Kevin van der Leek 🇨🇦
@kvdl.bsky.social
🍁 In no particular order: sourdough, pizza, birds, graphic design, typography, politics, new urbanism, music. . . .
Reposted by Kevin van der Leek 🇨🇦
I'd make a bad news interviewer, because I'd crack up upon hearing "this is interference in US sovereign matters," like when an absurdist joke catches you off guard.
Canadian commenting on US policy towards Canada is unfair? And after the US president says Canada shouldn't be sovereign? Come on.
Canadian commenting on US policy towards Canada is unfair? And after the US president says Canada shouldn't be sovereign? Come on.
Bessent: "I've read that Ontario is spending up to $75 million on these advertisements and it's propaganda coming across our border to decry the tariffs. The premiere of Ontario seems to have come off the rails a little ... this is interference in US sovereign matters."
October 26, 2025 at 4:44 PM
I'd make a bad news interviewer, because I'd crack up upon hearing "this is interference in US sovereign matters," like when an absurdist joke catches you off guard.
Canadian commenting on US policy towards Canada is unfair? And after the US president says Canada shouldn't be sovereign? Come on.
Canadian commenting on US policy towards Canada is unfair? And after the US president says Canada shouldn't be sovereign? Come on.
"But I am older now, and these days not knowing often feels like a gift." Loved this piece, especially as a birder.
The avian drama is off the charts this year. (Gift link via The New York Times Opinion Section.) www.nytimes.com/2025/07/07/o...
Opinion | The Questions Started With the Wren
www.nytimes.com
July 8, 2025 at 5:17 PM
"But I am older now, and these days not knowing often feels like a gift." Loved this piece, especially as a birder.
Reposted by Kevin van der Leek 🇨🇦
Never forget, when you’re being asked to prove that safe bike-lanes or pedestrian crossings across unsafe conditions are ‘needed,’ it's hard to justify a bridge by the number of people swimming across a raging river.
#TheTruthAboutTraffic
#TheTruthAboutTraffic
June 5, 2025 at 1:26 PM
Never forget, when you’re being asked to prove that safe bike-lanes or pedestrian crossings across unsafe conditions are ‘needed,’ it's hard to justify a bridge by the number of people swimming across a raging river.
#TheTruthAboutTraffic
#TheTruthAboutTraffic
Reposted by Kevin van der Leek 🇨🇦
The vitality of cities can be measured by their bikes, benches and trees. And playgrounds.
#bikebenchtree #playground
#bikebenchtree #playground
May 25, 2025 at 7:44 PM
The vitality of cities can be measured by their bikes, benches and trees. And playgrounds.
#bikebenchtree #playground
#bikebenchtree #playground
Reposted by Kevin van der Leek 🇨🇦
We engineered a landscape where driving is the only option and now claim bike lanes, transit, and walkability is “forcing a lifestyle".
I went out to practice drone waypoint flying in the core commercial area of Georgetown, with the Georgetown Marketplace as the primary point of interest.
The stroads of Halton Hills Ontario
The stroads of Halton Hills Ontario
April 12, 2025 at 11:40 PM
We engineered a landscape where driving is the only option and now claim bike lanes, transit, and walkability is “forcing a lifestyle".
Reposted by Kevin van der Leek 🇨🇦
We heard anecdotally that Canadians weren’t visiting the states, now we have the data. A massive, shocking drop.
April 2, 2025 at 3:18 AM
We heard anecdotally that Canadians weren’t visiting the states, now we have the data. A massive, shocking drop.
Reposted by Kevin van der Leek 🇨🇦
When it comes to American transportation design, professional incompetence is at the helm, continuing down the absolutely fucking moronic path of trying to widen our way out of traffic congestion.
I give up.
I give up.
March 28, 2025 at 2:40 PM
When it comes to American transportation design, professional incompetence is at the helm, continuing down the absolutely fucking moronic path of trying to widen our way out of traffic congestion.
I give up.
I give up.
Never forget, if you design a city for cars, it fails for everyone, including drivers.
If you design a multi-modal city that makes walking, biking & public transit attractive options, it works better for everyone, including drivers.
INCLUDING DRIVERS.
The “war on cars” has always been a lie.
If you design a multi-modal city that makes walking, biking & public transit attractive options, it works better for everyone, including drivers.
INCLUDING DRIVERS.
The “war on cars” has always been a lie.
March 27, 2025 at 5:10 PM
Reposted by Kevin van der Leek 🇨🇦
Canada is home to world-class scientists and researchers. We have a unique opportunity to recruit top US talent amid their recent major research cuts.
What's our plan?
🇨🇦 🇨🇦 🇨🇦
What's our plan?
🇨🇦 🇨🇦 🇨🇦
March 18, 2025 at 11:31 AM
Canada is home to world-class scientists and researchers. We have a unique opportunity to recruit top US talent amid their recent major research cuts.
What's our plan?
🇨🇦 🇨🇦 🇨🇦
What's our plan?
🇨🇦 🇨🇦 🇨🇦
Reposted by Kevin van der Leek 🇨🇦
In which "Canada-first" is "do everything the Alberta government has been demanding for years".
Eliminating climate policy isn't "Canada-first". It's missing the forest for the trees.
Eliminating climate policy isn't "Canada-first". It's missing the forest for the trees.
"The next federal government has an opportunity to take a Canada-first approach by eliminating unnecessary regulations, restoring investor confidence, and reducing costs for Canadians."
Good read by Adam Legge today in @TheHubCanada: thehub.ca/2025/03/17/... #cdnecon
Good read by Adam Legge today in @TheHubCanada: thehub.ca/2025/03/17/... #cdnecon
Adam Legge: Putting Canada first: A plan to restore prosperity
thehub.ca
March 18, 2025 at 3:47 PM
In which "Canada-first" is "do everything the Alberta government has been demanding for years".
Eliminating climate policy isn't "Canada-first". It's missing the forest for the trees.
Eliminating climate policy isn't "Canada-first". It's missing the forest for the trees.
Reposted by Kevin van der Leek 🇨🇦
This is not leadership.
It is abasement to norms that no longer exist.
It is abasement to norms that no longer exist.
Jeffries sends a letter to Democrats saying "The decision to attend the Joint Session is a personal one and we understand that members will come to different conclusions. However, it is important to have a strong, determined and dignified Democratic presence in the chamber."
March 4, 2025 at 12:05 AM
This is not leadership.
It is abasement to norms that no longer exist.
It is abasement to norms that no longer exist.
Reposted by Kevin van der Leek 🇨🇦
Cities should be designed for:
❌ A̶u̶t̶o̶n̶o̶m̶o̶u̶s̶ C̶a̶r̶s̶
✅ Autonomous Kids
❌ A̶u̶t̶o̶n̶o̶m̶o̶u̶s̶ C̶a̶r̶s̶
✅ Autonomous Kids
It is perfectly possible for very young children to cycle through a city to primary school together, as long as you ensure that city has cycle infrastructure that makes it safe for them to do so. This also frees up their parents to be elsewhere and avoid the stresses of fitting the school run in
February 26, 2025 at 9:10 PM
Cities should be designed for:
❌ A̶u̶t̶o̶n̶o̶m̶o̶u̶s̶ C̶a̶r̶s̶
✅ Autonomous Kids
❌ A̶u̶t̶o̶n̶o̶m̶o̶u̶s̶ C̶a̶r̶s̶
✅ Autonomous Kids
Reposted by Kevin van der Leek 🇨🇦
There are those that want to divide while others unite. I’m proud that my Premier chooses to unite! 🇨🇦🫶🇺🇸
Here is Eby’s entire opening speech👏
#bcpoli
youtu.be/PKE0jIA41JE?...
Here is Eby’s entire opening speech👏
#bcpoli
youtu.be/PKE0jIA41JE?...
Premier David Eby Invictus Games 2025 Opening Ceremony Remarks, February 8, 2025
YouTube video by GovernmentofBC
youtu.be
February 11, 2025 at 7:46 AM
There are those that want to divide while others unite. I’m proud that my Premier chooses to unite! 🇨🇦🫶🇺🇸
Here is Eby’s entire opening speech👏
#bcpoli
youtu.be/PKE0jIA41JE?...
Here is Eby’s entire opening speech👏
#bcpoli
youtu.be/PKE0jIA41JE?...
“We found there’s this perfect one-to-one relationship. If a city increased its road capacity by 10% then driving went up by 10%.” Still one of the best articles on why building bigger roads leads to more driving. Understanding “The Unbreakabke Law Of Congestion” aka #InducedDemand. Via @wired.com
What's Up With That: Building Bigger Roads Actually Makes Traffic Worse
The concept is called induced demand, which is economist-speak for when increasing the supply of something (like roads) makes people want that thing even more. Though some traffic engineers made note ...
www.wired.com
February 7, 2025 at 5:21 PM
“We found there’s this perfect one-to-one relationship. If a city increased its road capacity by 10% then driving went up by 10%.” Still one of the best articles on why building bigger roads leads to more driving. Understanding “The Unbreakabke Law Of Congestion” aka #InducedDemand. Via @wired.com
What's Up With That: Building Bigger Roads Actually Makes Traffic Worse
The concept is called induced demand, which is economist-speak for when increasing the supply of something (like roads) makes people want that thing even more. Though some traffic engineers made note ...
www.wired.com
February 7, 2025 at 5:20 PM
Reposted by Kevin van der Leek 🇨🇦
Dead on. The problem with the mainstream media is not necessarily idealogical. It is contextual, with an almost blinding adherence to norms that do not serve abnormal conditions.
From Oliver Darcy, @oliverdarcy.bsky.social February 05, 2025. www.status.news/p/trumpocaly...
February 6, 2025 at 4:53 PM
Dead on. The problem with the mainstream media is not necessarily idealogical. It is contextual, with an almost blinding adherence to norms that do not serve abnormal conditions.
Reposted by Kevin van der Leek 🇨🇦
Just an FYI when talking about city/town budgets:
December 27, 2024 at 8:37 PM
Just an FYI when talking about city/town budgets:
Reposted by Kevin van der Leek 🇨🇦
People are often surprised when I tell them this: both Twitter and Facebook/insta/threads are now specifically engineered to downgrade, hide, suppress real journalism. If this platform is different, that's a huge change
Traffic from Bluesky to @bostonglobe.com is already 3x that of Threads, and we are seeing 4.5x the conversions to paying digital subscribers.
November 27, 2024 at 6:22 AM
People are often surprised when I tell them this: both Twitter and Facebook/insta/threads are now specifically engineered to downgrade, hide, suppress real journalism. If this platform is different, that's a huge change
Reposted by Kevin van der Leek 🇨🇦
These tariffs are surely illegal. I assume that they would be invoked under Section 232, national security, but the Commerce Dept. guide to when 232 can be invoked clearly says that it's when imports threaten a domestic industry — not because we don't like other stuff 4/
November 26, 2024 at 12:44 PM
These tariffs are surely illegal. I assume that they would be invoked under Section 232, national security, but the Commerce Dept. guide to when 232 can be invoked clearly says that it's when imports threaten a domestic industry — not because we don't like other stuff 4/
Reposted by Kevin van der Leek 🇨🇦
