It’s election night in Canada! Follow on social media, radio, television and online — everywhere you turn and tune in will have coverage across the country. Watching democracy in action has my pulse racing as though I’m watching Canada in the Olympics.
Personally, I’m flipping between several channels on TV, following the #ELXN42 tag on Twitter and using the Canada Election Dashboard from the CBC. No numbers have been released yet pertaining to voter turnout but given the streams of “I voted!” posts I saw on my social feeds today, I think (and hope) it was higher than the last election.
In Vancouver, polls are just closing as those who were in line before 7:00pm get to cast their ballots. I’ll post the results below as they come in later tonight:
Vancouver Centre: Hedy Fry (LIB) Vancouver East: Jenny Kwan (NDP) Vancouver Granville: Jody Wilson-Raybould (LIB) Vancouver Kingsway: Don Davies (NDP) Vancouver Quadra: Joyce Murray (LIB) Vancouver South: Harjit Sajjan (LIB)
As of 8:37pm: two MPs have officially been elected. Incumbent Hedy Fry in Vancouver Centre and incumbent Joyce Murray in Vancouver Quadra. 8:47pm, Jenny Kwan is elected in Vancouver East. CBC News projects that Jody Wilson-Raybould is elected in Vancouver Granville, and that incumbent Don Davies is elected for Vancouver Kingsway, at 9:05pm. 9:25pm, CBC News projects that Liberal Harjit Sajjan wins Vancouver South.
As of 11:59pm: Polls Reporting: 73,200 of 73,568 (99.5 %)
Voter Turnout: 17,465,299 of 25,638,379 registered electors (68.12 %) — does not include electors who registered on election day. This is the highest voter turnout in Canada since 1993. (Sources 1, 2)
Follow the #ELXN42 tag on Twitter for the latest results and follow the official Elections Canada result dashboard for more information.
The HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series comes to Vancouver March 12-13, 2016 at BC Place for the annual HSBC Canada Sevens Tournament and tickets are now on sale. The two-day Men’s tournament will feature 16 nations playing 45 matches of fast-paced entertaining rugby, paired with an equally dynamic festival experience where fan participation plays an important role.
HSBC Canada Sevens is a two-day indoor rugby sevens tournament will feature 16 of the world’s top men’s sevens teams. The HSBC Canada Sevens will be the fifth stop in a ten-stop world tour as part of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series. Sevens rugby, a fast-paced and shorter version of traditional rugby with only seven players per side, has built a huge international audience through the success of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series, which attracts large audiences in markets around the world.
Tournament passes provide access to all 45 games over the course of the two day festival, and can be purchased online via Ticketmaster, or by contacting Ticket Master at 1-855-985-5000. Tickets are currently being sold as 2-day Tournament Passes only. Single day tickets will be released on Tuesday, November 17th, pending availability.
Win Tickets to HSBC Canada Sevens Rugby
Just in time for Halloween — what would rugby and Halloween have in common? you might wonder — I’m giving away a Canada Rugby Sevens prize pack. You see a big part of the tournament, I’ve come to learn, is dressing up as it hosts a carnival atmosphere where fan wears either fancy dress or a costume of some kind. Groups of fans dress in themed costumes and sometimes host cities have their own themes (like monsters or galactic) to inspire fans.
So while you’re thinking about your Halloween costume, also look ahead to Canada Rugby Sevens in March. That will be even easier to do if you win my prize pack! It includes: 2 tournament passes, costumes for you to wear to the tournament (winner + guest), and some Canada Sevens branded merchandise.
Here’s how you can enter to win:
Leave a comment naming what kind of costume you might wear to the tournament should you win these contest tickets (1 entry)
Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)
RT to enter to win a HSBC @CanadaSevens #rugby prize pack from @Miss604 http://ow.ly/TBqcz
Follow Canada Sevens on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. The HSBC World Rugby Women’s Sevens Series will be held at Westhills stadium in Langford BC, April 2016 (exact dates will be announced in the coming weeks).
I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 12:00pm on Sunday, November 1, 2015.
Thrill the World is coming up as local groups, in communities around the world, simultaneously take part in the world record attempt for the most people dancing to Michael Jackson’s Thriller at the same time.
The event is fun for dancers (and non dancers who want to learn the moves), families, those who love to dress up, zombie enthusiasts, and of course MJ fans. The best part is that each Thrill The World community event raises funds for local charities.
Thrill The World Surrey
When: Saturday, October 24, 2015 from 1:00pm to 3:30pm. Global Thrill time is 3:00pm sharp.
Where: Cloverdale Youth Park (NE corner of 176th St and 62 Ave, Surrey)
Thrill the World launched in 2006 with 62 zombies at “Thrill Toronto” and fuelled epic worldwide excitement which grows every year. In 2013 alone, over 6400 zombies in 22 countries around the world took part, breaking yet another world record.
Miss604 is happy to support this event and I have donated a few prizes to be handed out on Saturday as well.
Follow Thrill the World Surrey on Facebook for more information and to learn about rehearsals if you would like to study the moves in advance. Download the dance script or follow the step-by-step instructional video to learn on your own time before the big day. There will be several run-throughs and practice dances before the main event at 3:00pm.
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by Rebecca BollwittDisclosure: Review — This is not a paid post. Views are my own. My tour was part of a media visit with Kootenay Rockies Tourism. Please review the Policy & Disclosure section for further information.
When surrounded by Mother Nature’s finest handy work, in one of the most impressive landscapes on the planet, you may find yourself feeling more daring and adventurous than you ever dreamed you could be.
On an crisp, early autumn morning, my Kootenay Rockies travel media group trip set out from Cathedral Mountain Lodge in Yoho National Park, stopping at Truffle Pigs in Field, BC to fuel up with some delicious lattes. Our destination that day was the town of Golden, nestled in the Rocky Mountain Trench and built around the confluence of the Columbia and Kicking Horse rivers. It is surrounded by the Purcell Mountain, the Rocky Mountains, and five national parks, making Golden one amazing outdoor adventure playground.
Our itinerary, while in the Golden area, included kayaking, an activity that I am very familiar with and enjoy immensely. It turns out that I had no idea that I would have to push myself so far that day — and that I would feel so great afterward.
We parked along the Kicking Horse River and our group was picked up by Alpine Rafting’s owner and guide, Jim Pleym. Now in its 30th year, 17 of which have been with Jim at the helm, Alpine Rafting offers rafting trips, kayak and paddle board tours, and adventure trips for groups of many sizes.
We drove along an old logging road (a theme throughout our stay in the Golden area) and stopped at a lookout to gaze at Wapta Falls. Standing 98 feet tall and 500 feet wide, it’s the largest waterfall of the Kicking Horse River. We peered down as it looked so small in the shadows of the towering mountains in the background but we were about to get a much closer look.
Dancing along the border of Yoho National Park, our input area was along the Beaverfoot River, which wasn’t as wide as the Kicking Horse but it was very swift. Our group had 4 kayakers in inflatable vessels, and 2 stand up paddle boarders. Jim said that he’s trying to encourage the paddle boarding as it’s not only a totally unique experience but the boards are easier to navigate and portage on this route that he had created.
I brought my own paddling gloves, which were useful for grip on the paddle and during our portage to protect my hands along the mountain terrain. I also only used my iPhone for photos. I used a LifeProof brand iPhone case to protect my phone from the water, mist, and splashes and spray.
As someone who has only lake and ocean kayaked before, there was one thing I should have realized right off the bat: rivers move, and they move fast. I was in an inflatable kayak and once I hopped into the water and I lifted my silt-covered boots into the craft and I was off!
I immediately began flowing down river with the current and had to paddle backward as hard as I could to keep from leaving the group in my wake. I have to admit, I was scared. Not so much about the ride but not knowing what the route ahead had in store since that lookout view of Wapta Falls was fresh in my memory.
The best way for me to slow down at that point, Jim informed us when we stopped down river at a sand bar, is to simply roll out of the kayak and put down my feet. In many places the Beaverfoot was only 2 feet deep and when coming up to a stopping point that was definitely easiest way to drop anchor as it were. The key was to think of the kayak as an extension of your body and make it go where you wanted it to go, instead of just being along for the ride.
When we did stop, Jim would tell us about the history and geography of the area, and how the Kicking Horse River was the first river designated as a BC Heritage River.
The brisk Beaverfoot twisted and turned as Jim lead us around rocks, trees, and rapids on his stand up paddle board. He had us pull over and leave our crafts on the side of the river as we walked through a forest thick with soft moss, ferns, thistles. We came to a clearing where we could now see that we were standing at the top of Wapta Falls, several hundred meters up river before it came crashing down. We waded out to a sand bar for a photo op in the turquoise water that reflected the scenery like a mirror in the sand.
Walking back to the Beaverfoot, we paddled directly across the river and began our portage. Straight up a hill, tugging our inflatables behind us, trying to keep our grip in the bark mulch and mud with our wetsuit booties. It was literally an uphill struggle and while we weren’t prepared for it, and I had to stop several times to catch my breath, it sounds pretty badass when I tell people I kayaked rapids and portaged to the top of a waterfall.
Unable to tell whether the spray from the falls or the sweat from the portage hike up to this point was soaking my helmet, I walked to the edge of the path and there was Wapta Falls in front of us, draped in a rainbow.
Across the mist way was the trail head lookout from Yoho National Park, which is publicly accessible on a 3km hiking route, providing a different view than what we had on the south side. It felt like we had our own private view of the falls, on our own private tour, in our own private rivers.
We hiked back down the other side of the hill and loaded into the Kicking Horse River. It was like driving on an 8 lane highway after being on a gravel road for the first leg of the trip. Compared to the Beaverfoot it was wide and luxurious, with a manageable pace.
Then came the rollers. Heading straight for the class 2 rapids I navigated the bends and curves, following Jim’s lead up ahead. Crashing the bow of the kayak through wave after wave, I giggled. It was like being on a rollercoaster that went up, down, a little sideways, and soaked you every second. I almost liked being in the waves because I felt like I had more paddling control, like my body was getting used to the river’s beat and it made me more comfortable.
Our journey would soon come to an end as we jumped out at a clearing where the Alpine Rafting van was waiting for us, packed with our picnic lunches. Peeling off our wetsuits and devouring sandwiches, salads, cookies and apples, there was a great sense of accomplishment.
For someone with more river kayaking and paddle boarding experience, it would be a fantastic trip to discover and explore the Beaverfoot and Kicking Horse’s terrain in such a stunning setting. You’ll spend less time than I did freaking out (in my own head) about the current in the river and more time soaking it all in. It was the unknown that scared me really, but that ended up being part of the thrill. I’m so glad that I did it — that I got to take part in this tour, that I pushed my comfort level, and that I powered forward to experience an adventure like no other, in a place unlike any other in the world.
Tour Length: We were out from about 10:00am to 1:00pm Time of Year the Tour is Offered: June to September
If you have any questions at all about this type of kayak and paddle board tour or taking a white water rafting tour, contact Alpine Rafting and they’ll be happy to help. Their head office is also located directly across from the Golden visitor centre near Highway 1 so you can’t miss them. More resources are available through Kootenay Rockies Tourism and Destination BC.
Enjoy a free day of movies at your local Cineplex theatre all for a good cause on Saturday, October 24, 2015. Now in its 5th year, Cineplex Community Day treats guests to a selection of family-friendly films with donations and concession sales supporting Free The Children.
Free Movies at Cineplex Community Day
This year’s Community Day film line-up includes Despicable Me 2, Fast & Furious 6, Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax, Pitch Perfect, Hop, and Dumb and Dumber To.
Movie-lovers in attendance can enjoy a morning of free movies and select concessions like coffee, popcorn, soft drinks and select candy items will be priced at $2.00 each. Cineplex will also be selling exclusive mini-Rafiki friendship bracelets for $2.00 each, with all proceeds from donations and concession sales supporting Free The Children, its national charity partner.
Founded by Canada’s Kielburger brothers, Free the Children is also the organization behind the annual We Day events in major cities across North America – half a dozen of which have been hosted in Vancouver, and I’ve had the pleasure of attending.
Free The Children is an international charity committed to delivering a sustainable development model that empowers people to transform themselves, their families, their communities and the world.
All 22 Cineplex theatres across British Columbia will open their doors to guests in the morning of October 24th. Seating is limited and available on a first-come, first-serve basis only. Movies will begin at 9:00am, with all locations returning to regular programming in the afternoon.
Famous Players 6 Cinemas (Prince George)
Famous Players Prince Rupert (Prince Rupert)
SilverCity Riverport Cinemas (Richmond)
Cineplex Odeon Strawberry Hill (Surrey)
Cineplex Odeon Park and Tilford (Vancouver)
Cineplex Odeon International Village (Vancouver)
Scotiabank Theatre Vancouver (Vancouver)
Galaxy Cinemas Vernon (Vernon)
Cineplex Odeon Victoria (Victoria)
SilverCity Victoria Cinemas (Victoria)
Cineplex Entertainment has raised over $1,700,000 for Canadian charities since hosting its first Community Day five years ago. Follow #CommunityDay online and follow Cineplex on Facebook and Twitter for more information. Theatre listings for all Canadian cities can be found online.
Vancouver Centre: Hedy Fry (LIB)
