BCBusiness Report Card: The NDP considers going full Thanos and the power of six

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

As most everyone has noted, this year is basically like the dog-in-a-house-that’s-on-fire GIF.

Except the problem is, that’s not fully representative of 2020. Sure, the fire could be COVID-19; that makes sense. But you’d also need something to represent the actual U.S. fires that are making their presence felt in B.C. And the political ones, too. Oh, and where are the moths?

But you know what? This is fine. 

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

Groups of six

Grade: A

Good things come in sixes, right? Well, at least according to the government and health minister Adrian Dix, who pleaded with B.C. citizens to keep their interactions to the same group of six. It’s a good initiative, and it’s also fun to say, “Adrian Dix says stick to six,” so that feels like a double win.

Here’s our definitive ranking of the best things that come in six:

1. Beer (though there’s an argument that the tall cans in four packs are much more economical)
2. Eggs (though when’s the last time you didn’t just get 12?)
3. The French composers known as Les Six (though they all worked together only once)
4. The cast of Friends (though Seinfeld did much more with four)

Hopefully, BCers join that list soon. Lots of room there for improvement.

Vancity

Grade: A

Prime Minister Trudeau, Vancity and seven other Canadian financial institutions announced the launch of Canada’s first-ever Black Entrepreneurship Program earlier this week. 

The banks have collectively committed up to $128 million in lending capital for the program’s new Black Entrepreneurship Loan Fund—through which Black-led business organizations will provide loans of between $25,000 and $250,000 to Black business owners and entrepreneurs to support their growth and success in the years to come.

We know you’re waiting for jokes and such, but this is just a great initiative. So much so that it makes us not resent big banks. Well, maybe not that much.

Snap elections

Grade: B

There’s been a lot of talk about whether the NDP will call a “snap election” a year before such an event is necessary. We have no real insight on this, except to say it very much reminds us of Thanos.

OK, one thing: general trends around how discontent seems to linger around political parties tell us that, yeah, the NDP will probably never be as popular as they are right now—especially as the pandemic gets worse in B.C. The Snappening might be very real. 

Moths

Grade: D

Just what we needed. 2020 really is like Ali in his prime. It’s got us on the ropes and is just whipping out shots. Now we’re actually interested to see how it performs for an encore. Whitewalkers, perhaps? Leeches? Actually, we’re pretty sure how it’ll happen.

Vancouver Courier

Grade: F

“Competition” between media in the province (if it ever was a thing) has given way to “desperately hoping for collective survival,” so it was heartbreaking to see the historic Courier call it quits after 112 years.

Best of luck to everyone there, and can’t wait to work with you on the communications team at BC Hydro in due time.