Cassandra Mah

Here’s why COPE and OneCity moved forward on separate mayoral campaigns for next year’s Vancouver election, even though they both say they’re open to working with one another and the Greens on a united progressive choice

www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

thebreaker.news/news/vancouv...

'Sorry prime minister, I'm no longer your man': Steven Guilbeault on leaving cabinet In Steven Guilbeault’s first English-media interview since resigning over Prime Minister Mark Carney’s decision to pursue a pipeline agreement with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, the former cabinet m...

In @stevenguilbeault.bsky.social’s first English-media interview since resigning over the pipeline MOU with Alberta, the former cabinet minister said the government isn’t being honest with the public and is betraying its commitments.

YouTube video by CBC British Columbia Mayor Ken Sim responds to claims of lack of transparency in budget

youtube.com/watch?v=p5v5...

Proud member of the "People's Filibuster", aka the hundreds of residents speaking against a #VancouverBudget proposal with zero transparency, putting essential depts & services at risk.

1) Doesn't have to be austerity, 2) Is it even "austerity" if you increase VPD budget? Try again #vanpoli

They’re at risk of dying from opioid overdose. The government cut funding that could help them | CBC News As deadly drug overdoses climbed across Canada, decision-makers faced political backlash for funding programs that gave drug users prescribed opioids and, against their own experts’ advice, scaled bac...

Health Canada ignored expert advice to expand access to safer drugs for opioid users, internal documents show. There are no plans to renew funding for safer supply programs, says Health Canada.
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/... via @cbcnews.ca

Fossil fuel lobbyists outnumber all Cop30 delegations except Brazil, report says One in every 25 participants at 2025 UN climate summit is a fossil fuel lobbyist, according to Kick Big Polluters Out

More than 1,600 fossil fuel lobbyists granted access to the Cop30 climate negotiations in Belém (Brazil), 12% up from last year’s talks in Baku, Azerbaijan.

What should be the most serious, urgent talks on the planet continue to be a farce.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Hi! Do you know approx when speaker #500 might go? Given no-shows etc...

UPDATE: If you want to speak (in person or by phone) at tomorrow's important city council meeting – at which these proposed Vancouver budget cuts will be considered – you can sign up here (BUT NOTE: the deadline to sign up is 5:00pm today, Nov 11):
vancouver.ca/your-governm...

🧵...

Worth noting that because Sim brought forward his proposal for a property tax freeze requiring millions in cuts with just weeks left in the budget process, this is not up for public debate and is not outlined in the documents available to councillors when they vote on this

Vancouver facing 400 job cuts amid mayor’s property tax freeze The City of Vancouver expects to cut hundreds of full-time positions to accommodate Mayor Ken Sim’s “Zero Means Zero” property tax freeze for 2026.

🚨Local union leaders sounding the alarm on ABC's cuts.

“This proposed budget would not only have a serious impact on workers, but it will also likely have far-reaching consequences for public services throughout Vancouver’s communities and neighbourhoods.”

www.ctvnews.ca/vancouver/ar...

#vanpoli

BC Residents May Have to Cover a Property Tax Break for Pipelines | The Tyee After lobbying, BC Assessment slashed its appraisals of the industry’s infrastructure.

Yikes. BC Residents May Have to Cover a Property Tax Break for Pipelines.

You know, because these fossil fuel corporations don't get to make enough profit on the basis of public/Indigenous land & resources. via @thetyee.ca thetyee.ca/News/2025/10...

Understanding preventative investment: how to map and measure spend Launch of CIPFA’s report on preventative investment in local government

How can we map and measure preventative spend?

Join us for the launch of CIPFA's new report on understanding preventative investment, which we are pleased to support.

📍The Health Foundation, 8 Salisbury Square, London
📆 Thursday 6 November, 13.30–14.30

Find out more and register ⬇️

🎬 BC isn’t broke: the truth behind the deficit (and other austerity narratives) Take a data-driven look at BC’s fiscal health and equip yourself with arguments to challenge austerity narratives in favour of more sustainable and progressive policy solutions.

Take a data-driven look at BC’s fiscal health + equip yourself w/tools to challenge austerity narratives in favour of sustainable & progressive policy solutions.

Economist & co-executive director Iglika Ivanova walks us through what's really behind BC's deficit. Watch here:

🎬 The Housing Crisis Is Solvable Key Policies + Local Lessons [Webinar recording] Alex Hemingway ( senior economist, BC Policy Solutions) and Sarah Ellis (Executive Director, Squamish Community Housing Society and former city planner) discuss BC’s housing crisis and what is needed to make real progress to tackle this critical issue that has been overwhelming B

Couldn't make it to this webinar on Wednesday?

Here’s the video recording! Senior economist Alex Hemingway and Housing Squamish E.D. Sarah Ellis walk us through key policies and local lessons to solve the housing crisis in BC.

Screenshot of LinkedIn post from Yellowknife Mayor describing the costs and consequences of trucks having gotten so much bigger. In the link, he explains the backlash he received for his post.

This is good —the Mayor of Yellowknife NWT in Canada’s far north weighs in on “Car Bloat” (truck bloat actually) and its many big costs & consequences (thanks @davidzipper.bsky.social for heads-up). And like most who dare tell the truth about that, he’s taking flack.
www.linkedin.com/mwlite/feed/...

I've found it hard to land the significance of wildfires to people outside Canada (or other places that experience them).

This stat is shocking but hopefully useful.

Looking for progressive solutions to tackle BC's affordability crises?

Senior economist @iglikaivanova.bsky.social‬ leads a webinar to show how declining revenues created our fiscal challenges & makes the case for fairness and robust public investment.

Sept. 17, noon PT.
bcpolicy.ca/events/

Polluter Pays to Address the Commercial Determinants of Health (CDoH) at University of Bath on FindAPhD.com PhD Project - Polluter Pays to Address the Commercial Determinants of Health (CDoH) at University of Bath, listed on FindAPhD.com

PhD Studentship: Polluter Pays to Address the Commercial Determinants of Health (CDoH)
University of Bath
Closes 30/09

www.findaphd.com/phds/project...

photo on a green next to the Houses of Parliament in London with five people stood in formation with placards with different slogans about the Renters Rights Bill, Pass the Bill Now, Renters Need Rights Not Promises are clear and at the forefront.

The Renters’ Rights Bill will make a difference to millions. Today we tell Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook to prioritise passing the bill and end these delays for renters rights.

As MSPs return to Holyrood next week, the 2026 election looms.

It must be a turning point. Towards a democratic, sustainable and just economy.

Our new briefing sets out 11 ways Scotland can change course.

Read our summary here: www.futureeconomy.scot/posts/290-th...

Law Firm Pressures Brown University to Erase Research on Anti-Wind Groups

My lab's been attacked by an anti-wind group and their lawyers. They threatened the science funding of my whole university, to shut me and my undergraduate research assistants up.

NYT just covered it. 1/n

www.nytimes.com/2025/08/25/c...

side of a building with a parking lot in front with a billboard that says smoking tables next to non-smoking tables used to be normal too.

Incredible to see this billboard up in Vancouver.
So happy to have worked with the amazing people @visionzerovancouver.ca

visionzerovancouver.ca/2025/08/02/d...

Sheep are destroying precious British habitats – and we taxpayers are footing the bill | Chris Packham Large parts of Dartmoor have been denuded of wildlife, harmed by farming and a mess of government schemes that are costly in every way, says naturalist and broadcaster Chris Packham

All power to @chrisgpackham.bsky.social and @wildjustice.bsky.social in pursuing this crucial case.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

ICYMI: Important stuff includes intention for a new #healthy #duty on #mayors and strategic authorities. See what @thekingsfund.bsky.social and @clesthinkdo.bsky.social think that needs to look like here cles.org.uk/publications...

The Hunger Gap A gulf in public understanding prevents us from seeing how and why our food supply is at risk.

1. At the Tipping Points conference in Exeter yesterday, I spoke about the likelihood of food system collapse: a massive existential threat few people's radar. If you want a handle on the issue, here's the submission I made to a parliamentary committee.
+ 🧵
www.monbiot.com/2023/03/09/t...

Report: Minimum Wealth Tax on Centi-Millionaires Could Raise $18 billion USD annually in Canada — Patriotic Millionaires CA For Immediate Release June 16th, 2025 Contact: Dylan Dusseault, Executive Director dylan@patrioticmillionaires.org Report: Minimum Wealth Tax on Centi-Millionaires Could Raise $18 billion U...

Now this is good to see!

Patriotic Millionaires Canada, a new organization that brings together wealthy Canadians concerned about economic inequality & advocate for policies to effectively tax the ultra-rich, has released a report calling for wealth taxes:
patrioticmillionaires.ca/media/report...

Whatever happened to the Albanese government’s wellbeing agenda? It was a passion project for the treasurer, meant to help account for fairness and wellbeing while developing policy. Why has the government stopped talking about it?

Great to see Nicholas Drake contributing to this timely reflection on the wellbeing agenda and the government's Measuring What Matters framework. Read more: theconversation.com/whatever-hap...

Canada’s Oil and Gas Growth Could Backfire—Study finds billions in oil and gas investment at risk as global demand declines.

Up to 66% of future capital investments in Canadian oil and gas projects are in danger of becoming stranded.

www.iisd.org/articles/pre...

Warning UK’s housing crisis will deepen if Reeves makes further cuts Exclusive: Building new social housing is facing a ‘cliff edge’ because of a lack of funds, experts say – as Rachel Reeves and Angela Rayner battle over budget plans

“Now is the time to build — not cut back.” - Mairi MacRae, Director of Policy and Campaigns

We need the government to invest in building 90,000 social rent homes a year for a decade. 🏠

With just three days to go, all eyes on the Spending Review.

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...