This year is on life support and 2014 is about to be born. But before we embrace and swaddle the infant year, what can we expect from it?
Here's my less-than-comprehensive wish list for 2014, along with some predictions. I'm feeling emboldened, having last year correctly predicted that marriage equality would be constitutionally accepted in the U.S. in 2013.
Locally, I hope 2014 brings relief from Lougheed Highway gridlock from Oxford in Port Coquitlam to west of Coquitlam Centre. I'm not confident, so perhaps our councils might instead consider a bylaw to allow texting for drivers who daily disappear and sit in this Lougheed triangle.
I hope in 2014 that the fight is won for a SkyTrain station near the old Andrés Wine property in west Port Moody. I also hope Port Moody council will work 29% harder to resurrect the overdue Murray-Clarke connector project.
Knowing the dedicated and politically astute people involved, an easy prediction is that 2014 will see the Mossom Creek Hatchery rise from its ashes bigger and better than before - probably before the salmon run next fall.
I hope 2014 is the year Tri-City councils empathize with the homeless as much as they turn cartwheels to placate NIMBY concerns.
Provincially, I hope 2014 will see a real investigative reporter pierce the cover-up and expose the sale of BC Rail as the biggest, smelliest scandal in B.C. history.
I believe 2014 will be the year the Enbridge, Kinder Morgan and Gateway pipelines are schmoozed through, with Premier Christy Clark getting credit for saving B.C. after her five Enbridge conditions are nominally met.
The Vancouver Canucks will lose in the second round of the 2014 Stanley Cup playoffs, having been out-hit and unable to stop shots from the slot - no riot, though.
Nationally, the Senate scandal will die as we realize that effective Senate reform could constipate decision-making and that abolition is far too difficult. It will be no business as usual in the Senate by early 2014.
Internationally, 2014 will see the U.S. and Iran reach an historic agreement on nuclear non-proliferation and President Barack Obama will still be accused of weakness by American hawks.
But glib predictions aside, more than anything, I hope that 2014 brings improvement to the lot of the downtrodden and needy among us.
