Another Condo Development Goes Bust, Racism Hot Topic at “Workers of Colour” Conference: VancouverIAM

This is a selection of recent popular blog articles from VancouverIAM where you will find the best blogs from Vancouver, BC as well as video uploads, social networking, rumors, and blog authoring

“Hot” East Vancouver Condo Development Goes Down

The latest from CondoHype responds to the recent news of condo development Sophia’s demise. “When the Eden Group of Companies said ‘time is running out’ for their Sophia condos in Mount Pleasant, they sure weren’t kidding,” remarks CondoHype in the post. The 78 folks who bought pre-sale in “East Van’s hottest concrete blondie” will likely lose their condos. The developers pulled the project “with 85% of building built” due to cost overruns and labour shortages.

This isn’t the first time Eden Group has failed completion of a development. “It wasn’t long ago that sophisticated sister Elyse pulled the same act.” In an interview with Bob Rennie on CTV News, Rennie said the “smart money” supports government intervention. “Anything the government wants to put in place to protect the [pre-sale] consumer doesn’t worry those top 15, 20 developers. If you’re getting creative with your financing, or your profit margin is too low, that developer may worry. But then again we’re protecting the consumer so let’s do it.”

Big Buzz Around Canucks – Avalanche Game Tonight

A quick post from Canuck’s Hockey blog looks at tonight’s big game against the Colorado Avalanche. “The Canucks are only two points up on Colorado, though Colorado has played a couple more games.” Out of four games against each other this season, the Canucks and Avalanche are 2-2. They will meet each other four more times this season.

Our blogger writes in the post that there is uncertainty around whether Matt Pettinger “will make his Canucks debut tonight. Word is, he's scheduled to fly in sometime today to meet the team and coaches.” If he plays, he is projected to be on the line with Rypien and Linden.

Racism Addressed at the First “Worker of Colour” Conference

An interesting post from Todd Wong at GungHaggisFatChoy discusses the first “Worker of Colour Conference,” hosted by CUPE BC (Canadian Union of Public Employees). Todd is attending the conference as a member of CUPE 391, Vancouver Library Workers. The conference started today (February 27) and the session began with a panel discussion “featuring Dr. Sunera Thobani (UBC Professor, Women's Studies), Raj Chouhan (MLA Burnaby Edmonds), Jenny Kwan (MLA Vancouver Mount Pleasant), and Sid Chow Tan (Founding co-chair of Head Tax Families Society of Canada).” Each of the speakers spoke about their experiences in “dealing with racism, as well as their community activism and what they saw as ways to address it.”

Wong was extremely impressed and adds that “each speaker received standing ovations.” Discussions focused on such topics of “racial profiling in the wake of 9-11… how it is important for unions to be active… [and] the Chinese head tax redress campaign.” Wong writes in his post that Jenny Kwan gave “the most powerful talk” about the “challenges of growing up as an immigrant in a strange culture.” Through a long series of struggles, Kwan eventually “became the youngest ever councilor for Vancouver City Council in 1993. In 1998, she became the first Chinese-Canadian cabinet minister as Minister of Municipal Affairs.”

About VancouverIAM

VancouverIAM is part of a groundbreaking network of city-focused blog aggregation, user generated media and social networking websites currently rolling out across North America. Each IAM website filters and organizes blog content as well as offering video upload capabilities, social networking, blog authoring, favourites lists and rumours. The IAM Network is a division of SoMedia Networks Inc which also operates Inveslogic.com, Greenedia.com, Healthedia.com and Blabaloo.com. For more information or to register an account, visit VancovuerIAM.com.