PM Carney will be joined on trip to #China by Ministers Joly (Industry), Anand (Foreign Affairs), Hodgson (Energy & Natural Resources), Heath MacDonald (Agriculture), Maninder Sidhu (Export Promotion, International Trade); MP Michael Ma; & Sask Premier Moe. islandsocialtrends.ca/varied-high-...

Carney squeezing in a trip to BC's north coast ahead of departing for China: assessing the possibility of #pipeline success to the #BC coast before Canada engages with one of the intended international markets for oil by way of such a proposed pipeline. islandsocialtrends.ca/carney-quick... #cdnpoli

Before heading back to Ottawa for the next #HouseofCommons session, Green MP #ElizabethMay (Saanich-Gulf Islands) is holding 5 community meetings Jan 11-18. She hopes to hear from constituents about their challenges with #affordability & other important issues. islandsocialtrends.ca/elizabeth-ma...

Conservative Leader Pierre #Poilievre likely to hear about #publicsafety & #affordability during town hall on Saturday Jan 10 in Duncan. Two Conservative MPs will co-host: Jeff Kibble (Cowichan-Malahat-Langford) & Tamara Kronis (#Nanaimo-Ladysmith). islandsocialtrends.ca/conservative... | #cdnpoli

Learn about #Antarctica in a three-part free series at the Sidney/North Saanich #Library led by scientist-in-residence Dr Sophia Johannessen. islandsocialtrends.ca/three-part-s... | #climatechange #coastal

Busy travel schedule! Prime Minister Carney will be squeezing in a one-day trade visit to #Qatar between his visit to China and his attendance at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland. islandsocialtrends.ca/prime-minist... | #tradediversification #cdnpoli

BC and #WashingtonState legislatures to formalize a working group on Thursday in Vancouver... at a time when there are unusual tensions between Canada and the United States. Shows a practical recognition of shared interests between #westcoast jurisdictions. islandsocialtrends.ca/bc-and-washi...

Prime Minister Mark Carney is heading to China for an official visit with President Xi Jinping Jan 13 to 17, then heading to Switzerland for the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting Jan 19 to 21. islandsocialtrends.ca/january-2026... | #cdnpoli #trade #economy

BC trade mission to #India Jan 12-17 will be led by BC Premier David Eby & Minister of Jobs and Growth Ravi Kahlon,visiting 4 cities to build trade partnerships in #digitaltech, #AI, energy, critical minerals, forestry, #agritech. Part of BC's LookWest strategy. islandsocialtrends.ca/eby-kahlon-u...

The aggressor is the United States, as #Trump continues to express desire to take over #Greenland which is a territory of Denmark. Today Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney met with Danish Prime Minister Mitte Frederiksen who is President of the Arctic council. islandsocialtrends.ca/carney-parti...

Liberal MP Chrystia Freeland resigning to take on advisory role in #Ukraine. Smart #cdnpoli politics; Carney will now have an confidante within Ukraine as Canada continues to support defence and restoration in Ukraine ($2.5 billion more announced last week). islandsocialtrends.ca/chrystia-fre... |

If you travel to/from downtown Victoria note 5 weeks of #traffic delays starting Jan 12 during planned #BCHydro upgrade on underground cable. Douglas St lane closures (Topaz to Burnside). Expect commuter delays & traffic congestion on other routes. islandsocialtrends.ca/douglas-st-t... | #yyjtraffic

People expect more of their public #park spaces. In the City of #Langford public input over the past year has shows increased interest in off-leash dog spaces, food-growing capacity in #urban spaces & multi-use trails. Jan 4 is the last day for input. islandsocialtrends.ca/jan-4-final-... | #outdoor

Canada’s response to overnight US military action at #Trump's direction in #Venezuela -- by #Carney, Anand & Poilievre & various pundits. My editorial on what Canadians may now wish to consider. #newsmedia covered this for Canadians on #NewYear2026 long weekend. islandsocialtrends.ca/canadas-resp...

Green Party Leader #ElizabethMay looks to 2026 with surprise about #PrimeMinister Carney's choices and governance style, yet with hope for Canadians. This is the Island Social Trends #yearend look at federal politics through an interview with May. islandsocialtrends.ca/elizabeth-ma... | #cdnpoli

The birth tally in 2024 & 2025 in British Columbia is back up to the 2019 pre-pandemic level, but still not back to 2017 and 2018 levels amidst continuing #economic #uncertainty & #affordabilty challenges. islandsocialtrends.ca/bc-birth-tal... | #family #population

Langford's first community garden was launched in 2025. Now this new municipal physical & social infrastructure needs reliable funding. Relying on volunteers to run this beautiful asset is like expecting other fundamental city services to be volunteer-dependent. islandsocialtrends.ca/langfords-fi...

Pulling your vehicle forward into the empty #parking stall ahead seems like the easy option, but has risks due to limited visibility of an oncoming vehicle. Do you pull in front-forward or back into a shopping mall parking stall? islandsocialtrends.ca/pulling-forw... | #driving #safety

The cost almost everything continues to go up. In Greater Victoria #yyj that will also include #water, as the cost of water supply #infrastructure for continual #housing growth will be passed on to developers & water users via Capital Regional District (CRD). islandsocialtrends.ca/crd-water-dc...

Got time over the holidays? Here's one more chance for public input through an online #survey (to Jan 4) about the #Langford Parks & Trails Master Plan. Background documents include maps: #Parkland | #Trails | Equity Initiative | Off-Leash Dogs | #Playgrounds. islandsocialtrends.ca/final-round-...

Canada backs #Ukraine with $2.5 billion to unlock further financing for military & intelligence defence efforts as well as #reconstruction, announced in Halifax today, one day ahead of #Zelenskyy's next in-person meeting with US President #Trump. islandsocialtrends.ca/canada-backs...

Prime Minister Carney does seem to realize that the #affordability crisis for Canadians is a macroeconomic issue... will require more #housing supply (lower cost housing through Build Canada Homes) & more business competition. Both of those will take time. islandsocialtrends.ca/carneys-2025...

Today's #Christmas message pilgrimage theme by #KingCharles III: he highlighted his journey to pray with Pope Leo at the Vatican as a historic moment of #spiritual unity. The world is undergoing a pilgrimage of hope to the future while learning from the past. islandsocialtrends.ca/2025-christm...

Updated link: islandsocialtrends.ca/good-news-fo... | In addition to pay raises over 5 yrs, employees will be moved to an hourly rate of pay (rural/suburban). Parcel delivery model to include weekends.

Can it be? That the ongoing situation of #postal #workers striking may finally be coming to an end? #CanadaPost & CUPW have reached a tentative agreement; ratification vote by CUPW members in Jan 2026. The new deal includes yearly pay increases to Jan 31, 2029. islandsocialtrends.ca/canada-post-...

Weather conditions improved before 6 pm, so most of the previously cancelled sailings got up and running again this evening, Dec 22 (though the Victoria-Vancouver sailings were only taking foot passengers). More: islandsocialtrends.ca/dec-22-bc-fe... | #holidaytravel #IslandLifestyle #BCFerries

BC #Budget2026 is coming up Feb 17. How firmly will the BC NDP be able to hold onto their values of supporting people when the #economy needs aggressive approaches to investment. #Jobtraining is already strategic in health-care & trades. islandsocialtrends.ca/bc-budget-20... | #bcpoli #tradewar

Dec 22 BC Ferries cancellations disrupt #HolidayTravel of people to and from #VancouverIsland. All-day cancellations today: Vancouver/Victoria and Vancouver/Nanaimo due to #weatherforecast that includes high winds and wave height in the Strait of Georgia. islandsocialtrends.ca/dec-22-bc-fe...

The $46 million Lotto 6/49 gold ball #winning #ticket for the Dec 20, 2025 draw was purchased in Quesnel. Winner has one year to come forward. islandsocialtrends.ca/46-million-l... | #lottery

Where #Carney could find his next floor-crossers: 'Red Tories' (Conservatives who are liberal on social policy), MPs who support macro-economic leadership, and/or Conservatives who are not fully supportive of party leader Pierre Poilievre's direction. islandsocialtrends.ca/liberals-aim... | #cdnpoli

BC Transit will again this year be providing bus service on New Year’s Eve (Wed Dec 31, 2025) in Greater Victoria and regions around the province. Schedules posted online. islandsocialtrends.ca/bc-transit-b... | #transit #publictransportation #yyj #VancouverIsland

Over two years in the making -- now a final round of public input on the City of Langford #Parks and #Trails Master Plan with an online #survey up to end of day Jan 4, 2026. islandsocialtrends.ca/input-to-jan...

Some obvious shortfalls in BC Hydro's customer billing service performance are fixable including their call-in #verification process and how the #billingsystem applies payment dates. This highlights an area of #customerservice that has not been prioritized. islandsocialtrends.ca/fixable-shor...

When property taxes go up rents also go up (property investors of which there are many in Langford will satisfy their mortgage obligations). Many renters' incomes don't escalate to keep up with tax increases on property they don't own. Social pressures include more people living in one household.

City of #Langford makes a strategic start on #Budget2026 by deciding to consider four tax increase options: 3%, 6%, 9% & 11%. Councillor @marywagnerlangford.bsky.social succeeded in including 11% on that list to help ensure continued community improvements. islandsocialtrends.ca/strategic-st...

A silent and deadly political switch as now former Conservative MP Michael Ma switches over to the Liberals, right after the end of the 45th Parliament fall session. The Liberals are now short of a majority by just one seat. islandsocialtrends.ca/silent-switc... | #cdnpoli @liberalca.bsky.social

If you had a non-obvious physical #disability, should you need to reveal it to people in your #workplace or community in order to function better in #employment or an activity? Some thoughts on the societal bias against non-obvious disability (comments welcome): islandsocialtrends.ca/greater-awar...

Cowichan-Malahat-Langford riding on south Vancouver Island has a large geographical footprint, so large that the MP Jeff Kibble has two offices: one in Duncan, one in Langford. Two sets of holiday events. Duncan: islandsocialtrends.ca/jeff-kibble-... | Langford: islandsocialtrends.ca/jeff-kibble-...

Carney Liberals are 'right of centre' & still don’t realize they are a #minority govt says #NDP Leader Don Davies. Also today: Davies met with BC NDP Jobs Minister Ravi Kahlon & BC Finance Minister Brenda Bailey in Ottawa (2 days after meeting with economists). islandsocialtrends.ca/carney-liber...

BC AG @nikisharma.bsky.social rightfully points out the contribution of her BC team to new federal Bill C-16 -- that if passed will make great strides to serve victims of intimate partner & sexual violence, and see that offenders aren't avoiding trial by delay. islandsocialtrends.ca/bc-attorney-...

The @townofviewroyal.bsky.social is seeking support from other municipalities as part of a pushback to the BC NDP government on their #housing legislation which streamlines or reduces public participation. islandsocialtrends.ca/build-housin... | #housingcrisis #VancouverIsland #bcpoli

On #NationalDayofRemembrance and Action on Violence Against Women. The 1989 massacre was misogyny coming out of the closet. And perhaps it's time for the Gender portfolio to be moved out of BC Finance into a Ministry of its own. islandsocialtrends.ca/insights-dec... | @j-blatherwick-mla.bsky.social

A month of Winter Fest activities in #Langford, with Christmas tree #lightup on Sat Dec 6 at 7:15 pm, followed by the truck #parade coming through at 7:30 pm. islandsocialtrends.ca/langford-lig... | #events #westshore

Mark Carney's remarks at #FIFAWorldCup2026draw today: “It is the biggest of deals... the number one sport for Canadian boys & girls. We are partnered with the US & Mexico, welcoming the world,” he said about Canada hosting games in Toronto & Vancouver in 2026. islandsocialtrends.ca/prime-minist...

New BC Conservative Interim Leader Trevor Halford says his focus will be on the party being ‘ready to go’ — for the Spring 2026 session and a future provincial election. islandsocialtrends.ca/bc-conservat... | #bcpoli

This year the annual #NationalDayofRemembrance Action on Violence Against #Women lands on a Saturday. Weekday vigil will be held on front steps of BC Parliament Buildings on Thurs Dec 4 at 12:30 pm led by @j-blatherwick-mla.bsky.social . Livestream: islandsocialtrends.ca/dec-4-vigil-... | #yyjevents

Community info session on #policing & #publicsafety (including new West Shore RCMP detachment building) for communities served by #WestShore #RCMP (Langford, Colwood, Metchosin, View Royal Highlands) on Tues Dec 9 (6 to 8 pm), 2840 Peatt Rd, Langford. islandsocialtrends.ca/west-shore-r...

Mini federal cabinet shuffle: Marc Miller – Canadian Identity & Culture; Minister Responsible for Official Languages | Julie Debrussin – Environment, Climate Change Change & Nature | Joël Lightbound – Govt Transformation, Public Works & Procurement; Quebec Lt. islandsocialtrends.ca/dec-1-federa...

Environment Canada weather advisories are now colour-coded: yellow, orange and red. It's more about impacts of #weather than the meteorology -- as a way to help people and communities prepare for disruptive or extreme weather events. islandsocialtrends.ca/environment-...

BC Council of Forest Industries says the effectiveness of Carney's new federal #lumber supports will depend on speed & efficiency of delivery. Long-term solution remains a durable, negotiated softwood lumber agreement. islandsocialtrends.ca/cofi-federal... | #softwood #tariff @rparmarbc.bsky.social