Stephen Harrison

How Canada's National Observer tracked a climate misinfo group going 'under the radar' As KICLEI's campaign moves into the shadows, Canada’s National Observer has developed an unprecedented new tool: Civic Searchlight. To build it, we assembled a database of council meetings in more tha...

As climate disinformation groups move into the shadows, @nationalobserver.com has developed an unprecedented new tool: Civic Searchlight. To build it, we assembled a database of council meetings in more than 550 municipalities.

47 VPD officers made over $100K in OT last year — and one banked $239K, FOI data shows | CBC News A single Vancouver police sergeant was paid $239,258 in overtime alone last year, on top of the rank's base pay of up to $158,000. The figure comes from a freedom of information request filed with the...

A single Vancouver police officer made $397,258 last year, making $239,258 in overtime on top of their base pay of up to $158,000.
This is the wildest FOI I've seen in a long time. Well done Liam Britten for digging this up. #CBC
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

I went to look at the moon on the advice of this post and it delivered.

VicPD is set to announce its draft 2026 budget later this month, where they will ask for millions more than the $82 million they already get. But budget increases aren't inevitable, and people can push back! 23% of the city's budget is too much, and we can always tell councillors "No, thanks."

Good summary, and this is a particularly satisfying part: "Van Blokland came to the conclusion that two central memos were not written on Soviet-era typewriters but with a digital font he himself created in 1993—three years after the documents were supposedly produced."

YouTube video by Larry Dennis kiteboarding Larry Dennis jumping breakwater wall

Yesterday's wind warning reminded me of this guy jumping the breakwater back in 2012. www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cee... #yyj

Overdose prevention is "just one part of the work," and, PS, we are not doing that work.

Municipal elections in 2026. Here’s a resource for #yyj folks!

I do not care if Canada post is ever profitable. It is a public service, everyone owns it. That’s valuable in and of itself.
We don’t ask the emergency room or public schools to turn a profit.
We ask them to be accessible for everyone to use.

Police drone operators aren't impartial observers. I'd support lots of road safety ideas, but given everything we know about police, if the goal is to keep people safe, it shouldn't be police doing that work. There are some alternate ideas linked here. www.crimlawpractitioner.org/post/greenli... 3/3

I'm also concerned about entrenching police in traffic enforcement. VicPD data shows they disproportionately police Black, Hispanic, Middle Eastern and South Asian drivers. And from 2018-21, they filed 57 use of force reports related to traffic incidents, including 13 where they injured people. 2/3

Thanks for the comment! The CCF go into constitutional issues here. theccf.ca/wp-content/u... Police are regularly busted for violating Charter rights for saying one thing when they're really after something else (e.g., using traffic violations as a pretense; Kingston is headed down that line). 1/3

VicPD is watching you (more than they already were) — Needs More Spikes Despite VicPD’s claims, drones are not new to VicPD, there will be no meaningful limits to how they use them, and they will not keep people safe. The program is also more expensive than has been repor...

FOI helps show the real cost of VicPD's drone program. www.needsmorespikes.com/blog/vicpd-d...

Defunding the police is a move towards community safety “Defund should not be a dirty word”, writes Associate Professor of Criminal Justice, Kevin Walby in this 2022 article. “In fact, defunding public police is a step towards choosing…

"The average VicPD officer made $156,293 in 2024. … Defunding the police is the logical first step to balancing the resources that communities need to thrive and survive. This is not about finding new sources of funding – the money is already there." #yyj defundvicpd.org/2025/09/20/h...

Defund VicPD Defund VicPD is a community abolitionist group calling for defunding the Victoria Police Department (VicPD) and reallocating resources to community supports and services.

Announcing DefundVicPD.org! Your new favourite local resource and info hub for defunding the Victoria Police Department (BC).

this failure of political imagination is a comms strategy for expanding police power and police budgets

Here's an old thread, timely today given VicPD is complaining about its funding again. They are over-resourced; they take up 23% of the city's budget; and for police forces serving more than 50,000 people in Canada, only Montreal has both more police and a higher authorized strength per capita. #yyj

they say this every year and every year we increase their budget exponentially and it makes me feel like i’m fucking insane. stop giving these people more money — clearly they can’t manage themselves!!!

I read too fast and thought she was scheduled to speak for 4 hours.

Email from Brian Asmussen to Trevor Stephen, cc’ing Jonathan Sheldan. Subject: Drone. Dage: June 11, 2025, 1:08 pm. Hey Trevor, Hope all is good 22(1) Jonathan wanted me to set you loose on doing some drone research for the unit in the event we decide to purchase one instead of waiting for Civil Forfeiture again. We are looking for a good camera and possibly the ability for IR and FARO compatible?

One thing I don’t get into is this old email where VicPD said purchasing a drone was an option instead of “waiting for Civil Forfeiture again.” Were they seizing drones? Using seized money to buy drones? We all know the hardship of having to wait to seize our new toys instead of using public money.

VicPD is watching you (more than they already were) — Needs More Spikes Despite VicPD’s claims, drones are not new to VicPD, there will be no meaningful limits to how they use them, and they will not keep people safe. The program is also more expensive than has been repor...

VicPD called its drone program a “new tool to help keep the community safe.” Reporting pegged the cost at $30,000. In reality, VicPD had been using drones for five years; drones will not keep anyone safe; and actual costs were likely closer to $125,000. www.needsmorespikes.com/blog/vicpd-d... #yyj

VicPD is watching you (more than they already were) — Needs More Spikes Despite VicPD’s claims, drones are not new to VicPD, there will be no meaningful limits to how they use them, and they will not keep people safe. The program is also more expensive than has been repor...

VicPD called its drone program a “new tool to help keep the community safe.” Reporting pegged the cost at $30,000. In reality, VicPD had been using drones for five years; drones will not keep anyone safe; and actual costs were likely closer to $125,000. www.needsmorespikes.com/blog/vicpd-d... #yyj

I haven't received any information about the SLOs from SD61 or my kids school, about what programming is planned, whether police officers are already in schools, or how to opt my child out of police activities.

Sounds like they're nailing it! Which is to say, fumbling over their own government-sanctioned plan that they've had months to prep for.

Here's a thread which includes Magee's comments on that letter. Meeting adjourns! bsky.app/profile/step...

Deputy chief Brown: Says new SLO Gord Magee [who called GVTA letter opposing SLOs "disgusting"] is a "natural fit" and a "savant" when dealing with youth.

Faoro talking about SD61 safety plan. Asks if there's an update on how SLO program is going. Calls it "a wonderful, progressive policy" [it is not]. Wilson says plan appears "comprehensive."

VicPD talking about "Before the Badge" program where new members attend presentations from community groups. "Making sure they have this cultural piece … before they even start." [VicPD and all departments disproportionately target BIPOC people www.needsmorespikes.com/blog/2023/2/... ]

Courtright has an idea "to create some social functions where the police boards and councils" get together. Hayes suggests leaving it to next agenda so Courtright can discuss.