Women Transforming Cities presents Engaging Women, Transforming Cities: Designing Ideal Cities for Women and Girls as part of its national conference on May 30 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event features international, national, and local speakers at SFU’s Segal Graduate School of Business (500 Granville Street).

Keynote speakers at the event include Caroline Andrew, president of Women in Cities International; Prabha Khosla, an urban planner; Karen Leibovici, president of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities; and Sylvia Bashevkin, professor of political science at the University of Toronto.

UBC law prof linked to payment  CTV News has reported that Benjamin Perrin, an associate professor of law at UBC, helped draft an agreement for a $90,000 payment from Nigel Wright to Sen. Mike Duffy. Perrin was a special adviser in the Prime Minister's Office and Wright was chief of staff to Stephen Harper. Both no longer work in the PMO. (Editor's note: Perrin later denied being consulted on the payment from Wright to Duffy.)

Sedins help Swedes win  The host country, Sweden, won the International Ice Hockey Federation World Championship by defeating Switzerland 5-1. The Swedes benefited from two goals by Canucks captain Henrik Sedin.  

Ottawa makes it a series  Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson scored a short-handed goal in the final minute to tie the game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, setting the stage for Colin Greening's winning goal in double overtime. Pittsburgh leads the series 2-1.

Boston Bruins take charge  The Bruins have a commanding 2-0 series lead over the New York Rangers after a 5-2 win yesterday.

The Canadian Federation of Independent Business has been among the fiercest critics of Vision Vancouver council's decision to introduce grade-separated downtown bike lanes.

In 2010, the CFIB released a survey showing that 90 percent of Hornby Street business owners did not trust the city to look after their interests.

However in New York City, separated bike lanes have been linked to a boost in retail business.

Police promote water safety  The RCMP has warned that the May long weekend is when accidental drownings increase, noting that there have been 397 such fatalities across B.C. over the past five years. Of those, 58.7 percent occurred between May and August, and alcohol and drugs contributed to 40.2 percent of the deaths.

Search continues for Surrey man  Family and friends are spending the long weekend looking for Daryl Ryzak, a 59-year-old last seen wearing a blue baseball cap, green shirt, and jeans. He's 5'11" and has been missing for a week.

There are 76 of them.

In 76 countries, having a same-sex relationship is illegal.

In seven countries, LGBT people can face the death penalty.

A message from Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon was delivered by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay on May 16 at the International Forum on the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia.

The UN has issued a call for international governments to protect the rights of all LGBT people and to remove discriminatory laws.

To highlight this issue, the UN Human Rights Office released a video called "The Riddle", asking viewers to guess what they are talking about.

As usual, it is glorious.

I can't quite decide what's makes me laugh the hardest: when the animated Rob Ford throws a beer bottle at a child or the partying with a beaver, a Mountie, and a Toronto Maple Leaf.

One thing's for sure: the video is entirely correct in its assessment that if Ford's "smoking, drinking, fighting, bad driving, and colorful racial comments didn't bother Toronto voters, crack smoking probably won't either."

Mayor condemns arson  Vancouver mayor Gregor Robertson said a deliberately set fire "is of significant concern to me". He issued the statement after an anti-gentrification anarchist group claimed credit for the arson attack on a duplex being built on East 1st Avenue near Victoria Drive.

Apartment fire in Mission  Residents of a wood-framed apartment complex in Mission were safely evacuated last night when it caught fire.

Three MLAs in wheelchairs  Vancouver disability-rights activist Jill Weiss is applauding the election of three MLAs in wheelchairs—Stephanie Cadieux, Sam Sullivan, and Michelle Stilwell—saying this sends a positive message to young people across the province.

Krystian Guevara illustration.

"Well, that was easy," Premier Christy Clark quipped as she took the stage to speak before a packed ballroom at the Sheraton Wall Centre in downtown Vancouver last night (May 14).

The leader of the B.C. Liberals was joking about her party's victory over the NDP, which was not easy, and almost totally unexpected.

Clark may have led the Liberals to a fourth consecutive win, but she lost her own constituency of Vancouver-Point Grey to the NDP's David Eby.

Liberals hold power  The B.C. Liberals bucked the polls and stunned many people across the province by winning a resounding election victory. A preliminary count indicates the incumbents took a 50-seat majority in the legislature, up from 45 seats captured in the last election. It’s the Liberals' fourth consecutive win over the NDP.

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