Conservation, Wildlife, and Animal Welfare

As Greens, how we treat our planet and its inhabitants reflect our fundamental values. As a Green MLA, I will fight to push those values into provincial decisions and lend my voice to those who have none. An Endangered Species Act for B.C.Currently, our conservation efforts here in B.C. are woefully inadequate, and reflect a last-century mindset …

On Dog Waste, Yellow Journalism and What to Doo About It.

Drinking my morning coffee, I listened to the CBC radio follow up on their recently posted story about the scourge of uncollected dog feces throughout Vancouver. According to the CBC, the problem is so widespread that it is set to break the City’s records for the most amount of complaints received in any single year. Of course, no one likes to step in dog shit, and the rant-line messages re-enforce that reality as a second day’s worth of angry callers launch into tirades about horrible dog owners.
A record breaking number of complaints, I think to myself, that must be a lot of dog doo. I watch the CBC report with interest: that record breaking number of complaints? Forty-five. That’s right, 45 complaints – possibly set to break last year’s record of (wait for it) forty-eight complaints.

Vancouver Park Board and the Dog Strategy Task Force

In September, 2006, the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation announced the formation of an all-volunteer task force, made up of citizens with proven expertise in specific areas of stakeholder interest and concern. Members were charged with the task of developing a strategy that would be a balanced compromise respecting and accommodating all sides of …