Mike Hager

@mikehager

Journalist at @theglobeandmail.com covering the political, economic and social issues that affect us all. News tips, please: mhager@globeandmail.com

923 Siguiendo8038 Seguidores247 Publicaciones

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Mike Hager@mikehager· Jul 8

This is why I created this art for my wife’s bday party last month lol

Mike Hager@mikehager· Jun 24

Heard a touching story of loss at this morning's pre-match march. #drugpoisoningcrisis

Les Jacob marched toward the stadium with a C painted on his bare barrel chest, sporting a red cowboy hat ringed with small Canadian flags – but the most important bit of his game-day getup was a printed photo of his son Cole pasted to his back.

In sharpie, he wrote “Cole you’re with us in spirit” over the picture of a young man clad in his own Team Canada soccer jersey and maple-leaf covered hat.

The Victoria retiree’s youngest son died of an overdose four years ago when the 27-year-old electrician tried some cocaine that was poisoned with fentanyl. Surrounded by his two other sons and three of their friends, all of whom painted their chests to spell “Canada” when side by side, the 69-year-old said his youngest would definitely be here in person if he was still alive.

“When my other son got married, we had a stag in Denver, and we took a big picture of Cole there. We take him wherever we go. He’s always with us,” Jacob said.

Jacob, who grew up playing soccer in the small coastal town of Powell River, B.C., and played and coached the game until he was 55, said Vancouver’s atmosphere almost eclipses the vibe in Brazil, when he caught five World Cup games there in 2014.

In Rio, the streets were so silent during a game you could hear a pin drop, he said. Jacob would see 50 people crowded around a tiny TV.

“It’s their culture. We’re just new, we’re learning and there are definite improvements here,” he said as he strode to the stadium with all of his sons.

Mike Hager@mikehager· Jun 12

Contractor Sergio Esparza had a hunch a good number of his largely Mexican staff would call in sick Thursday. He didn’t mind as he too wanted to gather with compatriots to watch Mexico open the World Cup tournament with its game against S. Africa.

Mike Hager@mikehager· Apr 7

I knew the #Twitter search functionality was already pooched but now just searching the URL of your news story pulls up different stories from other outlets and even an official Russian government link to a Telegram post?

Mike Hager@mikehager· Mar 21

Reporting this story brought some much-needed levity during a dark year:

Transcript excerpt from my interview with story’s lead salesman where I push back on his constant assertion the majority of Canadians lose their virginity in the back seat of a car and narrowly avoid divulging where I lost mine.

Mike Hager@mikehager· Mar 7

#Vancouver in a nutshell?

Cybertruck parked outside Rennie real estate firm’s HQ, where boardroom’s neon sign states: “EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE ALRIGHT”

Mike Hager@mikehager· Feb 11

More details are emerging of the harrowing hours that Tumbler Ridge endured yesterday: (no paywall) www.theglobeandmail.com/gift/91472a3...

Gr. 7 student Quinn describes hiding in terror at Tumbler Ridge Secondary as a shooter prowled through the building in a spree that killed two people in a nearby house, seven at her school and then ended with the shooter turning the gun on themselves.

Mike Hager@mikehager· Feb 4

Wondering where #Vancouver’s crows sleep at night? www.tgam.ca/crows

Mike Hager@mikehager· Jan 13

And everyday people like Mindan Ocon, a 33-year-old mom whose life in subsidized housing has been turned upside down since protest activities ramped up against #ICE’s south Portland facility last year. Teargas has been deployed so much it’s seeped into her apartment and hurt her daughter.

Mike Hager@mikehager· Jan 13

I also talked to activists like Brenda Alvarado, one of three full-time organizers with PIRC, an organization tracking #ICE’s activities through its hotline and deploying emergency legal observers to help detainees try to get released.

Mike Hager@mikehager· Dec 22

"Every year, her tree goes up on Sept. 1. In October, she gives the counterfeit conifer a spooky makeover befitting the Halloween vibe of her East Vancouver neighbourhood. Then, at dawn on Nov. 1, Christmas returns." www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic...

Mike Hager@mikehager· Dec 21

Sept—> Xmas Oct—> Halloween Nov—> back to Xmas Loved writing about how some folks stretch their Christmas seasons…

Mike Hager@mikehager· Oct 13

Was dope walking into the library of my first newspaper and seeing these two on the wall

Mike Hager@mikehager· Oct 8

Here’s one of the signs that violated BC election rules. H/t @wendelschwab.bsky.social

Mike Hager@mikehager· Oct 8

Billionaire Lululemon founder Chip Wilson has been fined $600 by B.C.’s election watchdog for erecting three illegal signs on his waterfront mansion last October decrying the “communist” provincial NDP and their leader @davidebybc.bsky.social. ElectionsBC says it was 1st violation and he cooperated

ELECTIONSBC description of the three illegal election ads Chip Wilson erected on his waterfront mansion last Pctober decrying the “Communist” NDP premier.

Mike Hager@mikehager· Oct 1

Here's a screengrab of the incident in question (which unfortunately is obscured by a cell door). Head to the @theglobeandmail.com to watch the full video of the interaction Amber Bracken FOIed and received from the Prince George jail: www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic...

Mike Hager@mikehager· Aug 15

Charter captain Orest Iwaszko sent me this video of the Mount Underwood blaze from Tuesday evening

Mike Hager@mikehager· May 25

Some Canadian hate crimes investigators and their prosecutor partners mow consider a victim being homeless as a distinct target of this pernicious class of crime. We’ll see whether Vic PD attaches this ‘hate motivation’ to case of alleged BB gun attackers www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/briti...

Mike Hager@mikehager· May 25

Finally reading @janemayer.bsky.social’s Dark Money and its incisive chronicle of how American politics got here.

Ms. Mayer explains how wealthy conservatives began pushing back against egalitarian movements of the 60s and 70s by launching a massive and protracted campaign to capture public opinion by influencing academia, the media, the churches and the courts.

Mike Hager@mikehager· May 23

Breaking: Vancouver Police Board Chair Frank Chong announces longtime deputy chief Steve Rai is the city’s new chief.

Mike Hager@mikehager· Apr 1

Pizzerias are very dangerous places for campaigning politicians! Here's former BC NDP leader Adrian Dix grappling with a piping hot pie straight out of the oven at Vancouver institution Nat's. (Postmedia ran this photo everywhere in the lead up to election he ended up losing.)

Mike Hager@mikehager· Mar 28

🤯

Mike Hager@mikehager· Mar 5

Marcel Pepin still remembers when US peacekeepers would stroll into his CAF barracks on their joint base in the Sinai in the 80s to borrow a T-shirt with a 🍁 or 🦫 on it so they could feel safer strolling in the nearby Egyptian town of Arish. What is he saying now to his US friends? He holds up this:

Mike Hager@mikehager· Feb 20

Here they are. Mayor Sim later said Vancouver Police Union’s public criticism of Deputy Chief Wilson (on the far right) doesn’t sway him at all despite his tight relationship with that organization, which issued a novel - and controversial- endorsement of his last mayoral candidacy. #vanpoli

Mike Hager@mikehager· Feb 7

What fresh hell is Twitter allowing to fester for @ctvnewsottawa.bsky.social, @jagmeetsingh.ca and the @ndp.ca

Mike Hager@mikehager· Jan 9

Wild to see misinformation posted on the Other Site touching off a news cycle in Indian media outlets, which don't bother verifying basic facts. #Nijjar #cdnmedia #cdnpoli #misinformation

Mike Hager@mikehager· Dec 19

Mike Hager@mikehager· Dec 12

The City of Victoria estimates it would cost $4.7-million to more than double bylaw enforcement and stop people from camping in parks during the day. "While there would be some visible improvements in some locations and an increase to the perception of safety," it wouldn't stop homelessness. #BCpoli

A screengrab of a City of Victoria staff report detailing how it would cost $4.7-million to have bylaw officers fan out and stop people from camping at parks during the day.

Mike Hager@mikehager· Dec 1

A tale of two sites: