BCBusiness Report Card: Basketball stars and a reason not to vote

We assess how different people/things and, of course, businesses fared this week

Did something happen last week?

Maybe something that will collectively determine our future as a nation?

Just kidding; we were there for all of it, including the fateful, final end that will really serve as more of a beginning to government infighting for the next four (?) years.

A minority government can mean working together to achieve what the majority of Canadians actually want. Wake me up if that happens.

Here’s what made the grade (and what didn’t) this week.

Greater Vancouver Board of Trade

Grade: A

Technically, the GVBOT appointed Bridgitte Anderson president and CEO last week, but again—we were a bit busy then.

Anderson, the first woman named to the role in the board’s 132-year history, will start her new position on November 12.

For the past four years, she’s been leading the Vancouver operations of Edelman, a global communications firm based in Chicago.

It’s big news for the business community, which has gained a capable champion in Anderson.

Indochino

Grade: B+

Not much lends street cred to a fashion company like adding a budding NBA superstar. Especially in basketball-starved Vancouver.

So Indochino adding a collection designed by New York Knicks first-round pick RJ Barrett will undoubtedly turn some heads.

It’s another smart move by CEO Drew Green, who does not hide his love of sports. The company has also partnered with the New York Yankees because, you know, pinstripes are powerful.

Recyclers

Grade: B

Beverage container deposits and refunds are set to rise in B.C., which is great news for many. The deposit on non-alcoholic beverage containers up to one litre in size will double from five cents to 10 cents on November 1, giving consumers another reason to recycle their empties.

Not only might this encourage people to recycle more, but it helps the many poor people who depend on binning as a source of income. We’d grade this higher, but, you know, it does still feel a bit of a drop in the ocean.

Beer on BC Ferries

Grade: B–

For someone who’s been taking ferries since childhood, the advancements that the province’s favourite vehicle company have made of late really are shocking.

Sure, the Internet is god awful. But at least it’s an attempt. Plus, debit cards? And now serving beer?

This isn’t the BC Ferries we know and feel broadly “meh” about!

Well, it still actually kind of is. The beer is only available in the Pacific Buffet—presumably because the organization wants to start a class war.

As for the actual offerings? Not bad. Blue Buck and Parallel 49 Lager are solid choices; can’t lie. We want to be mad about the ratio of beer to wine options (there are four of the latter), but let’s be real: this is the Pacific Buffet—so it would be a major shocker if chardonnay wasn’t the top seller by far.

Anyone into this class war idea? Just us?

Being honest

Grade: F

Aside from Yves-François Blanchet and Elizabeth May, the other major federal party leaders had no reason to be happy. Justin Trudeau lost a majority, Andrew Scheer is still Opposition leader (despite betting Elizabeth May $50 he would win the election, idiot) and Jagmeet Singh’s party lost 15 seats and was essentially banished from the second-biggest province in the country.

Yet all three men were trying to present the results as some sort of win. Yo, you failed in what you tried to do. Be honest and humble and accept that. Every business book you’ll ever read will tell you that failures are an intrinsic part of success. Even so, our leaders have no interest in admitting they screwed up—except when they absolutely have to. Failure isn’t always a bad thing, dudes.

Burnaby North–Seymour

Grade: F–

Re-electing Liberal MP Terry Beech was fine. He’s a good MP who generally seems to connect with his constituents. He was able to fight off a tough challenger in NDP candidate Svend Robinson in an area where the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion has been deeply unpopular.

But the real tragedy in the riding?

Heather Leung, the former Conservative candidate who was kicked out of the party before the election (for some horrific past comments), but, after it was too late to get her off the ballot, got 19.5 percent of the vote. She received 9,572 votes.

Yeah.

Everyone talks about how much a civic responsibility voting is. But if you’re going to do literally no research—or, you know, if you have views that are harmful to society—please just don’t bother.