We've been publishing @TheHubCanada for more than 5 years now. This essay by Raquel Look about her son, Alex, who was killed on October 7 because he was a Jew, is one of the most poignant that we've published. We're grateful to Raquel for trusting us to help tell Alex's story.

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The story of this pin was mentioned in Gordon Hoekstra's excellent @VancouverSun piece below but I wanted to take the time to share the full background because it says a great deal about the kind of person @LDoerkson is. Working in the Legislature was an immense privilege, and over the course of 8 years I wrote countless speeches ranging from politically-charged partisan rhetoric to thoughtful responses to legislation, and from brief remarks on community initiatives to statesmanlike oration on tragedies and solemn world events. But I’ve never forgotten the first. As a junior staffer, I was given my first opportunity to write something that would be delivered on the floor of that historic chamber ahead of the anniversary of Vimy Ridge. For a history nerd who had enjoyed his history courses more than the political science classes at university, it was a perfect assignment. A decade later, I can still recall the feeling of pride, watching the live feed from the Chamber as words that I had written were spoken aloud in the House, entering the public record and recorded for posterity by the Legislature's Hansard Services. At some point after the 2020 election, this story somehow came up in casual conversation with MLA Lorne Doerkson. He was always interested in getting to know political staffers so it doesn't surprise me that it did, but truthfully I have no memory of sharing this particular story with Lorne. However he clearly remembered it and years later, after attending a Vimy Ridge memorial, Lorne appeared at the door to my office with this commemorative pin in hand. He told me he remembered my passion for the history, my reverence for what Vimy Ridge symbolized for our nation, and that it had been the subject of the first speech I ever wrote for the Legislature. He thought this pin would mean something special for me. He was right. And knowing he had remembered made it mean even more. That’s the Lorne I know: someone who listens, remembers what matters to other people, and takes the time to do something thoughtful about it. We could sure use a lot more of that in #BCpoli these days.

I worked in one policy analyst position for the Ministry of Health for 3 years, and in that time I did absolutely nothing that contributed to Healthcare in this province. I felt profoundly guilty for collecting a paycheck. At a conservative estimate you could fire at least 1/3 of MOH employees and it would improve outcomes because there would be less people getting in the way.

WOW! Wave a 🇺🇦 flag if you 'stand' with Ukraine & Zelenskyy! #SlavaUkraine 🇺🇦 Sydney, Australia 🇦🇺 #UkraineWillWin

Postmedia counted nearly 2,400 temporary ER closures in B.C. from 2023–2025; at least one ER was shut on more than 900 of 1,095 days. Mission Memorial, Clearwater, Lillooet, Fort St. James, Hudson’s Hope and others have been shut because they're short emergency physicians or nurses. NOTE: The $92M cost of the snap election could have instead funded 63,000 hrs of emergency care, enough to staff 29 rural B.C. emergency rooms for a year.

Katie Pasitney of avian flu infected ostrich farm infamy is selling her luxury dream home in Kelowna for a mere $5.1 million+. Take a look and ponder why she took so many people's money. dreamhomesofcanada.com/share…

The first time most British Columbians would have ever seen @LDoerkson was when a news crew stumbled upon him, as a first-term MLA, in the middle of a wildfire pitching in to help folks facing the flames.

We checked this claim from Eby’s post this morning — no source found for “would cancel it” in the BC Conservative platform or any statement. Same finding applies here. Read our thread to learn the facts 🧵

Word count from @Dave_Eby's election campaign kick-off today: Trump (22) conservative (21) United States (13) American (12) American liquor (3) America junior (2) America lite (1) fire (15) firebreak (6) this moment (9) a moment like this (2) terrible moment (1) challenging moment (1) fraught moment (1) existential moment (1) division (4) culture war (4) trade war (2) attack (2) hell no (1) Words he didn't utter: street crime drug treatment ER closures mill closures $13.8 billion deficit credit downgrades runaway debt Fee simple title uncertainty DRIPA reconcilation policy of any kind

.@LDoerkson calls Trump "a bully" and says BC will "never be 51st state" and @bcndp gov has weakened BC economy to the point its industries are suffering even worse under Trump's policies.

British Columbians are about to be handed a political opportunity that almost never exists in modern democracy. For once, this election does not have to be a contest between two personalities. It can be something much more fundamental: a referendum on the government itself. Forget for a moment who the alternative Premier might ultimately be. That question can come later. The question immediately before British Columbians is simpler: after looking at the last several years, at our finances, affordability, housing, health care, public safety, economic growth and the opportunities available to our children are we satisfied with the direction of this province, or do we want a different one? That is an extraordinary way to hold an election. The Conservatives enter it with an interim leader who, under the party’s constitution, cannot subsequently seek the permanent leadership. So the usual personality contest has, at least partly, been stripped away. First comes a judgment on the government and the direction of British Columbia. Then comes an entirely separate political debate about who should lead the alternative and what that next chapter should look like. Whatever your politics, think about how rare that is. British Columbia has everything it needs to be one of the most prosperous, dynamic and hopeful places anywhere in North America. Extraordinary natural resources. Brilliant entrepreneurs. World-class cities and communities. Access to the Pacific. Talented people who still believe deeply in what this province can become. This election gives British Columbians an unusually clear opportunity to ask whether we’re realizing that potential. Not who has the better slogan. Not who won the debate. Not which personality we like more. Where are we going? Is it working? And what do we want British Columbia to become? An incumbent government normally gets to run against another person. This time, it may find itself running against something much bigger: the public’s judgment of its record and its hopes for the future. That could make this one of the purest referendums on the direction of an incumbent government that we have seen anywhere in North America in a very long time. What an extraordinary opportunity for British Columbia. Bring it on.

I don’t care if you are NDP, Liberal or Conservative. Right of centre, left of centre, somewhere in the middle or completely tired of all of it. What is happening in BC politics right now is frustrating, exhausting and, quite frankly, nauseating. The names of the parties mean less to me than what they actually do. Where someone sits on a political spectrum matters less to me than whether their policies work. What matters is how our province performs and whether British Columbians are better off because of the decisions being made. And right now, I am deeply concerned about the financial direction of BC. The NDP has been governing this province for years. They can point to factors outside BC and circumstances beyond their control, and certainly not every challenge facing our province was created by one government. But at some point, a government has to take responsibility for the decisions it has made and the results of those decisions. With another election potentially looming, I’ll admit I’m frustrated by the choices. But I know what matters to me. Fiscal responsibility matters to me. Freedom matters to me. A strong private sector matters to me. Businesses being able to thrive matters to me because we need a healthy economy to sustainably fund healthcare, education and the social services people depend on. We cannot tax ourselves into prosperity. We cannot continue growing government faster than the private sector that ultimately pays for it. Government cannot be the answer to every problem. Something has to give. I’m also tired of the fighting over who is a “real” Conservative, who is grassroots enough, who used to be a Liberal, who is too far right or too far left. The extremes on all sides do not represent the balance I believe BC needs. If you believe BC needs a change in direction, then I would much rather see people focus on where they agree than spend all their energy fighting amongst themselves. Let’s talk about fiscal responsibility. Let’s talk about building businesses and creating opportunities. Let’s talk about delivering effective services to the people who genuinely need them. Let’s talk about how we make BC affordable and sustainable for the next generation. And let’s accept that no candidate, party or leader is going to be perfect. People make mistakes. Governments make mistakes. What matters is whether we learn from them and whether we are willing to change course when something isn’t working. For me, the NDP has had its opportunity to govern and I want a different direction for BC. You can call me right of centre, centre, Conservative, Liberal or whatever label you want. I’m not particularly interested in the label. I’m one British Columbian who wants a better province for herself, her family, her friends, her clients and our communities. I believe we can have a strong economy AND strong social programs. We can support business AND support people who need help. We can care about fiscal responsibility AND compassion. There has to be a balance. And I still believe a better BC is possible.

Canada really is loved around the world and so is our Prime Minister. Damian Boeselager's was one of my favourite's at the State of the Union Address at the European Parliament today. Damian Boeselager is a German politician and one of the founders of Volt Europa, a pan-European political party. He has been a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) since 2019, representing Volt Germany. He is currently Vice-Chair of the European Parliament's Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON), which deals with major EU economic, financial and monetary legislation.

Europe today

Even back to 2010, Capitals minority owner Jeff Skoll warned against Russia's increasing military overtures, and denounced the Crimea annexation in 2014. Where are you now, Jeff?

Over the weekend, my feed was full of posts from both sides of the border, anxiously praying that Bissent was going to sanction a Cdn bank. Today? 🦗

My Irish eyes are smiling.😂

Trump welcomes Chinese automakers building in America. Canada talks about Chinese automakers building here with “trusted partners” — and Washington cries foul. Same idea. Same continent. Very different outrage. My latest column: autonews.com/opinion/columns…

Decided to blow the dust off of the ol 'tube channel and get some things off of my chest. Time for a Trade War Toonie youtu.be/guDjWKAkN-s