Premier Gordon Campbell visits UBC School of Journalism

BC’s Premier Gordon Campbell is passionate about making Vancouver a magnet for tourism, learning and fusion of diverse cultures.

Premier Campbell

The Premier was addressing graduate students at the University of British Columbia, School of Journalism on Friday, October 24, 2008.

After a brief talk Premier Campbell opened the floor up for questions which made his ten point plan more clear to the audience present.

Vancouver’s affordable housing has been a pressing concern for all residents. When quizzed upon how he intends to solve this persisting problems Campbell said he would remove regulations restricting lot sizes. Reducing 40 feet lot subdivisions to 33 foot lots, “would probably drive down the average housing cost in Vancouver by about $200,000 alone.”

Premier Campbell took pride in the fact that Vancouver is the host of 2010 Winter Olympic games which adds to distinction apart from being one of the best cities in the world to live in.

He said Journalism is the second best job in the world apart from working for public service.

When asked whether he would be interested in running for the forth coming November 12, 2009 BC provincial elections, Premier Campbell said, ” I want to be re-elected as BC’s Premier.”

Mayoral hopeful Richard Stewart wants Coquitlam to lead…

Richard Stewart with Coquitlam residents

Liberal Mayoral candidate Richard Stewart hopes to make Coquitlam, an important suburb of the Metro Vancouver Area into a major commercial and residential hub.

Stewart, also former MLA acknowledged that improved transit facilities and better access through roads Coquitlam residents can commute to other lower mainland cities with ease for work or learning. He encouraged young voters to come forward and make their voices matter.

Stewart was speaking to an informal gathering of community members at the private residence of LaVerne and Anwar Zuberi local socialites and prominent residents of Coquitlam.

Long time supporter and friend Paul Veltmeyer and his wife Suzanna were present on the occasion.

When asked, “What part is Coquitlam playing in the 2010 Olympics?” Stewart candidly admitted, “None.”

Stewart went on to recognize the contribution Maillardville has made to the French-Canadian community in Coquitlam. Stewart is fluent in English and French. He emphasized the importance of both as the official languages of the Olympics globally.

Stewart promised he will try to visit the local mosque before the election to introduce himself to the community members of Coquitlam.

Coquitlam has a diverse resident setup which makes it one of the very exciting and promising communities to live, work and study in.

The next General Local Election will be held on November 15, 2008. Qualified electors in the City of Coquitlam will vote to elect a Mayor, eight Councillors and four School Trustees.

Get your vote in and make it count.

Faiza Zia Khan

Stephane Dion stepping down. Not yet!

While driving away in the heavy downpour Vancouverites are accustomed too, I heard that Stephane Dion will not be stepping down until the Liberals choose a new leader.

“I have informed the president of the Liberal Party of Canada and the president of the national caucus that I will stay as leader until a new leader is chosen at a leadership convention that I have asked to be organized,” Dion said at a much anticipated press conference in Ottawa.

Resentment resonated in his comments.

“I want to see that the next leader is not as vulnerable to the low propaganda that was directed against me.”

Dion’s Green Shift Carbon Emissions plan took a direct hit.

He was also well aware of it. Dion admits that the plan was “misrepresented.” He said most Canadians believed that it was just a carbon tax, something that concerned them as the economy worsened.

The plan just fell prey to bad timing. As our Southern neighbour, the United States of America was reeling from the effects of markets crashing and deficits, carbon emissions plan seemed distant almost transitory to Canadians.

Yet, Dion defended his plan, calling it the, “vanguard of environmental policy.” However, this Liberal leader did not say whether or not he will run in the next federal election.

“One step at a time,” he said.

Baby steps….slowly but surely.

Faiza Zia Khan

Media Democracy Day 2008

Speaking for Our Selves: Media Democracy Day 2008

We all have a relationship with media, whether it be a strong,

traditional commitment or an exciting new dalliance as we delve into

unexplored domains. It provides us with a sense of community and

context. It allows us to form new perspectives and debates. It

provides us with necessary information. But how often do we question

whether this relationship is working?

Media Democracy Day is a way for us to ensure the media that educates

us is also honest and is happening in Vancouver on the 25th October

2008 at the Vancouver Public Library.

Steve Anderson, organizer of Media Democracy Day 2008 Vancouver, says

that “with media concentrating into fewer and fewer hands, and

Internet Service Providers quickly emerging as online gatekeepers, a

public forum on media issues like media democracy day, takes on a new

sense of urgency. I’m trilled to see such a full and diverse roster of

speakers, workshops and panels, it promises to be an exciting day.”

This year three panels will pay attention to the important issues

influencing our current media landscape. Panel 1, “Big Media” Clamp

Down – Taking stock and fighting back, will survey some of the main

battles currently being fought against Big Media. In Panel 2,

Journalism in a time of Big Media Domination, panelists will discuss

the current issues being faced by traditional media and describe what

they see as the possibilities of using new media and new models to do

in-depth investigative projects, find untold stories, and engage new

audiences. Could these projects counteract big media, and redefine

journalism? Panel 3,

The Battle for New Media and Open Communication, will examine the

growing role the internet has in “mass media” and if an open Internet

will succumb to the same companies that control traditional media.

Panelists will discuss the fight for an open Internet, prospects for

new social media, and future challenges at a time of intense

opposition from a powerful cartel of phone and cable companies.

Speakers for Media Democracy Day include: Rex Weyler (Author and

Co-founder of Greenpeace); Matt Thompson (Award winning online video

producer, Campaign Strategist for FreePress, Co-Founder of

SaveOurNet.ca); Deborah Campbell (Award Winning Independent

Journalist); Andrea Hayley (President of the Epoch Times Vancouver);

Michael Tippett (Co-founder of Nowpublic.com); Robert Hackett

(Professor at SFU and author of “Remaking Media”); Robert Scales (CEO

of RainCity Studios); Brian Campell (Seriously

Free Speech Committee) and Kate Milberry (Media and Technology

Commentator and Blogger).

The anticipated workshop in Media Democracy Day in 2008 is Community

Organizing and Media: Networking for Change which seeks to share

strategies that are effective at both shaping the corporate media, and

at building connections between respective community media networks

working on social justice issues, such as indigenous rights, migrant

rights, the environment, poverty and women’s rights. Two other

workshops will discuss Open Source Journalism – how to ensure that

journalism adheres to and benefits from open source principles and The

Media Revolution – A workshop on OpenSource Software.

Media Democracy Day Vancouver will be held at the Vancouver Public

Library, 350 West Georgia Street, on Saturday October 25th 2008 from

12 noon to 6 pm. Admission is free and open to everyone. The event

also includes the Media Democracy Fair which will showcase a variety

of organisations and information.

This year’s sponsors are: The Ruth and Henry Goodman Fund for Social

and Ecological Justice, Endswell Fund of Tides Canada; Federation of

Post-Secondary Educators of BC; CUPE BC; British Colombia Teachers’

Federation; BC Government and Services Employees’ Union; British

Colombia and Yukon Territory Building and Construction Trades Council;

NowPublic; The Tyee; Campaign for Democratic Media; SFU Faculty of

Applied Sciences; SFU School of Communication; SFU Institute for

Humanities; UBC School of Journalism; Free Geek; The Centre for Policy

Research on Science and Technology (CPROST); SFPRIG; Agentic; CMNSU;

The Republic and the Communications Energy and Paperworks Union

Western Region.

For additional media information or to discuss sponsorship

opportunities please contact:

Caroline Warwick

caroline.warwick@gmail.com

778-232-6005

Faiza Zia Khan

faizak@interchange.ubc.ca

or Steve Anderson

steveinfos@gmail.com

604-837-5730

The full programme and further information on Media Democracy Day is

available at

http://www.mediademocracyday.org

For information on setting up a FREE table as part of the Media

Democracy Fair, please

contact:

Rodger Levesque

rodgerlevesque@gmail.com

For more information on democratic media visit http://democraticmedia.ca

More information about this event is attached.

(Press Release. Speaker Bio’s. Media Democracy Day background information.)

http://mediademocracyday.org

Faiza Zia Khan

Election 2008 The Thunderbird article

Here is the link to my article published on the Thunderbird with regards to New Canadian voter sentiments.

It is interesting to see how people negotiate their identities during election time.

http://thethunderbird.ca/2008/10/06/new-immigrant-every-single-vote-counts/

Faiza Zia Khan

The Conservatives did it again. 40th Canadian Federal Election (2008)

So the Conservatives did it again…

Or rather Stephen Harper has proved the Canadians are not yet ready for too much change. Stephane Dion is again officially the opposition. So what happened…?

It was interesting to see how the parties fared as the results came in. The irony that 2008 historically recorded the lowest voter turn out had not much to do with the election results. Harper seemed to be the winner in all regards. He managed to create a Conservative government with panache.

Today, at the Liu Institute for Global Issues at University of British Columbia experts analyzed the results of the Canadian Federal Election 2008. The speakers included Professors. Gerald Baier, Fred Cutler and Allan Tupper from the UBC Department of Political Science and Miro Cernetig, Vancouver Sun and Canwest professor at the Graduate School of Journalism.

I was there along with other colleagues from SOJ. The CBC and Fairchild covered the event. Yet the focus somehow remained on media’s failure on conveying the true Canadian spirit of the elections.

But lets look towards the future. What needs to be seen is the results of the Provincial elections coming soon….

Check out the final Federal election results at http://enr.elections.ca/National_e.aspx

The Initiation

As I write my first blog a few days before the Canadian Federal election. I have been thinking about the voting process hearing all the candidates speak and present the parties position.

The four Vancouver center candidates: Liberal incumbent Hedy Fry, NDP’s Michael Byers, Green Party’s Adriane Carr and Conservative Lorne Mayencourt were present at the UBC Graduate School of Journalism for a debate.

It was interesting to see the four interacting with Byers and Fry skirmishing about Liberal’s housing policy.

Who will win…the future is still unseen but seeing a political debate so close to home. Right in the comfort of our own School.