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For the week of Oct. 12, 2025:

New beginnings, the theme of the Thanksgiving Weekend edition of thePodcast.

Michael Sachs explains why he left Vancouver to become the senior director of the Jewish Federation of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and he reacts to the ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war.

Also, the B.C. Legislature is back in session. What does the future hold for NDP Premier David Eby and Conservative opposition leader John Rustad? What about new Green leader Emily Lowan, who doesn’t have a seat in the Legislature?

Guests Alan Mullen (former chief of staff to ex-Speaker Darryl Plecas) and Paul Stanley (former B.C. government chief security officer).

As usual, Pacific Rim and Pacific Northwest headlines and the Virtual Nanaimo Bar.

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For the week of Oct. 12, 2025:

Business, News

Scenes from the annual Taipei Economic and Cultural Office reception in Vancouver’s Fairmont Waterfront Centre Hotel on Oct. 4, hosted by director general Angel Liu.

The event marked the 114th Republic of China national day on Oct. 10 and included a parade of speeches by various federal, provincial and municipal politicians. Some emphatically applauded democratic Taiwan’s tenacity amid threats of invasion by the People’s Republic of China. Others carefully chose their words.

Some 45,000 Taiwanese-Canadians live in B.C., where the NDP government declared last July as Taiwan Heritage Month.

No members of the Conservative Party of B.C. caucus were in attendance. On Sept. 23, according to the Chinese consulate, Teresa Wat (Richmond-Bridgeport) and Hon Chan (Richmond Centre) attended a celebration of 76 years of Communist Party rule.

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Scenes from the annual Taipei Economic and

News

Bob Mackin

Vancouver city hall refused to release a copy of all contracts, work orders, invoices and proof of payment about the replacement of Trutch Street signs with a name gifted by the Musqueam Indian Band.

theBreaker.news applied under the freedom of information law after the June 20 unveiling of new signs that read Musqueamview Street and šxʷməθkʷəy̓əmasəm (pronounced “ShMusqueam-awsum”). City hall took an extra month because it claimed the request interfered with its operations. When it finally replied Oct. 6, it withheld all information, alleging that disclosure would harm intergovernmental relations and the interests of Indigenous people.

Signs on the former Trutch Street in Vancouver. (Mackin)

However, a document published on social media by Dallas Brodie, the OneBC MLA for Vancouver-Quilchena, shows the Musqueam Indian Band drafted a $33,500 budget for reimbursement of: expenses ($10,000), meeting fees ($6,000), work to design the signs, participate in a pronunciation video and lunch-and-learn sessions with city hall staff ($7,500) and planning and executing the renaming event ($10,000).

Payment revealed

Additional pages seen by theBreaker.news show Musqueam invoiced city hall $20,100 on June 16 for “capacity funding,” as per instructions to invoice for 60% of costs before and 40% after the event.

Another document shows that the city’s general manager of engineering services, Lon LaClaire, signed-off on $500 honorarium payments to Musqueam participants in the street renaming. The document does not indicate how many people were paid $500 to show up.

NDP uses UNDRIP to trump FOI law

Public bodies have the discretion to withhold information that could harm intergovernmental relations. In 2021, the NDP amended the FOI law to include “Indigenous cultural protections” clauses as part of its government-wide adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People.

Trutch Street in Vancouver (Mackin)

However, in 2022, City of Victoria released documents to theBreaker.news that showed it spent $3,124 to change the name of its Trutch Street to “Su’it Street,” or truth street in the Lekwungen language. That included the cost of the signs and the event, with $900 in appearance fees paid to three local First Nation members.

Why ditch Trutch

Before he was B.C.’s first lieutenant-governor (1871-1876), Joseph Trutch worked as the land commissioner who disregarded aboriginal title and reduced the size of Indian reserves.

Deal with developers

Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh have overlapping land claims to a wide area that includes City of Vancouver, but none of the three is actively negotiating for self-government via the B.C. Treaty Commission.

The three tribes are partners in MST Development Corp., which requires Vancouver city council approval for its Jericho Lands, Heather Street Lands and former Liquor Distribution Branch site projects. MST partners include the federal Canada Lands Co. Crown corporation and Aquilini Investment Group, owner of the Vancouver Canucks.

In August, theBreaker.news reported that Premier David Eby and Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim secretly signed a deal in September 2024 to pay the trio an initial $600,000 to participate in FIFA World Cup 26 planning meetings and events. The memorandum of understanding was not disclosed until after a photo op in late June of this year.

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Bob Mackin Vancouver city hall refused to release

Business, News, Sports

Bob Mackin

With just 245 days until kickoff, the parent ministry of the RCMP and Canada Border Services Agency is refusing to disclose its budget for FIFA World Cup 26.

FIFA’s Vancouver and Toronto World Cup 26 logos (FIFA)

Toronto hosts the first of its six matches on June 11, 2026, opening day of the 16-city, North American tournament. Two days later, Vancouver hosts the first of its seven. Both cities are also sites of fan festival viewing parties through the July 19 final.

“Public Safety Canada, the CBSA and the RCMP are relying on existing resources to deliver essential federal services,” said a statement from spokesperson Louis-Carl Brissette Lesage. “Planning for safety and security operations of the event is ongoing; final costs will be made public post FIFA 2026.”

The Department of Canadian Heritage, which includes Sport Canada, is sticking to the $220 million figure it announced last year: $116 million for Vancouver and $104 million for Toronto. The money is earmarked for local operating and capital costs, “as well as providing essential services within federal jurisdiction, such as border, immigration, security, and health.”

Neither Public Safety Canada nor Canadian Heritage said whether additional funding is on the way in the Carney Liberal government’s Nov. 4 federal budget.

Rewind to 2010

FIFA 26, with Mexico and the United States, is Vancouver’s biggest global mega event since the 2010 Winter Olympics.

Vancouver’s 2003 Olympic bid book estimated security at $175 million. It ended up costing around $900 million.

Dave Jones, the co-lead for security with the Vancouver city hall’s FIFA 26 secretariat, said in a 2024 affidavit that World Cup security risks include terrorism, hacking, protest blockades, attack drones and vehicle ramming — one of which happened last April in Vancouver. Eleven people were killed at a Filipino cultural festival.

Big price tag

In April 2024, the B.C. NDP government estimated the FIFA 26 cost would range from $483 million to $581 million.

Last June, the estimate rose to $532 million-$624 million and the government said it expected more federal help.

“The Province and its partners anticipate that the federal government will be a full partner in helping to manage and fund extraordinary risks that materialize for the FIFA World Cup 26 event, such as potential global economic downturns, natural disasters like fires and floods and increasing threat levels from rising geopolitical tensions,” said the spending update.

Teamwork?

Before Vancouver’s Olympic bid won in 2003, governments at all levels signed an agreement to define their roles, responsibilities and support for the project.

One does not exist for FIFA 26.

According to B.C.’s Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport, “a multiparty agreement has not yet been finalized” between Ottawa and the host provinces and cities.

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Bob Mackin With just 245 days until

News, Opinion

For the week of Oct. 5, 2025:

In time for Taiwan’s 114th National Day on Oct. 10, highlights of an Aug. 27 panel discussion after the screening of “Invisible Nation,” a documentary that features Taiwan’s first female president, Tsai Ing-wen (2016-2024).

The democratic island nation, the size of Vancouver Island, thrives in the shadow of Communist China, whose leader, Xi Jinping, threatens to invade. 

Featuring: Filmmaker Vanessa Hope, Taipei Economic and Cultural Office director general Angel Liu, University of British Columbia political science Prof. Yves Tiberghien and moderator Vina Nadjibulla, vice-president of the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada. (Footage courtesy of TECO Vancouver.)

As usual, Pacific Rim and Pacific Northwest headlines and the Virtual Nanaimo Bar.

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For the week of Oct. 5, 2025:

Business, News, Sports

Bob Mackin

The organizers of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics faced a credit crunch just before and right after the Games, according to documents made public after a 15-year moratorium.
Details are contained in minutes of key Vancouver Organizing Committee (VANOC) board meetings and confidential memos found by theBreaker.news in files unsealed Oct. 1 at the City of Vancouver Archives.

VANOC banker RBC sponsored the Vancouver 2010 torch relay. (RBC)

“Just in time” loan deal

VANOC struggled with the aftermath of the 2008 Great Recession. As the RBC-sponsored Olympic torch relay criss-crossed Canada, the bank and VANOC were in negotiations about reinstating VANOC’s borrowing agreement to $95 million, said minutes of a Nov. 18, 2009 board meeting. A crucial meeting was scheduled in Toronto on Nov. 27, 2009.

“The key challenge is ensuring that a credit facility sufficient to meet operational needs is in place. This is not currently the case,” said VANOC chief financial officer John McLaughlin’s risk report.

A crisis was averted, albeit temporarily and with help from taxpayers. Minutes for the board’s last pre-Games meeting on Jan. 20, 2010 state “the payment guarantee requested by RBC has been delivered by the Province of B.C.”

After the Games, VANOC faced another credit crunch, solved with a credit facility on April 19, 2010 that would last until the end of the calendar year. It included a $59.5 million line of credit secured by an indemnity of $62 million from the province, in favour of RBC, at an RBC prime interest rate.

“This agreement came just in time as the facility has been utilized to make payments to suppliers and meet other obligations,” said McLaughlin’s May 17, 2010 update to the board.

Don’t say a word

McLaughlin continued: “We are asking that the existence of the indemnity and its nature be kept strictly confidential as it could prejudice our ongoing negotiations with third parties and/or encourage potential claimants or litigants who might believe there is a financial opportunity for them arising from the Province’s indemnity of RBC.”

An official Muk Muk mascot key fob outside the City of Vancouver Archives on Oct. 1, 2025. (Mackin)

IOC negotiations

McLaughlin said he and finance vice-president Carey Dillen were progressing in talks with the IOC, hoping to resolve issues by mid-June.

“Our objective was to resolve all matters except the final $57 million contribution from the IOC. The IOC has asked that this be addressed in a later meeting when our financial results are known with more certainty,” McLaughlin’s memo said.

More time to wind down

VANOC finally dissolved in July 2014, claiming it balanced an operating budget of almost $1.9 billion. That included nearly $200 million in additional subsidies from the federal and B.C. governments.

VANOC was a federally incorporated, not-for-profit beyond the reach of B.C.’s freedom of information law. Its board never held an open meeting and B.C.’s auditor general did not conduct a post-Games audit.

Bob Mackin covered the Vancouver 2010 Olympics, beginning with the domestic bid phase in 1998. He is the author of Red Mittens & Red Ink: The Vancouver Olympics.

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Bob Mackin The organizers of the Vancouver 2010

Business, News, Sports

Bob Mackin

Less than a month after the B.C. NDP government increased tax breaks, the parent company of the province’s biggest video game studio is being taken private in one of the largest buyouts in history.

The consortium of the Saudi royal family’s Public Investment Fund, Silver Lake Partners and Affinity Partners is acquiring Redwood City, Calif. video game giant Electronic Arts Inc. for $55 billion. Affinity owner Jared Kushner is U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law.

Premier David Eby touring the EA Sports studio in Burnaby on July 7. (BC Gov/Flickr)

Premier David Eby and Minister of Finance Brenda Bailey toured the EA Sports production campus in Burnaby on July 7 to announce tax credits for the video game industry would be made permanent and rise from 17.5% to 25% on Sept. 1.

Bailey is the former CEO of the Silicon Sisters video game production company.

The EA takeover was announced Sept. 29, the same day that Trump said for a second time that he would slap a 100% tariff on films made outside the United States.

Tariffs, the sequel

Trump said on his Truth Social account that he will impose a 100% tariff on “any and all movies that are made outside of the United States,” because the business of making movies had been stolen, “like candy from a baby.”

Last May, Trump said he would authorize the Department of Commerce and U.S. Trade Representative to begin the process of instituting a 100% tariff.

During Trump’s first administration, the U.S. reached a free trade deal with Canada and Mexico in 2018. That deal is up for renegotiation.

“CUSMA’s cultural exemption will continue to provide stability to the Canadian screen industries and support key policy mechanisms such as federal and provincial tax credits and government investment in Canadian content,” said the Directors Guild of Canada in 2019.

Subsidies, the sequel

Premier David Eby touring the EA Sports studio in Burnaby on July 7. (BC Gov/Flickr)

Before Christmas 2024, Eby announced the tax credit for international film and TV projects would increase from 28% to 36% beginning in 2025. Those with production costs in B.C. greater than $200 million qualify for a 2% bonus.

B.C.’s production industry was worth $2 billion in GDP in 2023.

According to Creative B.C.’s latest in-production list, among the U.S.-targeted productions lensing in B.C. are: “In Alaska,” “Animal Control,” “Carrie,” and “Air Bud Returns.”

Coming to a theatre near you on Oct. 10: the Vancouver-shot, Disney sci-fi flick “Tron:Ares.”

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Bob Mackin Less than a month after the

Business, News, Sports

Stanley Tromp

Problem gambling is on the rise among B.C. sports gamblers, according to surveys done for the B.C. Lottery Corporation, obtained by theBreaker.news under the freedom of information law.

A Player Health Tracker Report by Ipsos Research, completed in July 2024, identified sports betting as a distinct concern.

BCLC market research about sports gambling website awareness. (BCLC/FOI)

“Given that online sports bettors continue to be a higher-risk group, BCLC could benefit from maintaining targeted initiatives that tackle the specific challenges of sports betting and promote safer gambling practices, especially during major sporting events such as the Super Bowl, March Madness, and the NHL and NBA playoffs.”

A recent Canadian Medical Association Journal editorial warned that smartphone-savvy youth are particularly at risk after Canada’s 2021 legalization of single-event wagering. A flood of flashy ads starring celebrities during live sports broadcasts “influences young people to start gambling and to gamble more.” Thus, raising the potential for addiction.

Derby dreamers

The polls for BCLC found that horse racing bettors are growing more likely to believe in gambling myths, such as “chances of winning get better after a loss.” Over the past year, on the question “have you borrowed money or sold anything to get money to gamble?” the number rose by 12%.

“The behaviours and beliefs of online sports bettors remain relatively stable, yet this group continues to exhibit a more at-risk profile,” the Ipsos pollsters wrote. From the 2024 fiscal year to the 2025 fiscal year, this group’s responses to the statement “I was honest with my family and/or friends about the amount of money I spent in this period,” dropped by 5%, while “I should be able to walk away from gambling at any time” fell by 10%.

For the question, “have you felt that you might have a problem with gambling?” the number rose by 8%.

From BCLC market research obtained by theBreaker.news. (BCLC/FOI)

Regarding this sports group’s beliefs, some numbers rose from fiscal 2024 to fiscal 2025 in response to these statements: “If I play longer, I am more likely to win” [up 6%]; “I almost won so I am due for a win” [up 10%]; “If I use special rituals, I can avoid bad luck” [up 7%].” Yet the belief in “I have a special strategy that helps me to win” declined by 3%.

Surfing the web

A BCLC “Key Performance Indicators Tracker” report from August 2024 found that “PlayNow sports bettors are increasingly using other websites to place their bets, with a significant decrease in those only betting on PlayNow quarter-over-quarter.” A later report noted: “PlayNow.com sports bettors are playing significantly less on illegal sports betting websites.”

Respondents to a Harris Poll were asked to select the website(s) that they believed offer legal sports betting in B.C. Of the 18 options, 63% correctly of respondents identified BCLC’s PlayNow. Way ahead of Ontario-licensed, but nationally marketed, Bet365 (17%), DraftKings (13%), FanDuel (8%) and PokerStars Sports (7%).

An Angus Reid Group poll said: “PlayNow is by far the most recognized site for offering legal sports gambling but there are other mentions of the popular illegal sites. Confusion persists. Proline is a niche game with only 3% of people playing it suggesting that wider spread adoption will need to be accomplished through PlayNow.”

In September 2024, just in time for NFL season, BCLC replaced SportsAction retail sports betting with the Proline sportsbook.

BCLC response

BCLC stated it continues to invest in its GameSense Advisors (both in venues and online), with a focus on sports bettors, and is starting a new online system that monitors gambling behaviours in real time.

Stanley Tromp is a longtime Vancouver journalist and author of Fallen Behind, a book on world FOI laws. www.canadafoi/author

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Stanley Tromp Problem gambling is on the rise

News, Opinion

For the week of Sept. 28, 2025:

Premier David Eby’s NDP government is running a record $11.6 billion deficit and needs revenue wherever it can find it. One source is gambling: B.C. Lottery Corporation is budgeting a $1.4 billion profit. But at what cost? 

Investigative journalist and theBreaker.news contributor Stanley Tromp obtained BCLC polling that found problem gambling is on the rise. He is Bob Mackin’s guest on this week’s edition.

Plus, the week that was in B.C. politics with Mario Canseco of Research Co. The Conservatives stand pat with leader John Rustad, even more members of the Green Party choose Gen Z Emily Lowan as their new leader and Eby went from NYC to the UBCM. Will the NDP find peace with the BCGEU?

As usual, Pacific Rim and Pacific Northwest headlines and the Virtual Nanaimo Bar.

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For the week of Sept. 28, 2025:

Business, News

Stanley Tromp

Problem gambling is on the rise in British Columbia over the past year, according to 473 pages of surveys done for the B.C. Lottery Corporation, obtained by theBreaker.news under the freedom of information law.

These include reports by Ipsos Research (with 500 respondents) and Harris Polls (1,009 people). Several pages were withheld under FOI law Section 17, to protect government economic interests.

Statistically, in the fiscal year ended March 31, versus the same period a year earlier, “significantly more players indicate that their gambling has caused financial problems, that other people have criticized their betting and that they have borrowed money or sold something to gamble,” Ipsos concluded.

Results of a BCLC poll from Ipsos about problem gambling trends. (BCLC/FOI)

One-armed bandits

Online slot machine players indicated increases in health problems due to gambling. Moreover, “gambling literacy” is dropping across the games. Slot machine and other casino players are growing more likely to believe in gambling myths, such as their “chances of winning get better after a loss.”The question was asked: “Have you bet more than you could really afford to lose?” For games in casinos, the response climbed from 44% last year to 55% in the current fiscal year, and with online games it climbed by 14%.

There were roughly similar increases in response to the questions, “have people criticized your betting?”, “have you felt guilty about the way you gamble?” and “has your gambling caused financial problems for your household?”

Can you spare a C-note?

During this period, on the question “have you borrowed money or sold anything to get money to gamble?” the number rose by 11% for bingo players and by 12% for horse racing bettors. Younger casino players showed higher-risk gambling behaviours in the second quarter of this fiscal year.

On the question, “have you felt that you might have a problem with gambling?” the number rose by 12% at bingo halls, 8% for casino slots and 15% for other casino games.

Meanwhile, lottery-only players dropped over the past year, but the number of Lotto 6/49 players increased. Core players at casinos and bingo halls rose, as did core players of PlayNow online games.

Results of a BCLC poll from Ipsos about problem gambling trends. (BCLC/FOI)

Opinions about BCLC

theBreaker.news also obtained a poll by Angus Reid Group from August 2025. It found: “British Columbians view BCLC positively. However, fewer feel informed about where gambling revenue goes, and many don’t feel the organization makes on impact on their community.”

Yet there was an average 12% drop over the past year in poll respondents’ agreement to the statements: “BCLC makes positive contributions to the province of B.C.,” “I have trust and confidence in the games offered by BCLC,” and “BCLC promotes their games and products in a socially responsible way.”

“Consumer spending on gambling in B.C. has recovered from the [COVID-19] pandemic losses,” said a June 2024 economic analysis by Deloitte LLP. “However, gambling expenditures have fallen as a share of real disposable income since 2010.”

Government response

A Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General spokesperson told theBreaker.news that it is overseeing a B.C. prevalence study to obtain detailed demographics of problem gamblers. In the coming months, BCLC is also launching two targeted marketing campaigns focused on common gambling myths and higher-risk behaviours.

Stanley Tromp is a longtime Vancouver journalist and author of Fallen Behind, a book on world FOI laws. www.canadafoi/author

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Stanley Tromp Problem gambling is on the rise

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