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Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/1273655
72 BCBUSINESS JULY/AUGUST 2020 make sure I'm back in council on Monday. In- stead of reading the news- paper while I'm sitting in the van on tour, I'm read- ing council reports." Keithley and his band- mates (currently Paddy Duddy on drums and Mike Hodsall on bass) had played nine shows in 2020, mostly on the East Coast, before the pandemic came to North America and the trio had to scramble out of New York in mid-March. Back home, Keithley noticed that not everyone was following government- recommended protocols. He and Mayor Mike Hurley were "talking about how people weren't social dis- tancing; you see it in Flor- ida and the U.K. and even in Burnaby at the parks, guys playing basketball on a small court." After Hurley encour- aged him to write a song about it, they rehearsed "We're All in This To- gether" on Keithley's porch, with the mayor a safe distance away, and recorded it at Deer Lake Park in April. The song, which im- plores "don't be a fool no more" and pays tribute to front-line workers, is avail- able on iTunes, with pro- ceeds going to the Greater Vancouver Food Bank. Perhaps there's some symbolism in the pairing, given that Hurley and Keithley really have been in this together. All the other members of council were elected as part of the Burnaby Citizens Associa- tion party. Abandoning an early attempt at the mayor's seat, Keithley threw his support behind independent candidate Hurley. "We ran on the same platform," he says of their shared mission to "provide affordable housing, help those in need and give people good government in a compas- sionate way." To date, Keithley has been happy with what he's seen from the inside of Burnaby city hall. Three councillors resigning from the BCA probably doesn't hurt. "Everything we've tried to do so far pretty well has passed," Keithley says. "There's been co- operation from the other councillors; things are moving ahead in a really progressive way." Asked if a particular accomplishment stands out in his year-and-a-half on the job, Keithley points to the Mayor's Task Force on Community Housing. He and four other coun- cillors were part of the 18-member committee that laid the path to building 1,300 units of non-market housing in Burnaby within two years. "It's the biggest issue in Metro Vancouver," Keithley says. "We had a wide range of people in- volved—the development community, advocacy groups, renters—that could put their two cents in." So no, though many D.O.A. followers might appreciate it, Keithley doesn't plan to quit his day job anytime soon. • A F T E R HO U R S PADDLE BATTLE When it comes to distance-friendly activities, kayakers are way ahead of the game. Pro and recreational paddlers, surfskiers and even skateboarders can register for Deep Cove Kayak's Virtual Tuesday Night Race series and compete from anywhere (as long as the water's flat). Details are posted on Tuesday morning, and you have until Sunday night to get your time in. If you send the organizers a clip of your finest strokes, you might end up in their weekly race video. Through September 8; free registration; deepcovekayak.com FARM FRESH We little piggies can now go to the market (but when we're not doing that, we'll stay home). Declared an essential service, farmers mar- kets will be opening throughout the summer in Vancouver. They're no-frills events—food vendors only, with no crafts, live music or eating—but sunshine sure beats the fluorescent supermarket glare. Through October; free admission; eatlocal.org • IS A BOUTIQUE INVESTMENT FIRM RIGHT FOR YOU? Learn how the needs and interests of our clients remain paramount. ballantynecap.com