"Eddy had been collaborating on his healing lodge idea with Joe Wai, an architect with a lengthy track record of working with community groups in the neighbourhood. Wai got a phone call from NDP MP Libby Davies, who had been told by Conservative cabinet minister John Baird that he was looking for a “shovel-ready” project in the Downtown Eastside as part of the federal stimulus program. 'There’s a lot of serendipity with this building,” Eddy said. “Libby called Joe and yes, bingo! It’s one of those New Age meant-to-happen things if you believe in that stuff.'"

Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff is threatening to introduce a motion of non-confidence in the Conservative government as early as next week. Lashing out at the minority Conservatives over employment insurance, isotopes and the deficit, Ignatieff said his party "will make a serene and clear decision" by midweek about whether it wants to topple the Tories. The government's second "report card" on the federal budget's economic stimulus package is due sometime in June. That could be the catalyst for a non-confidence vote.

NDP Deputy Leader Libby Davies isn’t surprised by Forum Poll results in today's National Post, which suggest the NDP would form a minority government if there were a federal election today. The results of poll also showed that a strong majority of Canadians think the country suffers from a income gap, where the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer. In an email conversation with the Vancouver Observer, Davies said: “Conservatives are not reflecting the priorities and needs of Canadians. This is particularly notable in the current Budget Implementation Bill (C-38), which contains many, many offensive items.”