Top Underreported Vancouver News 2007

In the spirit of Project Censored's year-end list of most underreported stories of the year, I've compiled my own list of local news that went under the radar. Of course, Vancouver's media landscape is dominated by Canwest, insofar that most local news other than grow-op busts, heinous crimes, drive-by shootings, taxes, sports and weather are chronically ignored. Despite the rise of news sites like The Tyee, some excellent reporting by free commuter paper 24 Hours, and the addition of a new alternative weekly to fill the gaps otherwise filled by ads in The Georgia Straight, the Canwest overlords claim they remain a vital news source. The Province's top stories of the year? Pickton, Seth Rogen, Roberto Luongo, and conjoined twins.

City claims it has no legal duty to enforce bylaws. Say what? What is a city government for? You'd think the Province would all over this consider their hatred for things like parking tickets, which last time I checked were a by-law. The challenge related to the city's refusal to make landlords repair SRO hotels.

Bed Bugs. Nobody seemed willing to tackle this one, so I was forced to abandon my usual criticism of everybody else's coverage, and cover it myself.

Harriet Nahanee dies after release from jail. I would've thought this would cause widespread public outcry similar to the tasering death of Robert Dziekanski.

John Graham extradited to US. Did we not learn a thing from Leonard Peltier? Again, like Harriet, shouldn't this be front page news?

Province to Look at Sullivan Donation. Mayor evades media as BC registrar investigates Nanitch Policy Society. Again, the corruption loving vultures at Canwest should be drooling.

Canada Line trains made in Korea. Nobody seemed to care that we already have a factory set up here to build Skytrains. As a result the new trains will be incompatible with Skytrain. As an added bonus, Canada Line companies intimidated foreign workers. More on Translink. Also, not much was made of the struggle for public space at U.B.C.

EcoDensity won't cut house prices. What? Really? Then what is the point? They recently abandoned the successful heritage density plan, while simultanesouly approving a contradictory big box on Marine Drive.

Ambassadors are private cops. Although this is a Canada.com site, the Courier is still on the ball and this is a great example. I wonder how hard they've tried to get rid of Allen Garr?

Vancouver residents facing 6% tax hike. The staunch defenders of lower taxes at the Province dropped the ball on this one.

B.C's child poverty rate tops again. Shame on us.

The rise of NIABYism. Week after week there is a new headline reading "Addictions centre opposed by residents". The media needs to call out the cowards at NIABY.com.

The Tyee and Bill Tieleman appear to be the only ones talking about the explosive details coming out of the "Railgate" scandal. I just wish they would stop calling it Railgate.

Montebello and Deep Integration. The police dressed up like anarchists and tried to start a riot. When are we going to say enough is enough? The SPP is something dreamed up by the most Orwellian of the Neocon elite.

TILMA. What the hell is it?

No trash if you've got cash. Out of all the stories revolving around this year's garbage strike, this was the most repulsive and underreported.

Pipeline Spill. Just after the pipelines were bought by Kinder Morgan. I smell a rat. An oil covered rat.

Deltaport Expansion and the subsequent removal of ALR lands tied to the Tswassen treaty. Sneaky bastards.

Stephen Haper calls the invasion of Lebanon a measured response to the kidnapping of two of its soldiers.

Meanwhile Ottawa buys up to 8 Arctic Patrol ships to keep an eye on them disappearing polar bears. They're up to no good, might be working for the Ruskies.

I know I keep bringing this up, what with the tasering of that polish dude and all, but the RCMP pepper-sprayed a fucking baby. Then there was the cover up of the Ian Bush incident and the tasering of Robert Bagnell.

Vancouver Drops Olympics Housing Pledge in what may be the biggest I told you so of the year.

Vancouver businessman donates $100 million to anti-poverty charity...In South America. This was another of the Province's top stories of the year. But for all the wrong reasons. Do we not have enough poverty here?

Campbell in no rush to respond to landmark ruling on Bill 29. Its only the Supreme Court we're talking about. Damn activist judges.

Paul Callow. Death threats, denied admission to Langara, denied counselling in jail; what does the man have to do?

VPD pose as journalists to undermine legal anti-poverty protest.

Ken Dobell. Lobbyist extraordinaire.

MLAs vote themselves juicy pay hike. Despite serving the least number of days ever. Oh and all that other stuff they did that I don't agree with.

Vanoc board meetings closed to public.

NPA cuts seniors grant out of spite. That's an awesome way to run council. You'd probably get a ton of shit done.

Poll: 73% of British Columbians prefer better transit to Gateway. Oh sorry, we needed a perfect 75% to change out policy, you know, democracy and whatnot.

Peak Oil. As the pundits panicked ever time the price of gas rose a penny, they failed to grasp the magnitude of the situation.