2003

August 2 - BC Day Weekend

To celebrate BC Day Lieutenant Governor Iona Campagnolo threw open Government House and its grounds to multicultural festivities on August 2. Concerts, marching bands, artists, antique vehicles and a barbeque were featured outdoors, while historical and archival displays were showcased in the newly refurbished ballroom of Government House.

Staffing a display focused on the life and times of Sir James Douglas, first Governor of Vancouver Island, CUC representatives welcomed roughly 4,000 visitors, distributing over 1,000 information pamphlets. Well-prepared volunteers adroitly fielded questions about Douglas' fascinating life, in addition to enquiries about the Council's mandate and activities.

(More photos)

We were fortunate to have on hand the expert assistance of John Adams, author of "Old Square-Toes and his Lady: The Life of James and Amelia Douglas. Our thanks also to Gisèle Yasmeen, currently on leave from her position as CUC Director for the BC and the Yukon, whose recognition of Douglas as an embodiment of many strands of Canada's diverse heritage inspired the display. We are grateful to the Ministry of Attorney General's Treaty Negotiation Office and to BC Archives for generous assistance with materials for the display, and to Oksana Szulhan and Andrea Glen of the Vancouver office for their feats of consolidation and coordination.

Warm thanks, as always, to the wonderful team who volunteered their time on the Saturday of the holiday weekend to serve as ambassadors for the Council. Especial thanks to our sartorially splendid Governors Dorothy Giles and Merrill Leckie, Lisa, Colin, Nora, Philip, Katherine, Tim, Hannah, Liam and Hugh.

July 1 - CANADA Day Kiosk

Vancouver (Canada Place)
Display booth / Information kiosk at the Canada Day celebrations.

On July 1st the BC-Yukon regional office participated in the Canada Day celebrations at Canada Place in downtown Vancouver. CUC governors and volunteers staffed a kiosk in the busy concourse adjoining the Exhibition Halls throughout the day, distributing some 3,000 information brochures and speaking to the hundreds of interested people from Canada and visitors from around the world who stopped to peruse the information displays and inquire about the the Council's activities. Some of our more patriotically atttired visitors were captured in the accompanying photographs.

Dorothy Giles with two Canadian visitors to our booth.
(More photos)

May 21 - Voter Apathy: Is the System "Broke"?

Across Canada, voter participation rates are falling. The federal turnout rate has fallen from 75% in 1988 to 61% in 2000, and in many provinces it is even lower. The privilege of a vote is basic to a healthy democracy, so why are Canadian citizens not exercising this precious right? Low rates of participation are often seen as symptomatic of malaise within the Canadian body politic, but there is some debate about how to remedy this.

Panelists:

• Jean-Pierre Kingsley, Chief Electoral Officer of Canada

• Angus Reid, Pollster and Adjunct Professor, Centre for Public Opinion and Democracy, UBC Liu Centre for the Study of Global Issues

• Walter Robinson, Canadian Taxpayers Federation

Moderator:

• Joan Andersen, Director of CBC English Radio, Chair of VPL Board

Jean-Pierre Kingsley and Joan Andersen,
both standing, participate at a discussion table.
(More photos)

The Event Final Report is available here. Also available in .pdf format are the Event brochure and poster.

May 11 - Exploring the World of Sir James Douglas

On the occasion of the bi-centenary of the birth of the first Governor of British Columbia, The Canadian Unity Council sponsored a bus tour to Fort St. James, where Sir James Douglas and his family lived for many years.

This exclusive tour focused on the life and work of Sir James Douglas in the fur trade based at the Fort.

The Fort generously waived the admission fee.

Members of the BC Hhistorical Federation, The Canadian Unity Council, and guests on their visit to Fort St James

(l-r) Jane van Roggen (great-great granddaughter of Sir James Douglas), her friend Nan Nicolls, and Bob Grill, Fort St James Park Manager

May 2 - Round table on citizen engagement
Nelson (BC)

Co-sponsored by the Canadian Rural Partnership.

Kootenay Coop Radio interview with Gisèle Yasmeen, Regional Director of the British Columbia / Yukon Regional Office. (May take a few minutes to load)

March 12

Presentation to UNBC Political Science students, Prince George

February 21

BorderLines, organised by the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada

January 28

Round table with BC CUC Governors
Jocelyn Beaudoin, CEO of the CUC, will attend