My 2017 : Year In Review

This was a roller coaster of a year for me. I had the opportunity to attend a vast variety of events and meet some great new people. We saw intense political change in the world  - including the election of an NDP government (first one since I've been a grownup). It was also a year of loss - I lost 2 good friends in the early part of the year and then my dad in August. The latter half of the year has been difficult and I'm grateful for all of the support I've received during this time. It's also important to reflect on the past year - good and bad. 2018 will be a year of transitions and I hope, even better things to come. 

Here we go:

January

The year started off big when my and our CUPE 2950 executive board met with new UBC President Santa Ono on the first day back after the break. 

I attended two public education events - one the celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the BC Teachers' Federation (BCTF). Teachers had a huge impact on me growing up and attending that event made me reflect on two of my favourites - Ms. Pummy Kaur (HALE) in elementary school and Mr. Kevin Lee, our music teacher in high school. The second was a great forum, Lessons from the Chicago Teachers' Strike that featured my friend Glen Hansman (President of BCTF), Michael Brunson (Chicago Teachers' Union) and Sonia Singh (Labor Notes). 

On January 20, my friend Trish and I went to her hometown of Seattle to attend the Women's March. It was one of the most incredible events I've ever attended. 165k people marched through the streets of Seattle in response to the horrific election of Donald Trump. We brought 40 pussyhats from Canada to give to women on the ferry. They were so excited when we approached them and with our Canadian flags in our hats, we marched. 

I lost two good friends in the labour movement this month - Brother Michael Lanier and Sister Brenda Coombs. Michael was such a great support and mentor  - starting from when I first attended Metro. He pushed me to do better, called me out on my bullshit and told me to have confidence in myself and was one of the first people to encourage me to run for GVP. I will always remember being in the line behind him at the mic at the 2014 CUPE BC Convention on the diversity seats resolution and someone at a con mic said something that was flat out wrong and he turned around, with a twinkle in his eye and said to me, "you want to take this one or do you want me to do it?" 

Brenda and I met in 2011 when we were member facilitators. We clicked from the beginning and she was always looking out for me. She told me to slow down, to be careful of burn out.   We spent a few days in Port Hardy facilitating the Intro to Stewarding course and that's where we got to know each other. She also was a wealth of information and had incredible institutional memory and very generous in sharing what she knew, experienced and remembered.Two weeks before she passed away she gave me a book of letters written by women trade union activists. I will always treasure my time with her and miss her incredulous "really?!"

February

Ranking Officers at Harrison is an annual event where the leadership of the labour movement comes together and holds a meeting to discuss our plan for the year. This year was no different - we met with Hassan Yussuf for the CLC's activities and with John Horgan to discuss the election as well as our issues.

Our CUPE BC Library Committee met for a couple of days and we trekked to downtown Vancouver in a blizzard to partake in the Labour History Walking Tour. That evening I stayed downtown and attended an event put on by a community group called Your Education Matters to discuss an ideal K-12 education system. We heard from economists, teachers, professors, and parents. 

SFU Downtown hosted author Arushi Raina who debuted her YA novel When Morning Comes. The book was about South Africa and she brought her friend to sing some of the freedom songs from Soweto. After she read from her book we had a round table discussion on reconciliation, politics, immigration and the importance of fiction to capture historical and cultural voices of the oppressed and marginalized. 

It was great to attend the First Call Gala that honoured Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond, former child advocate for BC. 

I trekked out to Maple Ridge for the first time this year to canvas for my friend Lisa Beare - now Minister Beare. :) 

I also attended a pension workshop and attended the Vancouver Island District Council meeting in Nanaimo. 

At the end of the month I attended a performance of the Graduate in White Rock as my friend Kate was the director of the play. 

March

March is always about International Women's Day (IWD) and there were so many women-centred events and panels. 

• Panel on Women in Labour that featured my friends Stephanie Smith (BCGEU), Natasha Tony (IATSE 891) as well as Jinny Sims (former President of the BCTF and MP)

• CUPE Metro IWD Lunch in Port Moody. One of my favourite events to work on - CUPE Metro women organize a lunch for women and the women who work with them in a chosen community, this year was Port Moody. We have a hot lunch, crafts for women and children, an indigenous elder to bring greetings, a guest speaker - this year was Selina Robinson (now Minister Robinson) and M'Girl did the music. My task was to pick up the cake this year and there was a typo - all we could do was laugh, because we could all hear Brenda jokingly yelling at me for my one task. The end of this particular event was very moving as we ended in a round dance. 
• VDLC Annual IWD Dinner - as per usual we hauled ass down to the Fraserview Hall for more IWD fun with our labour sisters from all over the city. The CCPA's Iglika Ivanova was the keynote this year, speaking about childcare. 
• IWD Labour History Tour - Sarah and I swam downtown (it was pouring rain) to partake in the inaugural women's labour history tour. So good!
• Westcoast LEAF Equality Breakfast - I love this event. This year we were honoured to
  
  have Cindy Blackstock as the keynote. I also had the fortune to sit with Bowinn Ma, our now MLA for North Vancouver- Lonsdale. We are so lucky to have her in government - she's smart, dedicated, savvy and genuine. She's a great person to sit next to at an event like this.
  
  

The BC Fed sponsored an Anti-Poverty Rally at the library downtown. It was where I really missed Michael - he was usually my rally buddy. We heard great speeches from Irene, Trish Gardner from the Poverty Reduction Coalition and Bill Hopwood from Raise the Rates. I got to stand with John Horgan and the MLAs so that was cool. 

Honour House Gala. I'm so proud that CUPE represents paramedics and 911 dispatchers. As a British Columbian, I am proud that there is a place for first responders and their families to stay when they are in the lower mainland to receive medical treatment. We heard from Minister Harjit Sajjan (Defense), stories of people who've stayed at Honour House and Jann Arden came out and sang a few songs. 

My friend Sussanne Skidmore dragged me to the BCTF AGM one weekend and I am glad she did. It was the first convention of another union that I've attended. It was so interesting to see the difference in how the BCTF does business - everything from how they elect their chairs, no pro/con mic, minimal staff - mostly lawyers (to give legal opinions off the floor) and comms reps, proxy voting, food, cards, and amending resolutions for punctuations and grammatical changes. It was very interesting - I thought Teri Mooring (1st VP BCTF) was kidding when she said that we would probably see teachers debating grammar at the mic and she wasn't kidding! 

As the election madness was in full force I attended a number of NDP events including the nomination meeting of my friend Tracey O'Hara who ran in Chilliwack. I also attended a John Horgan event downtown, George Chow's nomination, and David Eby's fundraiser in Point Grey (where our local proudly made a donation). 

My friend Kathy Boyce interviewed me on her show Union Made for Co-Op Radio - so fun! 

Trish organized an event focused on precarious work called Nice Work if You Can Keep It. It took place at the Irving K Barber Learning Centre at UBC and featured a panel of friends - Michelle Waite (CUPE BC GVP and chair of the Colleges Committee), Ed Kroc (former VP of CUPE 2278 and sessional faculty member at UBC), Leanne Dawson (staff CUPE 4163) and Dave Chokrun (CUPE 3338).

I organized a CUPE presence at the Childcare Rally at Suzanne Anton's Office. It was awesome to see our rank and file members speak about childcare on the news! 

April

UBC raised its Reconciliation Pole on April 1st. 500 people pulled together to raise the 7 story pole dedicated to the survivors of the Indian Residential School system. Prior to the raising of the pole, survivors and elders were invited to hammer in a copper nail in for a relative who died in the residential schools. It was very moving and an incredible sight to behold. 

I attended the CUPE National Building Strong Locals Conference in Halifax. While the conference itself wasn't particularly great, the opportunity to connect with CUPE members from across the country is always valuable. I met my soul sister Nan McFadgen (President of CUPE Nova Scotia and has the best glasses game in the union), learned about some really interesting and progressive things happening in Manitoba thanks to Gina McKay's leadership, and heard from Megan Leslie (former MP). I also spent my birthday in Halifax, where we went to Peggy's Cove (me, Denise, Toby and Aliza) and had a lobster lunch. We also met up with the President of the union who reps the library workers at the Halifax Public Library and toured their newish downtown branch. I also met up with my friend Mike Kennedy, who was in my study tour on the GGCLC. We picked up where we left off, talking about inspiration, innovation and making this world a better place. 

Vaisakhi Vancouver was a ton of fun - giving out apples and hanging out with CUPE members. We had members trek out from  Chilliwack this year, which was superfun. 

More election events - Surrey NDP rally, Melanie Mark's office opening (I met JB The First Lady), a fundraiser for Lisa in Maple Ridge, John Horgan's post-sec platform announcement at UBC, and canvassing for Gary Holman in Saanich with my friend Kim Manton prior to the CUPE BC convention. 

BCLA Conference - great turn out of CUPE members at the conference. We also had a full house attend our session on the value of libraries outside of traditional metrics. It's an awesome feeling to be able to call on your friends to participate in an event like that. 

CUPE BC Convention - as always, hearing from rank and file members at microphones on the issues that are important to them, is always a highlight for me. I was successful in my re-election as GVP (I nailed my election forum speech, woot) and it was great to have Brother Lee Saunders from AFSCME come to give greetings.

May

Well it was all about the provincial election - canvassing for David Eby, Lisa Beare and George Heyman (now they are all cabinet members, YAY). 

The results of May 9th were not as we hoped but there was hope that the government would fall giving the NDP a chance to make a minority situation work. I didn't have much time to ruminate on this much and I was on the red-eye to Toronto for the Canadian Labour Congress Convention. 

The CLC convention was a blur - we campaigned for my friend Sussanne Skidmore, heard about issues that affect workers from across the country, had Rachel Notley come to address the delegates, rallied against Austerity on Bay Street and celebrate Sister Barb Byers' contribution to the labour movement as we wished her well in her retirement.

Qmunity Breakfast - I got to attend the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia event hosted by Qmunity.  We heard from many people as they shared their stories of coming out. 


I attended the Photovoice Project: Trans, Two-Spirit and Gender Nonconforming Community Stories at VPL where community co-researchers shared their truths in this moving project.


June

I had to go to Ottawa a couple of times for my CUPE National Trustee meetings. It was fun to spend time with the NEB at dinner after our presentation - they are pretty fun and it's always good to break bread with like-minded people. 

After my meetings in Ottawa I headed to Montreal to see my friends Brendan and Allison and their kids. We had a great time, chilling out, partaking in Mont Royal days and playing in the park - it was the kind of break I needed. I also got in a visit with Meaghan, Andrew and their kids. 

Our annual admin planning session was in Victoria this year. I decided to head to the Island early to visit the 5 members of CUPE 2950. This included a quick visit to UVIC for the first time, and was great to catch up with Kara White, the president of 951.

I went to the  annual Codev Dinner and we as usual came close to last in the dessert auction. Hahaha. 

Workers at Pacific Blue Cross were on strike so I attended the first of a few rallies in solidarity.

July

I kicked off Canada Day with dragging Aliza to The Room at the Rio. Later in the month we went to the Wizard of Oz and the Richmond Night Market.

The government fell and I got invited to attend the Swearing-In Ceremony of the NDP government. It felt like a wedding; people were dressed up, there was a lot of laughing and crying too. It was so awesome to walk into the room, knowing that your friends will be cabinet ministers. I sat with Tracey O'Hara and we watched New Democrats assume their new roles and went to the legislature for an open house. I got to go see the Legislative Library for the first time :). 

I wandered down to Jericho Beach one Saturday afternoon and joined Skidmore at the Vancouver Folk Fest where we hung out outside and listened to local musicians before the Barenaked Ladies took the MainStage in the evening. 

The Drum is Calling Festival received funding for a week's worth of programming for Canada's 150th. It was awesome. I saw Buffy St Marie, Tanya Tagaq, and Shayne Koyczan for free. I also saw 4 films - Colonization Road, Rumble: Indians Who Rocked the World, Elder in the Making, All Our Father's Relations and did the art walking tour. 

Speaking of Canada 150 money - I also took a day and spent it in Chinatown looking at the storefront windows that showed the history of the area. Again, very cool.

As part of the Indian Summer Arts Festival, I went and saw one of my favourite authors, MG Vassanji Ismaili Centre. He was here to promote Nostalgia.

Our CUPE 2950 BBQ was the biggest it has ever been - and great to see so many friends at this event. 

The CUPE BC Think Tank in Harrison was great - we had so many new executive board members and staff it was great to change the format up and have some real discussions about the future of the organization. 

We ended the month off with fireworks in English Bay in honour of Leanne's birthday :D.


August

I finally took a couple of weeks off. My friend Meaghan was in Vancouver for a visit which was nice - we took Alfie on the Seabus to North Van. 

My friend Lindsay came to visit. We embarked on many local adventures including the Othello tunnels near Hope, a day in Vancouver looking for VPL's literary landmarks, the Powell street festival where we went to an event that featured Murakami's translators and general tomfoolery and hijinks. 

The CUPE presence at the Vancouver Pride parade was small but mighty. We marched in the hot sun and then went for beers after. 

The workers of CUPE 1816 were still locked out so we had another rally for those workers. 

The rise of white supremacy in the City led to the planning of an anti-racism rally. 5000 people showed up to resist white supremacists and we had an afternoon of solidarity and vehement opposition to racism, fascism, bigotry and hatred. I was proud of Vancouver that day and for my friends who attended and organized for the right side of history.

The hardest part of my year was the unexpected passing of my dad. Just a few days prior he had told me to punch a couple of nazis for him and to not worry about it, he'd bail me out of jail. It's been a few months - just over 4 to be exact, and it's still weird. It's weird when I go to my parent's house and yell "HI DAD" and not hear him yell back and have my mom yell at us both to be quiet. It's weird not arguing about the NDP or having 934204039 episodes of Storage Wars or Pawn Stars on in the background. I miss him a lot. 

I have such a great support system. So many people from all circles of my life came forward to offer me and my family support during that difficult time. Flowers and cards, texts, phone calls, emails and outings.

I went to the PNE and saw Chicago, Rick Springfield and the B-52s and as we were leaving one of the concerts and heading home, the dulling pianos people started playing Garth Brooks' Friends in Low Places, which was my dad's favourite song. :)

September

It's always about Labour Day at the beginning of September. I attended a meeting with the Federal Labour Minister at 8:30am that day where we spoke about farm workers' rights, changes to the federal labour code, housing and childcare. Then we braved the HOT HEAT and sweated our way through the activities at Holland Park in Surrey. 

That week I was invited to attend the reception at the BC Cabinet and First Nations Leadership Summit. We were mingling with MLAs, business leaders, cabinet ministers and First Nations Leaders from across the province. It was a great opportunity to meet so many new people and talk libraries. 

I was also invited to the Throne Speech so I went overseas again and took part in history. It's been really cool to see social studies come to life. 

One of my highlights is WORD Vancouver, the annual literary festival at VPL. Our friends at CUPE 391 had a booth where they engaged with the public and had their members who were authors or poets read at the CUPE trailer. Aliza also dressed up as Rosie the Reader. It's also a great opportunity to check out different vendors, publishers, community organization focused on reading, writing and literacy and author readings. 


Reconciliation Walk happened the same day as WORD. We organized CUPE members who wanted to participate and marched from CBC to Strathcona Park. It was awesome to see so 50k people show up at this important event.

My month is varied - I attended the launch of the City on Edge Exhibition at the Museum of Vancouver, CUPE reception at the UBCM, NDP Leaders' Levee and the Gala for the Writers Fest (Shayne Koyczan and Anosh Irani were the featured authors). 


October

I spent the first week of October at the CUPE National Convention in Toronto. I've already written about it on this blog so I will leave it at that.

It was also Canadian Library Month, where I also wrote about the campaign I ran from my phone celebrating library workers. Also library related, I saw Ex-Libris, the 3 hour documentary on the New York Public Library. It was awesome - and a must see for anyone who likes their library. We also entered into a trivia competition hosted by the Burnaby Public Library and I am proud to say that team CUPE won first place, yay us!! I enjoyed singing  We Are the Champions at the top of our lungs in the Library - there was something cocky and rebellious about doing so. Heh. 

I've been a volunteer at the Vancouver Writers Fest for many years. This year I ushered at some really cool events including the opening night event. One was based on class featuring Matthew Dickman, David Chariandy and Kevin Hardcastle. Another on women and poetry featuring Hera Lindsay Bird and Kin Addonizio. I was invited to an event that was sponsored by the UBC Library and there I connected with Arushi Raina who I had met earlier in the year at the SFU event - she graciously agreed to be part of my library month campaign. 

I went and saw Shut Up And Say Something, the documentary on Shayne Koyczan's life and thanks to Leslie I went to see the Kings of Leon at GM Place. It was so fun!

The results of the Vancouver by-election wasn't what we had hoped but it was another edition of the left eating each other, allowing for the NPA to take the seat. Bleh.

This year the CCPA Gala was awesome because Justice Murray Sinclair was the keynote speaker. It was so moving to see him receive a blanket from the Musqueam nation after he was done. To share space with someone like him is humbling and very inspiring.

Finally, the BC Fed Union Renewal Conference in Victoria was pretty good. There were panels on green jobs, reconciliation, organizing and workshops that followed suit. The Premier attended for a few minutes and it was great to talk libraries with union members from a variety of affiliates. 


November

As per this blog, I attended the Herstory in Focus event for the Downtown Eastside Women's Centre as well as the Megaphone Breakfast the next day. 


I got to lay the wreath at Victory Square on behalf of CUPE BC for Remembrance Day. 

I presented CUPE BC's submission to the Fair Wages Commission which was a cool experience. 

CUPE 2950 entered a team in to the UBC Library United Way Spelling Bee for the first time. We did not win - we lost to a team of English Post Docs. So fun!

I went to an evening event in Port Coquitlam that was called Nasty Women: Gender and Politics. We heard city councillors and a Mayor about their experiences in government as well as barriers and challenges that women face in politics. I learned a lot about issues facing the tri-cities. It's good to get out of the Vancouver bubble once and a while.

Kyla invited me to come to the launch of the Canadian Jewish Experience exhibition at VPL. It was interesting to see the panels that depicted Canadian Jewish contributions to our society as well as hearing from Rabbi Yosef Wosk give a nice prayer for peace and prosperity. 

The GGCLC AGM was in Vancouver so a bunch of us went. It was great to catch up with some of the folks from my year, 2012 as well as hearing what people's experiences on the conference were. We spoke to conference alumni from as far back as the early 80s!

I tagged along to the FPSE staff xmas party where we went to Cirque du Soleil and the next evening I went with Skidmore to see Angela Davis. 

December

I started off the month on my very float plane experience to attend the winter meeting of VIDC. I always enjoy going to these meetings - the people are friendly and you get to learn about issues and challenges facing communities you're not so familiar with. It was great to spend the night at their Christmas social to chat and break bread with friends. 

Each year, PSAC organizes a candlelight vigil for the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women. We quickly stopped in to check out the Central City branch of the Surrey Public Library and vote for the CUPE 402 xmas tree and then went to the vigil. 

Later that week, I went to the celebration of the SFU Labour Studies, now a degree granting  program! YAY!


Whew! 

That is all (until next year).