New White Spot at Kensington Square in North Burnaby!

A new White Spot just opened for business in my neighbourhood and I thought it’d be a perfect excuse to write an impromptu restaurant review. For those of you who don’t know White Spot is a chain of r...

Food and Lifestyle

Nathaniel Christopher / 28 September 2013 / 6 Comments

President’s Choice brand Nanaimo bars!

I made some Nanaimo bars today! The other day Housemate came home and happily exclaimed that he had purchased some Nanaimo bars and triumphantly plopped this box down on the counter: “Uhm… those aren’...

Food and Lifestyle

Nathaniel Christopher / 19 September 2013 / 5 Comments

Ice cream tub art!

Usually the companies who produce four litre tubs of ice cream don’t put a lot of thought into the design of the lids so I was pleasantly surprised to see the incredibly cute and whimsical “lid art” o...

Foster Care and Adoption

Partners in VIU’s Tuition Waiver Program include (left to right) MLA Parksville-Qualicum Michelle Stilwell; Ralph Nilson, VIU’s President and Vice-Chancellor; Advanced Education Minister Amrik Virk; Minister of Children and Family Development Stephanie Cadieux; Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond, B.C.’s Representative for Children and Youth, and Bill Yoachim, Kw’umut Lelum Child and Family Services, Snuneymuxw Councilor, VIU Alumnus & Governor. (Vancouver Island University)

Nathaniel Christopher / 26 August 2013 / 2 Comments

Vancouver Island University launches first-of-its-kind tuition waiver for former youth in care

Youth who grew up in foster care are welcome and wanted at university. So says Vancouver Island University (VIU) in Nanaimo which recently announced that they would waive tuition fees for former youth...

Personal

August 25, 1993 Dear Nathaniel, Thank you very much for your kind letter. It is always a pleasure for me to receive mail from young people such as you. My colleagues and I now look forward to building an even brighter future for all Canadians. We recognize the responsibility we have to you as part of the generation who will be affected most by the decisions we make today, and I appreciate your support. For your interest, I have enclosed a package on Canada's symbols which I hope you will enjoy. With warm regards, Yours sincerely, [signed] Kim Campbell

Nathaniel Christopher / 25 August 2013

My letter from Kim Campbell!

When I was 12 I received a letter from the Right Honourable Kim Campbell who served as Prime Minister of Canada from 25 June 1993 until 4 Nov. 1993. “It looks like you got something from Ottawa here,”...

Culture and Politics

Statue of Sir James Douglas at Fort Langley

Nathaniel Christopher / 5 August 2013 / 8 Comments

A History of British Columbia Day

Today is British Columbia Day – B.C.’s incidentally named civic holiday which is observed on the first Monday of August. Unlike Canada Day which is widely celebrated, B.C. Day seems to be little...

Vancouver Life

Nathaniel Christopher / 4 August 2013 / 2 Comments

Trans and Genderqueer Liberation and Celebration March [Video]

Yesterday I attended the Trans and Genderqueer Liberation and Celebration March in East Vancouver which attracted an incredibly diverse and engaged crowd of transgender and genderqueer people and thei...

Travel

Nathaniel Christopher / 25 July 2013

Dog in a kayak!

I was in Nanaimo this week to attend a friend’s wedding. While enjoying a delicious luncheon at Trollers Fish and chips I spotted a dog jumping into his owner’s kayak. How cute!

Personal

Nathaniel Christopher / 22 July 2013 / 4 Comments

The summer of cake

“Happy birthday Doris!” This summer I took a creative non-fiction continuing education course at Langara College. For the last class the instructor thought it would be a nice idea if everyone brought ...

Food and Lifestyle

Nathaniel Christopher / 23 June 2013 / 2 Comments

Truth in advertising: frozen dessert

Recently Housemate came home with a big smile on his face. “Ice cream sandwiches were on sale at Safeway for only $1.99!” he exclaims. I don’t even need to turn around and look at wh...