A lot of chaotic good going on in my life right now, but I don't have a blog post for today. Hopefully I'll be back on track next week!

AI is breaking university In which I rant about the amount of slop some of my classmates posted

I finished my second semester of university and I have some thoughts. open.substack.com/pub/itsryanc...

My allergies have informed me that spring is officially here.

The ethics of Frances Bula running for city council A principle versus an outcome

Should journalists run for office? I've always erred on the side of no. But what if that journalist is a really, really good candidate? open.substack.com/pub/itsryanc...

Pre-surrendering to a far-right party that couldn't even keep itself together for a year is such a hilarious move. Like, what is a Conservative member in Vancouver-Quilchena supposed to think? Why would they vote for a guy who just sold their seat?

"Endorses Dallas Brodie" is pretty much everything anyone needs to know about this candidate.

A vote too far The value, or lack thereof, of First Reading

Over the last year, first reading in the legislature went from a procedural step to a political hot spot. I look at what happened, and whether first reading is even needed. open.substack.com/pub/itsryanc...

Checking in on Canada's political leaders now that there is a full complement again:

Carney: I'm cutting services to increase military spending.
Poilievre: Algerian women are too masculine looking.
Lewis: Provincial NDP governments are traitors to the cause.
May: Inexplicably, I'm still here.

I'm going to have nightmares about this forever now.

Inside a Surrey ‘local news’ site run by AI Surrey Speak published fake news about a politician and an AI-generated picture of a real murder victim

Last month Surrey news site published a scoop about a Vancouver politician's shock resignation.

Except that never happened.

Our investigation found the website, Surrey Speak, is powered completely by AI. And it has links to a tech company backed by SFU #vanpoli

theijf.org/article/insi...

Checking in on the BC Conservative leadership race Once again playing with my leadership race projection model

A quick look at the Conservative leadership race, which will conclude on May 30th. I also dust off my leadership projection model and see what it says (for now).

open.substack.com/pub/itsryanc...

A wharf, mountains, a lake and a floodplain in the foreground

Mountains around a lake with an empty marina in the foreground

Mountains in the background with a wide wharf in the foreground, taken from the wharf looking back at the shore

A bird swimming in a shallow floodplain with dried grass all around

The Shuswap really is beautiful.

A Friday the 13th? In THIS economy!?

"Here is a montage" and "here is a chart" are the kinds of low key sass I live for.

Money and crime Police budgets keep increasing — but does that actually decrease crime?

Once in a while I hear something and think, ‘that doesn't add up…’ This is a post along those lines. open.substack.com/pub/itsryanc...

Someone got a lot of salty emails about his vote to repeal the Human Rights Code.

Why Was a Former School Trustee Fined $750,000? | The Tyee A Tyee explainer on the BC Human Rights Tribunal hate speech decision regarding Barry Neufeld.

In an exclusive interview with @thetyee.ca, an educator who testified against Neufled during the tribunal said his posts made LGBTQ2S(IA)+ students scared to go to school because of increased bullying, and pushed teachers back into the closet. My piece today. thetyee.ca/News/2026/03...

Why Was a Former School Trustee Fined $750,000? | The Tyee A Tyee explainer on the BC Human Rights Tribunal hate speech decision regarding Barry Neufeld.

This case has entered the right-wing political spin cycle. So
@kehyslop.bsky.social took a look at the decision and how Neufeld's actions affected LGBTQ2S+ teachers in the Chilliwack School District.

Their explainer here: thetyee.ca/News/2026/03...

If you'll pardon the pun, it's about damn time.

The shallowness of the politicians rushing to protect Barry Neufeld A nuanced 143-page decision reduced to vapid repeats of tired talking points

Barry Neufeld was found to have repeatedly violated the human rights of his employees following a decade of targeted abuse. Despite that, certain politicians are rushing to protect him. open.substack.com/pub/itsryanc...

It has been over six months since Green leader Elizabeth May announced she would resign as leader and there is still exactly zero information about if a leadership race is even going to happen.

What the Barry Neufeld tribunal ruling means for trans rights in Canada | Xtra Magazine A former Chilliwack school trustee has been ordered to pay $750,000 after years of anti-LGBTQ2S+ posts

There is A LOT to unpack from the decision about former Chilliwack school trustee Barry Neufeld issued last week.

I broke some of it down on video, including the massive $750,000 fine and the tribunal's excellently worded takedown of "gender ideology" rhetoric

xtramagazine.com/video/barry-...

A peculiar progressive primary A recent history of political brokerage in Vancouver

A flurry of mayoral announcements, a divided incumbent team, and a progressive ultimatum. I take a look at the drama unfolding leading up to Vancouver’s municipal election. open.substack.com/pub/itsryanc...

A reminder that Carney's Liberals have passed an entire year with the confidence of the house. There is almost no difference if they end up with a partisan majority from floor crossing or by-elections. They already have a functional government.

I think it's mostly designed to be difficult except in really serious situations (like Reitsma's deceptive letters). If people are angry enough, 40% of electors is doable, but if someone is just trying to oust an MLA they don't like they're unlikely to succeed.

Recollection No British Columbian MLA has ever been recalled — here's what it takes

Recalling an MLA in British Columbia is very difficult, but not impossible. Here's a brief history of recall legislation and the times it's almost been successful. open.substack.com/pub/itsryanc...

Suffering Should Never Be Weaponized | The Tyee ‘Scapegoating vulnerable groups does not make communities safer,’ says a municipal councillor in the wake of the Tumbler Ridge tragedy.

Almost immediately, the tragedy was pulled into the public domain and repackaged, writes municipal councillor Ken Matheson.

Not to support the grieving or help a traumatized community heal, but to advance ideological positions and turn suffering into rage farming. #TumblerRidgeShooting #bcpoli

Everything about this is stupid. Build the [unintelligible] school already.

Supporting people through the Tumbler Ridge tragedy The government of British Columbia is working to ensure every possible support is available for the community of Tumbler Ridge, and for people around the province dealing with the impacts of this trag...

British Columbians come together during tough times to support each other - that’s exactly what we are doing to support the community of Tumbler Ridge during this tragedy.

Provincial supports and information are available on this webpage: gov.bc.ca/TumblerRidge 🙏

Important read.
I fear that the rhetoric around this is going to get very ugly very quickly because of the age we're living in.