Tracy Sherlock

Vancouver

Freelance Journalist at Freelance

Freelance journalist and journalism instructor who writes about politics, education, social issues+books. Views are mine. [email protected]

Articles

Column: As the world order shifts, we need to find common ground

2 weeks ago | richmond-news.com | Tracy Sherlock

Up to about 1990, the world was still living in the long shadow of the Second World War. The international alliances and institutions forged in the dying days of that horrible conflict had formed the basis for the Cold War, a time that world power was divided into two – the west and the east, roughly – and international conflicts could be determined based on that split.
Vote in the election, but make sure you’re informed

4 weeks ago | richmond-news.com | Tracy Sherlock

Canadians will head to the polls on April 28 to elect a new government. For the first time in my living memory, some of Canada’s election focus will be external and threats of foreign interference are explicit and everywhere. The world is changing fast. How can Canadians best inform themselves? First, it’s important to recognize that actually voting for who you want to lead the country and represent your interests in Ottawa is crucial to having a healthy democracy.
Column: Which movie will take home the Oscar?

1 month ago | richmond-news.com | Tracy Sherlock

It’s the Oscars this weekend, and one of my guilty pleasures is watching movies. When the real world gets to be too much, a great movie is the perfect escape. I don’t know if it’s just me getting older, or if others find this as well, but movies have changed. They’re filled with violence and sex, which is not really new, but the violence seems straight out of a comic book or a video game and the sex, well the sex verges on pornographic at times.
Column: Schools must cover everything, from the mundane to the sublime

2 months ago | richmond-news.com | Tracy Sherlock

What are schools for? I think their purpose goes beyond simply making sure kids can read, write and do arithmetic, but where does their mandate end? It’s a difficult question.
Column: Kids with special needs are being left behind

2 months ago | richmond-news.com | Tracy Sherlock

I was going to write a funny column this week about being locked outside for several panic-filled minutes on a fourth-floor patio with no coat shoes or cellphone, but I decided on a more serious matter. In any case, I was rescued by a lovely lady and her dog, so it all turned out okay. But do beware of stepping quickly outside onto a patio, as I’ve since heard from three other people that something similar happened to them.
Indigenous communities are taking over child welfare

Jan 23, 2025 | aptnnews.ca | Tracy Sherlock

Content note: This story mentions residential schools in CanadaIndigenous Peoples are reclaiming their right to take care of their children after at least 500 years of colonization. The transition to taking back jurisdiction — the power to make legal decisions — over their children is a move full of hope, but also fraught with concerns about inadequate funding and offloading responsibility from federal and provincial governments to Indigenous nations.
‘We Need to Take Care of Our Own Children’

Jan 17, 2025 | thetyee.ca | Tracy Sherlock

[Editor’s note: This story was produced as part of Spotlight: Child Welfare, a collaborative journalism project that aims to improve reporting on the child ‘welfare’ system. Content note: This story includes descriptions of the inhumane conditions of the government-run facilities known as residential schools in Canada. Tell us what you think.] Indigenous Peoples are reclaiming their right to take care of their children after at least 500 years of colonization.
Column: ‘Brain rot’ an appropriate choice for word of the year

Dec 7, 2024 | richmond-news.com | Tracy Sherlock

The Oxford University Press has named “brain rot” as the Oxford Word of the Year 2024. As I’m sure many of us can relate, “brain rot” is a term related to consuming excessive amounts of low-quality online content, especially on social media.
How Vancouver Became Canada’s EV Capital

Oct 21, 2024 | montecristomagazine.com | Tracy Sherlock

When 33-year-old marketing executive Alex Lowe needs to charge her Tesla, she piles her golden retriever Simon into the car and drives over to North Vancouver’s Ray Perrault Park. She pulls up, hooks up the car to the charging station, and then takes Simon for a walk before the two-minute stroll home.
Can Grace Lore Fix the Ministry for Children and Families?

Sep 30, 2024 | thetyee.ca | Tracy Sherlock

Leading the Ministry of Children and Family Development can be a thankless task — it’s one of the toughest jobs in government with the highest stakes — but Minister Grace Lore says it’s among the best ministries to lead. Announcements, Events & more from Tyee and select partners A Glimpse into the Vancouver Writers Fest’s Stunning Lineup Catch more than 120 authors over 85 events, including five by guest curator and bestselling author Kim Thúy.