by Joy Metcalfe
(click images to enlarge)

BORDER CROSSING BLUES …

One angry American is accusing ArriveCan — Canada’s less-than-successful COVID screening app — of bankrupting Point Roberts, in addition to being ineffective and expensive.

Canada’s Auditor General recently found the documentation and records of the app’s creation to be so poor that they could not determine the total cost of the project. However, the report did estimate it cost taxpayers approximately $60 million and did not provide good value for money.

Former Vancouverite and dual citizen Brian Calder is the president and director of the Point Roberts Chamber of Commerce, President of Point Robert’s Dollars for Scholars program, and main spokesperson for the quaint American village. Calder says that to require Canadians who own houses in Point Roberts to COVID test on their return trip to Canada stopped them from coming during the pandemic.

”It took us three days here to test people. You took the swab and transported it to the testing lab in Bellingham. When the results were ready, you went back and picked up the results, called the person in and announced the results. It was disaster at every level. People could not afford a three or four day interruption in their lives. They just wanted to come down to winterize their houses. And it changed people’s lives and habits regarding visiting Point Roberts to this day.

We remain economically devastated, with border crossings remaining 35 percent down from pre-COVID and 70 percent of those are 15 minute visits for gas,” Calder said.

So, Calder says, perhaps Point Roberts should consider suing the Canadian government for millions in damages for the great personal harm to their public and for the collapsing of their economy…

On a less serious note, Brian has a new idea to bring more folk to Point Roberts. Persuade entertainment gurus Bruce Allen and Sam Feldman to bring back that razmataz fun and excitement with some performances by their classic entertainers. Sit in the summer sun, sip on a cool one and just veg.

Heaven! …

**Nahla Valji..**
*An incorrect photo was originally placed with this article. The West End Journal apologizes for the error.*

A PEACE AND JUSTICE CHAMPION

The headline read “Secretary-General Appoints Ms. Nahla Valji of Canada as the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Eritrea.” Very positive news, but who is this young Canadian woman?

She is the second child of Parin Valji. Nahla’s brother was born in Uganda, and was only one year old when the family was expelled from that country by dictator Idi Amin.

Nahla Valji was born in Canada at Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminster. She said her family’s experience as refugees, and being welcomed to Canada and the privilege of growing up in a pluralist society, shaped her own future.

Valji went to Douglas Road Elementary and then Inman Elementary when they began their French Immersion program. She then attended Moscrop and Burnaby Central, graduating in 1993.

Valji did competitive figure skating as a child, played the piano, and joined her school’s debating program where she won a national title.

After her first year at UBC, she spent the summer working in Ethiopia, teaching English at an orphanage and doing work for local NGO’s. That experience sealed what she wanted to do. After her first degree, Valji headed to South Africa to intern on human rights for six months, but stayed on for almost 12 years.

“It takes a village,” she’s always said, and she is grateful to her elementary and high school teachers for shaping her destiny and giving her direction.

Valji has more than 25 years of experience in sustainable development, peace and security, and gender and human rights, in the United Nations and civil society. She also has expertise in leading institutional reform processes and start-up initiatives, including two UN funds and a Security Council mechanism on women, peace and security.

Prior to her Eritrea appointment, Valji served as the Global Coordinator of the Spotlight Initiative to eliminate violence against women and girls — a €500 million flagship program — and as a Senior Advisor in the Executive Office of the United Nations’ Secretary General.

She founded and was managing editor of the International Journal of Transitional Justice and is co-editor of the Oxford Handbook on Gender and Conflict.

Her mother, Parin, who lives in West Vancouver, couldn’t be more proud of her daughter, her work and her dreams. As we all should be.

A Canadian woman, born in New West, helping to right the world’s injustices. Bravo, Nahla! ...

THREE TIPS OF THE HAT

Tip of the hat to three other inspiring women, the first being Chinatown Foundation’s Carol Lee, who has brought Chinatown back to life through her dogged determination and sheer diligence, forcefully bringing the area’s inhabitants to join in her dream. Her Autumn Festival fundraiser was the Gala Gala Do of the Year, raising more than two million dollars.

The second is Global TV anchor, Sophie Lui. Her intelligence and wide smile light up the TV screen as we watch Global’s six o’clock news of the day. She moonlights as an emcee for every fundraiser in town. Not only was she the winner of a Jack Webster Award in 2023, she’s also on the recently released VanMag’s 50 Top VIP’s, as is Carol.

And then, there’s that ageless and dynamic entertainer, Gillian Campbell, who has been singing her way into everyone’s hearts for the past 60 years. Every year, she’s the famous Mrs. Santa Claus (husband Edward is Santa) and the very glamorous and shapely Klondike Kate, the singing and dancing phenom who brought the Klondike and the Yukon back into the headlines.

The news from Gillian is that she and Edward have been personally invited to be very special guests at the 60th anniversary of the Sourdough Rendezvous. They are both thrilled and grateful for this gift and the ability to once again see all their old Yukon friends that they have made since 1967. At age 86, she is one hot mama! ...

A BIG CHANGE AT LE CROCODILE

Speaking of hot, the Vancouver restaurant world has tilted with the bittersweet news that the renowned restaurateur Michel Jacob is going into a well-earned retirement after 40 years of cooking creative French cuisine. Jacob is officially handing over the keys to his acclaimed West End Le Crocodile to his good buddy, the multi-award winning chef, Rob Feenie, as of May 1.

Personally, I’ll miss his sweet, shy smile and fabulous cuisine. Please enjoy your retirement, Monsieur Le Chef! …

A SOLD OUT SHOW AT PAL

Eleanora Owen, the star of BEING PIAF, the sold out production based on life of France’s Edith Piaf, adored Vancouver during her brief stay.

Eleanor Owen’s one-woman show *BEING PIAF* was a sell-out hit last month at PAL Studio Theatre.

The show was a co-presentation by impresario Bill Allman’s Famous Artists and PAL Studio Theatre’s resident company, Western Gold Theatre.

”It would be an understatement to say that our experience was wonderful. It exceeded our expectations in every aspect. Everything about your city made us feel at home. Not only is Vancouver stunning visually, but everyone we encountered welcomed us with warm smiles. There is no doubt that we will be returning to our ‘home away from home’. We miss you all but it is never au revoir - always a bientot,” Owen gushed.

And she adored Mr. Amazing, Glenn McDonald, Western Gold’s talented general manager…

A FOND FAREWELL

Sad to learn of the sudden passing of the new Italian Consul General, Marco Nobili. He had recently arrived in our city to take on the diplomatic role. A former policeman, his life was dedicated to service and honour in his posts in the Sudan, Croatia, the U.S. and Switzerland. While he was here in Vancouver for only a few short months, his arrival left an indelible mark. He’ll be remembered not only for the positive changes he brought but also for the inspiration he leaves behind.

His sudden death at 57 years has left a void in Vancouver’s close-knit diplomatic landscape. My deepest sympathy to his grieving wife, his two children and his sister. …

NOTES FROM MY NOTEBOOK

Everything on my social calendar is heating up …

Don’t forget that the Vancouver International Wine Festival began February 24 and runs to March 3 with 149 wineries taking part from 12 different countries. The popular and oh-so-talented Howard Soon was the honourary chair of Saturday’s Bacchanalia Gala at the Hotel Vancouver. This fundraiser is for Christopher Gaze’s amazing Bard on the Beach …
The third annual Vancouver Cocktail Week follows on March 3 to 10 with creative bartenders arriving from all parts of the world to show off their expertise, all, I’m sure, trying to outdo Tom Cruise…
And the annual Kidney Foundation’s dressy gala will be held at the new Vancouver Paradox Hotel on Saturday, March 9 with the talented and successful auctioneer, Fred Lee, and guess who? Sophie Lui as emcee …
That silver-toned broadcaster, Stirling Faux, has just hit an impressive milestone — fifty years of broadcasting in Vancouver radio!