Jak's View From Vancouver

Vancouver's Race Riots

On September 7, 1907, white racists rioted in Vancouver.  They attacked and rampaged through Chinatown, and they attacked and were beaten back from Japantown.  No one died, but only through luck.  The riot was spurred by a march of the Asiatic Exclusion League, a labour union-supported group of racists seeking to exclude all non-white labour from British Columbia.

We can tell ourselves that this was now a hundred years ago. Unfortunately, the riot was only the beginning. Over the next fifteen or so years, these same racists managed to have laws passed that reduced Japanese, Indian and Chinese immigration to a trickle.  They also had the Native Canadians moved to reserves.  The Chinese Exclusion Act stayed on the books until 1947; and Natives were not given the vote until as late as 1960.

Canada's racist past is nowhere near as deep nor as broad as that in many countries, but it does exist, and we will be obliged to repeat our sins if we choose to forget the sins of our own history.

The Dead Hand of Socialism

The cloying dead hand of socialism has fallen across BC in the form of "affirmative action" regulations approved by the New Democratic Party for the next provincial election.  There are now racial and gender quotas for candidates, and central rule by an iron fist.

People often assume that, as an anarchist, I must somehow be a socialist at heart, or at least a far-left-winger.  Wrong.  Socialism is much farther away from the principles of anarchism than is capitalism, for example.  And these new rules vividly illustrate the problems with socialist theory and practice.

Socialism of all kinds -- from the softest utopian Owenism to the harshest national socialism -- is founded on two fundamental principles-- elitism and fascism:   (a) the masses (and even the constituency parties) are too stupid to make up their own minds and need to be led by what the Trotskyites call the "vanguard" -- a repugnant elitism by any name; and (b) the good of the society outweighs the rights of the individual; this is fascism by any definition.

These new rules by the Grand Poobah Carole James and her clique are profoundly anti-democratic, robbing the local voters of all choice.  I have  never been tempted to vote for the NDP.  This disturbing fascistic elitism guarantees that I never will.

100 Years: Vancouver's Racist Riot

On September 7, 1907, white racists rioted in Vancouver.  They attacked and rampaged through Chinatown, and they attacked and were beaten back from Japantown.  No one died, but only through luck.  The riot was spurred by a march of the Asiatic Exclusion League, a labour union-supported group of racists seeking to exclude all non-white labour from British Columbia.

We can tell ourselves that this was now a hundred years ago.  Unfortunately, the riot was only the beginning. Over the next fifteen or so years, these same racists managed to have laws passed that reduced Japanese, Indian and Chinese immigration to a trickle.  They also had the Native Canadians moved to reserves.  The Chinese Exclusion Act stayed on the books until 1947; and Natives were not given the vote until as late as 1960.

Canada's racist past is nowhere near as deep nor as broad as that in many countries, but it does exist, and we will be obliged to repeat our sins if we choose to forget the sins of our own history.

Trees at Harrison

Just Where I Happen To Want To Be Right Now

The beach at Nakusp

Strike!

Our mayor Sam Sullivan and the self-styled leadership of the municipal workers' union have between them cocked up contract talks. 

We find ourself on day two of a long-anticipated and anticipated to be a long strike.  Some libraries are closed, along with community centers, swimming pools, some daycare facilities, and a range of inside services such as land titles and permit applications.  The temperature is cool right now, and it is wet.  But the summer is expected to return in full force soon.  And with that will come piles of stinking household rubbish clogging the lanes (tell me again why household garbage collection isn't an essential service?)

I'm an anarchist, not a syndicalist, not even a Wobblie.  Most unions are just as concerned with controlling the working man and woman as are any board of directors or tyrannical owner.  The municipal workers' union is no different.  Meanwhile, Sullivan and his cronies have proven themselves incapable of managing the situation to anyone's benefit.  Technocrats rise or fall on the success of their compromises;  -- here, they have failed completely.

For us it is all just a bloody mess that we have to live through. 

Echo Density

The view due north from Granville Island Public Market.

Jackboots On The Bus

I was going to wait until I'd seen the BC Transit Police in action on my regular bus routes before commenting.  However, they haven't shown their faces yet -- and the bastards their bosses raised the fares!  So I'll say my piece now.

As of last Monday, Translink -- our local transit, ferries and roads operator -- has declared all buses to be officially "Fare Paid Zones".  That means it is an offense to be on a bus without proof of purchase of a ticket or ticket-equivalent such as a bus pass.  It's been that way forever on Sky Train and the Sea Bus, but they are aware the rate of fare avoidance is infinitely higher on the bus system; and so, the new policy may meet stronger resistance.

To cope with anticipated problems, the onus of refusing or sanctioning  non-paying passengers has been taken off the shoulders of the already-stressed-by-traffic bus drivers. Instead, the newly beefed-up BC Transit Police will enforce the rules.  Just what we need on our streets -- a posse of wannabe failed cops with guns.  Yes, guns!  Christ, anyone would think we were Detroit or Atlanta or Camden, New Jersey.

Armed police to make sure we all pay our two dollars and a quarter, or the hundred and seventy five buck fine if we don't.  What a stupid and dangerous idea.  And to make this week even more perfect, the Translink Board approved a twenty-five cent increase in fares!

My position has always been that transit should be free, so long as it is run by the government.   There are so many reasons why, besides the fact that it is just the right thing to do.  Economically, I bet it is easy to prove that the net revenue from fares after all costs of fare production, sale, enforcement and accounting have been removed, is minimal.  Certainly less than the economic bounce the region would get from the additional discretionary spending of those who previously paid fares.  Not to mention the political goodwill that would be generated.   

It would encourage beneficial environmental changes by significantly reducing the number of private cars on the road (transit ridership would doubtless increase with a zero cost); and will reduce the cost of expensive medical care over time as the general health of the population improves with an increase in walking.

It would encourage Translink directors to focus on improving services instead of trying to manage an armed militia for the sake of a few bucks.  With the elimination of the need for payment enforcement, the Transit Police can be shrunk to a reasonable size and the armed guards removed from the streets.

Its a win-all-around idea.   And about time.

False Creek Lagoon 1

This afternoon -- waterlilies in one of the private lagoons on False Creek South.

Charity Should Begin At Home

There has been a ton of talk today about what a grand chap Frank Giustra is for donating $100 million to Bill Clinton's foundation for solving poverty in South America, and for arranging similar large donations from other rich folks.  I agree it is an interesting gesture, but I do have a couple of points to put on record.

One, Giustra is only as rich as he is because he played the capitalist game of keeping for himself the excess value of the labour of others.  If he had paid his people better and given them better benefits and conditions, the actual wealth creators would have had their proper share of that $100 million and could themselves help others.

Second, Vancouver has at least a $100 million poverty problem which Mr Giustra's donation will do nothing to help alleviate.  I would guess that $100 million would go a long long way to eradicating the obscene degree of homelessness we see on our streets.  That kind of money could help turn those helpless souls into productive members of society allowing them to help others in their turn.

I applaud Giustra for doing something.  I just wish it had been the right thing.