Matthew Norris

Our thanks to ‪@mnorris.bsky.social‬, president of the Urban Native Youth Association, for his support! Please join Matthew and others who have endorsed us!

I would like to understand where the direction for Task Force Barrage came from, because clearly it didn’t come from council, it didn’t come from the Police Board. BC law demands transparency & accountability, it doesn't allow the mayor to cook up policing schemes in the backroom.

Vancouver mayor can’t answer how $5M for ‘Task Force Barrage’ was approved Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim is sidestepping questions on how the budget for a five-million-dollar task force aimed at cracking down on the Downtown Eastside was approved.

BC’s Police Act demands accountability of local governments in BC to maintain public confidence in law enforcement - but three months into DTES street sweeps promoted by the mayor, and no-one is accepting responsibility for initiating the operation or expense.
www.ctvnews.ca/vancouver/ar...

When we are starved for good news stories in politics, Vancouver pulled through. Big congratulations to @seanorr.bsky.social and @lucymaloney.bsky.social I can’t wait to see what you’ll accomplish.

Progressives win both Vancouver council seats in byelection, weakening ABC majority | CBC News The political party that swept to power in Vancouver's 2022 civic election has taken a hit to its majority on council, after both seats in Saturday's byelection were won by progressive candidates Sean...

Resounding win for OneCity and COPE in last night's Vancouver by-election!

And an equally resounding defeat for ABC.
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

First Nations leaders in B.C. call for Conservatives to drop candidate Aaron Gunn | CBC News Social media comments made by North Island-Powell River Conservative candidate Aaron Gunn have resurfaced, sparking outrage from First Nations leaders.

Grand Chief Phillip called the posts "absolutely reprehensible and repugnant and completely devoid of any sense of compassion for Indigenous Peoples who suffered enormously through the residential school experience." www.cbc.ca/news/indigen...

FNLC Responds to Dallas Brodie’s False Accusation and Joins Calls for CPC to Drop Candidate Aaron Gunn for Residential School Denialism Working towards the recognition, implementation and exercise of our inherent Indigenous Title, Rights and Treaty Rights

"FNLC is deeply angered and disturbed that two provincial and federal politicians continue to publicly advance Residential School Denialism. [...] We continue to stand with Residential School survivors and their families and communities" www.ubcic.bc.ca/fnlc_respond...

Photo of cell phone text with slurs

Can @jaimestein.bsky.social explain why someone is texting him insulting slurs about my daughter and her friend, while also taking pictures of indigenous women standing in line to VOTE? cc: @lucymaloney.bsky.social @seanorr.bsky.social #bcpoli #yvr

This is deeply upsetting

It shouldn't be necessary, but the most impactful speakers against Mayor Sim's no net new supportive housing motion are those with lived experience.

Here is someone who was formerly homeless showing Council how people stay warm when homeless in winter. He's holding up a burnt piece of wood.

Scientists sound alarm after collecting unprecedented data from world's oceans: 'The broken records ... have become a broken record' The warmest ocean temperatures in human history were recorded last year, highlighting the concerning issue of warming oceans.

According to new research, scientists have recorded the warmest ocean temperatures in human history last year — breaking records once again. #ClimateEmergency

The fossil-fueled climate crisis is a threat to us all.

We need your voice in this movement!

Oops, protect the “global climate” too!

I'm very proud to sit as the Co-Chair of this project's Indigenous Steering Group and excited to review project applicant's proposals. The Call for Proposals for the project applicants will be announced soon!

The BCRIP projects aims build climate resilience and support Indigenous-led climate action through joint advocacy, climate governance, knowledge sharing and Indigenous-led Nature Based Solutions partnership projects in Bolivia, Colombia, Peru and Guatemala, partnered w/ Indigenous Peoples in Canada.

The IWKC will provide guidance and wisdom to the Building Climate Resilience from Indigenous Perspectives (BCRIP) Project. The deadline to apply has been extended to March 2nd.

Call for applications! The BCAFN, the National Organization of Andean and Amazonian Indigenous Women in Peru and @savethechildrencan.bsky.social invite Expressions of Interest from First Nations in BC to join the Indigenous Wisdom and Knowledge Circle (IWKC).

www.bcafn.ca/sites/defaul...

YouTube video by APTN News Rally calls for an end to racism in healthcare against First Nations people

The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs organized a walk and rally to call for an end to racism in healthcare against First Nations people.

Justin Flett of Tataskweyak Cree Nation spoke about his 'agonizing' experience at two hospitals for the same medical issue.

🗓️ Event alert 🚨

Join us online on March 6 for a breakdown and analysis of the 2025 BC budget from our research team.

RSVP here:
zoom.us/webinar/regi...

Can't make it? Sign up to get the recording!

Please spread the word. See you there!

Excited to announce a new progressive think tank: The BC Society for Policy Solutions. With economic and social uncertainty on the rise, I'm honoured to join this board and support these fantastic writers and researchers promoting data-informed, climate and justice centric policy solutions #bcpoli

Canada should hit Trump where it hurts the most — oil and gas Such an export tax would certainly face political challenges; Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and the oil and gas companies themselves will blow a gasket. But a strong case can be made that layering an...

Fantastic piece by @sethdklein.bsky.social and a must-read given the escalating trade war with Trump. Canada should hit Trump where it hurts the most — oil and gas www.nationalobserver.com/2025/02/03/o...

Call for Volunteers - 2025 Homeless Count in Greater Vancouver - HSABC

Hey Vancouver,
The homeless count needs your help.

hsa-bc.ca/Call_for_Vol...

A dozen radical responses to Trump’s economic warfare that go beyond Canadian counter-tariffs | CCPA The belief that economic integration with the United States—epitomized by the 1989 Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement, the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement and finally the Trump-led 2016 Canada-...

www.policyalternatives.ca/news-researc...

this is quite disturbing

cc @critcrim.bsky.social @tedrutland.bsky.social @wpgpoliceharm.bsky.social @stephenharrison.bsky.social @power1312.bsky.social

I wrote about how Shopify executives are pushing extreme right-wing politics in Canada by funding far-right media and building an alliance with the Conservative Party.

This is the act of an enemy. A villain. A fascist. An invader.

Make no mistake. It’s an attack.

“'Doctor' is a protected title in B.C. and misusing it can have consequences."

And yet 🤷‍♀️

Caucus chair comes with a pay bump, btw

By giving her the role, the Cons handed Toor an extra $23,900 on top of her $119,500 MLA salary #bcpoli

WTF 🤯. This is absolutely unacceptable. So basically Vancouver would rather punish our most vulnerable homeless populations until other municipalities take on more supportive housing. Hate that homelessness exists, not the people who experience it. #bcpoli

Chelsea Poorman family welcomes investigation into police The family of Chelsea Poorman are at odds with the Vancouver police department over how she died and question their investigation.

The Office of the Police Complaints Commission in B.C. says it’s investigating the Vancouver police officers for neglect of duty because of how they handled the case of Chelsea Poorman.

The family said they welcome the investigation.

Police have very little incentive to be efficient because they don't report to municipal governments properly.

Could Vancouver's public funds be used for investments in cryptocurrency? Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim has apparently expressed interest in cryptocurrency investments.

Ken Sim has some strange connections to shady businesses, which I've documented before, but I wasn't expecting last week's announcement of a Vancouver Bitcoin Reserve to be tied to a crypto-advocate who funded the convoy.

Buckle up.

bc.ctvnews.ca/could-vancou...