In a country like ours, we have little history of participating in collective mourning. It is neither fashionable, nor rooted in our traditions. For nations are built on founding myths which often distort history and deny certain historical suffering.

Today, Jack allowed us to cry together, to feel together, to mourn together -- to think of another world together.

Bob Williams is a former Vancouver City Councillor, former B.C. Cabinet Minister and is currently a board member with Vancity Credit Union, Canada's largest credit union. Am Johal interviewed him in Vancouver.

Up until the mid 60s, tenants couldn't run for public office in Vancouver. How did this change come about?

I was only on City Council for two years, I was a torpedo, and it was great fun. There had never been anyone on Council from the eastside since 1945. I beat out Harry Rankin so the Communists never forgave themselves. All 1,400 of them voted for me and I beat out Harry. This was back in 1964.

Below is a confidential memo leaked by Wikileaks. In it, the analysis articulates that Turkey foreign policy has "Rolls Royce ambiitions but Rover resources."

David MacAlister holds a B.A. and an M.A. in Criminology from Simon Fraser University, an LL.B. from the University of British Columbia, and an LL.M.

It came as a shock, even though it had been expected for some time. The mighty three term Premier had been felled -- mostly by his own missteps, but with an assist to former Social Credit Premier Bill Vanderzalm and his populist anti-HST movement.

Gordon Campbell has been a total piece of work in his time in office -- he leaves in his immediate wake an HST referendum which will take place next year and a cancelled BC Liberal convention which was to take place in a few weeks.

Vancouver writer Michael Barnholden is the author of Gabriel Dumont Speaks (Talon Books 1993), On The Ropes (Coach House Books 1997) and Reading the Riot Act: A Brief History of Riots in Vancouver (Anvil Press 2005).  He recently released Circumstances Alter Photographs: Captain James Peters' Reports from the War of 1885 from Vancouver's Talonbooks. He is currently the managing editor of West Coast Line.

Irwin Oostindie is Executive Director of W2, a community media and arts space in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside.

Q. W2 is one of the newest arts organizations in the city. It was one of the real hubs of activity during the 2010 Olympics. How has W2 been impacted by the cuts to arts? How do you view the Olympic funding for the arts -- was the $40 million for the opening and closing ceremonies worth it?

Grace Pastine is the Litigation Director for the BC Civil Liberties Association

Q. There seems to be populist drumbeating on the part of the federal government related to everything from Tamil refugees to security threats. What do you make of the inflated national security rhetoric being used by governments?

Lindsay Brown is the founder of Stop BC Arts Cuts

Q. The Chair of the BC Arts Council recently resigned. What was your reaction?

Jane Danzo's resignation broke the logjam we've been stuck in for a year, so I was hugely relieved. She was a government appointee and she knows the premier personally, so her public stand against the Arts ministry was fairly explosive. It certainly won her the admiration of thousands of British Columbians concerned about arts and culture. Her letter of resignation protested two things: the government's unreasonably devastating cuts to the B.C. Arts Council, and its political interference in B.C. arts and culture.