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Jimmy Thomson @jameswsthomson.com · 6h

2017: Media outlets pivot to video. Tech bros: learn to code

2024: Tech companies destroy coding jobs with AI. Tech bros: learn AI

2025: AI companies pivot to video

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Reposted by Jimmy Thomson

Canada's National Observer @nationalobserver.com · 6h

Over the past day we've had people signing up from media outlets of all sizes, cities and towns, universities and colleges to use our new municipal search tool.

If you're a journalist or researcher, you can get on Civic Searchlight for free today.

CivicSearchlight - by Canada's National Observer

Search transcripts of municipal meetings across Canada. Find discussions about topics that matter to your community with Canada's National Observer's search tool.

civicsearchlight.nationalobserver.com

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Jimmy Thomson @jameswsthomson.com · 6h

so so so so so sooo sad

a woman is holding a piece of paper in front of a group of people .

ALT: a woman is holding a piece of paper in front of a group of people .

media.tenor.com

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Jimmy Thomson @jameswsthomson.com · 8h

Know who else tried fleeing fascism by going to Spain? Walter Benjamin. Did it work out for him? It did not.

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Jimmy Thomson @jameswsthomson.com · 8h

BC Conservatives continue to have a very normal month

Shannon Waters @sobittersosweet.bsky.social · 8h

Whew, what a morning!

BC Conservative leader John Rustad confirmed to reporters that MLA phones were searched during a caucus meeting after concern about leaks

"Not every single MLA expressed interest, but the vast majority said, 'Yes, let's do this,'" Rustad said #bcpoli

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Jimmy Thomson @jameswsthomson.com · 9h

He wasn't. He said he rebooked for tonight but isn't sure what will happen.

US anti-fascism expert blocked from flying to Spain at airport

Rutgers University professor who published book on antifa was informed at boarding gate that his trip was cancelled

www.theguardian.com

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Jimmy Thomson @jameswsthomson.com · 9h

That is definitely what they're highlighting and no issue there from me. But it seems to be leaving the door open to other uses that have nothing to do with First Nations.

Screenshot: The proposed legislation will also require that a meeting be closed if it includes confidential information related to negotiations between local governments, or between a local government and a First Nation.

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Jimmy Thomson @jameswsthomson.com · 9h

Three headlines that tell a very disturbing story

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Jimmy Thomson @jameswsthomson.com · 9h

I'm picturing, for example, Victoria and Esquimalt squabbling over police costs. That should be done in the open, not behind closed doors. This seems like it would allow that to be closed to the public. Same with transit funding in the Lower Mainland. Closed meetings should be extremely rare.

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Jimmy Thomson @jameswsthomson.com · 9h

The BC government is moving to make it easier for local councils to close meetings to the public in two instances: negotiations with First Nations and negotiations with other local governments.

The First Nations part makes sense. But why other local governments? What instances would this cover?

Screenshot: The Province is proposing legislative amendments in response to the desire of First Nations and local governments to make it easier to work together and better protect confidential and culturally sensitive information.

Currently, local governments can only close meetings for a limited set of reasons that do not include First Nation relations. The amendments to the Community Charter and Vancouver Charter would allow local governments to hold closed meetings when discussing culturally sensitive and confidential information shared by First Nations, and require meetings to be closed during negotiations with First Nations or other local governments.

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Reposted by Jimmy Thomson

Alex Cosh @alexcosh.bsky.social · 1d

Today I received an Access to Information request package from Global Affairs Canada.

I filed the request 2 years and 10 months ago. The package consisted of four pages, two of which were redacted 👍

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Jimmy Thomson @jameswsthomson.com · 10h

????

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Reposted by Jimmy Thomson

Cloe Logan @cloelogan.bsky.social · 13h

Exciting news! Yesterday, a new tool developed by @nationalobserver.com's @rorywh.bsky.social
launched. It allows you to search through the transcripts of 550 municipalities’ public meetings. We've been using it internally for a few months and it's been so helpful for our reporting.

Canada’s National Observer unveils a powerful tool for fighting disinformation

Civic Searchlight brings together municipal meeting transcripts from across Canada into a searchable database for the first time. It has already been used to fight disinformation, report on impact, di...

www.nationalobserver.com

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Reposted by Jimmy Thomson

Rory White @rorywh.bsky.social · 1d

Today we launch Civic Searchlight, a tool for searching local government meeting transcripts across 550 municipalities in Canada.

Access is open for researchers and journalists:

civicsearchlight.nationalobserver.com

CivicSearchlight - by Canada's National Observer

Search transcripts of municipal meetings across Canada. Find discussions about topics that matter to your community with Canada's National Observer's search tool.

civicsearchlight.nationalobserver.com

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Jimmy Thomson @jameswsthomson.com · 1d

wasn't being sarcastic!

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Jimmy Thomson @jameswsthomson.com · 1d

Yes I can see the sizeable pro-Klan gamer demographic being very upset about this

Stephen Totilo @stephentotilo.bsky.social · 1d

SCOOP: Last year, Ubisoft cancelled an Assassin's Creed game set during Reconstruction. Was to feature a Black Assassin who, among other things, fought the rise of the Klan

Sources: Leadership nixed it over concerns re: U.S. political climate, backlash to Yasuke

www.gamefile.news/p/scoop-ubis...

Scoop: Ubisoft cancelled a post-Civil War Assassin’s Creed last year

Company leadership deemed the project too controversial for the moment, sources tell Game File

www.gamefile.news

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Jimmy Thomson @jameswsthomson.com · 1d

seems reasonable

Billionaire Chip Wilson gets $600 fine for breaking election rules

A letter to Wilson from Elections BC says three signs the Lululemon founder put up in front of his home during the provincial election period a year ago constituted third-party advertising that requir...

www.nationalobserver.com

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Jimmy Thomson @jameswsthomson.com · 1d

I went to StFX first :)

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Jimmy Thomson @jameswsthomson.com · 1d

No that's very true! We definitely had about a two-block buffer from the waterfront. I think the Split Crow was the closest I ever got — and only during power hour.

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Jimmy Thomson @jameswsthomson.com · 1d

I noticed the same but I think it's more likely an effect of remote workers — the median income for Halifax jobs is still suuuper low. But Toronto money that's flooded in since 2020 has made everything very fancy, very beige and very expensive.

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Jimmy Thomson @jameswsthomson.com · 1d

Glitter Bean??

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Jimmy Thomson @jameswsthomson.com · 1d

The picture that spawned the most Atlantic headline there ever was www.theatlantic.com/national/arc...

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Jimmy Thomson @jameswsthomson.com · 1d

Sure, I can probably get that for you. Want to DM me your email?

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Jimmy Thomson @jameswsthomson.com · 1d

I actually shouldn't say "unprecedented." @bellingcat.com beat us to the punch in a global sense, releasing their version (which focuses on the UK) about a month ago.

Bellingcat Council Meeting Transcript Search

Find verbatim quotes from council meetings in the UK and Ireland using this free open source research tool by Bellingcat.

council-search.bellingcat.com

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Jimmy Thomson @jameswsthomson.com · 1d

As climate disinformation groups move into the shadows, @nationalobserver.com has developed an unprecedented new tool: Civic Searchlight. To build it, we assembled a database of council meetings in more than 550 municipalities.

How Canada's National Observer tracked a climate misinfo group going 'under the radar'

As KICLEI's campaign moves into the shadows, Canada’s National Observer has developed an unprecedented new tool: Civic Searchlight. To build it, we assembled a database of council meetings in more tha...

www.nationalobserver.com

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