A year ago, he’d never carried the football for the B.C. Lions. Now Andrew Harris not only lugs the pigskin but in recent weeks has carried the entire football team on his shoulders.

Here's our editorial on the Conservative election victory; a special reading assignment for the contributors of comments to my post on Jack Layton's NDP platform.

 

After an election campaign that was short on substance and long on scare tactics, Canadian voters have made their decision. They have given Stephen Harper's Conservative party the majority it requested.

They also have chosen the New Democrats, revitalized by leader Jack Layton's energetic campaign, to replace the Liberals as the official Opposition party for the first time in Canadian history. For Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff the outcome was devastation, as Canada's "natural governing party" slipped to also-ran status.

Congratulations are due to those who won their seats and earned the privilege of representing Canadians in the House of Commons. But thanks are owed to all 1,500-plus candidates for stepping up to the plate to make our democracy the vibrant political system it is.

Now that a new government has been elected, it is time to get to work. The first order of business is to pass the budget, start winding down the $60-billion "stimulus" spending program and tackle the deficit to restore a surplus of $4.2 billion by 2015-16 as set out in the document. In this regard, there was some good news from the Department of Finance last month. It reported that the deficit in the 11 months from April 2010 to February 2011 was $28.3 billion, down from $40.5 billion the government had projected for the year ended March 31. Nevertheless, the government will have to be disciplined and keep a lid on spending to put the fiscal house in order.

Then, it must respond to the many challenges facing the Canadian economy. At the top of this agenda is creating the conditions for investment and job creation. An unemployment rate of 7.7 per cent -and youth unemployment at double that rate -should be seen as unacceptable. During the election campaign, all parties addressed poverty, but the best poverty reduction strategy is to ensure that anyone willing to work can find a job.

One way to move toward that goal is to encourage more foreign investment. Although the Economist magazine's Economic Intelligence Unit ranks Canada as "the best place to invest and do business" in the G7, the fact is that Canada's share of global foreign direct investment has dropped to three per cent from 16 per cent in 1970. Over the same period the U.S. share rose to 12 per cent from eight per cent and China's surged to 11 per cent from virtually zero.

Canada's slippage is worrisome because FDI boosts productivity and contributes to a competitive and innovative business environment which, in turn, generates jobs and raises incomes. While the intensity of global competition likely makes it impossible for Canada to achieve the share of FDI it held four decades ago, the government can attract more investment by keeping business taxes low, expanding free trade, investing in education and skills of the workforce and providing state-of-the-art infrastructure, particularly in technological connectivity. With weaker global growth expected to dampen demand for Canada's exports, the need for measures to attract investment and thereby create jobs becomes that much more important for our future prosperity.

With a majority, the Conservative government has greater freedom to act decisively on such matters, but it also has a greater responsibility to be sensitive to public concerns.

While the charge of contempt of Parliament against the government may have been a partisan act, Harper and the Conservatives must show greater respect for parliamentary practices and procedures. These are the building blocks of democracy, along with a free press -which too many governments consider an annoyance rather than a pillar of democracy. We expect more transparency in government and a willingness to provide full disclosure in budgeting so Parliament can do its job.

The government should acknowledge, rather than dismiss, the fact that some Canadians continue to harbour fears of a hidden Conservative agenda on social issues. Such anxieties can be put to rest with openness and honesty. During the campaign, governance was the Conservative's main weakness and it needs to be addressed.

Finally, the government should revisit several policies, such as the exclusion of family planning from its maternal health initiative, and certain aspects of its crime agenda, such as mandatory sentencing and building more prisons, which evidence shows will not reduce or prevent crime.

Policy should be based on facts and research, not anecdotes and emotion. A robust NDP opposition can be expected to illuminate Canada's differing policy options, but the onus is on the Conservatives now more than ever to make Parliament work together for the good of all Canadians. We're counting on them to rise to the challenge.

The fourth entry in a 15-year-old movie franchise, Ghost Protocol is the first live-action effort for Brad Bird.

Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson didn't realize his microphone was still recording some intemperate remarks he made after a public meeting recently Deputy Managing Editor Harold Munro discusses this and other stories that reporters and editors are posting online at vancouversun.com today.

 

One of the toughest crowds in the car business—Generation Y—now has another new model for its consideration.

I feel quite amazed by Spain's contribution to the competition.

Their use of the sky, of colour and of the water was nothing less than dramatic. One moment in particular saw a wide, dramatic fan of golden light surging forth from the barge, while another moment saw red columns of light fanning left to right from the edge of the display area, like lighthouse keepers scanning the horizon.

If I have any criticism, it's that they went off a little too big and unfocused in some parts of the musical program. Despite hitching their wagon to big musical pieces like Wagner's Flight of the Valkyries and the theme from 2001, some of the music was unfamiliar and hard to key into, unlike the U.S., who capitalized on their popularist songbook.

But as Spain's theme was 'Heaven and Hell', I have to say there was much more of the former than the latter.

Bring on Mexico next Wednesday!

Earlier posts:

- - -

Filed at 10:05 p.m.:

And we're off with a bang!

It's a beautifully clear night, but as I understand it, that's not necessarily a good thing for fireworks. Sometimes a cloud cover can act as a sort of lampshade, diffusing and projecting the explosions to great effect.

We'll see what Spain pulls out of the hat. And it had better be spectacular.

- - -

Filed at 9:40 p.m.:

The crowd on the sand is milling with much enthusiasm.

I will be watching for the colour blue, which is the most difficult colour to produce. But I'll also be watching for green, which is apparently the most dangerous.

Bring it on!!!

- - -

Posted earlier tonight:

I'm judging the second night of the Celebration of Light tonight and the pressure's on.

Wide-eyed and easily impressed on Wednesday night, I was blown away by the USA's rah-rah big-band blowout. But I have to chalk some of that up to my judging inexperience and generally enthusiastic (read: easily impressed) nature.

Tonight, no one's getting any easy marks. I am going to be hardcore, a taskmaster, a critic. Frankly, I feel I need to make this leap in order to live up to the credibility of my fellow judges, many of whom are seasoned practitioners at this game.

It's a good night to be embracing a new hard line because Spain is tipped as a star performer, so I am expecting big things from them. Apparently, Spanish-made fireworks are, along with Italian fireworks, the best in the world. It's all about how they wrap the layers of chemical-soaked paper in the manufacturing of the shells, and how long they allow them to dry in-between.

According to Maude Furtado, producer of the Celebration of Light, the bulk of the world's fireworks are made predominantly by three countries: Spain, Italy, and China.

Chinese fireworks cost a tenth of their Spanish and Italian counterparts, but are far less impressive. They are used by all the entrants as eye-popping filler, but it's the Spanish shells that really make an impact.

Spanish-made fireworks are meant to produce the longest-lasting colours, and the most spectacular effects. And with each team operating with no ceiling on their budget, I am expecting the Andalusian nation to pull out all the stops.

 

- - - Also, take a look at this video I was part of earlier this week. As a judge, I was able to snag a trip out to the barge in English Bay to learn more about the showcraft of fireworks.

The problem of red tape took centre stage this month when the Canadian Federation of Independent Business launched Red Tape Awareness Week. To mark the occasion, I produced this column and  had a chat with Laura Jones, the group's VP for Western Canada., which was recorded for posterity. There's a link to the video at the bottom of the column.

I like anal a lot, but the thought of vaginal just doesn’t interest me, so I’ve never gone there.

It’s possible to set your thermostat, reduce energy consumption, watch 3D television, and crank up the tunes through an iPhone.

I’ve been posting many articles on the BC Strata Title Act and recently received this question.

I recently purchased a condo. There is a refund due as the council had set aside funds to sue the original developer but has decided not too. The previous owner feels this belongs to her.

(without prejudice)

I usually suggest the buyer ask their real estate lawyer, who will wish to review a copy of the contract of purchase and sale. Based solely on the above question my answer would be that the buyer’s agent should have written a clause in the contract specifying who gets the refund.  It can be negotiated either way, but usually he who pays gets reimbursed.

Have a condo question? Ask me on Facebook at the end of this post

Who Gets the Special Assessment Refund – Vancouver Homes for sale is a post from: Vancouver Real Estate-Vancouver Homes For Sale

This lovingly crafted re-creation of pre-Beatles Britain is a surprising star vehicle for Michelle Williams—although she never quite captures Monroe's particular allure.

Police stymied in attempts to block internet broadcast of a local alleged rave rape video. Managing Editor Kirk LaPointe talks about this and other stories that will be in tomorrow's edition of The Vancouver Sun.

VANCOUVER - Police can demand Vancouver newsrooms turn over footage taken the night of the Stanley Cup riot, a B.C. judge ruled Friday, but he threw out a series of production orders because of "inadvertent" errors in documents used to obtain them.

Judge David Harris said information-to-obtain documents filed by police incorrectly described the geographical area they were concerned with and incorrectly identified the corporate names of media outlets.

But he said the orders were otherwise valid and invited police to resubmit their applications, rejecting arguments by media outlets that the production orders threatened their journalistic independence.

Police served court orders to CTV, Global TV, CBC, The Globe and Mail, The Vancouver Sun and The Vancouver Province, demanding all raw footage taken over a large swath of downtown before, during and after the destructive riot on June 15.

The media outlets launched a court challenge, arguing the production orders should be thrown out because they were too broad and didn't specifically identify individual crimes. They also said the orders interfered with their work and would turn journalists into agents of the police.

Harris rejected those arguments.

While he conceded the production orders seemed broad, he concluded the footage will be valuable evidence that would not be available from other sources.

"It is apparent that complying with these production orders is inherently less intrusive than a search, originals of all material remain with the petitioners, and nothing interferes with the media's continuing capacity to use that material to report on a continuing news story," Harris said in his written decision.

"Media footage may be the only footage from which an identification of the perpetrators can be made."

The media outlets also complained about technical problems with the production orders.

The documents referred to downtown streets to describe the area covered by the orders, but two of them don't actually intersect, creating an area that isn't clearly defined.

The orders also incorrectly identified the corporate names of the media outlets, referring to the Vancouver Sun Newspaper, for example, when the newspaper is actually a division of Postmedia Network Inc.

Harris said those errors, which he described as "no doubt inadvertent," meant the production orders could not stand as written.

"I have no doubt that this deficiency in the production orders can and should be remedied," he wrote.

The Vancouver Police Department said it would review the decision and planned to submit new applications to obtain production orders.

"We recognize that this is part of the process when making judicial applications of this scope and complexity," Insp. Les Yeo, the officer who's in charge of the riot investigation, said in a news release.

"We will continue to work towards obtaining this evidence from identified media outlets; the public and victims of the riot wouldn't expect anything less."

So far, 27 people have been charged with participating in a riot, as well as other offences including break and enter, arson, assault and mischief. Crown counsel are considering charges against 33 other people, and police expect to eventually forward hundreds of more files to prosecutors.

Police have received tens of thousands of photos and hundreds of hours of video, many from members of the public, which were taken to a lab in the United States to be analysed. Investigators want to bolster that evidence with unpublished material from journalists.

After a similar riot in Vancouver in 1994, police obtained warrants targeting two local newspapers and CBC-TV.

A judge ruled the first set of warrants were too vague and threw them out, prompting police to make revisions and return several days later.

Does anyone actually manage to see any movies at the Whistler Film Festival?

I'm sure tickets are being sold. Indeed, an hour ago I walked past a very respectable lineup outside the 7 p.m. screening of A Single Man. I would have liked to have seen it, too. I love Julianne Moore's work, and sometimes enjoy Colin Firth (but please - no Bridget Jones). But mostly I'm very intrigued to see what former Gucci boss Tom Ford thinks he's doing directing a movie. The buzz is good, and with a cast like that and a screenplay based on Isherwood's novel, I'm sure the movie is good too. But life had other plans for me this evening.

You see, I've made a very Vancouver blunder and come up to Whistler this afternoon without any gloves or a toque, and in a thin wool coat. And this at the beginning of the season's first serious cold snap. Clever, Maggie. Hey, who needs gloves? I'm not going to be skiing, and it's really not that cold, I thought, forgetting that this town sits considerably closer to the clouds than downtown Vancouver. Well, of course, I'm freezing. So I bypassed the Whistler Conference Centre and swung into the shopping district. Several swipes of the debit card later, I am now comfortably outfitted in cozy new gear and ready for the elements. Shopping trumps screenings.

Screening later tonight is another directorial debut, this time from actor Peter Stebbings. Defendor stars Woody Harrelson and is in the running for the Borsos Award. Sadly, I will miss that too, as I will be at the Directors' Guild of Canada party at the Bearfoot Bistro, mingling with industry folk who have no doubt spent much of the past two days in forums and workshops, networking at lunches, and, last night, toasting veteran director/producer Ivan Reitman at a tribute presentation. Schmoozing trumps screenings.

I almost managed to see the Neil Young Trunk Show on the outdoor screen at the Skiers Plaza. It was good. Neil was wailing on his guitar like nobody's business. But unfortunately, this happened before the aforementioned toque-glove combo was procured, and it was damn cold in that plaza, so something had to go, and that something was me. Comfort trumps screenings.

Maybe tomorrow I'll catch J'ai Tue Ma Mere, which I had missed at VIFF. What could possibly stop me?

Saturday night: Does anyone actually manage to see any movies at the Whistler Film Festival?

I'm sure tickets are being sold. Indeed, an hour ago I walked past a very respectable lineup outside the 7 p.m. screening of A Single Man. I would have liked to have seen it, too. I love Julianne Moore's work, and sometimes enjoy Colin Firth (but please - no Bridget Jones). But mostly I'm very intrigued to see what former Gucci boss Tom Ford thinks he's doing directing a movie. The buzz is good, and with a cast like that and a screenplay based on Isherwood's novel, I'm sure the movie is good too. But life had other plans for me this evening.

You see, I've made a very Vancouver blunder and come up to Whistler this afternoon without any gloves or a toque, and in a thin wool coat. And this at the beginning of the season's first serious cold snap. Clever, Maggie. Hey, who needs gloves? I'm not going to be skiing, and it's really not that cold, I thought, forgetting that this town sits considerably closer to the clouds than downtown Vancouver. Well, of course, I'm freezing. So I bypassed the Whistler Conference Centre and swung into the shopping district. Several swipes of the debit card later, I am now comfortably outfitted in cozy new gear and ready for the elements. Shopping trumps screenings.

Screening later tonight is another directorial debut, this time from actor Peter Stebbings. Defendor stars Woody Harrelson and is in the running for the Borsos Award. Sadly, I will miss that too, as I will be at the Directors' Guild of Canada party at the Bearfoot Bistro, mingling with industry folk who have no doubt spent much of the past two days in forums and workshops, networking at lunches, and, last night, toasting veteran director/producer Ivan Reitman at a tribute presentation. Schmoozing trumps screenings.

I almost managed to see the Neil Young Trunk Show on the outdoor screen at the Skiers Plaza. It was good. Neil was wailing on his guitar like nobody's business. But unfortunately, this happened before the aforementioned toque-glove combo was procured, and it was damn cold in that plaza, so something had to go, and that something was me. Comfort trumps screenings.

Maybe tomorrow I'll catch J'ai Tue Ma Mere, which I missed at VIFF. What could possibly stop me?