goehring) says that he wanted people to feel a “slightly apocalyptic taste” in their mouths after reading his account of a trip to the Vancouver landfill.
to wanting things is far more robust than actually enjoying them. In fact, functional magnetic resonance imaging has revealed that these two activities—wanting and enjoying—operate independently of one another. You can want something but not enjoy it. Another revelation in the book deals with how a person’s self-awareness can be deactivated in the presence of the sublime. Then there’s an enlightening chapter on Edward Bernays, the father of modern public relations. Over time, the PR industry managed to blend the concept of self into the consumer goods that people own—to the point where citizens now identify themselves by the products in their homes and on their bodies. Harris insists that even though human
beings may have evolved in ways that drive runaway consumerism, it doesn’t necessarily mean that we can’t break free of its shackles. “We’re hardwired to do a lot of things, right?” he says. “We’re hardwired to have babies and to have as much sex as possible.” Yet despite this urge to procreate, he points out that many experts estimate that within 20 years, the global population will still fall in the face of this. “So I don’t see chemistry as fate,” Harris declares. “I think it’s a major element of our lives and we have to be aware of it.” To further this argument, he cites the examples of sugar, fat, and salt. Humans have evolved to consume these substances, but many people counter those urges every day of their lives.
“The book begins by arguing that we need new ways of measuring our lives,” Harris says. “And my hope is that by the end of the book, the writing has almost modelled the kind of change that the argument is pushing for—if that makes sense.” One of the more compelling sections centres around how his husband, Kenny, cares for his aging mother as she is increasingly gripped by dementia. This is how Harris chose to explore the concept of care, which is another means of escaping the grip of consumer culture. “I think I’m sort of coming out of a tradition of feminist writing and queer writing that takes it for granted that the personal is the political, and vice versa,” Harris says. “And so with my writing, it’s almost second nature for me to talk about something at the macro level and then suddenly zoom into my private life and zoom back out.” Harris is under no illusions about the climate crisis. And he’s skeptical that the idea of “green growth” and a strong focus on renewable energy will be sufficient to stave off various calamities induced by rising greenhouse-gas emissions. “While all those things are well and good, we have to pair that with actual behaviour change,” Harris says. “Whether that is in reaction to disasters we’re about to create or changes that take place before disasters as preventive measures, that’s what remains to be seen. “I’m not arguing the way to stop climate change is to start whittling wood and enjoying sunsets,” he continues. “I guess I’m a little bit bleaker in my outlook than that. I don’t think we’re going to make these changes to save the world.” But embracing crafts, appreciating the sublime, and caring for others might be sufficient to enhance the joy of living, especially in a world with fewer resources. And All We Want serves as a compelling reminder that just because you want something, you might not end up liking it. g
DECEMBER 30 / 2021 – JANUARY 6 / 2022
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FOOD
Canadian restaurant trends to watch for in 2021
E
by Charlie Smith
very year, even pandemic years, have their restaurant trends. In 2020, they included Nashvillestyle hot chicken sandwiches, nondairy milks, sriracha mayo, and those ubiquitous poké bowls. In the grocery stores, it was nondairy milks, whether they’re made from oats, almonds, soy, coconut, or cashews. Some offer better hydration; others have fewer calories. Another draw is that these milks don’t come from methane-emitting cattle, which is a definite plus for climate keeners. They’re also great for the lactose-intolerant and for the vegans among us. However, they’re not always as affordable as dairy milk. Just in time for 2022, Restaurants Canada has released its list of food trends to watch for in the new year. The national nonprofit association represents establishments with more than 80,000 locations and more than one million employees. Here are some things that the association is expecting to gain greater favour with consumers. BUZZLESS SPIRITS
Health-conscious consumers are less inclined to get pie-eyed after work in the bar than back in the ’80s and ’90s. Companies
like Grüvi and Seedlip are trying to cash in by offering nonalcoholic beverages for those who want to hang out with friends while remaining clear-eyed the morning after. INGREDIENT AWARENESS
Nutrients are king for those who want to boost their immunity. And Restaurants Canada expects this to move up on consumers’ priority lists in the coming year. ADAPTOGENIC FOOD AND BEVERAGE
This phrase is a bit of a mouthful. It actually refers to products that not only benefit physical health but also promote mental wellbeing. “Beverage brands like Boreal Botanical Brewing are stepping the game up with adaptogenic drinks, beverages that contain ingredients which work to prevent the effect of stress on the body,” Restaurants Canada states. “Even the superfood beetroot is finally joining ingredients front and centre as a nutritional and circulatory health powerhouse in Dairy Farmers of Ontario’s new Grass Fed Organic Beetroot Honey Yogurt.” FARM-TO-PHONE
If you can get cannabis, liquor, and a McDonald’s Big Mac delivered, why not
NEW to the Drive
é f a C t r A d i v Co hies Bringing Yummy Treats & Healt hy Smoot
to the Drive!
Early in the pandemic, H Tasting Lounge unveiled five transluscent garden domes that enabled groups of six diners to remain apart from other groups on its patio. Photo by H Tasting Lounge.
fresh produce direct from the farm? A Toronto company, Bae Greens, promotes vertical farming of microgreens in the city. Products are harvested, delivered, and enjoyed on the same day. ROBOTS TO THE RESCUE
Earlier this year, the Straight reported that an Edmonton company, GreenCo Robots, has created mechanical assistants to busy servers. These robots debuted in B.C. in Happy Lamb Hot Pot in Richmond’s Lansdowne Centre. Restaurants Canada expects to see more touchless ordering, digital menus, and, yes, robots in the dining industry in the coming year. The best thing for servers is that they don’t have to share their tips with a machine.
In Vancouver, the most frequent user crossed the 1,000 threshold by early December. As for the most expensive order of the year in B.C., it reached a whopping $999.99.
Christmas Special Donuts:
the Grinch & Pink Dragon
The company’s most-ordered items in B.C. were miso soup, garlic naan, and California rolls.
AND…
Alpha, Omega & Beta Donuts
served in Reusable Cloth
SkipTheDishes says garlic naan was its most ordered item. Photo by Timokefoto.
931 Commercial Drive
d SKIPTHEDISHES has delivered some startling statistics from its database of orders during the past year.
Open Daily 10 AM - 10 PM
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THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT
DECEMBER 30 / 2021 – JANUARY 6 / 2022
COVID-19 stimulated tremendous interest in patio dining across the region. The highly contagious Omicron variant is likely going to intensify that desire. It’s also spurring an industry in the patio-creating business with companies like Unichairs Inc. and Pop Up Street Patios offering solutions to beleagured restaurateurs. Canada, of course, is a cold country. Just witness what B.C. residents experienced in the days after Christmas. But other companies, like Bum Contract and Mensa Heating, have figured out how to keep patios toasty even when the thermometer is dipping lower. If we learned anything during the past 22 months, it’s that the restaurant industry has remained resilient in the face of unprecedented adversity. g
S tats ON FOOD ORDERING
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The most frequent user in Canada submitted more than 1,475 orders. That works out to more than four orders a day.
Across the country, SkipTheDishes said that the most frequently ordered items were garlic naan, butter chicken, and miso soup. And if this doesn’t meet your definition of too much information, SkipTheDishes customers across Canada ordered more than 17 million pieces of sushi, 17.1 million chicken wings, 1.9 million tacos, and 8.3 million pizzas in 2021, according to the company. g
by Charlie Smith
ARTS
The year 2021 in quotes: read what some of the artists said
Symphonie fantastique
JAN
21–23
Fri, Sat, 8pm | Orpheum Sun, 2pm | Orpheum Berlioz’s dramatic and fantastical tale, plus VSO Principal Flute Christie Reside featured in Swiss composer Frank Martin’s haunting Ballade.
by Staff
Christie Reside
Hear it. Feel it. Singer, actor, and dancer Krystal Kiran (left, photo by David Cooper) and photographer Émilie Régnier (self-portrait) spoke to the Straight about how navigating cultures shaped their art.
O
ne of the joys of working at the Georgia Straight is shining a spotlight on performers who fill us with wonder and inspire us to think about the world in different ways. For this year-end issue, we’re presenting quotes from artists who appeared in our paper in 2021. “I’ve been realizing a lot in the last year that art is a medicine. And we’re not going to get through any of the horrors that exist— whether they’re around the pandemic or around oppressions of people—without art.” —dancer and choreographer Ziyian Kwan “To feel ‘otherized’ or to feel ashamed that we’re not enough…I was, like, ‘You know what? No! I’m going to call bullshit on that and say the fact that we can straddle two kinds of cultures is our superpower.’ ” —singer, actor, and dancer Krystal Kiran “I think this work is borne out of a form of pain—or scream—that I had to repress for too long.” —Artist Émilie Régnier on her collection of self-portraits called How do you love me? “It’s like a TED talk but without that lecture feeling. This is a true personal story. There’s no specific call to action or takeaway.” —Chutzpah! festival performer Ophira Eisenberg on her love of storytelling “It takes a lot of self-discipline to keep training and to keep working your body and to keep trying to have your instrument in a state where you can be seen by an audience. And at the same time, it requires a lot of surrendering of control, of letting your vulnerability be seen, letting who you are be seen by people.” —actor-dancer Billy Marchenski
“If you know what motivates you, you’re going to be such a better singer.” —soprano Measha Brueggergosman
JAN
8/9
“I skipped school to go and listen to Itzhak Perlman. So then having this moment of conducting the VSO with Perlman playing the solo part—that was a really, really special experience.” — VSO music director Otto Tausk
Jens Lindemann
SURREY NIGHTS IS ENDOWED BY WERNER AND HELGA HÖING
Celebrating Copland Thu, 2pm | Orpheum
JAN
13 Three Copland Masterpieces meet a witty counterpart in Joan Tower’s Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman.
“I want to speak the truth. And I want to be brave even at the risk of making a mistake. Already I’ve had to toughen up because some people disagree with things in the book.” —Ian Williams, author of Disorientation: Being Black in the World
“I saw a middle-aged couple kissing on a restaurant patio and I just wanted to capture that emotion in their relationship, the happiness. But I figured if I gave it a romantic title, it would be really sappy. So I called it My Mate Is in Real Estate because they looked kind of rich.” —visual artist Michelle Mathias
Sat, 7pm | Bell Centre, Surrey Sun , 2pm | Chan Centre at UBC
Precision, presence, and style come together as Canadian trumpet legend Jens Lindemann leads the VSO in a thrilling and virtuosic performance.
“When you say you love yourself, that’s an act of defiance. When you tell your children that you love them, that’s an act of defiance.… All of those things were taken away from us.” —Heart of the City Festival artist in residence and residential-school survivor Kat Zu’comulwat Norris
“It sounds impressionistic and not so grounded in evidence at this point, but I do feel there is an impulse in our community to get as proximal as we can to whiteness. I mean, I feel like I’m—quite literally—biologically a product of that in some ways.” —mixed-race Japanese Canadian writer and filmmaker Angela May
Haydn & Mozart with Jens Lindemann
Christopher Gaze
JAN
Chopin, Berlioz, Ravel & Bologne
28/29 Fri, Sat, 8pm | Orpheum This (almost) all French concert features award-winning Canadian Chopin specialist Charles Richard-Hamelin in a ravishing program led by Maestro Tausk. Charles Richard-Hamelin
VancouverSymphony.ca JAN 9 CONCERT SUPPORT PROVIDED BY
JAN 13 TEA & TRUMPETS SERIES SPONSOR
BROADCAST MEDIA PARTNERS
JAN 21, 22 MASTERWORKS GOLD SERIES SPONSOR
MEDIA SPONSOR
604.876.3434
JAN 23 SYMPHONY SUNDAYS SERIES SPONSOR
JAN 28, 29, MASTERWORKS DIAMOND SERIES SPONSOR
Concerts presented at 50% capacity, in adherence with Provincial Health Orders
DECEMBER 30 / 2021 – JANUARY 6 / 2022
THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT
11
MOVIES
Film about identity and racism a five-year ordeal
Y
by Radheyan Simonpillai
asmine Mathurin didn’t consider herself a filmmaker when she started making One of Ours. She began the five-year journey to tell a story that felt close to her but was constantly consumed by fear driven by imposter syndrome, which many POC can relate to. How could she picture herself even attempting a career in the film industry while there were so few examples of women who look like her doing it, never mind succeeding at it? And yet she ended up making one of the year’s best and most urgent films. Her delicate and emotional documentary, which will be broadcast on CBC Gem in January, follows Haitian-born Josiah Wilson. He was adopted and raised by a Heiltsuk First Nation family but barred from the All Native Basketball Tournament, which pulled the “blood-quantum” card as an excuse. The film, which is driven by curiosity, empathy, and an active pursuit for healing, covers the emotional aftermath of that exclusion and the attempts to reaffirm community while asking questions about identity, anti-Black racism, blood quantum, trauma, and even homophobia. That’s a lot packed into an intimate story about a young man who just wanted to play basketball with his people. One of Ours just happens to live at the intersection of complicated and heavy conversations we have had during the past year regarding “pretendians” and anti-Black racism. Mathurin was still filming and editing while the Michelle Latimer controversy compelled questions about who can claim Indigeneity. And then came the fallout over George Floyd’s murder, which forced communities and institutions to check the blatant and systemic racism in their own ranks. “I knew the film that I was trying to make,” Mathurin says about the journey she began five years ago. “In the editing process, the stakes got higher. I’m sitting with a film that is holding these themes, handling these things that the world is wrestling with. “There was so much fear for me to make sure I don’t fuck this up,” Mathurin adds, reminding me that this is her first feature film. “But then I also wanted to have the freedom to fuck up because that’s how I learn. I was praying for the grace of that.” On a Zoom call, Mathurin can laugh and smile about some of the more intense moments of making One of Ours. But the weight of the story is still there in her voice as she processes the memories. You can feel the care she took in slowly working her way through it, not just for the sake of making a powerful film, which One of Ours is, but to do right by Wilson and his family and others affected by questions regarding anti-Black racism, Indigeneity, and identity. She has a personal connection to the
12
THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT
Yasmine Mathurin took five years to make One of Ours, a doc about a Black child adopted by an Indigenous family. Photo by Samuel Engelking.
story. Mathurin knew the Wilson family from her teen years living in Calgary and connecting with the Haitian community there. But there’s also a subjective connection she has to a story about trying to place your identity and belong somewhere. Mathurin is a Black woman who has moved around a lot. She has repeatedly had to question whether she was Haitian enough or Canadian enough. Telling Wilson’s story was a way to work through her own feelings while also discovering herself as a storyteller, completing a rather circuitous and somewhat unintentional journey toward becoming a filmmaker. Mathurin didn’t really figure out that she was one until Wilson’s story came calling. “I can call myself a filmmaker… I think,” she says, almost as if asking a question. “I think now I will.” Mathurin discovered Wilson’s story on Facebook while she was living in Toronto. The news of his exclusion from the All Native Basketball Tournament was popping up on her feed and helping her discover things she never knew about the kids she hung out with in Calgary. “Josiah’s Indigeneity was invisible to me as a kid,” says Mathurin, who saw all these headlines posing big questions about identity on the shoulders of her friend, who just wanted to play basketball. “It felt like a lot. He was 22 at the time.” After grappling a little with the story, Mathurin decided to pursue it. By this time, she had already worked an internship at CBC and even produced a couple of long-form radio documentaries. She intended to make a short film, but the story kept getting bigger
DECEMBER 30 / 2021 – JANUARY 6 / 2022
and would lead her to making her first feature as a sort of trial by fire, with the support of the DOC Breakthrough program. This was going to be her film school.
There was so much fear for me to make sure I don’t fuck this up. – Filmmaker Yasmine Mathurin
But the challenge of telling Wilson’s story goes beyond Mathurin’s own relative rawness to filmmaking. Wilson himself wasn’t exactly keen to tell his story. He didn’t even return Mathurin’s calls until his parents told him to. And his reluctance is there on-screen, which is part of what makes the film so fascinating. He’s guarded, often trying not to appear too pressed about the events unfolding around him, which says a lot about how he’s feeling. “His reluctance is this kind of armour,” Mathurin says. “If you’re hurt, you don’t want to talk about the wound. I’m asking him to poke a wound. And that’s a tall order. “I knew I had to earn my trust with him,” she adds, explaining how much time she spent just hanging out with Wilson and his friends. “I knew in wanting to tell a story about
healing and digging into these questions, he may not necessarily be comfortable answering or even know how to answer. It would take time. Also, we might not get there.” Wilson’s family does a lot of the talking in One of Ours, explaining the circumstances around Josiah’s adoption as a baby, his closeness to his late Indigenous grandfather, and his upbringing as part of the Heiltsuk First Nation. The family members lead a discussion on what it means to be Indigenous—beyond a status card and blood quantum. They explain the politics around the basketball tournament and its refusal to apologize for an act of discrimination. And they reveal other family dramas—particularly, a divorce and a member of the family coming out— that would cumulatively make Josiah feel like his world was unravelling, leaving him questioning who he is and where he fits. “There’s a lot that he’s still processing and sitting in his own feelings about,” Mathurin says. According to Mathurin, Wilson loves the film, though he got to that feeling with some work. He learned a lot about himself when seeing the first cut, but he also felt uneasy about aspects of it. But she adds that his family members’ reactions gave him comfort, especially since they learned a lot about each other. Mathurin was able to have conversations with each of them that they couldn’t have with each other. “Now, at the stage where people have seen the film and have responded to him, there’s a levity to how he’s sitting in his own story that I don’t think he really had before. I feel that’s such a gift.” g
MUSIC / SAVAGE LOVE
Kanye unveils plan to turn his homes into churches
I
by Mike Usinger
n what will no doubt come as horrifying news to Kim Kardashian, his various children, on-site housekeepers, and proudly atheist neighbours, Kanye West has announced that he’ll be turning all of his homes into churches. And by churches, we’re not talking opulent worship-palaces like the Vatican, Notre-Dame Cathedral, and Basílica de la Sagrada Família. Instead, think the kind of always-welcoming sanctuaries where the common rabble lines up for free food, drink, and shelter. The rapper, designer, and occasional aspiring politician made the proclamation in an interview with the magazine 032c. “I’m going to be homeless in a year,” West promised. “I’m going to turn all the homes I own into churches. We’re making this orphanage, and it will be a place where anyone can go. It should be like an artist commune. Food should always be available.” Monopoly fans and embittered window shoppers will be curious to hear that, along with soon-to-be-ex-wife Kim Kardashian, West has homes across the United States, including a sprawling mansion in California, two ranches in Wyoming, a place in his hometown of Chicago, and a massive condo in Miami. In addition to churches and orphanages, some of those homes will be converted into artist sanctuaries.
We are under capitalist rule, and it’s killing us. It’s time to change that. – Kanye West
The, ahem, mercurial Kanye West has hatched a new idea that will interest his neighbours: he is looking to convert all his mansions into houses of worship with free food for anyone who is there.
“We are under capitalist rule, and it’s killing us,” West opined. “It’s time to change that.” This isn’t the first time the 44-year-old has come up with an idea that some might charitably describe as “out there”. Don’t forget past endeavours like his proposed
line of leather jogging gear. And Donda. Still, at least West is trying to some good, which is more than Travis Scott can say for himself. Earlier this month he threw his considerable financial weight behind various charities and organizations committed to ending homelessness in Los
Angeles. As part of his support, he pledged to have his various enterprises work on providing jobs, education, and housing for those living on the streets. Rather than just paying lip service and making promises, the rapper then funded 1,000 meals via Los Angeles Mission, a group that’s committed to ending homelessness and poverty by “stabilizing people in a safe and spiritual environment, connecting them to solutions and walking with them on their journey”. Noble? Yes. Which of course isn’t going to stop heathens from feeling panic-stricken if West happens to be their next door neighbour. Praise Jesus. And now get off the manicured lawn, please, making sure to take your crosses, Bibles, magic markers, and Banksy-brand spray cans with you. g
So why does my boyfriend have a box of enemas? by Dan Savage
b I’VE BEEN IN a committed relationship for 10 years— committed because my boyfriend wants it that way. I’d be fine with an open relationship and have asked about it. He’s made it quite clear that he thinks it’s “wrong”. I’m almost never at his apartment. He doesn’t invite me, and my place is a lot more comfortable anyway. His place never looks “lived in”. Everything must be tidy and “just so”. Bed made, bathroom spotless, no socks on the floor. Generally, we spend weekends together, and that’s it. He also refuses to bottom for me or even let me finger him, but he likes it when I come on his ass. In general, he hasn’t been very horny for me the last few years. Anyway, due to a combination of factors (COVID, construction, et cetera), I’ve been working at his apartment for a few days. In the coat closet, where he keeps all his supplies, there’s a big bottle of Wet lube and an economy-sized box of Fleet enemas. What’s a guy to think? - Frustrated in Brooklyn
quibble. You use the word “committed” to mean “sexually exclusive”, FIB, when you should know— as a reader of my column—that not all committed relationships are sexually exclusive, and vice versa. Two people can be married or partnered and committed to each other
First, a minor
for the long haul while still fucking other people, and two people can decide to stop fucking other people because they don’t wanna use condoms (or they wanna limit their risk of contracting COVID) without committing to each other for the rest of the year, much less the long haul. As for what you found when you weren’t snooping around your boyfriend’s apartment… While it’s not always the ones who think open relationships are “wrong” who cheat, FIB, it’s so often the case—it’s so often the ones who insist open relationships are wrong—that it’s something of a cliché. So, it’s entirely possible your boyfriend has been cleaning out for other men. But why? Why would your boyfriend cheat if he knew you would be fine with an open relationship? Well, some people who cheat think cheating is wrong (and it is), and the least they can do if they’re gonna cheat (and they are) is have the decency to feel bad about it (or pretend to). Other people are selfish assholes who wanna fuck around on their partners but don’t want their partners fucking around on them. Of course, we don’t know for sure whether your boyfriend has been cheating on you. Lube by itself isn’t proof— guys use lube to jack off—and that box of Fleet enemas could’ve been sitting in his closet for a decade or more. There’s only one way to get to the bottom of this mystery:
ask your boyfriend what’s up. He might have a good explanation—or he might be able to pull a vaguely plausible one out of his squeaky-clean ass—and you’ll have to make your best guess as to whether he’s telling you the truth. But if you want to stay with him, FIB, you might wanna lead with that. You can regard what you found when you were looking for supplies—not snooping, of course, never snooping—as an unforgivable betrayal, FIB, or you can regard it as an opportunity to renegotiate the terms of your relationship. b I’M RECENTLY MARRIED to a man I have been with for six years. We have a very happy life together in most respects and a very stable and loving relationship. The problem is, six months ago I fell deeply in love with a colleague. (We work in the same field at different companies.) I have never felt this way about anyone before. I have also never cheated. But this is truly the most creative and synchronous connection I have experienced. The second problem is that the colleague is also married and has three children. His marriage is stable but sexless. He says he wants to leave his wife but is unwilling to do so until his youngest child goes to university, which won’t be for another two years.
DECEMBER 30 / 2021 – JANUARY 6 / 2022
see next page
THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT
13
from previous page
wedding was the right time to make sure your wife was into it, not years later. Maybe your wife was into the idea before the service and isn’t into it now (vows seem to have that effect on some people), or maybe she was just telling you what you wanted to hear. Either way, she’ll never be the true “partner in crime” you wanted—meaning that even if she’s willing to go there, she’s not going to put any effort into making it happen. That’s on you. But if she’s willing to give a try, why not set something up? If she agrees to it, she might wind up liking it more than she thinks. (That happens.) If she doesn’t agree to it, then you face a choice: let these fantasies go, let monogamy go, or let her go.
Meanwhile, I am wracked with guilt and indecision about how to proceed. I know that I need to make my own decisions, but I feel paralyzed. How do I start to untangle this knot? - Married And Reassessing Relationships In Every Detail
The Compassionate Friends (TCF) Burnaby TCF is a grief support group for parents who have experienced the loss of a child, at any age. Meet the last Wednesday of the month at 7:00 p.m. For location call Grace: 778-222-0446 "We Need Not Walk Alone" compassionatecircle@hotmail.com Burnaby@TCFCanada.net www.tcfcanada.net
What’s the rush? You’ve got a crush on a mar-
ried man who’s unwilling to leave his wife for at least the next two years. Since you have no way of knowing how you’ll feel two years from now, MARRIED, and you have no way of knowing how your married colleague will feel two years from now, you don’t have to make any big moves. (Hell, you have no way of knowing for sure how your married colSex Addicts leagueAnonymous feels right now.) 12-step fellowship of men & women who share If you’re their experience, strength and hopesure with eachyou don’t wanna stay in other, that theyyour may solvemarriage—whatever their common problem else might hapand help others recover from their sexual addiction.Membership is open to should all who desire to your marriage so your pen—you end stop addictive sexual behaviour. For a meeting list husband can goget on with his life. But if you as well as email & phone contacts to our website. www.saavancouver.org can envision a future where your feelings for your colleague have run their course and you can see yourself recommitting to a future with the man you’re currently married to, all you need to do right now is wait. b MY WIFE AND I have been together for eight years, married for four. Before we dated, I was honest with her about the fact that I could not offer long-term sexual monogamy in a relationship. She told me she understood and would be into participating in that with me. We stayed monogamous for a few years
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GEORGIA STRAIGHT JUNE 25DECEMBER – JULY 2 / 2020 14 14 THETHE GEORGIA STR AIGHT 30 / 2021 – JANUARY 6 / 2022
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b I JUST READ your response to the gay man who wanted to buy a straight male friend a meaningful gift. I was surprised to see this in your response: “So, besides pussy, what does your straight friend like?” Heterosexual men do not like “pussy”. Heterosexual men like women. And not all women have pussies. You know better, Dan. - Promote Understanding To All
the next straight guy who tells me he likes pussy, PUTA, and slap the next gay guy who tells me he likes dick—just like Dale Carnegie urged his readers to do in chapter 12 of How to Win Friends and Influence People. g
I will scold
Follow Dan on Twitter @FakeDanSavage. Email: questions@savagelove.net.
Join a FREE YWCA Single Mothers support group in your local community. Share information, experiences and resources. Child care is provided for a nominal fee. For information call 604-895-5789 or Email: smacdonald@ywcavan.org
Battered Women's Support Services provides free daytime & evening support groups (Drop-ins & 10 week groups) for women abused by their intimate partner. Groups provide emotional support, legal information & advocacy, safety planning, and referrals. For more information please call: 604-687-1867
RECOVERY International FEAR? DEPRESSION? PANIC ATTACKS? Feelings that keep you from really living your life? A way out is where we come in. Weekly meetings. Call for info: 9am - 5pm Kathy 778-554-1026
Heart of Richmond - AIDS Society operates a confidential support group for persons with HIV/AIDS, or persons affected (family, friends or care givers) by the disease. For info - 604-277-5137 www.heartofrichmond.com
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JUNE 25 6 – JULY 2 / 2020 GEORGIA STRAIGHT 15 DECEMBER 30 / 2021 – JANUARY / 2022 THETHE GEORGIA STR AIGHT 15 JUNE 25 – JULY 2 / 2020 THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT 15
Vancouver's First Retail Cannabis Store
Holiday Hours: December 24th: 9AM to 5PM December 25th: 9AM to 5PM New Year's Eve: 9AM to 9PM New Year's Day: Closed 2868 4th Ave. W Kitsilano (604) 900 1714 Evergreen Cannabis is a private retailer of legal, non medical cannabis. You must be 19 years of age or older to purchase cannabis. ID is checked on premises. 16
THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT
DECEMBER 30 / 2021 – JANUARY 6 / 2022
