Maxed Out

There's nothing in the world politicians of all stripes cherish more than a mandate.

Longer ago than many of you were born, representatives from NORML (National Organization for Reform of Marijuana Laws) came to the university where I was a, uh, budding student.

On Oct. 20, those who have not voted in advance polls or opted for mail-in ballots will trundle off to cast their vote for the members of Whistler's municipal council. The task before those six people over the next four years is formidable.

In one way or another, I've spent most of my life writing. In school, university, post-grad, professional and for the past several decades as a freelance writer. I'll admit up front to being a little pedantic when it comes to language and words.

The economic market price for any good is defined by the price for which a seller will sell and the price for which a buyer will buy. Market price is far from a static number.

Reading through this week's council package, three things are abundantly clear: The proposal to allow private developers to build employee beds has turned out to be as ill-advised as I thought it was when the Mayor's Task Force presented it last spri

You wrote on my slate, I love you so....(sic). —Will Cobb & Gus Edwards The lyrics to that century-old, nostalgic song aren't entirely accurate, but they may reflect the current state of municipal politicking.

What do we want? "Workers!" When do we want them? "Now! Where will we house them? "Uh... uh... Two out of three ain't bad!" Businesses, many businesses—but by no means all—are not feelin' the love. Haven't felt it in months.

At the cusp of August and September, September being the eve of October, October being the month of municipal elections, it seems time to check in on the race for mayor of Tiny Town. Well, that didn't take long.

Teruo Nakamura's great war ended in December 1974. Stationed on the Indonesian island of Morotai, Mr. Nakamura was the last documented Japanese soldier, albeit himself Taiwanese, to finally be convinced the Second World War was over...