Vyas Saran
@vyas.bsky.social
Labour, human rights and elections lawyer in Vancouver. Opinions expressed are mine.
very impressed by COPE Councillor Orr for reporting summaries of every speaker for this budget, and actually staying until the end unlike most ABC councillors
my crude count is there were less than 10 in favour, roughly 260 opposed, with around 330 more speakers to go.
my crude count is there were less than 10 in favour, roughly 260 opposed, with around 330 more speakers to go.
269: in favour. Tune out noise if fear mongers who say sky is falling. This is not drastic cuts to budget. Wants full budget transparency. Heard about services but don’t know what a necessary sevice is. Scope creep.
November 13, 2025 at 6:03 AM
very impressed by COPE Councillor Orr for reporting summaries of every speaker for this budget, and actually staying until the end unlike most ABC councillors
my crude count is there were less than 10 in favour, roughly 260 opposed, with around 330 more speakers to go.
my crude count is there were less than 10 in favour, roughly 260 opposed, with around 330 more speakers to go.
Reposted by Vyas Saran
HALF OUR GRANT GOES BACK TO THE CITY IN POLICE COSTS
— Vancouver Folk Festival
— Vancouver Folk Festival
246: folk fest president. Advocating for increased funding for arts. Arts is a necessity. Festivals under threat. Many have folded. We bring in millions of dollars to economy. We bring joy in world of despair. Half of our grants just go back to city in police costs.
November 13, 2025 at 5:27 AM
HALF OUR GRANT GOES BACK TO THE CITY IN POLICE COSTS
— Vancouver Folk Festival
— Vancouver Folk Festival
Reposted by Vyas Saran
We can do better. We need to be more transparent. I pass the mic. 235: David chudnovsky (former COPE guy and MLA). I know about governance and budgets.,short term pain does not lead to long term gain. Today’s housing crisis was caused by what we were told was short term pain. We are still paying
November 13, 2025 at 5:07 AM
We can do better. We need to be more transparent. I pass the mic. 235: David chudnovsky (former COPE guy and MLA). I know about governance and budgets.,short term pain does not lead to long term gain. Today’s housing crisis was caused by what we were told was short term pain. We are still paying
Reposted by Vyas Saran
Austerity budgets are always about short-term gains, and long term losses. Vancouver's City Council is voting on a budget that will save little and cost the city much. stewartprest.substack.com/p/vancouver-...
Vancouver Goes Small
The city risks big new problems with its proposed turn to austerity
stewartprest.substack.com
November 13, 2025 at 4:44 AM
Austerity budgets are always about short-term gains, and long term losses. Vancouver's City Council is voting on a budget that will save little and cost the city much. stewartprest.substack.com/p/vancouver-...
Reposted by Vyas Saran
197: jane shi. Poet writer and organizer. TW. Was abused by my parents and tried suicide. Full circle moment was when she presented at local library. Cops kill disabled autistic people like me. Brian scoffs. Several community leaders have billed themselves. Blatant disregard for people.
November 13, 2025 at 4:21 AM
197: jane shi. Poet writer and organizer. TW. Was abused by my parents and tried suicide. Full circle moment was when she presented at local library. Cops kill disabled autistic people like me. Brian scoffs. Several community leaders have billed themselves. Blatant disregard for people.
Reposted by Vyas Saran
152: clear majority want a property tax increase. Our services shouldn’t degrade to cater to a small subset of the population. Already have one of the lowest tax rates in North America. This is just 16 cents per 100k in property value. So many own more than one property.
November 13, 2025 at 3:05 AM
152: clear majority want a property tax increase. Our services shouldn’t degrade to cater to a small subset of the population. Already have one of the lowest tax rates in North America. This is just 16 cents per 100k in property value. So many own more than one property.
Reposted by Vyas Saran
“Brian let me know where you’re living” www.ctvnews.ca/vancouver/ar...
November 13, 2025 at 2:23 AM
“Brian let me know where you’re living” www.ctvnews.ca/vancouver/ar...
Reposted by Vyas Saran
111: first to support. Maybe we can all be police officers. I’m not getting my Chip Wilson payments. We need more ATVs on the beach! Brian let me know where you’re living, I’d love to get out of the city
November 13, 2025 at 2:12 AM
111: first to support. Maybe we can all be police officers. I’m not getting my Chip Wilson payments. We need more ATVs on the beach! Brian let me know where you’re living, I’d love to get out of the city
Reposted by Vyas Saran
It never used to be dark by 5pm. They're doing this to demoralize you
November 11, 2025 at 12:12 AM
It never used to be dark by 5pm. They're doing this to demoralize you
Reposted by Vyas Saran
![Edit of 2022 @picardie_aurora tweet about Biden learning that Queen Elizabeth died
chief of staff: Mr. Mamdani. very sad news. Dick Cheney has died.
Mamdani: [munching a spoonful of ghee]" hot damn. we do that?
in the original Biden was munching "a block of Kerrygold butter"](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:zltqtmydso6kikzw7wafpj4p/bafkreihpg5hk26jxsemsekvhnlzyfudz7bmlxmpz54q4jvdz3ihjati2ii@jpeg)
Reposted by Vyas Saran
we all understand what's happening here, right
The ongoing controversy over the Cowichan Nation court case is chipping away at broader public support for First Nations reconciliation, according to a new poll from Angus Reid.
Cowichan Nation ruling jeopardizing public support for broader reconciliation, says new poll
The ongoing controversy over the Cowichan Nation court case is chipping away at broader public support for First Nations reconciliation, according to a new poll from Angus Reid.
cheknews.ca
October 31, 2025 at 2:21 AM
we all understand what's happening here, right
Reposted by Vyas Saran
In 100 per cent unsurprising news, the bank that supposedly pulled funding from a Richmond project because of the Cowichan court decision says it definitely did not pull funding because of the Cowichan court decision
www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/national/cou...
www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/national/cou...
Councillor says $100M project denied loan over Cowichan case, bank says not a factor
A Richmond, B.C., councillor says a company based in the city has been refused financing for what she says is a $100 million project because of uncertainty over their site
www.thecanadianpressnews.ca
October 31, 2025 at 2:18 AM
In 100 per cent unsurprising news, the bank that supposedly pulled funding from a Richmond project because of the Cowichan court decision says it definitely did not pull funding because of the Cowichan court decision
www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/national/cou...
www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/national/cou...
Reposted by Vyas Saran
Every time Anthony Banda in the Dodgers bullpen.
October 29, 2025 at 2:01 AM
Every time Anthony Banda in the Dodgers bullpen.
is this the first time newfoundland and labrador have been mentioned on a world series broadcast
October 28, 2025 at 5:57 AM
is this the first time newfoundland and labrador have been mentioned on a world series broadcast
starting to forget what athletes used to yell before "lets fucking go" came out
October 28, 2025 at 5:47 AM
starting to forget what athletes used to yell before "lets fucking go" came out
this is why watching sports from the west coast is superior
October 28, 2025 at 5:13 AM
this is why watching sports from the west coast is superior
Reposted by Vyas Saran
Playoff hockey OT has the “snort cocaine riding a motorcycle out of a helicopter” quote, but playoff baseball extra innings is like playing Russian Roulette every fifteen seconds
October 28, 2025 at 4:26 AM
Playoff hockey OT has the “snort cocaine riding a motorcycle out of a helicopter” quote, but playoff baseball extra innings is like playing Russian Roulette every fifteen seconds
Reposted by Vyas Saran
The (very predictable) attacks against Sean Orr by right wing Jewish organizations and Ken Sim have begun. It is not antisemitism to call out antisemitism. It is not antisemitism to criticize Israeli’s genocide of Palestinians.
I stand by Sean Orr.
I stand by Sean Orr.
If the Jewish Fed and CIJA thought they actually had anything on @seanorr.bsky.social, they would have used it during the by-election.
Instead they waited to launch a sneak attack on a brand new councillor with an historic mandate.
The cynicism is deep. And deeply predictable.
/1
Instead they waited to launch a sneak attack on a brand new councillor with an historic mandate.
The cynicism is deep. And deeply predictable.
/1
April 9, 2025 at 5:58 PM
The (very predictable) attacks against Sean Orr by right wing Jewish organizations and Ken Sim have begun. It is not antisemitism to call out antisemitism. It is not antisemitism to criticize Israeli’s genocide of Palestinians.
I stand by Sean Orr.
I stand by Sean Orr.
Why is an ABC Vancouver politician contacting a person making death threats against Councillor Orr? This person claims to know Orr's address, is doxxing him, and advising people on how to break into his home.
Does ABC Mayor Ken Sim condone doxxing and murdering public officials? #vanpoli
Does ABC Mayor Ken Sim condone doxxing and murdering public officials? #vanpoli
April 9, 2025 at 6:55 PM
Why is an ABC Vancouver politician contacting a person making death threats against Councillor Orr? This person claims to know Orr's address, is doxxing him, and advising people on how to break into his home.
Does ABC Mayor Ken Sim condone doxxing and murdering public officials? #vanpoli
Does ABC Mayor Ken Sim condone doxxing and murdering public officials? #vanpoli
Reposted by Vyas Saran
[mysterious old lady flips tarot card revealing a dude who looks exactly like me flying a hot air balloon into power lines]
Me: is that good
Me: is that good
January 22, 2025 at 8:52 PM
[mysterious old lady flips tarot card revealing a dude who looks exactly like me flying a hot air balloon into power lines]
Me: is that good
Me: is that good
dogs are so good at pillows
November 19, 2024 at 6:41 AM
dogs are so good at pillows
Reposted by Vyas Saran
Seriously considering using this when teaching Aboriginal Title (under Cdn settler law). You can trace these stages in the caselaw, from St. Catherine's Milling (3-5) to Calder (5-6) to Tsilhqot'in (6-7).
i recently had occasion to post this graphic and remembered i did a brief dive into trying to find its origin. couldn't find a definitive source, but my notes are compiled here:
ali-alkhatib.com/blog/eight-s...
(the blog post contains plain text for easier copying and a higher-resolution version)
ali-alkhatib.com/blog/eight-s...
(the blog post contains plain text for easier copying and a higher-resolution version)
November 18, 2024 at 4:57 PM
Seriously considering using this when teaching Aboriginal Title (under Cdn settler law). You can trace these stages in the caselaw, from St. Catherine's Milling (3-5) to Calder (5-6) to Tsilhqot'in (6-7).