Trump and Trudeau Talked, but Stalemate Continues

Trudeau and Trump had a phone conversation today

Canada got a slight reprieve today with cars getting another one-month extension from tariffs, but for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, it was not enough.

He spoke to US President Donald Trump today for 50 minutes with Vice President JD Vance and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. 

Then separately automakers appealed to Trump to back down on tariffs and he unilaterally granted a one-month exemption on Canadian-made cars.

Joly describes situation as a "psychodrama"

A one-month extension doesn't do much -- it just delays the inevitable, leaving car companies in limbo.

Yesterday Lutnick had suggested that perhaps not all Canadian goods would have 25 percent tariffs, but he could not say for sure, because it's really Trump who calls the shots.

While the carmakers got temporary reprieve, Canada isn't backing down from its tariffs on American goods, saying all US tariffs must be eliminated first.

At a speech to a business audience in Toronto, Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly described Trump as being the only meaningful "decision-maker" in the US federal government right now.

"He's the only one. And we need to be able to address that reality," Joly said.

She described the current situation as a "psychodrama" that could drag on for months.

Fox News giving a factual explainer on tariffs

Meanwhile for once Fox News has presented an explainer on how tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico will hurt American consumers. The host explained how tariffs don't hit Mexico or Canada -- it hits the US companies and people who have bought the imported goods. 

Another Fox News video clip showed a reporter at a car dealership pointing to a truck and how it cost US$80,000, but now with the tariffs it costs US$100,000.

Hope that makes Americans realise that Trump is not making America great, it's making it poorer. 

But perhaps American citizens are more concerned about losing their jobs and benefits than how much imported goods cost, with Elon Musk and his teenage Doge team dismantling all kinds of government institutions...

Trump Levies Tariffs which Trudeau says is "dumb"

Trump did not mention Canada as the "51st state" tonight

There are confusing signals coming from the Trump administration about the 25 percent tariffs levied on Canada and Mexico this morning.

Before the US President Trump addressed Congress, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick suggested there could be a reduction on the tariffs if something is worked out -- as early as tomorrow.

Seriously? Why did we have to go through all of this now then? Will Trump say that Canada and Mexico have complied to his wishes on how they have dealt with the fentanyl crisis and so tariffs will be decreased?

Trudeau described Trump's move as "dumb"

However, when Trump made his record-long speech this evening, he did not mention walking back on his tariff threat at all, though he did not reference Canada as the 51st state.

It might be because Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau gave a strong speech this morning and spoke directly to "one specific American":

"Donald, in the over eight years you and I have worked together, we've done big things. We signed a historic deal that has created record jobs and growth in both of our countries.

"We've done big things together on the world stage, as Canada and the US have done together for decades, for generations.

"And now we should be working together to ensure even greater prosperity for North Americans in a very uncertain and challenging world.

"Now, it's not in my habit to agree with the Wall Street Journal, but Donald, they point out that even though you're a very smart guy, this is a very dumb thing to do."

Canadians are united in buying Canadian goods

Did that bruise someone's super inflated ego?

Trump only mentioned Canada four times, and nothing about annexing it or about Trudeau being a "governor". He did threaten Greenland though, and promised to take back the Panama Canal.

In fact Hong Kong's CK Hutchison, whose Hutchison Port Group owns a 90 percent stake of two Panama ports is looking to offload it, by selling an 80 percent stake in Hutchison Port Group in a bid to assuage Trump's ire.

It's a surprise announcement, but perhaps CK Hutchison's senior advisor Li Ka-shing doesn't want the attention...

But back to Canada. In his speech, Trudeau suggested Trump is trying to weaken Canada's economy so much that he can overtake it, and Trudeau's theory is probably correct.

While tariffs is Trump's favourite word, he seems to have no clue how this will impact not only Canada's economy, but the American one too.

A lot of crude oil, electricity, lumber, cars, and fertilizer goes to the US. Even fuel for military jets come from Canada. 

The geopolitical order has been turned upside down and now everyone else has to chart a new way forward. Canada needs to break down inter-provincial barriers as soon as possible to stimulate the domestic economy and look elsewhere for new markets, which Trudeau already began doing in London and Paris.

The United States is not the leader of the free world anymore. Trump would rather align with authoritarian leader Vladimir Putin. 

Perhaps some American states would like to join Canada instead?

Tremors this Morning and Post-Oscars Thoughts

A 4.1 magnitude quake shook just after 5am

For some reason I woke up at around 4.40am and could not get back to sleep. At 5.02am I heard a muffled deep thump and felt some shaking! Another earthquake that was measured at 4.1 on the Richter scale, 42km east of Sidney, BC.

Again I was annoyed to find there was no public alert about it, but that's because it was below magnitude 5.0. So I turned to social media posting about my experience and others replied they had felt it too. 

Needless to say I couldn't really get back to sleep after that!

Anora swept five awards last night

Last night I caught the last part of the Oscars to see Adrien Brody win Best Actor for The Brutalist, and watch Anora sweep for Best Director, Sean Baker, Mikey Madison for Best Actress, and Best Picture.

Anora is about an exotic dancer who marries the son of a Russian oligarch, and when his parents find out, they are outraged to say the least.

Baker's wife, Vancouverite Samantha Quan had a great quote of the evening: "We made this film with very little money but all of our hearts," she said. "To all of the dreamers and the young filmmakers out there: tell the stories you want to tell. Tell the stories that move you. I promise you, you will never regret it."

It seems like indie films got big recognition by the Academy this year, not just Anora, but also the Best Documentary Feature No Other Land, which barely had any distribution in the United States because it was about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict before October 7, and Best Animated Feature, Flow, made in Latvia.

Flow features various animals on a boat

Flow was the only film I'd seen of all the Oscar contenders! But was very pleased to see this one win, beating out Disney's Inside Out 2 and The Wild Robot, Memoir of a Snail, and Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl.

The Latvian animation is universal -- there's no dialogue except for the animals making their meows, barks and chirps. The story, about a group of animals surviving a post-apocalyptic world on a boat is beautifully told with a lot of imagination with a touch of humour, making it fantastic viewing for all ages.

"We are all on the same boat and we must find ways to overcome our differences and work together," said Flow director Gints Zilbalodis.

Indeed. 

Yunchan Lim Dazzles Vancouver Audience

Standing ovation for Lim at the Orpheum

South Korean pianist Yunchan Lim is 20 years old and burst onto the international music scene two years ago when he was the youngest person to win the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition two years ago.

He was in Vancouver today to perform for a concert put on by the Vancouver Recital Society at the Orpheum Theatre and not surprisingly most of the people in the audience were South Korean!

Youngest Van Cliburn winner at 18

Lim arrived this morning from San Diego and immediately went to the Orpheum to get used to the piano and his surroundings; when he arrived there was already a female fan waiting outside at the side entrance!

On stage he looks even younger than 20, and is painfully shy, partly because he doesn't speak much English, and suddenly becoming famous must surely be overwhelming.

The concert program started with contemporary composer Hanurij Lee's piece "... Round and velvety-smooth blend..." which sounded like raindrops. It was a very short piece of about five minutes and Lim left little time for the audience to react when he immediately launched right into JS Bach's Goldberg Variations, which consists of an aria and 30 variations.

Lim played all of them in succession, with a lot of expressive range, from conservative and quiet for the aria, which built up to tremendous energy and movement for the 30th and last variation, and then back to the soft delicate notes of the aria again.

Lim receiving bouquets from fans

Needless to say as soon as he finished playing his last note, the audience jumped to their feet and clapped and whooped loudly. Lim came out three or four times, bowing, and fans rushed to the stage to give him several bouquets of flowers, and even a teddy bear which he placed in the piano as he played an encore (Liszt). He didn't even wait for the crowd to sit down when he started playing his encore piece.

He leaves tomorrow morning for New York to play at Carnegie Hall and then back to South Korea for more concerts. 

It is clear that music is the medium through which Lim communicates with the world; he feels right at home with the instrument. At only 20 years old -- 21 later this month -- Lim is definitely one to watch in the years ahead.

Yunchan Lim 

Hanurij Lee ... Round and velvety smooth blend...

JS Bach Goldberg Variations

Review: Quanjude iDen Tries to Impress

Carefully sliced duck meat at Quanjude

iDen & Quanjude Beijing Duck House has kept its Michelin one-star rating for the past three years in Vancouver, though most Chinese gourmets pan the place.

Some describe the interior like it is from a movie set with a grand-looking entrance and dining room with high ceilings, while the private room has over-the-top decor that is very dramatic.

Nevertheless, service is definitely a strong suit here -- and literally, as the head male servers wear blue tuxedos, and other servers wear brown vests and pants. There's even a non-Chinese server who remembers VIP customers. 

Sweet and sour pork with fruit

In general they are attentive to diners' needs, though one wonders when the menu will be more substantive.

We had lunch here yesterday, invited by VIP customers who have a membership at the restaurant. They think it's value for money, with the good service, and a small private room for five of us.

But the food is hardly impressive. We went here about two years ago and this time it hasn't changed much.

The set lunch menu is C$88 per person, with a few appetisers, a soup, and of course the famous Peking duck, and dessert, tea or coffee. 

While the decor looks nice, the food is made from inexpensive ingredients. Case in point -- to whet our appetites we were served marinated broad beans, followed by the duck soup, a cloudy milky looking broth with finely diced silky tofu, squares of seaweed and thin sheets of fried egg. 

We were also served crispy chicken. One would think of karage, or large chunks of boneless chicken, but here they were tiny bite-sized pieces that were hardly substantial.

Next came sweet and sour pork, with peppers, red onion, pineapple and large plump blueberries.

Our dishes were changed before the Peking duck arrived at our table and a chef came to slice it. He gave us a piece of the skin to dip in brown sugar, and it wasn't particularly hot or crispy, which made it taste oily. 

Glutinous rice balls with osmathus

But we were impressed by the thin slices of duck meat with a bit of the skin that we wrapped in thin pancakes with cucumbers, spring onion and plum sauce.

After three or four of these pancakes you are pretty much full, though there is still a full plate of sliced duck on the table waiting to be eaten.

The good thing is that you can pack up the meat for takeaway complete with pancakes, the sauce and condiments.

For dessert, one I haven't had in a while -- small glutinous rice balls in a sweet osmanthus soup with rice served in a tea cup.

We also had large cups of latte, which kind of overwhelmed the delicate floral-performed dessert.

We're still wondering why Quanjude iDen has a Michelin star... 

iDen & Quanjude Beijing Duck House

2808 Cambie Street

Vancouver

(236) 477 7777

Trump and Vance's Public Spat with Zelensky

Zelensky (left) with Trump and Vance berating him publicly

Appalled. Embarrassed. Outraged. Insane.

How do you describe what happened in the Oval Office today when Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky was berated by US President Donald Trump and Vice-President JD Vance?

Zelensky was set up to come to Washington for a dressing down which pleased Russian President Vladimir Putin to no end.

Trump and Vance raised their voices, trying to strong arm Zelensky into begging for help in front of the cameras.

But Zelensky held his ground -- we have a deal only if you can promise security for Ukraine.

Instead Trump and Vance tried to denounce the Ukrainian, claiming he was not respectful, and that he should thank them.

At one point Zelensky said that some day the US could be threatened by Russia. "You have a nice ocean and don't feel now, but you will feel it in the future," he said.

Badiucao's cartoon: "I am not playing cards"

Trump got angry and cut Zelensky off. "Don't tell us what we're going to feel," he said, raising his voice. "You're not in a good position. You don't have the cards right now."

"I'm not playing cards," Zelensky said calmly. "I'm very serious, Mr President. I'm the president in a war."

Then Trump said, "You're gambling with World War III. And what you're doing is very disrespectful to the country, this country, that's backed you far more than a lot of people said they should have."

Vance chimed in. "Have you said 'thank you' once this entire meeting? No."

It was two schoolyard bullies against a guest. How diplomatic.

A reporter even had the gall to ask why Zelensky didn't show up in a suit. The Ukrainian president is at war. How about asking Elon Musk the same question?

Sitting next to Vance was Secretary of State Marco Rubio looking like he wanted to sink into the couch and disappear.

But he later backed Trump on social media: "Thank you @POTUS for standing up for America in a way that no President has ever had the courage to do before."

Others gave similar praise, perhaps terrified of the consequences if they didn't stand with Trump.

Meanwhile a lot of Americans on social media apologised to Zelensky or voiced their shock and utter embarrassment of what happened, and that they stood with Ukraine.

Trump's abrupt about turn is breathtaking and shocking, but he has done it.

As Trump has unified Canada over the threat of tariffs, he has now united the EU to provide more support to Ukraine.

There's going to be more people and companies around the world who will boycott the US. It's in a desperate need of eggs now because of bird flu, with a dozen eggs costing over US$7 for a dozen. The US is looking to import eggs to fulfill demand, but if Trump wants to play hardball, then he'll have to pay more for imported goods, starting with eggs.

Finally Trying the Viral Croissant

The biscotti flavour spiral croissant

In the summer of 2023, a friend and I went downtown in a bid to get some viral spiral croissant at a place called Little Cafe on Robson.

They are large pastries that are rolled up like thick coins and they've become so popular because there are videos of people slicing them in half to reveal creamy coloured fillings that tempt others to come and try for themselves, which resulted in massive lines when the cafe first opened.

So when we went inside, there was a queue, and we could see the staff were overwhelmed by the number of orders. By the time we got to the front of the line, the staff said they had just run out of spiral croissants and that we'd have to wait at least half an hour. Unwilling to wait, we gave up and left.

The cafe is actually a small space, with not many tables and seats; those who managed to get seats were not in a rush to leave...

Fast forward to yesterday late morning and I walked by the cafe and saw no line! Should I finally find out if these "supreme croissants" really are good? 

I went in and at first it was hard to decide which flavour to try: there was chocolate Oreo, coffee, Mont Blanc, matcha and biscotti, and I picked the last option for takeaway.

The staff placed it in a large takeaway box and I brought it home. When I opened the box I was impressed the croissant kept its shape, and the "biscotti" filling on top didn't spread all over the container.

With a serrated knife I sliced the croissant in half and was pleased to see it didn't cave in and kept its shape, though the cream filling inside bulged out. Nevertheless, the outside was crispy and the filling was not sweet (while the filling on top was).

It's a good thing three of us shared it because the croissant roll is too much for one person to eat! There's a bit too much cream filling for me, but impressed by the shape of the spiral croissant and the intricate layers.

Little Cafe on Robson

1258 Robson Street

Vancouver, BC

(604) 258 2658

Petition Calls for Musk's Canadian Citizenship to be Revoked

Over 317,000 people want Musk's Canadian citizenship revoked

There's an online petition going around calling for the Canadian government to strip Elon Musk of his Canadian citizenship.

It has garnered over 317,000 signatures, making the petition the most popular in the history of the House of Commons.

British Columbia author Qualia Reed launched the petition last week, calling on the Canadian government to revoke Musk's citizenship and Canadian passport because of the role he is playing in US President Donald Trump's government.

MP Angus sponsored the petition

"Elon Musk has engaged in activities that go against the national interest of Canada. He has used his wealth and power to influence our elections; he has now become a member of a foreign government that is attempting to erase Canadian sovereignty; and the attempts of Elon Musk to attack Canadian sovereignty must be addressed," reads the petition that was sponsored by New Democrat MP Charlie Angus.

Musk saw the petition and his response? "Canada is not a real country," he wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

He was born in South Africa, though his mother Maye Musk was born in Regina, Alberta, which is how he got his Canadian citizenship.

"I left South Africa by myself when I was 17 and just a backpack & suitcase of books," he posted on December 28, 2019. "I worked on my Mom's cousin's farm in Saskatchewan & a lumber mill in Vancouver. Went to Queens Univ with scholarship & debt, then same to UPenn/Wharton & Stanford."

Musk met his first wife, Canadian author Justine Wilson, at Queen's University.

But while many are signing the petition to revoke Musk's Canadian citizenship, in reality it's not possible.

Musk's flippant response to the petition

Immigration lawyer Gabriela Ramo said under Canadian law, someone's citizenship can only be revoked if it can be proven they committed fraud or misrepresentation to obtain it.

"Before they could move to do this, they would need to introduce legislation, there would have to be amendments to the current Citizenship Act," said Ramo. "There's no provision that would allow them to pursue revocation of citizenship of a Canadian birth, by virtue of his birth to a Canadian mother."

As a result, it's fairly rare for Canadian citizenship to be revoked.

Angus admitted the petition is more symbolic, but has touched a nerve with a lot of people across the country.

"I wasn't expecting that it would explode the way it did," he said. "to me it was really instructive because it shows just how angry Canadians are about what's happening in Washington and how angry people are at the actions of Elon Musk. To me this is a real symbol of this moment."

Turquoise-Coloured Budget for Hong Kong

Chan walking into LegCo to deliver his budget speech

Hong Kong Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po unveiled his budget today and it reflects the tough economic climate the city is in.

Chan reported the deficit is at HK$87.2 billion for financial year 2024-45, with the aim to get Hong Kong into the black by 2028-29. Meanwhile the city's reserves continue to dwindle, from HK$734.5 billion (US$94.5 billion) to HK$647.3 billion, and is expected to decrease further to HK$580.3 billion in 2025-26. 

In order to tighten the government's belt, he announced pay freezes for civil servants and cutting some 10,000 posts. That clearly reveals a very bloated operation.

Ip wearing sunglasses and leather top

Other ways to bring in more money is to charge HK$200 instead of the current HK$120 for departure tax, allow betting on basketball games through the Hong Kong Jockey Club, and to make seniors shell out more for public transportation.

The elderly have had a great time taking advantage of the HK$2 fare on most public transit, and the government has had to subsidise the rest of the fares. But now there will be a cap on 240 trips per month, and seniors will have to pay 20 percent more on those routes costing over HK$10. 

It's controversial because it's mean to take away what was a privilege for the elderly, though 240 trips is more than reasonable.  

Chan's address clocked in at one hour and 48 minutes, and some lawmakers lost interest and looked at their smartphones.

However, it was hard to tell with Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee, who wore dark sunglasses inside the Legislative Council chamber. Lau claimed she had an eye inflammation, but she looked grumpy; she did comply with the dress code of wearing something turquoise to match the colour of the budget's cover.

Remembering Roberta Flack

The singer and pianist Flack died today at the age of 88

When I was in my freshman year at university, the Asian club I was a member of held a karaoke contest so I joined.

The song I chose to sing? Killing Me Softly with His Song, famously sung by Roberta Flack.

In order to sing it well, you need to enunciate the words and with emotion.

Flack was also a school teacher

Also it's not an easy song to sing, the phrasing is long, which means you need to take a deep breath to get all the words in.

In the end I didn't win the top prize but was in the top 10; it's a 1970s song that wasn't familiar to the crowd of teenagers and 20-somethings in the early 1990s.

I dig up this memory today to pay tribute to Flack, who died today at the age of 88. Three years ago she was diagnosed with ALS (amyotrophic later sclerosis).

The obituary in the New York Times describes her as a virtuoso classical pianist who liked to sing in the choir. Her repertoire ranged from Bach, Handel, Verdi and Mozart, to what she described as "Negro spirituals." 

Later on her approach to performance was to reveal herself through her voice.

"I want everybody to see me as I am," she told The National Observer in 1970. "Your voice cracks? OK, darlin', you go right on and keep giving it what you've got left, and the audience ignores it and goes right along with you. I've found out the way to get myself through to people is just to unzip myself and let everything hang out."

This album made her world famous

She became a grade school teacher in North Carolina, but after a year she went to Washington and taught in junior high, and in the evenings sang in nightclubs. Flack caught the attention of people like Burt Bacharach and Johnny Mathis, and even played a duet with Liberace.

In 1972 she heard the recording of Killing Me Softly with His Song by Lori Lieberman. Flack played it over and over again in her headphones and developed her own version of the song, which she sang as an encore while opening for Marvin Gaye. The crowd went wild.

Producer Quincy Jones was in the audience and counselled her to record the song before she sang it again in public. 

A year later she released the song that would become Flack's signature song for the rest of her life. 

Three Metro Vancouver Papers to Shutter

Three Metro Vancouver papers to close in a few months

Moving back to Vancouver it was gut-wrenching to see local media being decimated because of a lack of money. 

The Georgia Straight was taken over by a company that immediately fired the existing staff, which made it difficult for the new bosses to hire; the Vancouver Courier became Vancouver is Awesome with an online presence only; CTV regional stations in British Columbia were shuttered and TV anchors gave tearful goodbyes on air.

And suddenly News 1130 was taken off the air, and it was a shock to many listeners as the radio station that had given crucial traffic reports "on the ones", every 10 minutes.

Burnaby Now to close by April 21

Now three more community papers can be added to the list of the dead. Parent company Glacier Media has announced Burnaby Now and the New Westminster Record will close no later than April 21, and Tri-City News will close its doors by May 21.

In a statement, Glacier Media said in part that it "explored all possible options to maintain operations" but the industry's "ongoing financial challenges have made it unsustainable."

The three publications had been serving their respective communities for more than 40 years and transitioned to online only in August 2023.

"We're incredibly proud of the work we've done and we're so grateful to our hardworking staff who have made these publications so special, and to our loyal readers and advertisers who have supported us over the years," said publisher Lara Graham.

The news worries New Westminster Mayor Patrick Johnstone.

"I don't know what it means when a community can't tell its stories anymore, when there's no record of our day-to-day, never mind the history of our city," he said.

Johnstone concerned about lack of local media

Johnstone wondered how New Westminster could some how continue to disseminate information through traditional media.

"I don't know what the solution is here, but we have to rethink what media means to us and what journalism means to us as a country and as a community, because this is not sustainable," he said.

"We have to be able to talk to each other through traditional media, or through every media that works that includes an aspect of journalism to it and separates the truth from what the algorithms do to us, which is push us towards division and push us towards mistruth."

Thirty years ago when I went into this industry, never did it ever cross my mind that so many news outlets would literally fall off a cliff into the abyss. But now it is the reality, because hardly any news companies has managed to figure out how to make money from good journalism.

Community papers are what keeps neighbourhoods informed, and that's how these stories get regional and even national attention.

Who else is going to keep city councils and government officials in check, expose corruption or wrongdoing, or tell good news stories that make communities proud?

It's a sad day when news outlets close, and three community papers shuttering is three too many.

US State Department Revises China Page

Trump says Xi will visit the US... will he make the trip?

China isn't too happy with Donald Trump in the White House. It also doesn't help that he appointed Marco Rubio as Secretary of State, who is hawkish on China.

So it isn't a surprise that the State Department has updated its China page with language Beijing isn't happy about.

According to Chinese embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu, the revised page is "distorting truth, denigrating China's foreign policy and touting 'US-China strategic competition.'"

Here are some examples of the differences between the Biden and Trump pages:

The Biden-era referred to...

"Fundamental freedoms"

"Shared challenges such as climate change and global public health crises"

"US assistance to China"

"Advancing the rule of law"

"Investing at home and protecting American workers and businesses"

The need to "work together with democratic allies"

The updated Trump page refers to...

"Principles of reciprocity and fairness"

"Malicious cyber activity"

"China's global trafficking of fentanyl precursors"

US-China trade and investment deficit data

"Forced labor and massive state subsidies"

"Gross violations of human rights"

Three days ago Trump said he was expecting Chinese leader Xi Jinping to visit the US, but didn't give a timeline.

He said this to reporters on Air Force One, and added, "it's possible" for the US and China to have a new trade deal, and that would mean having Xi speaking to Trump about easing trade tariffs.

"We'll have, ultimately, President Xi, we will have everybody coming [to the US]," Trump said, while speaking about other world leaders visiting as well.

It's all about the deal... will Xi make the pilgrimage trip?

Earthquake Felt in Vancouver!

Earthquake was near Sechelt, about 50km from Vancouver

At around 1.26pm, I was in the kitchen washing dishes, when I felt the floor rumble. It felt as if a massive truck was passing by our street, except there wasn't one -- it was an earthquake!

I could hear the glasses in the cupboard clinking. Instead of the procedure -- drop, cover and hold on -- I was standing there, frozen.

"Earthquake! Earthquake!" my dad said upstairs.

The shaking lasted about 10 seconds before I rushed up to see if my parents were OK before going on Bluesky to post, "Just felt some minor shaking in Vancouver... was it an earthquake?"

Two other people responded, so I was not alone.

When I turned on the radio at 1.30pm, CBC Radio Vancouver had jazz playing -- which meant they were not on the air, or technical difficulties. It turns out everyone in the building had to be evacuated in the rain before being allowed back in.

Just before 2pm Kathryn Marlow from Victoria took over the CBC airwaves to anchor a quick radio special to give out essential information, that yes indeed there was an earthquake, first reported as 4.8 on the Richter scale near Sechelt, about 50km from Vancouver; then it was reported as 5.1 and then hours later back down to 4.7.

There were no reports of injuries -- apparently people who were walking outside in downtown Vancouver didn't feel anything, while others reported being jolted from their sleep or were terrified by the shaking. Many reported the same feeling as me -- as if a giant truck was driving by.

On the radio we were encouraged to report our experience to Earthquakes Canada where there is a quick online survey which allows them to crowd source data.  

Before this tremor, we had started (slowly) putting together our emergency kit but now this experience has motivated us to get it together quicker! It includes having water, first aid kit, clothing, documents, cash, non-perishable food, medication and other necessities to survive on for at least the first few days. 

Another good tip is to avoid standing in door frames -- they are not going to protect you. Best to get under a table or desk!

Canada's Game, Canada's Victory

McDavid (97) scored the overtime winner to beat the US 3-2

When it came down to the wire, Team Canada delivered.

Canada defeated the United States 3-2 in overtime in the 4 Nations Face-Off Final tonight in Boston.

Connor McDavid scored the overtime winner and was named the game's MVP.

"Just to see the reaction. Just to know what it means to us. I know it's just a quick tournament, and it's not an Olympic gold medal or anything like that, but it means the world to our group, as you can see," McDavid said after the game.

The nail-biting game was held in Boston

"I hope [the new fans] love it," he said. "It's a great game, it's a great sport and I hope we can put on a good show these last couple days and gained some new fans, ultimately. You can't ask for a better show than that."

All morning and afternoon leading up to tonight's game, radio hosts were talking up the final, asking hockey experts what was going to happen, but also what they thought of how the game was being politicised, with Canadians booing when the American anthem was played, and Americans doing the same to O Canada, and how three fights broke out in the first nine seconds.

The heated atmosphere was caused by US President Donald Trump who continues to taunt Canada about being the 51st state.

While he did not personally attend the game, he did call the American team earlier in the day, giving them a pep talk; one wondered if Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau should have done the same...

Trudeau throwing it back to Trump on X

But after it was over, Trudeau posted on X: "You can't take our country -- and you can't take our game."

Coming into the final Canada had lost 3-1 to the US last Saturday, and so this game was crucial.

"Canada needed a win, and the players beared that on their shoulders, and took it seriously," said Canada head coach Jon Cooper.

"This one was different. This wasn't a win for themselves. This was a win for 40-plus million people. And the guys knew it, and they delivered."

So for now a great sigh of relief for Canada, while Trump may be pissed that the Americans didn't win.

Because that's all he knows, a zero-sum game.

HKJA Strikes Out on Two Hotel Venues

HKJA chair Selina Cheng holds Poon's calligraphy at Eaton HK

How hard is it for organisations in Hong Kong to hold a spring dinner for their members? 

Apparently it's near impossible, as the Hong Kong Journalists Association found out.

The Regal Hong Kong in Causeway Bay claimed it had "water leakage causing unstable power supply" and had to cancel the reservation two days before the event. 

In 2019 the hotel seemed supportive of protesters

So the HKJA postponed the dinner and made a reservation at the Eaton HK hotel in Jordan, and paid a deposit.

But then the group got some bad news today.

In an email to attendees, it said in part: 

"HKJA received notice from the new venue, Eaton HK, stating they were 'unable to host your proposed event.' No reason was given," the email said. "It is regrettable that, two times in a row in a short period of time, HKJA has had contracted bookings -- for which deposits were paid and documents signed -- cancelled by the venues."

This is particularly disappointing because the Eaton hotel is known to be more liberal, marketing itself as a safe space for the LGBTQ+ community, and during the 2019 protests put up a billboard on its building that read: "What does your revolution look like?"

So for Eaton HK to cancel the HKJA event shows how much pressure the hotel was under, and this is the new normal in Hong Kong.

In retaliation, people online posted bad reviews of the hotel on Google.

Ironically, one of the items that was to be auctioned off at the dinner is a work of calligraphy by lyricist Poon Yuen-leung.

It reads: "To brave the road ahead together, with wind gusting against us, we share our frustration and our pride. Sweep the dust on my face, empty the sorrows in our hearts, I beat on and stride forward with you."

HK Democratic Party to Discuss Possible Disbandment

Lo says the party will discuss its future on Thursday

Once the largest voice in the opposition camp, the space for the Democratic Party to operate in Hong Kong has shrunk to the point where its members are now discussing whether it should disband or not.

The party's chairman Lo Kin-hei announced the group's central committee would hold a meeting on Thursday to discuss a wide range of issues, including the future of the Democratic Party.

The Democratic Party was founded in 1994

While Lo said this conversation was "inevitable", it still needed to be discussed.

"Of course, we should consult all of our members before we can actually come to that conclusion," he said.

Since electoral reforms in the last few years have resulted in only patriots being eligible to govern the city, the future of the Democratic Party has been questioned, as it has had no representation in the Legislative Council since 2021.

And now it has come to the point where the party needs to decide its next steps.

"At this point in time, I don't think I can talk anymore about this issue," Lo said, though he stopped short of saying whether the party was facing pressure to disband.

"But if the day has come for the party to disband, we have to accept it."

Alan Leong of the Civic Party, which disbanded

Hong Kong's Civic Party, which was once considered the second-largest opposition party in the city, disbanded in 2023 after 17 years.

In recent days, the Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute (Pori) announced it would suspend all self-funded research activities indefinitely after its CEO Robert Chung was questioned by the national security police for a second time about possible links with the former deputy CEO Chung Kim-wah, who was added onto the wanted list of Hongkongers for allegedly violating the national security law.

"We see a lot of different groups and parties dissolving... So every time any kind of group disbands or they discontinue, we will have that kind of discussion for a bit," Lo said.

When asked if he thought the government was trying to marginalise the party, Lo said it would be best if the government would allow different parties to express a diversity of opinions.

"I also believe that this diversity in opinions is what made Hong Kong very nice in the past... And I hope that the government can try to be more open," Lo said.

Making Hot and Sour Soup

Hot and sour soup has many textures, from crunchy to soft

Hot and sour soup is one of those concoctions that is hearty and comforting. It's choc full of ingredients in every bite, and with a combination of sour and spice, you can't stop eating it. 

While it can be tedious to make with a lot of chopping involved, it's quite satisfying when it all comes together, and tastes like a hug in a bowl.

I watched a few different videos on how to make it, with variations on the step-by-step process, and then cobbled together my own version.

First I sliced up some pork that was then marinated in soy sauce, sesame oil, water and cornstarch. Some recipes specify lean pork which in general is a good idea, but slightly fatty pork is fine too.

Some dry ingredients need to be rehydrated, such as black fungus and dried lily flower which I separately rinsed off and and then soaked in their own bowls of hot water.

Lots of ingredients for this soup

Then came the task of chopping. I chopped a few diagonal slices of a thick carrot into thin matchsticks, followed by some mushrooms; most recipes call for shiitake, but they can be any mushrooms you have, including enoki. Also chopped up the rehydrated black fungus and fresh bamboo shoots.

It can be a lot of work removing the thick fibrous leaves to get to the shoots, but it's so worth it in the end, as they give the soup a crunchy texture. Like an artichoke, remove the leaves until you get to the tender yellowish part and then slice into thin strips.

While recipes call for firm tofu to be sliced into thin strips, I only had silky tofu in the refrigerator and sliced it into thick strips to avoid too much breakage. 

Now it was time to make the soup. Unfortunately I didn't buy enough chicken stock (six cups), so I added more water and some chicken powder, and it worked fine in a pinch. Three tablespoons of soy sauce was added to the stock.

When it started simmering, I added the bamboo shoots, mushrooms, rehydrated lily flower and the black fungus. 

Before adding the pork, I mixed it in its own marinade and then carefully added it into the soup in small clumps and used chopsticks to make sure they didn't stick together. 

After a minute or two I gingerly added the tofu, trying not to break them. Afterwards I avoided stirring the soup vigorously.

I let the soup cook for a few more minutes and then added a small spoonful of chilli oil (add more if you prefer it to be more spicy), some pepper, and a slurry of 3 tablespoons of cornstarch, 3 tablespoons of water and 5 tablespoons of vinegar to thicken the soup.

The final step is taking the soup off the heat and adding a beaten egg to create "ribbons" in the soup. I watched one video that suggested placing the beaten egg into a ladle and then slightly submerging it in the middle of the pot and swirling it around to spread the egg mixture around the surface of the soup. It worked quite well in the end. Good tip!

It turned out to be a delicious soup that could use a bit more vinegar, which I'll add tomorrow when we finish the rest of the soup!

Vanity Plates Flaunt Vanity Wealth

Single digit license plates can command high prices at auction

After real estate in terms of square footage and location, Hong Kong vanity license plates are another way to show off one's wealth. With a car, everyone around town can see how much you spent on the plates. And the fewer letters or numbers the better.

Forty-nine plates went under the hammer on Sunday at an annual Lunar New Year auction held by the Transport Department. And it seems that even though the local economy is struggling, the uber wealthy have no problems shelling out for vanity plates.

Lucky numbers are also in high demand

One that just had the letter "S" went for HK$14.2 million, while "88" was sold for HK$11.4 million.

Bids for the letter "S" started at HK$5,000, but a prospective bidder cut to the chase and offered HK$8 million as soon as bidding started. 

Single-letter plates are considered a sign of status and "S" is closely related to the Superman logo. There were already predictions ahead of the auction that this plate would go for around HK$10 million.

Meanwhile the digits "88" had the second-highest price, with bidding lasting for 13 minutes.

Another plate, "183" went for HK$725,000, while "BB18" was sold for HK$430,000.

To put these auction prices into perspective, he most expensive license plate in Hong Kong is the letter "W" at a whopping HK$26 million in 2021, and "R" was HK$25.5 million in 2023. 

When it comes to just numbers, someone paid HK$18.1 million for the plate "28". 

Only in Hong Kong...

Picture of the Day: Lion Dancing is Alive and Well

A trio of lions performed this evening for a fundraising dinner

This evening we attended the Alzheimer Society charity dinner held at Continental Seafood Restaurant in Richmond.

Even though Chinese New Year festivities are over, the fundraiser had a celebratory atmosphere that started with traditional lion dancing.

Turns out the pink lion had two girl performers

There was one large red lion, flanked by two smaller ones, one pink, the other yellow. They went table by table greeting guests who were eager to stroke their faces for good luck. One was like a dog and constantly wagged its tail...

After touring the entire dining room, the trio of lions returned to the stage and the performers revealed themselves -- While the head of the red lion was held up by a woman, the pink lion was done by two girls, the yellow one two boys! Very impressed.

Equally worthy of praise was the drummer, another boy who kept the beat very well.

Flying the Flag of Defiance

Canadians will be waving the flag proudly on Flag Day

On Saturday we will mark the 60th anniversary of Flag Day, when the red and white flag of the maple leaf was unveiled.

Flag Day has even more importance now with American President Donald Trump constantly threatening to turn Canada into the 51st state.

The latest Leger poll found 85 percent of Canadians are proud to be Canadian.

Earlier this week five former prime ministers: Joe Clark, Kim Campbell, Jean Chretien, Paul Martin and Stephen Harper signed a joint statement encouraging Canadians to fly the flag as "never before" with pride.

"Let's show the world that we are proud of our history and proud of our country," the statement said.

Bradley Miller, associate professor of history at the University of British Columbia, said the design of the flag, with no military or religious symbols, makes it adaptable.

"It represents whatever we want it to represent," he said. "Having a symbol, a flag, that is as much a blank slate as ours is an advantage to a country that needs to be able to accommodate."

In the current situation, he said the flag is a symbol of defiance.

"As often happens in history, an external threat can resolve our internal doubts," Miller said. "I think that's happened here, at least right now."

Marvellous Mochis

Chestnut (top) and purple yam mochis

Today I finally checked out a dessert shop in Richmond called Car's Dessert. It's named after the chef-owner's wife and while it doesn't sell cakes and cookies, there's mango pudding, pomelo with sago and mango pudding, ground walnut soup, and black sesame soup.

But one of the signature desserts is mochi and I came to buy some to try.

Although Chinese New Year is over, the shop has some holiday specials. I got box with two mango mochis and two durian, and another box of mochis filled with purple yam, and another with chestnut.

Mango and durian (with gold stripe)

I was asked to wait a few minutes as the staff packaged them fresh. When I picked them up, they told me the yam and chestnut mochis didn't need to be refrigerated, whereas the mango and durian ones had to, and all these mochis should be consumed today!

When I got home, I tried the yam and chestnut mochis. The skin made of glutinous rice flour is thin and envelops a generous portion of filling. The purple colour of the yam is pretty and the taste is not too sweet, though a bit on the bland side. 

However, the chestnut one is filled with both puree and tiny chopped bits of the nut, making the texture more than just smooth.

After dinner I tried the other two flavours. The mango one is quite popular, and it features the fruit diced and mixed with fresh cream, but for durian lovers, the durian flavour is the best! The texture of the durian one is combined with a bit of cream, making it soft and the unique smell pungent. It was hard not to eat it so quickly.

No wonder those who love durian enjoy eating these mochis!

Car's Dessert

#110 - 4140 No. 3 Road

Richmond, BC

(236) 999 9218

Picture of the Day: Perilous Walks on Ice

The walking path inside the forest is slippery!

Vancouver has been very chilly, with sub-zero temperatures overnight and into the early morning. Since the heavy snow over a week ago, side roads are still covered in packed snow and ice, and only today has the white stuff finally partially melted on street in front of our house to reveal patches of asphalt.

While most of the sidewalks are cleared, it's walking in Pacific Spirit Park that's become treacherous. After it had snowed, the paths were fine to walk on with some grip on your boot soles, but after the snow melting and then freezing several days in a row, the routes are very slippery -- and that's when it's flat.

That was my experience yesterday when I attempted to walk into the park and made a quick exit to get back onto stable cement. 

The other day a neighbour near the entrance of the park saw an ambulance and fire truck parked there. The paramedics and firemen had come to extricate a young woman who had fallen less than 1km into the park on a slope. It is unclear if she was trying to go up the hill or down.

Nevertheless, these rescuers had to make sure they themselves didn't fall, get the woman onto the stretcher and then carry her back (without slipping) to the ambulance.

Today the yellow metal bar at the entrance of the park is open, but today it was closed, though that didn't stop others from entering at their own risk.

Rain is expected on Saturday and temperatures finally rising above 2 degrees to 5 degrees! Maybe it will finally wash away all the snow and ice for good. It was nice when it first came down, but we're all over it already!