Craig Wilson: Moments

The timing could not have been better for Camosun College students who are about

to embark in the early stages of their own careers, to hear the stories from CBS

producer Craig Wilson’s own humble beginnings. From the importance of paying

attention to the little moments, to what makes a good writer and reporter, Wilson

ultimately imparted upon students the strength of a powerful story line.

“Life is about intersections,” said Wilson. Having grown up in Medicine Hat, Alberta,

with a population of just over 60,000 people, Wilson could not have predicted that his

life would follow the path that it did. His career began as a young reporter working for

a local news station in Medicine Hat. It was there that he met and worked for Andrew

Bryce. It was Bryce who handed Wilson an article by Edward R. Murrow that would

forever change his writing style and what he understood to be good reporting.

“Life is about moments,” said Wilson. Being let go from the station and eventually

gaining employment with Tourism Alberta would set the stage for yet another
important moment in his life. While traveling for work he had a chance encounter
with a couple who were planning to have their wedding in Medicine Hat and they asked
him for advice on local people to hire. Wilson’s help eventually led to him hesitantly
accepting an invitation to their wedding. At the reception a lady walked up to him and
asked who he was and why he was there. “That woman is my wife,” Wilson said.

It was the intersection of having met his wife that prompted Wilson to move to New York
with her and enroll at Columbia University. Understanding the importance of good
professional connections he went out on a limb and contacted one of his role models,
Knowlton Nash, at the CBC station in Toronto. To his surprise he was put straight through

to Nash who passed along the connection that would land him at the United Nations

every friday covering the Secretary General’s press briefings. These, among many

other, moments helped to propel Wilson to where he is now. “I am lucky, but I worked

hard,” he said. His life story shows that paying attention to what is happening around

you is just the first step, you have to put in the time and effort to get to where you want

to be. As an award winning reporter and producer he has the legacy to back that up.

Wilson’s speech truly demonstrated the captivating power of telling a good story, one

that people can relate to in some way or on some emotional level. For many of the

students in attendance on that Monday morning having heard Craig Wilson’s inspiring
journey will very likely turn out to be one of those “little moments” that, when looking

back, impacted their lives in some way.

Opinion Piece Assignment - Victoria to Ban Plastic Bags

The beautiful landscapes and coastlines of the south island are a source

of pride for many Victoria residents. Individual daily practices, however,

do not always align with values associated with protecting those natural

spaces. According to the City of Victoria’s website, residents use

approximately 17 million plastic bags per year, amounting to over 15

percent of landfill waste in the region. Attempting to combat wasteful

consumer habits the city will be implementing a single use plastic bag

ban starting July 2018, according to CBC News, British Columbia. While

the plastics industry and some retailers have voiced opposition to the ban,

in reality it is step forward in an effort keep harmful plastics out of our

natural environments and to promote more sustainable consumer habits.

Plastic bags contribute to a large portion of local and global waste. While

some single use plastic bags can be recycled, the North American statistics

of those materials actually reaching the appropriate facilities is a dismal 5

percent, according to Elaine Ritch. The reality is that many plastic bags find

their resting place in landfills, oceans, streams and lakes. Ritch quoted the

United Nations Environment Programme as stating that “there are

approximately thirteen thousand pieces of plastic waste found in every square

kilometer of sea, with higher concentrations in the garbage patches.” This has

negative consequences for marine life mistaking plastic for food, and for

drinking water into which toxins are leached. Encouraging consumers to

utilized reusable bags, or go bagless, can have an immediate impact by

reducing the number of bags needing to be recycled or ending up in landfills.

A story by CBC News highlighted that a major portion of the city’s plastic bag

ban is focused on fostering public awareness, with approximately $30,000 set

aside for educational programs. Research done by Helene Cherriere supports

this model of public policy citing that “public authorities can influence ethical

behaviour among consumers.” In today’s consumer paradigm of mass

consumption and throw-away culture it is crucial that steps be taken to shift

the public towards more sustainable practices. While the city’s plastic bag ban

is not an all encompassing solution to eliminating plastic pollution, it is certainly

a move in the right direction. Research conducted by Jennifer Clapp, which

focuses specifically on the plastic waste issue, highlights how “small steps can

add up to a larger shift in attitudes and practices concerning a specific type of

waste.”

It is apparent that waste from single use plastic bags is a major factor in the

negative impacts we have on local and global natural environments. It is also

apparent that the situation we are in is entirely avoidable. Through their plastic

bag ban bylaw, assisted by educational programs and building public

awareness, the City of Victoria is moving in the right direction of promoting

more conscious and sustainable consumer habits. Beautiful coastlines and an

abundance of natural spaces for communities to come together and enjoy are

part of what makes Victoria a special place. The next time you head out to run

errands don’t forget your reusable bags, and help keep our environment healthy

and plastic free.

References

City of Victoria. Reducing Single-use Plastic Bags. Retrieved from

http://www.victoria.ca/EN/main/residents/climate-change/single-use-plastic-bags.html

Cherrier, H. (2006). Consumer Identity and moral obligations in non-plastic bag

consumption: a dialectical perspective. International Journal of Consumer Studies,

30(5), 515-523. doi.org/10.1111/j.1470-6431.2006.00531.x

Clapp, Jennifer. (2012). The rising tide against plastic waste: Unpacking industry

attempts to influence the debate. Histories of the Dustheap: Waste, Material

Cultures, Social Justice. 199-226. Retrieved from

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/287301482_The_rising_tide_against_

plastic_waste_Unpacking_industry_attempts_to_influence_the_debate

Leblanc, R. (2018, February 28). A Quarter Century and Counting. Retrieved from

https://www.thebalance.com/plastic-bag-controversy-2877892

Pawson, C. (2017, December 17). Plastic bags no more: Victoria to implement ban

July 1. Retrieved from http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/victoria-

plastic-bag-ban-to-start-july-1-2018-1.4453617

Ritch, E., Brennan, C., MacLeod, C. (2009). Plastic bag politics: modifying consumer
behaviour for sustainable development. International Journal of Consumer Studies,
33(2), 168-174. doi.org/10.1111/j.1470-6431.2009.00749.x

One Pager - Bike Lanes

Starting a heated debate in Victoria is as simple as throwing the word bicycle into

your conversation. The city’s slowly expanding bike lane project has garnered some

lovers and some haters among residents. While bike lanes are an important step in

making Victoria accessible, easing vehicle congestion and greening our commutes,

it’s hard not to wonder if tax payer money could have been spent more effectively to

the benefit of a greater number or residents. The project raises concerns over cost, who

is actually benefiting and whether or not that money could have been spent more

effectively elsewhere.

This has been a fairly pricey project for the city in terms of cost benefit. The Time’s

Colonist has done the math and the price per kilometre of bike lane stands at $2.7

million per kilometre, and that figure does not take into account the possibility of

added costs as new hurdles are met in future construction. This price tag arose from

a project that was quoted at $7.75 million and then nearly doubled to $14.5 million

for it’s first phase. Given the City’s issues with the construction of the new Johnson

Street Bridge, it is understandable that many taxpayers are concerned over just how

high that price could increase over the coming years.

As a form of transportation cycling only accounts for 6.6 per cent of commuters in

Victoria according to Statistics Canada. The City of Victoria’s ridership statistics for

the Pandora lanes have over 50,000 people cited as having used the lanes in August

2017. If each individual cyclist had have been driving their own car, that equates to

a  substantial amount of congestion and emissions diverted monthly. It is important to

keep in mind that that is peak season, and for the month of December 2017 ridership is

cited as being just under 23,000. Bike lanes aren’t exactly a great solution year round

thanks to Victoria’s rainy winter climate.

Given the cost and the percentage of the population using the bike lanes,

it leaves some wondering whether or not that time and money could have been

put towards improving transit systems. Victoria and surrounding municipalities

have been debating for years on how to handle congestion and improve transit

within the city itself and out towards surrounding areas. Improving public

transportation also has the benefits of aleviating congestion, and potentially

for a broader demographic than those who are cyclists. With bike lane

construction being so focused in the downtown core it can also be said that it

is a solution being provided to those who already have access to a more

substantial transit system than those residents who are located outside of this core.

The City of Victoria has the right idea, traffic congestion and emissions are

seriously detracting from all of the reasons that make Victoria such a wonderful

city to live in. So far bike lanes have not held any weight as a cost effective, widespread,

solution for communities.

One Pager Exercise

One Pager

Verge

22 January 2018

The media platforms I use are more digital and less traditional.

I use the apps on my phone from the Guardian and CBC to

read “print” news, and receive some updates through twitter

and facebook feeds. I view news from those sources on a daily

basis. Less frequently, say a few times per week, I listen to the

radio, podcasts, and view news videos online. Television is one

source I do not rely on as we don’t have cable.

I have the impression that public relations for Camosun is not a

huge focus. A quick search for Camosun College on the Chek

News website displays only three hits specifically about Camosun

College in 2017. The most recent article was published in

September 2017. The same search on the CTV Vancouver Island 

News website has more dismal results. There is one story from 

2017 and it’s actually about the housing crisis and simply mentions 

Camosun. The other articles are from 2016 and also are not 

specifically about the College, but rather people associated with it.

I must admit I don’t go out of my way to follow the college on  

social media platforms however, I would still expect with the number 

of students to see some re-postings of news and events. This does 

not happen. The most I see Camosun College represented in any 

type of media is on bus stop ads or on campus itself. I am left overall 

with the sense that Camosun has found other ways, perhaps 

reputation and word of mouth, to maintain their standing in the 

community and to keep enrollment high. I also wonder if their target 

audience is not focused on local residents but rather individuals from 

outside Victoria.

Analyzing a Blog Assignment

Blog Analysis

Michelle Verge

January 21, 2018

The author Jeff Atwood is trying to prove that by having a comment counter

 next to a user’s name, a culture is being created where people are motivated

 to say anything and everything that comes to mind, no matter how

 misinformed or unconstructive, rather than thoroughly reading and analyzing

 content and engaging in educated discussion and debate.

His target audience seems to be anyone from the age of 20-40, with some type 

of post-secondary education, who are involved in the web design, development,

or digital communication fields. He has a fairly casual tone and the language

isn’t overly complicated. His use of language such as referring to the reader as

a “user,” creates a tone where the general public is being talked about, and the

people designing the platforms being used are the ones he his speaking to.

The title is written in a manner that draws the reader in. Starting the title with

“because” makes it feel as though he is presenting the answer to a question,

and it creates a desire to know what that question is. The immediate

presentation of an example of the problem pulls the reader in to want to know 

more: why is this an issue, what effect is it having and what is the end result?

The downfall of his article lies in his presentation of supporting research 

material. Atwood succeeds in demonstrating that users aren’t thorough in their 

reading and analysis. He presents an experiment done by Ars Technica, an online

publication with articles that focus on just about everything related to the tech 

world, and an article written on the same topic by Farhad Manjoo, who writes

about technology for the New York Times. The research carries some industry

credibility and helps to outline the part of his argument that claims people aren’t 

thoroughly reading material online, even though they are frequently contributing 

to discussions.

Even though it seems like common sense that thorough reading and analysis

would result in a higher quality discussion, there are no examples to support 

this in the article. His argument would have been much stronger had it been

supported by studies or experiments that proved more time reading really does 

promote more constructive discussions.

The author proposes that in order to facilitate more active and complete 

readership websites need to remove barriers that interrupt the reading process, 

replace comment counters with some reward method for reading completion,

and creating a different way of discussion posing that mimics more closely a

face to face debate. The piece is fairly well written and is quite persuasive in terms

of structure. The content of the article, however, is lacking, as the author’s argument

is not strongly supported or proven.

News Release Assignment

News Release

For release: January 16, 2018, 6:00 am

NWC Rehiring Previously Laid-off Employees

VICTORIA: An expanding widget market prompts the National Widget Company to 

rehire 50 employees at main plant in Victoria.

“We have sent recall notices to all employees who were laid off in June. As a family-

owned company, it was heartbreaking to lay off so many loyal people so we are 

thrilled to be offering employment to people we consider part of the family,” said 

company president Andrew Bryce.

An over flooded widget market meant 200 employees were laid off across the

country from the National Widget Company last June.

A new opportunity in the expanding Chinese residential building market has 

allowed the company to revive production capacity, with full capacity expected within

six weeks. Rehiring will take place gradually over the coming weeks.

Traditional widget use in the oil industry as mean that the National Widget Company

is the first in their industry to enter the Chinese residential market. Bryce noted how 

beneficial this is saying, “The increase in sales has been unprecedented. We think 

this opportunity opens up enormous markets which will last for years.”

The National Widget Company is a family-owned and operated business founded in 

1888. It is the oldest widget manufacturer in Canada.

-30-

For more information, contact Michelle Verge at 604-723-9989