Published in The Globe and Mail Rosemary Green spent five years in a United States prison, separated from her four children. She says visits from volunteers – who provided a consistent connection to the community on the outside – kept her going. After being released and returning to Canada, she began to volunteer in prisons... Continue Reading →
Former B.C. children’s representative says she warned province about lack of case visits
Published in The Globe and Mail A former B.C. children’s representative says she repeatedly warned the province that government social workers were failing to visit vulnerable children — a problem underscored this week in a report about an Indigenous boy with autism who went years without ever meeting a ministry social worker despite numerous complaints.... Continue Reading →
B.C. social workers’ failure to help Indigenous autistic boy ‘inexcusable,’ child’s advocate finds
Published in the Globe and Mail A 12-year-old Indigenous boy with autism who was taken into foster care in 2016 after being found naked, starved and screaming was the subject of eight separate reports to child protection authorities, but no social worker had ever met with him, British Columbia’s children’s representative has found. Jennifer Charlesworth... Continue Reading →
Proposed plan to protect tenants in Vancouver from renovictions sent for further study
Published in The Globe and Mail A proposed plan to protect tenants from being pushed out of their apartments by landlords wanting to renovate and charge higher rents has been sent for further study after city councillors expressed concerns such a policy will have unintended consequences that could make Vancouver’s rental supply even worse. The... Continue Reading →
Stewart supports Surrey SkyTrain
Vancouver Mayor Kennedy Stewart was the first to speak up in support of a proposal to begin the process of building and funding a SkyTrain from Surrey to Langley when it came to the table of TransLink’s mayor’s council yesterday. On Nov. 5, Surrey city council unanimously passed a resolution to suspend work on light rail... Continue Reading →
Video: Kennedy Stewart speaks to media after Vancouver election win
I shot this video on my phone at Kennedy Stewart's campaign celebration at the Waldorf Hotel on election night. It was an assignment for my civic reporting class.
Vancouver school trustee pledges to sustain Indigenous focus school
Published in The Langara Voice A newly-elected Vancouver school board trustee has promised to secure ongoing funding and support for the city’s only Indigenous focus school. The continued operation of the Xpey’ elementary school in east Vancouver is only ensured through 2020. COPE trustee Barb Parrott, who started her term Nov. 5, included a promise... Continue Reading →
Mayor-elect Stewart has plans for Chinatown
Mayor-elect Kennedy Stewart says his campaign promise to establish a food street and farmer's market in Chinatown was a direct result of consultation with the community. The proposal, included in his platform, said when elected he would direct city staff to conduct consultation and start work on a pilot project to establish a "special economic... Continue Reading →
Stewart squeaks through, wins Vancouver mayor’s race by less than 1,000 votes
Penny N. Lim, one of the first supporters to arrive at Kennedy Stewart’s campaign celebration on election day, predicted that he would “squeak in” to win the Vancouver mayoral race. After a tense five and a half hour wait, her prediction came true. On Oct. 20, 2018 Stewart beat out the NPA’s Ken Sim by... Continue Reading →