Opinion

Editor: At the end of 2018, I very carefully clipped out all that was in the paper about the story of the year and put it away where I can look at it at the end of this year and see where our new mayor of Burnaby has succeeded.

As pre-election cabinet shuffles go, Justin Trudeau’s was a weird one.

As pre-election cabinet shuffles go, Justin Trudeau’s was a weird one.

Running for political office is something I truly admire. It’s not easy to put yourself out there and face that kind of scrutiny. People - especially your opponents – will tear through your life looking for anything they can exploit.

Svend Robinson has made it official – he’s running again for elected office in Burnaby North-Seymour for the federal NDP after so many years away. It’s going to be epic. It’s going to be polarizing. It’s going to be a slugfest.

Two weeks ago, I wrote about the increased taxes many Vancouver residents will be paying as a result of the latest BC Assessments and new provincial taxes.

There are three parenting woes that top my most-feared list - lice, vomit and flying on a plane with my kids. A trifecta of cringe-worthy experiences that most parents dread and most will likely experience.

The federal election is still more than 10 months away, but there are growing indications it is going to be a bitter campaign based on the ugliness currently out there. The disturbing rancor on social media will bleed into the campaign.

Politics is always full of conspiracy theories. Politics during election season takes those conspiracy theories and injects them with meth and steroids. Which is where we are at with the federal byelection in Burnaby South.

Think your apartment’s mail or that group mailbox on your street is safe? Think again. All it took was a crowbar and an inability to care about others to carry out a spree of thefts from mailboxes in Burnaby. Watch the video at the bottom.