Park Board Referendum, Zero Taxes & Pipeline Politics | UnSpun Ep. 301

In Episode 301 of UnSpun with Jody Vance and George Affleck, Vancouver politics meet global chaos once again — and yes, George was right… again.Here’s what’s on the rundown:🏞️ Park Board Referendum Confirmed — Christine Boyle proposes a citywide vote on dissolving Vancouver’s Park Board. George called it months ago. The spin? A supposed $70M in “savings” — spread over 10 years.💰 Zero-Tax Budget Reality Check — Ken Sim’s 0% property tax increase is official. What gets cut? Hundreds of jobs, mid-management positions, and maybe public patience.🏙️ Zoning & the Broadway Plan — Council greenlights sweeping rezonings with no public hearings. Developers cheer, NIMBYs panic.📉 Polling Problems for Ken Sim — His approval rating tanks while new mayoral contenders circle. Youth voters are angry and engaged.🌊 Eby vs. Danielle Smith: Pipeline Showdown — Alberta wants to push a new pipeline through BC; Eby says no. Smith’s elbows are up, but so are BC’s boundaries.🇨🇦 Mark Carney in DC — Canada’s PM navigates Trump’s ego with calm diplomacy as the U.S. flirts with tariffs and tantrums.🏅 Trump’s ‘Peace Prize’ Moment? — A ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas sparks talk of a Nobel nod for Trump (yes, really).✈️ U.S. Shutdown Fallout — Air traffic delays, frozen paycheques, and total dysfunction in Washington.⚽ Local Laughs — George goes to a Whitecaps match (“there was beer!”), Jody discovers “Gander” — Canada’s new social platform.From the park board referendum to world peace and potholes, this one’s peak UnSpun.Subscribe, comment, and tell us: Would you vote to kill the Park Board? And should Canada jump in as Middle East peacekeepers?Follow Jody: @jodyvance Follow George: @george_affleck unspunpodcast.com⏱ Chapters: 00:00 – George Was Right (Again) 01:00 – Park Board Referendum Confirmed 04:00 – Ken Sim’s 0% Budget Explained 07:00 – Zoning, Broadway Plan & NIMBYs 10:00 – Ken Sim’s Polling Nosedive 11:00 – Eby vs. Danielle Smith Pipeline War 14:00 – Trudeau, Carney & Trump at the White House 17:00 – Pierre Poilievre’s Identity Crisis 22:00 – Trump’s “Peace Prize” Moment? 26:00 – U.S. Shutdown Chaos 28:00 – Whitecaps, Beer & Gander Social Media

Episode 300 of UnSpun with Jody Vance and George Affleck delivers a milestone mix of hyperlocal Vancouver politics, BC-provincial drama, and global turbulence.Here’s what’s on the docket:🏛️ Vancouver’s Zero-Tax Budget — Mayor Ken Sim rolls out a 0% property tax increase. Smart politics or a late-game gamble that could cost him in 2026? 👥 Mayoral Race Shake-Up — Rebecca Bligh, Pete Fry, and others circle Sim as internal caucus cracks widen. Who’s really positioned to take City Hall? 🚨 Crime & Perception in Vancouver — Broken windows, empty promises, and why residents say “stats” don’t match what they see on the streets. 🏙️ Municipal Watchlist — From Brad West’s dominance in Port Coquitlam to the turmoil in Surrey and Richmond’s post-Brodie future, BC’s local politics heat up. ⛽ Pipeline Politics — Danielle Smith vs. David Eby in a clash over resources, First Nations negotiations, and whether pipelines will define Canada’s economic survival. 🇺🇸 U.S. Shutdown Chaos — Trump blames Democrats, Democrats blame Trump, and Americans brace for the fallout as essential services stall. 🍷 BCGEU Strike Fallout — Liquor distribution lines dry up, restaurants struggle, and shelves go bare. 🌿 Farewell to Jane Goodall — Remembering the groundbreaking primatologist and environmental icon, with Jody sharing a personal story of interviewing her.📍 From Yaletown’s crime troubles to global pipeline battles, UnSpun’s 300th episode hits harder than ever.💥 Subscribe, comment, and tell us: Should Vancouver voters buy into zero taxes? Should pipelines push past protests?📬 Follow Jody: @jodyvance 📬 Follow George: @george_affleck 🌐 unspunpodcast.com⏱ Chapters: 00:00 – 300 Episodes In! 01:00 – Vancouver’s 0% Tax Budget Explained 05:30 – Mayoral Race & ABC Turmoil 09:00 – Crime, Safety & Perception in Vancouver 13:00 – Municipal Shake-Ups Across BC 16:00 – Eby vs. Smith: Pipeline Showdown 21:00 – U.S. Government Shutdown Spin 26:00 – BCGEU Strike Hits Liquor Supply 28:00 – Remembering Jane Goodall 29:30 – Wrap-Up & What’s Next

This week on UnSpun with Jody Vance and George Affleck, it’s local politics colliding with global headlines — and yes, we go from Vancouver City Hall straight to the United Nations.Here’s what we cover:🏙️ Vancouver’s Mayoral Shake-Up — Rebecca Bligh launches Vote Vancouver and sets her sights on Ken Sim. Is this Vision 2.0 or a real new player in 2026? ⚖️ Conservative Turmoil — John Rustad survives a leadership review, but ejects Eleanor Sturko. Party unity or caucus meltdown? 🍷 BCGEU Strike Escalates — Liquor distribution blocked, restaurants squeezed, and taxpayers wonder: why not privatize? 📮 Canada Post Bleeding Cash — $1B in losses, rural closures, and why it still matters for small towns and national unity. 🌐 The UN General Assembly — Trump blusters, Carney soothes, and Canada searches for trade partners while pipelines still stall. 🏥 Care Home Crisis — Jody shares a personal story on BC’s long-term care shortage and the brutal reality for families. 📺 Jimmy Kimmel Returns — Millions head to YouTube after Sinclair/Nexstar blackouts, Disney loses billions, and Jody ends up in Newsweek after canceling her Disney+ subscription. 🎶 Sarah McLachlan Steps In — The Canadian icon joins Kimmel on his comeback night after ditching her Disney premiere.📍 From liquor lines to global diplomacy, UnSpun breaks down the spin every week.💥 Subscribe, comment, and let us know: Should Canada Post survive? Should Jimmy Kimmel move to streaming for good?📬 Follow Jody: @jodyvance 📬 Follow George: @george_affleck 🌐 unspunpodcast.com

This week’s episode of UnSpun with Jody Vance and George Affleck swings from Vancouver’s park board meltdown to global free speech battles — all the messy politics you need in under 40 minutes.Here’s what’s on deck:🌲 Stanley Park & Surrey Swap — The Bright Lights fundraiser bails on Vancouver, heading to Surrey instead. The train’s still broken, the park board is still flailing, and Kits Pool has become the symbol of civic neglect. 🏛️ Ken Sim vs. David Eby — The mayor wants the park board gone, the premier’s stalling, and George has an unfiltered solution: put it to a referendum. 👴 Richmond Without Brodie — After 25 years, Mayor Malcolm Brodie steps aside. What happens in a city without party politics? ⚖️ Rustad’s Conservative Drama — Membership scandals, leadership reviews, and a caucus on the brink. George explains why losing your team means losing your career. 💸 BC’s Budget Bombshell — Record deficits, collapsing property transfer tax revenue, and whether the Bank of Canada’s small rate cut can actually save homeowners. 🏗️ Housing & Development Freeze — Projects canceled, inventory bottlenecks, and why governments never build when it matters most. 🌍 Carney Meets Eby — Pipelines, LNG, and Canada’s resource future. Can BC balance union jobs with environmental politics? 🎤 Jimmy Kimmel Suspended — A joke, a pivot, and a corporate backlash spark a bigger fight over free speech, comedy, and creeping state-TV vibes.📍 From Vancouver’s crumbling pools to Washington’s late-night purge, Jody and George cut through the noise with their signature spin.💥 Subscribe, comment, and let us know where you stand — Park Board referendum? Pipeline push? Comedy censorship?📲 Watch, share, and subscribe – and don’t forget to visit UnSpunPodcast.com

This week’s episode of UnSpun with Jody Vance and George Affleck goes national, local, and totally off the rails — in the best way possible.🇺🇸 The Charlie Kirk assassination — what we know, what we don’t, and how the temperature in U.S. politics has reached terrifying new highs.🇨🇦 Mark Carney vs. Pierre Poilievre — is this the Liberal counterattack? Infrastructure announcements fly as the opposition tries to land punches. 🧹 David Eby calls out... Boston Pizza? Premier names names over temporary foreign workers and wage suppression. 🏞️ Stanley Park: Still a mess — bike lane battles return, the train’s still broken, and now there’s controversy over... 🧙 The Harry Potter Experience — is the Park Board about to cancel it over backlash? Jody and George weigh in on separating art from artist. 🚗 EV test drives, wildfire smoke, and the real price of poke bowls — yes, this episode covers it all.📍 And as always, we wrap it up with what’s really going on behind the spin — from London to Lonsdale.💥 Subscribe, comment, and tell us what YOU think.📬 Follow Jody: @jodyvance 📬 Follow George: @george_affleck 🌐 unspunpodcast.com

Season 8 is here — and Jody’s back from a very unexpected detour in China. From being stranded in Chengdu to Air Canada chaos, it’s been a summer of surprises.But the headlines at home? Even bigger.This week, we dig into: ✈️ Jody’s wild Air Canada/China travel saga 📦 BCGEU strike + liquor store showdown 🍁 Pierre Poilievre’s rocky footing & Mark Carney’s rise 🏗️ Housing, density, and why Vancouver can’t get towers vs. gentle density right 🏘️ Rental surge vs. ownership collapse — who actually benefits? 🏛️ Ken Sim’s “cringe factor” + why Vancouver voters are over it 📉 The future of BC politics: John Rustad, EB, and the immigration spinFrom pipelines to party politics, NIMBY wars to rental booms — it’s a jam-packed return episode.💥 Bottom line: Canada’s housing, labour, and political systems are colliding. And the fallout? It’s coming fast.📲 Watch, share, and subscribe – and don’t forget to visit UnSpunPodcast.com

Welcome to UnSpun – your go-to podcast and YouTube show for politics, media spin, and keeping Vancouver honest. While technically on hiatus, Jody and George couldn’t stay silent this week — because what’s happening at Kits Pool is peak Park Board nonsense. We’re talking about an Olympic-sized outdoor pool in the middle of a record heat wave that’s… EMPTY. But somehow also “sold out.” Reservations, lineups, session closures, 30-minute shutdowns five times a day… it’s a mess. And it’s been a mess since COVID. In this special summer episode:
 🏊‍♂️ Why the reservation system is killing access
 📉 The lifeguard excuse that doesn’t hold water
 🧾 George’s CBC interview + Park Board’s lack of data
 📣 A motion is coming Monday — here’s how YOU can help
 📬 We give you the email addresses. Send one now.
 🔥 Plus: A quick breakdown of David Eby’s cabinet shuffle This is about more than just Kits Pool. It’s about common sense, public access, and basic accountability.

Welcome to UnSpun – your go-to podcast and YouTube show for politics, media spin, and keeping Vancouver honest. In the final episode of Season 7, Jody and George go out with a bang (and maybe a splash):🏊‍♀️ Kits Pool Controversy – Why is one of Vancouver’s best public pools sitting nearly empty? Jody shares her emotional plea for access and equity.🏛️ Richmond Oval Scandal – $550K salaries, taxpayer-funded trips, and a mayor shoving a camera. You can’t make this up.📉 BC Conservatives in Chaos – Is John Rustad losing his grip? Splinters, infighting, and a name clash with…a diarrhea medication?🌍 Global Flashpoints – From US airstrikes on Iran to fears of sleeper cells, is the world spiraling toward something darker?🇨🇳 Chengdu Bound – Jody’s headed to China to work with the World Games! Hear about her upcoming adventure (and why she needed a fast visa).💬 Plus: Political media training tips, the illusion of transparency, and why you should never touch the camera.🎧 It's been a wild season — we'll be back after the break (unless something big happens).🛟 Until then, follow @jodyvance and @george_affleck for updates.📲 Watch, share, and subscribe – and don’t forget to visit UnSpunPodcast.com

Welcome to UnSpun – your go-to podcast and YouTube show for current events. In this episode, Jody Vance and George Affleck take it hyperlocal, starting with Vancouver’s latest budget drama—then escalating to global headlines:💸 Vancouver’s Budget Games: Mayor Ken Sim promises a “low” property tax hike—but George calls out the political spin. Is this election-year math or fiscal mismanagement?🏊 Kits Pool Booking Controversy: The city says “it’s fixed”—but you still have to reserve a swim at an outdoor public pool? Jody’s had enough, and Vancouver agrees.🚧 City Decay & Priorities: Sidewalks crumbling, bridges closed, graffiti everywhere—yet money flows to PR projects. The basics are being ignored.🌊 Ken Sim’s Popularity Problem: From communication failures to under-delivered promises, Jody and George debate what’s really gone wrong at city hall.🛢️ Pipeline Politics & Eby vs Smith: Interprovincial tensions flare as BC’s Premier blocks major oil exports to Asia—angering Alberta and his own party.🌍 G7 Diplomacy & Trump’s Exit: How did Mark Carney navigate Trump’s abrupt departure and make global trade allies in the process?🧊 Empty Stadiums & ICE Arrests: Migrants vanish from public events in the U.S.—can America even host the World Cup like this?⚠️ Iran vs Israel: With threats of nuclear escalation and global alliances shifting, is the world inching closer to World War III?🔔 Subscribe to stay up to date with the latest episodes. 🎧 Find us on all major platforms: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts 🌐 Visit UnSpunPodcast.com for more

Welcome to UnSpun — the fast-talking podcast and YouTube show where Jody Vance and George Affleck strip away the spin from politics, policy, and daily headlines.In this episode, we go from local wildfires to global trade wars, with a pit stop at Vancouver’s controversial development debates and BC Ferries’ tone-deaf decisions:🔥 Squamish Wildfires: A ridge fire near the Sea to Sky Highway forces evacuations — and the cause may be arson. 🌲 Summer Smoke Anxiety: Vancouverites brace for another smoke-filled summer with relatives arriving into the haze. 🏊 Kits Pool Update: It’s filled but still not open — what’s really going on with Park Board priorities? 🏢 Mega Towers at Commercial-Broadway: A 44-storey rental project has been approved, and it’s sparking debate. Lazy planning? Political move? George and Jody dig in. 🚉 SkyTrain and Density: Why is Vancouver pushing towers where locals don’t want them, and ignoring obvious density options like 22nd & Nanaimo? 🏗️ Gentle Density vs. Tower Invasion: The team talks urban design, housing, and how to build smart without losing community culture. 🛳️ Fast Ferries 2.0: The NDP wants new ferries — but they’re being built in China. Have we learned nothing from the last fiasco? 🇮🇳 G7 and India’s Invitation: Mark Carney includes India at the global table — trade necessity or political misstep? 🇨🇳 Canada’s China Problem: With EVs at $3,000 in China, Jody and George question why Canada’s still playing it safe. ⚡ The Kearney Factor: From BC Hydro reform to energy policy, Canada might finally be forced to act on climate — thanks to outside pressure. 🇺🇸 Trump’s Parade and Project 2025: LA chaos, “No Kings Day,” and authoritarian vibes in America’s political theatre. 📉 Elon’s Apology Tour: Musk backpedals on Trump — but Jody’s feed is still full of bots. 📜 History Repeats: A shoutout to Heather Cox Richardson and a call to meaningful personal action, even if it’s just getting Kits Pool reopened.🔔 Subscribe for weekly episodes covering everything from Vancouver housing to global political shakeups. 🎧 Find us on all platforms: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts 🌐 Visit UnSpunPodcast.com for full episodes and bonus content.