Michelle Cyca

@michellecyca

it's "see-sa" hot takes bureau chief @thenarwhal.ca writer @thewalrus.ca adjunct prof @ubcjournalism.bsky.social journalist, nêhiyaw, mom, roller skater she/her ✌️michellecyca.com

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Michelle Cyca@michellecyca· 8d

desperate to find the person in my neighbourhood who has been waging a sign-based war on this messy property (valued at $6.2 million) for at least seven years now. first photo from 2026, on reddit; second from 2019, via theBreaker.news.

An under-construction property with orange fencing outside. A sign posted on the fencing reads THIS MESS HAS TAKEN 8 YEARS TO BE 1/2 FINISHED. DISGUSTING & INCONSIDERATE

A Twitter screenshot from Sep 1 2019, of a Tudor-style house behind a black fence. A sign on the fence reads "DISGRACEFUL MAINTENANCE. This Owner has no respect for his neighbours and even less for the neighbourhood.)

Michelle Cyca@michellecyca· 15d

two days after Vancouver city council voted down their own Villages Plan, west side residents who opposed the plan en masse are complaining that Dunbar (!!) doesn’t have any wine bars, boutiques or gyms — the kind of amenities that require neighbourhood density to support

Hi fellow neighbours. Have you ever wondered why Dunbar has been so slow to develop decent shops and restaurants? Dunbar & King Ed; Dunbar & W 16th; Dunbar & W 41st - all pretty well trafficed intersections yet theres no decent pub, restaurant or wine bar. No boutique shops or decent shopping. There's also no decent gym besides the community centres which are fine but not if you like specialized equipment.
What gives? I've been in Dunbar for over 10 years & more recently moved to Southlands. Before that was in Kits. Kits is vibrant but a different crowd.
Would love to see some better business development in Dunbar / Southlands & area.
Closest thing is Kerrisdale - concentrated to a few blocks, still only one decent wine bar - not much selection.

Michelle Cyca@michellecyca· Jul 15

better reasons to bully this man than his views on dating as a Republican. for example, his bowtie erotica

Michelle Cyca@michellecyca· Jul 15

my friend Amanda has discovered this lonely man is also... an author

A book cover entitled "HYBRID HYSTERIA — A Novel of Corporate Intrigue Both Holy and Diabolical (The Global Thriller Hysteria Series (part of the Dr. Fr. Cavanaugh Chronicles)". To describe it further would be a crime.

A book cover reading: "Heavy Hysteria: — A Novel of Corporate Intrigue Involving the Minerals of This Sacred Earth (The Global Thriller Hysteria Series (part of the Dr. Fr. Cavanaugh Chronicles))"

Michelle Cyca@michellecyca· Jul 7

the whole interview is pretty wild! from the Mar. 31, 2010 edition of The Province:

Michelle Cyca@michellecyca· Jun 27

“you can’t label people with AI girlfriends weird because there are so many of them now” is quite the argument www.nytimes.com/2026/06/20/b...

But his instinct toward humanism, admirable as it is, can lead to oversimplified generalizations about the technology itself.
"Practically everyone who falls for the A.I. hype is dreaming of getting a human need fulfilled without having to extend moral consideration," he writes. "That's as true of the A.I. girlfriend weirdos as it is of the bosses hoping to use A.I. to replace half their workers and terrorize the remainder" I'm not sure you can call them "A.I. girlfriend weirdos" when, by some estimates, one in five young adults in America have engaged romantically with A.I.

Michelle Cyca@michellecyca· Jun 16

a note that the federal government's map of long-term drinking water advisories is misleading — in B.C. water advisories are tracked by the provincial First Nations Health Authority and ignored by the federal government. some B.C. First Nations have been under boil-water advisories since 2019.

a map of active long-term drinking water advisories, which shows 0 active drinking water advisories in B.C. First Nations communities. this is not true as there are many current, ongoing advisories that are simply not tracked by Indigenous Services Canada

Michelle Cyca@michellecyca· Jun 11

if readers take the time to email me at @thenarwhal.ca, I take the time to reply 💕

Hi Ken,

Thanks for the email. In the era of ChatGPT, it's almost touching to see someone write their racist screed the old-fashioned way! Unfortunately for you, Aboriginal rights are not an "abstract philosophical or political whim" but enshrined in the Canadian constitution, which legal experts say would be nearly impossible to amend — though I guess you can dream! For now maybe just deal with it :)

I won't be forwarding this to Ms. White.

Michelle Cyca@michellecyca· Jun 9

the @nytimes.com just posted another Western Canada reporter job, hopefully that means they'll soon have at least one person on staff who knows the difference between Vancouver and Vancouver Island

“Our Perfect Storm,” Fortune’s latest, follows in its predecessors’ footsteps — not only debuting at the top of the best-seller list but whisking readers to a bucolic corner of Canada.

This time we’re off to Tofino, Vancouver’s rainforest beach paradise, on the heels of a jilted bride and her tall, handsome bestie who insists the honeymoon will proceed as planned. Well, mostly.

All this razzle dazzle seemed far away as Fortune chatted, fresh- faced with a smattering of freckles, on a video call from her 1950s bungalow in Toronto.

Michelle Cyca@michellecyca· Jun 4

every video is like this! the vehicle is moving as they look & talk directly into their phone. it makes me feel insane.

a woman in a yellow sweatshirt drinks an iced cap while looking into her phone. she is also driving her car, which is moving while she records her video.

Michelle Cyca@michellecyca· May 14

more bizarre errors from the @nytimes.com Canada desk: there are no "overlapping ranges" of grizzly bears or polar bears in Saskatchewan, even in the "far north" of the province. where is this stuff coming from? www.nytimes.com/2026/05/13/w...

an excerpt reading: "“Here in Canada, unless you’re in downtown Toronto, you’re in bear country,” said Mr. McMullen, a former regional wildlife officer in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

“Black bears, grizzly bears and polar bears. You have to go out, aware that those things are there, and take the time to learn about them, what you can do to prevent encounters, and what to do if you do get into an encounter,” he said. “So a little bit of responsibility by people going into their country goes a long way.”

He said mining companies in the Northwest Territories and in Nunavut, where he worked, erected electric bear fences around housing camps for workers in areas where bears were active.

Saskatchewan is one of the few places in the world where there are overlapping ranges of black, grizzly and polar bears in the far north.

“In bear country, you’ve got to pay a little more attention to your surroundings,” Mr. McMullen said. “That allows you to detect bears from much greater distances so you don’t surprise each other, making noises at the appropriate times.”

Michelle Cyca@michellecyca· May 10

deeply distressing but also one hell of a read

An excerpt from the article:

At the event in Edmonton, he told a story about a reformed gangster turned marijuana farmer in Bonnyville getting beat up after cutting off a home invader's hand with an axe before driving his assailants away with an unregistered firearm. It ended with easily the most surprising punchline I have ever heard.
"He's got a concussion," Sylvestre said of the ex-gangster. "And what happens in the hospital?"
He paused for effect.
"The doctor offers him MAID."
(I was not able to reach either the axe-wielding marijuana farmer or his lawyer, but one Alberta expert on medical assistance in dying told me the scenario as described struck her as "ridiculous.")

Michelle Cyca@michellecyca· May 9

here’s the quoted post that is now deleted, for context

Post reading: “ Long ago it said that the pressure campaign to get people to agree to not use Al would just cause them to use Al and lie about it (and do it badly) instead of learning to use it responsibly and that keeps being proven emperically. "No Al" just causes worse outcomes at scale.”

Michelle Cyca@michellecyca· May 9

these people are grotesque

When I met Stirling via video chat, she was wearing a T-shirt she sells on her website, where she promotes her writing and merchandise. The words on it say, “Every Living Child Matters Most of All!” and shows a young girl with braids wearing a jingle dress and dancing inside a red heart. It’s the “All Lives Matter” equivalent to the “Every Child Matters” movement. The website’s product description says the shirts are meant to “honour the living children who are sometimes forgotten” rather than focusing on the “past that is gone.”

Michelle Cyca@michellecyca· May 8

it's a violation of the NYT's own AI policy, and it's also not disclosed that AI was used to report the article. how many other articles at the @nytimes.com contain AI-generated misinformation that's gone unchecked? www.nytco.com/press/princi...

Headline from the Times reading "How The New York Times Uses A.I. for Journalism". The subhead reads: "We don’t use A.I. to write articles, and journalists are ultimately responsible for everything that we publish."

Michelle Cyca@michellecyca· May 8

personally I think it's a very big deal that the Canada bureau chief for the @nytimes.com — certainly one of the highest-paid journalists in the country — asked an unspecified "AI tool" what Poilievre said & published its AI-hallucinated quotes in her reporting.

Editors’ Note: May 1, 2026
This article was updated after The Times learned that a remark attributed to Pierre Poilievre, the Conservative leader, was in fact an A.I.-generated summary of his views about Canadian politics that A.I. rendered as a quotation. The reporter should have checked the accuracy of what the A.I. tool returned. The article now accurately quotes from a speech delivered by Mr. Poilievre in April. He said, “My personal opinion is that when a member of Parliament goes back on the word they made to their constituents and switches parties, constituents should be able to petition to throw them out and have a byelection. That would put the people back in charge of our democracy rather than having dirty backroom Liberal deals by Mark Carney determine our destiny.” He did not refer to politicians who changed allegiances as turncoats in that speech.

Michelle Cyca@michellecyca· Mar 14

not surprising but still worth lingering on that proud, self-avowed Nazis say journalists and anti-hate groups pose a bigger threat to white supremacist groups than cops

Highly public moments like this are key for these white nationalist groups, who have been open about their desire to shift what’s seen as acceptable discourse in our society.

Speaking in another X Space on Dec. 3, Vriend displayed all the strategic prowess of a villain in a bad movie, monologuing about the group’s key weakness to anyone listening.

“In my experience, the much more threatening element is actually non-state actors. So it’s the [Canadian Anti-Hate Network], the CBC, random Antifa... they will do much more damage to your life for being part of an organization like this than the police will,” he explained.

Michelle Cyca@michellecyca· Mar 2

as we discuss B.C.'s announcement to adopt permanent Daylight Saving Time, let's not lose sight of what's important

a screenshot from the TV show Veep, where Kent is correcting someone who says "Happy Daylight Savings Time." It is, as Kent points out, "Daylight SAVING Time." No plural savings. Got it???

Michelle Cyca@michellecyca· Feb 27

in 1999 I had this translucent candy-coloured discman immortalized in Mandy Moore's "Candy" music video (also released in 1999)

Mandy Moore wearing a butter-yellow camisole over a red cami, with a teal silk skirt matching her teal discman (on a strap!)

Michelle Cyca@michellecyca· Feb 13

oops already overtaken by a new favourite: "stabbing murders" in the general vicinity of this proposed school, a concern that buries the lede about the impacted view from a condo that the letter-writer "paid a lot of money for"

Hi. We live a [address redacted] and with face north towards the proposed school zone location. Not only do we disagree with the extended height, but the location of the school, which is not safe for children. There's been stabbing murders and crime and drug usersin the
area and by putting a school there it's not going make any difference or any safer for families. We paid a lot of money for the view of our condo as most of our neighbours have done also Extending the height will obstruct more of our view so we totally oppose of any extended height of this building and to be Frank putting a school in this area is totally ridiculous as most families do not want to live in an area that's unsafe.

Michelle Cyca@michellecyca· Feb 13

reading the submissions to council on approving a much-needed school in Olympic Village as a form of self-harm; my favourite, perhaps, is the argument that school-aged children are a "select minority" who infringe upon the god-given rights of business owners and park users

I don’t agree with putting a school in this area. The park is used by residents in the neighbourhood and there is already a shortage of green space. The green space should be put to a use that benefits all residents and not just a small select group. The proposed size of the school is too small to meet current and future needs, and a bigger school in another larger location would be more effective. A school will exacerbate traffic and parking issues for residents at peak commuting times. There is a limited amount of parking available and it would impact local businesses to take it away for school related users. Increasing the height of the permitted zoning would unfairly block views of the buildings behind the school and would decrease property values for owners who bought based on the existing zoning. This park is very coveted green space and an important part of the community. It should be available for use by all residents and not taken away to service the needs of a select minority.

Michelle Cyca@michellecyca· Feb 7

thank you @gabrielledrolet.bsky.social for bringing my deranged avian romance archetypes to life! proud to be a snowy owl

an illustration of a snowy owl looking for partners on a bird dating app called BREEED

Michelle Cyca@michellecyca· Dec 1

my kids are listening to Hawksley Workman on my iPod from 2006 & I can truthfully tell them there is no option to put on K-Pop Demon Hunters instead

A generation 3 iPod with the spinny wheel feature playing Anger as Beauty by Hawksley Workman

Michelle Cyca@michellecyca· Nov 27

the Bow Valley Insider is hiring an “AI-first reporter” to produce ChatGPT articles about Canmore, Alberta, if anyone is looking for a low-paying job that rots your soul ca.indeed.com/m/viewjob?jk...

A Very Modern, Al-First Role
This is not a traditional journalism job. In fact, it's the opposite.
You will not be writing your stories.
Al will handle the writing.
If that sentence bothers you, this isn't your role.
But does that mean we're looking for bad writers?
Absolutely not. You still need to be a strong writer, storyteller, and communicator so that you can recognize when Al spits out slop. You're essentially the editor, quality control, and context-builder, making sure the article actually reflects local reality.
Think of yourself as a reporter who doesn't type.
You investigate, gather, fact-check, shape, and guide. The Al does the drafting.

Output Expectations
Because the writing is Al-enabled, your time goes into sourcing stories and interviewing. You won't be sitting around drafting paragraphs.
The weekly expectation is 7+ articles, between 400 and 1200 words each. This is very achievable within 10 hours/week using an Al-first approach.
• Pay: $1,000/month to start
• Raises to: $1,200/month after 6 months
Example Articles
1000 words: Town of Canmore Closes It's Only
Drop-In Childcare Program
400 words: Banff Cleans Up After Overnight Windstorm

Michelle Cyca@michellecyca· Nov 26

Luigi Mangione, the small-town projectionist from the film “Cinema Paradiso”

A tshirt featuring Luigi Mangione shirtless with pink text reading “I can fix him” and some hearts and doves

Text from the tshirt retailer displaying some intriguing AI generated hallucinations:

Luigi Mangione I Can Fix Him T-shirts capture the essence of a timeless romantic gesture, promising a testament to unwavering love and a belief in the transformative power of redemption. This iconic apparel line pays tribute to the poignant sentiment expressed by the character of Luigi Mangione in the acclaimed Italian film "Cinema Paradiso."

In the film, Luigi, a projectionist at a small-town cinema, utters the unforgettable line "I can fix him" in reference to his troubled and estranged childhood friend, Salvatore. This phrase signifies Luigi's unwavering belief in salvatore's capacity for change and his selfless desire to help him overcome his demons.

Michelle Cyca@michellecyca· Nov 25

Chotiner is accusing Semafor of doing softball PR for Saudi Arabia!

Michelle Cyca@michellecyca· Nov 21

was on the radio today responding to @petermeiszner.bsky.social's explanation for why the city is removing 5% of change tables in civic spaces. the TL;DR is even parents & babies in "highly vandalized areas" deserve essential facilities. listen here: open.spotify.com/episode/7eot...

tweet from Peter Meiszner reading "I've heard from some residents concerned about a staff comment in council recently regarding removal of baby change tables. I want to provide more information as to why a small number are being removed--as a headline would likely raise eyebrows. #vanpoli" his tweet contains an excerpt of a report stating the city spent $56,000 over two years repairing vandalism to change tables specifically.

a larger image of the quoted report. the text reads "Approximately $520,000 was spent between 2023 and 2025 to repair vandalized assets within our Civic facilities and parks operations. Of this amount, $56,000 is attributable to the replacement of baby change tables in highly vandalized areas of the City.
Overall, City-wide vandalism-related repair costs for facilities have increased significantly from approximately $111,000 in 2024 to $260,000 in 2025 year to date. More importantly, the City cannot guarantee compliance with required safety standards, as daily safety inspections are not feasible. For these reasons, these units are recommended for removal While approximately 600 change tables remain in place across City locations, a small number of change tables are planned to be removed from facilities (approximately 5-6%) as they have undergone repeated vandalism and are no longer safe for use.
We have heard the concerns raised by the public and remain committed to ensuring Vancouver is a family-friendly city. To support this, we can provide signage to help residents locate the nearest available change table or dispenser."

Michelle Cyca@michellecyca· Nov 19

there's a change-in being staged at Vancouver City Hall next week, coinciding with the vote on a proposed budget that may see change tables removed from city facilities to "save money" www.instagram.com/p/DRNu5kYksgu/

screenshot of an Instagram post reading "This budget stinks! We demand a change". The date of the event is Nov. 25 at 9am, meeting in the lobby of Vancouver City Hall at 453 W 12th

Michelle Cyca@michellecyca· Nov 18

the only winner in this whole sordid affair is a Vancouver backpack brand

the first paragraph of Ryan Lizzo's revenge blog post "Part 1: How I Found Out" reading "Olivia had just returned from a reporting trip—at least that’s what she told me it was—and her Herschel backpack, the one with the flap that never quite closed properly, was tossed beside our bed, its contents scattered on the floor." If you don't know anything about this, don't read it, it's terrible.

Michelle Cyca@michellecyca· Nov 13

as @cityofvancouver.bsky.social mulls removing change tables for budgetary reasons (?), a reminder that my husband and I have been mapping crowdsourced change table locations for the last two years for "fun!" vancouverchangetables.com