Local Vancouver News & Commentary

The Sun's Daphne Bramham writes: The Olympics are a rare event. They not only bridge the gender gap, the Games are the only major sporting event that women watch in greater numbers than men. That's what the U.S.-based Pew Research Center has found in two separate surveys of the Olympics.

For more on this story, you can click here.

When the Sun's Randy Shore wrote about one-woman manga industry Camilla d'Errico in September of this year, she had an astonishing range of projects on the go, from video games and graphic novels to comics and, of course, her paintings. Read the package of articles here: http://bit.ly/6goiWQ and here: http://bit.ly/4PIJ9o (second link has more pix of d'Errico's work.) 

Life hasn't slowed down for d'Errico since then. She continues to show her original paintings in galleries both here and in cities around the world. Her second Tanpopo graphic novel is now out, this one based on the text of the Rime of the Ancient Mariner, and a third one is due in the spring. But on Friday night, the creation of d'Errico's taking centre stage was her new line of clothing and accessories, on display at El Kartel on Robson street. The collection of hoodies, t-shirts, dresses, beanies and handbags features images from d'Errico's Helmetgirl paintings in vibrant neon colours, and there's even a pair of plush toys based on characters in her Tanpopo books.

In person, d'Errico comes across as warm, friendly and infectiously enthusiastic. As she cheerfully signed copies of her books for young fans, I asked her about the line between art and design. With her creativity taking so many different forms these days, does she think of herself primarily as an artist, or equally as a designer? Her answer: "I think of the clothes as wearable art. Why should art only be something you hang on your wall?" 

I couldn't agree more, especially when that art happens to come in such a stylish package. See the clothes, and read more about Camilla d'Errico at www.camilladerrico.com.

Is it contrarian to argue governments are spending too much money? Here's a little essay that makes the case.

It is fair to criticize the Conservative government for cutting the goods and services tax by a percentage point to five per cent last year. Many economists viewed the move as a political gimmick and argued that cuts to personal income, capital gains or corporate profits would have been more productive.

On the other hand, the GST cut did boost retail sales briefly, and it has the lowest marginal efficiency cost of any other tax.

Whether one tax cut is more effective than another is an honest and legitimate debate that serves to inform policy-making.

But claims by some commentators that the GST cuts are responsible for the federal deficit are neither honest nor legitimate. Their argument goes something like this: Given the forgone revenue as a result of the two-phased GST cut from seven per cent to five per cent -- pegged at an astounding $12 billion a year (why isn't mainstream media all over this this?) -- a deficit was inevitable and completely avoidable. And all the money from tax cuts went into the pockets of the wealthy and greedy corporations rather than into the collective good, things like national child care and environmental projects.

The mathematics of this polemic is simple.

If the GST collects $30 billion a year at a five per cent, it would amass $42 billion at seven. Voila, $12 billion lost.

Unfortunately for these commentators, the federal government is required to keep track of its revenue and expenditures using generally accepted accounting principles, not Grade 5 arithmetic.

The annual statement for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2007, reports a drop in GST revenues of $1.7 billion, reflecting the impact of the GST rate reduction to six per cent from seven per cent. The statement for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2008, shows a drop of $1.4 billion, which takes into account the two cuts July 1, 2006, and Jan. 1, 2008, to five per cent. The annual statements are made public each September so we'll have to wait a few months before we see whether the loss for a full fiscal year at five per cent reaches $12 billion. Don't bet on it.

The truth of the matter is the federal government doesn't have a revenue problem, it has a spending problem.

Indeed, government revenue grew without pause from $203.8 billion in 2004 to $256.6 billion in 2008, while expenditures grew by more than 20 per cent, or nearly twice the rate of economic growth. Some of that spending covered payroll for an expanding public service. There were 297,357 more people working in the public sector in 2008 than there were in 2004.

Ottawa is not alone in its profligacy. Over the past five years, all provincial governments increased spending beyond what was needed to compensate for inflation and population growth.

The federal deficit, and deficits racked up by provinces, are a direct result of the inability of governments to control spending.

The latest round of "stimulus" spending will not kickstart economic growth, it will become a burden that holds the promise of more debt and higher taxes down the road.

Just how much of burden was made painfully clear in a report by the economics division of the TD Bank, which estimated that a string of annual deficits over the next five years -- starting with the $50 million shortfall this year that Finance Minister Jim Flaherty has already acknowledged -- will add $170 billion to the $468-billion national debt.

Debt service accounts for eight cents of every dollar of revenue and ranks as the second-biggest expenditure after social services.

Some Canadians believe that if taxation is good, more taxation is better. The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives published a union-financed study, Canada's Quiet Bargain, which extolled the benefits of public spending.

It purported to prove that Canadians get a good deal "by investing in taxes" and that tax cuts have reduced Canadians' living standards.

In fact, productivity declines as the tax rate increases and productivity, more than ever as the population ages, will be the engine of economic growth and higher living standards.

We need growth to create jobs so people have income on which they pay taxes. No one will reasonably argue that the tax rate be reduced to zero per cent, nor that it be 100 per cent of income.

In both of these extreme cases, as the Laffer Curve illustrates, government tax revenue would be nothing. Governments need tax revenue to finance their activities.

A majority of Canadians believe in public health insurance, public pensions, public employment insurance and public education, and most would agree that these services contribute to the quality of life.

Nevertheless, governments have built up too much debt by paying out more than they take in.

And there are only two ways to resolve it -- raise taxes or reduce spending.

The choice seems obvious.

From New York to Vancouver, Daniel Boulud applies a local twist to the art of cooking French cuisine.

The essence of gastronomy is the attentive study of the relationship between culture and food. By discovering more about the natural and social environment in which a meal is prepared, a student can acquire a deeper level of taste and understanding. Essentially, studying the combination of science, art and food can make one a pupil of the gastronomic arts. To become a master, however, one has to have lived it. It should come then as no surprise that internationally celebrated Chef Daniel Boulud was born in Lyon, France—the world’s beating heart of gastronomy.

I first met Daniel in New York City in a small cocktail lounge so obscure that even the taxi driver had no idea where it was. The doors opened up into an entirely unexpected and buzzing environment; a dimly lit small room packed with an eclectic crowd of artists, business types and scenesters. A glowing bar was suddenly ablaze with glasses of absinthe, the small group of revelers applauding. I looked up at the smiling barman and found myself standing face to face with Chef Boulud. “I’m so glad that you found the place,” he said, as he warmly shook my hand. “This is one of my favourite spots.”

Despite being a French Michelin-star chef of international fame and repute as well as the proprietor of 10 award-winning restaurants, Daniel is always learning, and loves to immerse himself deeply into the local culture of each new project, wherever it may be. He learns everything he can about a city and, in turn, uses that knowledge and experience as inspiration for spectacular dishes in a classic French style.

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It’s a sunny Sunday brunch at DB Bistro Moderne and the room is full. Daniel bustles over to the table and then calmly sits down, mentally shifting gears from the busy kitchen to the front of the restaurant. “It’s nice to see you again. May I offer you some of the salad today? It’s quite excellent; the vegetables were just picked this morning.” He motions to a server who glides into the kitchen. Daniel sits upright yet affably composed, his attention comfortably divided between running the kitchen and having lunch with me simultaneously. I’m curious as to how Daniel is enjoying Vancouver. “I love this city,” he replies. “It’s wonderfully diverse and inspiring.” He particularly appreciates the artistic and multicultural face of Vancouver, and the self-professed art lover can be found on his days off enjoying Gastown galleries and the diverse offerings of Commercial Drive.

As he pauses to take a sip of water, my salad arrives. Sure enough, the light, mixed organic greens are both refreshing and flavourful; a beautifully balanced blend leaving me wondering what is next on the menu. “We source all of our ingredients from Canada,” he says. “Most of them are fished or farmed locally. I like to work with the best quality that I can find, and that comes from the freshest local produce.” With a mandate to support local business as much as possible, he frequents farms in East Vancouver and UBC and even indulges in trips to Granville Island for produce inspections. “I like to take photos in each city at the markets and reflect upon what I see,” Daniel says.

Part of his introduction to Vancouver has also been dining out at many other great local kitchens and popping by unannounced at cooking schools to support young aspiring chefs. Daniel believes that the superb quality of the restaurants in Vancouver is a direct reflection of the city’s wide diversity, and that it is this very diversity that has helped us to become a city of gastronomic excellence. “There are many people here who care about health and active lifestyle, so we have incorporated unique vegetarian dishes on the menu,” he explains. Vancouverites also tend to care strongly about the environment and demand excellent value, he adds. Daniel feels it has much to do with the ‘West Coast’ contemporary approach, which he defines as an evolution, an “interesting mix of staying true to oneself and bringing in a new dynamic to the food.” In regard to French cuisine, Boulud’s creed is that “French bistro food can be either safe or daring; it is constantly evolving, yet doesn’t follow trends.”

This is a philosophy that has been proven successful, as Vancouver foodies have embraced DB Bistro Moderne and the revamped Lumière despite economically lean times. “This is not the old Lumière,” Daniel bluntly states, referencing a past reputation of pricey eight-course menus for special occasions. In a continuing effort to make his guests comfortable, Daniel’s Lumière now also offers a unique and delectable dining experience that will leave guests’ palates and pocketbooks more than satisfied. The new three-course prix fixe menu offers spectacular meal suggestions at an amazing value. Creating these culinary delights alongside Daniel are the inspired DB Bistro Moderne Chef de Cuisine Stephane Istel and the prodigious Dale MacKay at Lumière, their superb talents and friendly demeanour bringing regulars back for more.

Our lunch wraps up, and the kitchen beckons Daniel, who politely excuses himself and returns to his canvas. Throughout our conversation his complete dedication to his craft was apparent. A professional at every level in the restaurant industry, Boulud certainly merits all his successes, yet remains humble and mindful of his roots. His understanding of family, culture and the way people like to eat help drive him to create—be it for an obscure cocktail bar in New York or a local favourite in Vancouver, Daniel endeavours to learn from, and be inspired by, the best each region has to offer. He shared this gastronomic philosophy with his grandparents, who opened the first small, family-run Café Boulud in France years ago, and whose picture is hanging at DB Bistro Moderne today. It is a strong reminder of how old meets new. “All my restaurants share the same philosophy,” Daniel states.” Everything on the menu is related to classic preparation and the local interpretation of ingredients.” For anyone interested in learning more about the art of gastronomy, a dining experience at either DB Bistro Moderne or Lumière is an excellent first course.