Vancouver’s City Hall 2009 Review: Vision Impossible
There were times when I was supportive of the mayoral candidacy of Gregor Robertson, because I was just as much willing to give him a chance as I was eager to see the retirement of Sam Sullivan, who, while good intentioned enough, was clearly out of his depth as leader of Canada’s third largest city.
Besides, Peter Ladner waited far too long to enter the NPA race and despite my best efforts, a whole series of columns could not coax Carole Taylor, the absolutely best Mayor we’ve never had, from Victoria to Vancouver.
So the landslide transpired, that I predicted two years before it happened, and we are now, after their first full year, left with a Vision Vancouver-dominated council that has done absolutely nothing to even begin to curb the problems we face as Vancouverites: chicken coups in backyards without regard to the potential for disease; openly, brazenly promoting the insane notion that a federal coalition govt, with separatist vermin as the lock votes, was legitimate, just to satisfy the pipe-dreams of their NDP brethren; having green-horned Parks Commissioners trying to tear up legitimate and cost-effective contracts to pander to Visions union pals; failed bike lane trials making the Burrard Bridge far too narrow for car traffic, thus providing open lanes for about a dozen riders per day and adding hundreds of thousands of kgs of excess greehouse gases into the atmosphere; horrific displays of mindlessness in putting shelters overrun by drug dealers and dime-bag whores into family neighbourhoods; shifting more of the tax burden from businesses to residents; telling Vancouverites to tighten their belts after cutting and slashing budgets to community centers and libraries, but allowing for a colleague to receive a taxpayer funded loan for addiction treatment; pandering to the ‘greenwashing’ lobby, many of whom were Vision’s biggest donors; backwards zoning in a downtown core that is clearly overbuilt; wasteful spending on pet projects that only pander to cycling fascists; not protecting freedom of speech through the Olympics; making absolutely false claims about social housing, when it was really the provincial govt pulling the strings and providing the money and infrastructure; not one sniff of advocacy for drug treatment (so as not to offend the povertarians and grief pimps who leech off the downtrodden on the Downtown Eastside, since many of those povertarians are huge supporters of Vision Vancouver); supporting a thoroughly morally bankrupt Premier of British Columbia through the last provincial election; failing to address the lack of affordability in the city; and garrulous, shameless city board and committee appointments to relatives and friends of Vision Directors, and worse, caucus members…the list is endless…
But what surprises me most is this: Gregor Robertson promised that when he became Mayor of Vancouver, there would be “openness and transparency”, that, “the day of the friends and insiders of politicians is gonna be over (sic)”; that, “Sam and the NPA are unkind…every critic is an enemy and they get attacked personally. It’s just really nasty stuff”
Well, to show us how much Mayor Robertson lives by his words, one of his first orders of business was to facilitate a PR contract to environmental alarmist blowhard Jim Hoggan: a no tender, of course, no bid contract, thank you very much, to a long-time supporter and pal of Vision Vancouver. And perhaps emblematic of how much Vision and the Mayor haven’t worked to change the “nasty” narrative, Clr. Andrea Reimer’s recent, appalling twitter (how appropriate!) comments about Minister Rich Coleman’s girth, clearly demonstrate one thing and one thing only: Vision Vancouver are just a different set of piglets looking for an available set of teats.
In the one year this group of hurtful social engineers, wild-eyed extremists and ‘Salon Socialists’ has taken over this city, they have recanted on the vast majority of the best of the platform they ran on, only to revert to spin and excuses. The ONLY credit I’m willing to give them, thus far, is the way they handled the Olympic Village fiasco. It’s what got as many of them elected; they were right to pay attention. (Incidentally, I still don’t think we’ll make money on it because expensive social housing does not belong there–I would argue that exorbitant social housing shouldn’t be built anywhere. There are plenty of other sites the city owns that could accommodate such necessary and important land use)
Of course, never to be forgotten is Silly Hall’s very own ‘Mommie Dearest’, Vision-handpicked City Manager Penny Ballem, hired, I remind, without any “open and transparent” search process, and who rules with an iron fist, while overseeing the largest number of unscheduled staff departures ever. Can’t imagine why…
The intimidatory Ms. Ballem, who has never met a sledgehammer she hasn’t loved, is always at DEFCON 1, and willing to go nuclear on anyone, at anytime. If she appeared anywhere, on the arm of a cactus, grinning from ear to ear, I’d hardly be surprised.
But this is all inline with the complete takeover of the city by a lot of Obamabot wannbees, who, just like their idols to the south, deceived the electorate into thinking that they were about positive change. Vision Vancouver is nothing more than the extreme anti-thesis of the worst the NPA has ever offered. And while I am assured by a few close to the Mayor that radical change to our electoral system isn’t on the table (eg a wards hybrid making it a guarantee that at least five of them would get elected, every election), I don’t believe them. You cannot trust them because the deception is too deep; the lies, too many. Think of the way they treated law-abiding, taxpaying families through the Howe Street shelter debacle! Until the provincial govt stepped in to clean up Jolly Green Gregor’s mess, Vision Vancouver’s position was pitting ordinary, hardworking people against hardened street thugs and hookers–who always managed to have their positions buttressed by the Mayor, over a retired grandmother afraid to leave her condo after dark, or the young ESL student walking home from her day’s second job, or even a Mom pushing her stroller full of joy the Sunset Park. Think about it: Ordinary, law-abiding citizens were ignored by this Mayor and his cadre of obliviots; the concerns of good people in crisis were dismissed. Instead, Clr, Kerry Jang and Mayor Robertson loaded the deck in favour of drug dealers and prostitutes, under the rubric of “taking care of the homeless”. In the then interim, to hell with the single mom, the mobile grandmother, or retired businessman, in a neighbourhood, that, I note, did not deliver the greatest electoral result for the Mayor and his team in the election of 2008. Coincidence? You be the judge.
Sure… Vision’s all about the working man, the family, the average joe–horse manure! Vision Vancouver are about kowtowing to their various intra-party elites, who want to FORCE change on you and your families. Whether or not you get the songsheet, they’ll happily sing for you, only after elbowing you to the head and ripping the mic from your hands….
What is most distressing is that the media in this town, certainly, are too lazy to get to the bottom of almost any Vision story, with some good exceptions (like Monte Paulsen of The Tyee, Janet Brown of NW, Charlie Smith of The Straight) Botoxed bottle blondes, and the dead baby story still reign supreme. Or, in the blogosphere, if you are in the same political bed with Vision, mindlessly foaming at the mouth about how they’ve switched to “interesting” initiatives about “interesting” inside the ballpark zoning issues and how they attended “interesting” gallery openings, makes for “news”. Ridiculous. Embarrassing. Must be nice to be able to semi-retire one’s grey matter….
But I digress…
The worst part about having elected this lot is that anyone, who is a potential threat is attacked–and when I, or anyone else, has called them on it, they turn it around and make us out as the aggressors (in my case, such a descriptive may be a matter of repetition).
Case in point: when citycaucus.com was birthed I was critical of them because the jury was still out on just how bad Vision was/is for Vancouver (Mike and Daniel, were, in fact, for the most part, quite correct and run what has evolved into a great site that I recommend…) But I worried… I was worried that the well-heeled, vicious backroom of Vision wouldn’t put up with having their flank exposed by two newbies to the media game like Klassen and Fontaine and that the real robust discussion we all craved, that would save this city, wouldn’t ever arrive. So what did Vision do? They pulled aside a failed Vision organizer, the obscure, ever-quixotic and maniacal Jonathan Ross, who as of last count has volunteered for almost every federal political party, except for the flying yogis (possibly a best fit), and they charged him with the task of attacking. Two people emerged as targets: Clr. Suzanne Anton and Parks Commissioner Ian Robertson, both front runners for the NPA mayoral nod in 2011. The pettiness of the comments against Anton were absurd. The lies alone, shoveled about Robertson, who, of anyone that has emerged, would be Vision’s biggest threat, for using a personal email address and legally featuring the Parks Board logo on his website or publishing what the media had written about his strong credentials for being the next Mayor of Vancouver, are enough to tell you that civicscene.ca is nothing more than the propaganda arm of Vision Vancouver, with a little miserable child at the controls, hiding behind big Vision’s sweaty hucksters, in case he gets himself into a pickle. But little Johnny likes to make-believe that he is an on par commentator with some of us that were advising Premiers and Prime Minsters, when Johnny was still negotiating his mother’s bra strap trying to get another feed. When I once told him to go away, after he tried to defend Vision from fair and accurate criticisms I made in a column, he replied as only a biased, petulant fluffer would, by calling me a “bald, fat motherfucker.” Yes, that’s verbatim…this is how Vision Vancouver operates. Minister Rich Coleman won’t allow people to die in the streets, so he brings in legislation to save them. Clr. Andrea Reimer doesn’t like it, so she suggests that he hitch a ride to Jenny Craig. Ross hates the fact that I have a huge audience of intelligent people, so he attacks my weight and comes to the earth-shattering revelation that I am bald. These are vicious people, who are nothing if not rabid hypocrites.
In a series of emails I have obtained, Ross and other Vision hierarchs ruthlessly mock the NPA and the line of command couldn’t be more clear. If you want to read nothing but nonsense, from a kid with an ego the size of Mt. Kilimanjaro, then visit his site and read the pathetic, drivel-laden excuses for persistent Vision Vancouver hijinks and spin, deflecting meltdowns and false initiatives. To make matters worse, from the ‘You’re Too Kind for Your Own Good’ (or that of your party) dept, people like Michael Geller, the best council candidate in thirty years, invites such a twit to legitimate discussions and forums, without realizing the legitimacy he is providing said twit. And Sean Bickerton, (Gordon Price without a bike helmet and an understanding of the value of the NPA’s roots) backs up Vision policy, when it is clearly offside. Good grief.
As Parks Commisioner Aaron Jasper said to me yesterday. “I thought the stuff about Ian Robertson and Suzanne Anton was a witch hunt. I just wanna do my job…I’m not in to that at all. It’s not appropriate. I mean, I use my own personal email, too (for the record, so do Comms. Woodcock and MacKinnon) I don’t even know Ross and I don’t really care what he does”. Jasper, who has his own issues, being a realtor and synchronously having his wife sitting on the Board of Variance, makes sense and is an affable, reasonable guy (along with the appropriately respected Clr. Heather Deal, Schools trustees Sharon Gregson and Mike Lombardi–these are about the only three I’d endorse, if they ran again). But Jasper’s actions will speak louder than his words. Let’s see.
At the end of the proverbial day, Vision Vancouver has failed this city, after only a year, though they have two more years to make good. They pretend a moderate game, but are nothing more than a hyper-sensitive, miserable lot of radicals that do not appreciate the plight of this city and are fortunate to have a complicit, often lazy, local mainstream media, semi-retired media elites, NDP communications consultants that masquerade as columnists and a bunch of left wing special interest nuts with keyboards (like the cycling fascists or global warming alarmists) trolling the internet for any sign of legitimate criticism.
Now, they’ll have to contend with the truth, right here, each and every time.
Vision Vancouver’s First Year Grade: ’F’. And my generosity is on full display, once again.
If this keeps up and any of the following takes place: David Chudnovsky runs for Mayor under COPE; the independent Vancover voter who is now resoultely upset with Vision’s shenanigans stays home or goes even 3:2 to the NPA; and/or either of John Furlong or Ian Robertson run(s) for Mayor under the NPA or Vancouver First and attract decent candidates (not Kim Capri and Elizabeth Ball, but the Gellers and the Bickertons, the Holdens), then Vision is FINISHED (three chairs max–inclusive of COPE). It will be the biggest political collapse in Vancouver history.
Vancouver desperately needs a true centrist doer like Surrey’s powerhouse Dianne Watts or Burnaby’s firebrand populist Derek Corrigan and most certainly not an Armani model, who can’t chew gum and recite speaking notes at the same time.
But other pundits are telling you Vision is a complete lock for 2011, right? ”I can’t see it”, said one on NW not long ago, about a Vision collapse. Of course she can’t…not when you’ve still got the Vision bumper sticker firmly affixed to your fridge.
Make a note, then: They’re ALL the same people who told me the same thing when in the fall of 2006, I predicted Sam’s demise.
Wow,
750,000 kilo’s of pollution from that bike lane. What a farce. The mayor should be ashamed of himself.
First the shelters in my backyard, now they’re polluting me out of my home. I’ve never seen a worse bunch of jerks in my life after reading the post above.
Those of us who live around False Creek should file a class action lawsuit against the city for endangering our health. I’ve been talking to a lot of my neighbors about this vancouverpollutes site since you posted the link to it and we’re all pissed off. Pacific has been backed up from morning to night in both directions since that trial started and all anyone talks about is how it’s working. What a bunch of bull. Nothing but lies just as the site says.
Alex, do you know any lawyers that would sue the city for us?
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I think a lawsuit would be frivolous since your neighbourhood has almost returned to normal. And the long-term impact will be nil. But I do think you need to remain vigilant. As for the pollution, I have been very clear from the beginning: The cycling fascists agenda is dangerous to families and commuters. But the fact they are adding to what they purport everywhere else is global warming is simply incredible. Thx for your comments.
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Alex,
When you say “interesting” initiatives about “interesting” inside the ballpark zoning issues and how they attended “interesting” gallery openings, makes for “news”., I can only think you are referring to that useless city beat writer Frances Bula.
My friends in “the hall” (who aren’t Visionistas) refer to those people who frequent her web site as the “socialist social club”. From what I hear it’s pretty pathetic. Then again that other chap from the Courier, Garr, is quite the old coot as well. Always writing his leftist propaganda. Another tidbit from “the hall” is that Vision knows they are onside and can count on them to push their agenda. The media now a days should be ashamed of themselves.
On the Olympic Village issue, I have to disagree with you. Those Vision bastards did a lot of harm to the city’s image with their handling of the publicity surrounding the financial mess. They had already won the election and didn’t need to make it the political football they made it.
And no one can say for certain that Peter Ladner or an NPA administration wouldn’t have made the exact same moves to shore up the financing because they weren’t elected or in a position to do so. We simply cannot say that the same scenario wouldn’t have played out in a different manner.
What we do know is that Peter Ladner was trying his best to protect the image of the city and not make this political like Gregor, Meggs and Louie did. I’m red hot over the embarrassment they caused the city and I simply won’t give them any credit like you did in your post.
As for Vision’s grade, you need to give them something lower than an F? They don’t deserve even that. What a bunch of pathetic bastards.
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You’re not going to get any argument from me, except that the NPA must wear the Olympic Village debacle since they chose the least likely of the three developers to complete the deal in the best interest of taxpayers. Wall or Terry over at Concord would have never had any issues. I appreciate your taking the time to stop by. Enjoy your weekend.
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How come you’re not going to the Michael Geller forum? I would think that you’d be the headliner.
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I would just say that I have commitments with my kids that I could have moved around…but Michael is pandering to a vote he cannot get, by inviting illegitimate pundits; one case in particular. I cannot stand to listen to lather about how Vision are doing well when the evidence is crystal clear: They are NOT! I think getting Ransford to moderate is brilliant, but Michael needs to learn how to measure, instead of looking for votes two year ahead of time–to the detriment of his party. Or maybe he’s decided not to run with the NPA. There will not be a ton of balance, that’s for sure. I originally committed, but I can’t be bothered considering Michael’s embarrassing comments lately (including on Bill Boring this morning) about how he thinks Vision are “doing well”. Ridiculous. I’ve been to too many theatres of the absurd in my time. When there’s a serious forum, I’ll happily attend.
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I am not sure you know how refreshing it is to see this kind of opinion. You are sooooooo right about the media. They don’t care about us Alex. I think they only care about the people who pay them and their opinions.
Thank you so much for speaking out on our behalf. I didn’t vote for Vision last time but my husband did. But he sure won’t be doing that again. please keep telling us the true story.
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I am so glad you wrote this Alex. I am so sick in tired of all the lying from our politicians. Keepthem honest Alex!
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WOW! WOW! WOW!
Someone with some balls! You nailed it. I will never vote for Vision Vancouver again. They are such a letdown. They dumped business tax on my property tax and said they wouldn’t. I can’t stand them. Good for you for calling them out and I love your site by the way. How come you don’t run for mayor? You would get my vote for sure and a lot of other people.
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Very kind…no plans at all to run for Mayor of Vancouver or for anything else.. I’m very happy living my life as it is, thanks. Appreciate your coming by. Come again!
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Alex,
A few weeks ago I was reading that Kennedy Stewart guy in the Sun and he raised a good point – that Vision Vancouver has been ramming through policies without much consultation, much the way Sam Sullivan did. I normally can’t stand that douche bag, but he made a good point.
I read your post over a couple of times and I’m surprised you didn’t list this as another of Vision’s major flaws since taking over a year ago. This is terrible. They have used the same approach over and over again on every issue in the past year.
These guys have given the public no time to prepare and it’s obvious they just don’t want to hear anyone disagree with them. The budget was a great example of this. For once that Stewart douche bag got one right.
And speaking of the Sun, I just read an op-ed piece from Michael Geller and I have to say I am extremely disappointed. I voted for that turncoat back in 2008 and there isn’t a chance in hell I would vote for him again.
How could he write that crap, supporting a crew that has no regard for public consultation, not too mention the list you have above. AND he actually suggested the bike trial was good because it gives drivers something to do – counting the bikes using the lane. What an idiot. I’ve lost total respect for the man.
Obviously he’s just another developer kissing the ass of city hall to get their support on some project he has going on. So lets say he runs in 2011 and gets in. So am I to believe that he wouldn’t do the same thing by not consulting the public on initiatives that matter?
Would he just pad his developer buddy’s pockets without any regard for the city taxpayer?
Apparently he would because this Vision bunch he’s backing is as dirty as they come and he’s gone out of his way to say things are well. Things aren’t well in this city and they’re sliding downhill fast.
Enough is enough. I haven’t heard about this Vancouver First you’re mentioning but my vote is there if they get some decent people that I can trust to govern for the majority and stick to their word. Too much lying and bullshit going on right now.
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I’ll let others decide what Michael Geller is doing. But I’m extremely disappointed. It’s obvious he is a political greenhorn and does not understand that he has cornered himself. If he runs for the NPA, Vision will use every ridiculous public statement he has made in the last few days, in all of their campaign literature. Of course, there is one way for Michael to neutralize such conditions: Run for Vision. But then he’d lose almost all the NPA vote he recd last time. His appearance on Bill Boring yesterday and the Sun editorial were monumental blunders. Pity, he remains the best candidate for council in the last 30 years. Real pity.
As for Kennedy, yes, I was surprised at his stellar analysis, but I did refer to Vision not being the positive change they trumpeted through the campaign. It was implied. They complained when Sam rammed everything through, but when Gregor talked about a second crossing over the Burrard Bridge, he hadn’t consulted anyone in engineering or anyone on council except for Geoff Meggs. Pathetic doesn’t even cover it.
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Interesting perspective Alex. My non-political but voting friends have come to the consensus that Gregor is a nice guy but a bit of a flake who doesn’t come across as very bright.
But some of the other Vision shenanigans that you have listed, which most people are unaware of inclusive of myself, are certainly eye-openers!
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Hi Todd:
Sure, you won’t read about what I write in the MSM because it takes too much to convince an editor with his nose up the administration’s derriere that there is a great public interest in providing the truth. But that’s what you get here. Thx for coming by. Pleasure to have over. Enjoy your weekend.
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AGT said, when Johnny was still negotiating his mother’s bra strap trying to get another feed.
That’s a “Vision” I can live without…..
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AGT, he replied as only a biased, petulant fluffer would, by calling me a “bald, fat motherfucker
It has always amused me when the “pretty people” resort to trench mouth diatribe.
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Okay Alex, enough of the pleasantries — tell us how things really are.
Perhaps you might do a 2009 review of the shenanigans and malfeasance across the water — be it the Salish Sea or the Georgia Straight — in Victroria.
P.S. Could you possibly set the default on your home page’s music player to off and let me decide if I want to hear My Favourite Things over ‘n’ over ‘n’ again…?
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Hi RS: The reason you are getting Tony Bennett over and again is that each time you come out of a page and go back to the homepage, Tony sings. That’s the way the audioplayer is designed. Ther eis no loop that plays. We tried to find a different audioplayer but it wasn’t compatible with the kind of interactive site I wanted to offer all of you. So, I might suggest that you hit the pause button whenever you feel you have had enough of the song.
As for your suggestion that I do something on the Victorians, yes, I’m composing as we speak, but this week will be some other issues that I’ll be raising, so enjoy! But I promise I will be doing an extensive post on Premier Campbell and his funky bunch. Frankly, I can’t think of a more disgraceful man to have ever held the job, but there are many perspectives on a number of issues he has committed to and, in some cases, ignored. You’ll read about all of that when I’m done that piece, likely next week. And I loved your reference to the ‘Salish Sea’ horse manure. Obviously you were reading the ‘National Post’. Pandering to First Nations extremism while ignoring the real problems endemic to current aboriginal way of life in this province, is part and parcel of how Gordon Campbell has destroyed so much of what was good about B.C. Thx for your thoughts, much appreciated.
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Rebel with a “pause”. Yes the pause button is getting a workout.
Look forward to your 2009 review of “Campbell and his funky bunch.”
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I was alerted to your website by a friend who follows your every word. My analysis is that you are not working for anyone in the mainstream media because this brand of honesty is unacceptable to them. I am in full agreement with you. Vision Vancouver are a very bad choice for Vancouver and we will suffer at their hands the longer they are allowed to destroy us. I voted for them because I was so fed up with Sullivan. Now I will stay home if these are the only two camps left. Do you think the NPA can comeback? I don’t know. This piece you wrote should be something everyone in Vancouver should read. I am sending the link around to everyone I work with.
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Very kind of you Martin. Hadn’t heard from you for a while. Not since you were telling me to lighten up on Vision (until they almost destroyed your neighbourhood!)
In all seriousness, I had to do this piece because the lies and spin coming from the Vision propaganda machine(s) is just too shameless, too painful. As for the NPA coming back: that’s up to them. I have no idea what their “new plan” is, but they need strategists on their Board, not simple volunteers. Appreciate you stopping by.
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very poingnant commentary, thanks keep it up
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How can you blame cyclists for air pollution coming from YOUR cars? That’s the logic of an insane person. If air pollution troubles you, as it should, get the hell out of your car and start riding a bike.
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Hi Neil: Obviously you’ve spent too much time in the rain on your bike…that’s a complete misrepresentation of what I wrote and have said. Pay attention, so you don’t have to go to the trouble of searching through my post and needing to think…
The increased air pollution, as a result of the ridiculous Burrard Bridge bike trial, is all to accommodate part of Gregor Robertson’s electoral base. It has nothing to do with greening the environment, in fact, he’s a hypocrite. He wants to advance greenwashing the city, but does not admit to the increase in GHGs because of the trial. I never blamed cyclists. I blame the cycling fascists for lying about the trial being successful and I blame the Mayor for being a hypocrite on this issue. But I never blamed cyclists for air pollution. And, no, thanks, I will not get out of my hybrid SUV because I need a place for two boosters and a baby seat and will not give up my children’s safety, or that of my family, so that your ilk can claim a decidedly pyrrhic victory. Thx for stopping by. Now run along…in case it might not have been clear…this site is a no-extremism zone.
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The Burrard Bridge bike lane was primarily about safety. And yes, the environment was also a compelling reason to sacrifice a lane. The benefits to the environment are not outweighed by a temporary increase in emissions. The Burrard Bridge bike lane was a successful declaration that we are moving forward on a different note – not the self-righteous entitlement to unhindered transport in our little gas pods, but rather one in which the environment, safety and long-term health of Vancouverites is given wise consideration. And what a declaration it has been! The coverage couldn’t have been bought by the cycling proponents. So the more you continue to stew and steam about it, Tsakumis, the more we all win.
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You keep thinking that you are “winning”, Neil. All you’ve done is lie. There is no temporary spike in GHG emissions–it’s permanent. And if you’re so dead set against what I write, why engage me. This site doesn’t cater to liars. The Burrard Bridge bike lane has done nothing to increase the safety of anybody. The studies are slanted. you’re fruitless lobby were quoting from a UBC study before any of the substantive findings were in: What does that tell us? This is all spin and lather, concocted by you and the other obliviots who think you can hurt the public out of their cars. Eco-nuts don’t survive much on this blog. Be forewarned,
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Furthermore:
You said:
The increased air pollution, as a result of the ridiculous Burrard Bridge bike trial, is all to accommodate part of Gregor Robertson’s electoral base. It has nothing to do with greening the environment, in fact, he’s a hypocrite.
I say:
Are you blaming a politician for trying to please his electoral base? And how can a cycling lane have “nothing to do with the environment?”
You said:
I blame the cycling fascists for lying about the trial being successful and I blame the Mayor for being a hypocrite on this issue.
I say:
The only empirical and objective study, which looked at the sheer statistical volume of vehicles and cyclists passing over the bridge, concluded the lane was a success. Are we to consider your emotional response to the bike lane of more significance?
You say:
Thx for stopping by. Now run along…in case it might not have been clear…this site is a no-extremism zone.
I say:
My position on the Burrard Bridge bike lane could hardly be characterized as “extreme”. Let’s hope this site is not a “no-disagreeing with Tsakumis” zone, because if it is, your credibility is out the window.
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Neil: I appreciate your passion, but the bullshit you shovel is astonishing. What study declared the bike trial a success? Can you show me in details? Your ilk were trumpeting it before it was even complete. That tells me everything about the authors and the proponents. And yes, I am blaming a politician, Gregor Robertson, for pandering to part of his base, because it adds to what you dream as global warming, and does nothing to increase safety if you are squeezing cars into a few lanes only. It’s obscene. Build a bloody cycle and pedestrian crossing I say, if the safety issue is so legit. But that would require some integrity on the part of your lobby and the Mayor. No, this is not a place where I censor, in fact, other than tasteless or offensive comments, I print everything that comes through here. I spike the ones that are illegal or offensive. You’re welcome here anytime as long as you are respectful, notwithstanding that you don’t make a godamned bit of sense and have the reading comprehension level of a stick of gum. Also, please don’t worry about my credibility. The first ten days of this blog had almost 60,000 visits.
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Very disappointed that you couldn’t bear to post my rebuttal to your snarky reply, Tsakumis.
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Alex, it is probably foolish for me to attempt to address your comments and those of your readers, but I will try. I am by nature not a very partisan person. Over the years I have always voted for the person, not the party at all levels of government, and have urged others to do the same. I also think one should give credit, where it is due, regardless of political association. If this makes me naive, then I am naive.
I am the first to admit that if there was an election tomorrow, I would probably put my name forward to stand for office, and my preference would be to run as an independent, free to support and criticize all ‘sides’. One thing that bothers me greatly about both the NPA and Vision is that they both vote only as a block. (OK, for the person who missed my joke about counting cyclists on the Burrard Street bridge, this is a joke too. Suzanne has to vote as a block.) But Vision doesn’t. And I will have more respect for Vision councillors when I see them voting independently, not in unison. I refuse to believe they always agree with each other on everything.
To the person who thought Alex should have been at Saturday’s event, I agree. He was one of the first people I invited but I understood his reasons for backing out. However, I like to think the event was worthwhile and I made the right decision inviting people with a variety of backgrounds and points of view. There were a lot of surprises too.
At the forum, Miro Cernetig suggested that based on what he has witnessed, he thought it would be preferable not to have parties at the municipal level. While I appreciate that this will not likely happen as long as we have our current ‘at large’ voting system, I totally agree. So, if you think I’m a turncoat because I applaud Vision for approving earlier EcoDensity initiatives, or creatively re-financing Olympic Village, or introducing a credible Burrard Street Bicycle lane trial, I am sorry. But please don’t ignore my disagreement with their ridiculous rental housing motion, or their support for the NPA led Metro Core Jobs initiative, or the possibility of keeping the very expensive social housing units as social housing.
And if Vision does decide to support a more innovative solution to allow the social housing units to become affordable ‘workforce’ units for sale, applaud this too.
We should all rise above partisanship when a party does well, or badly.
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Michael:
I maintain that you are the best candidate in thirty years, but stand behind what I have written here. you raise some valid points, and I’m glad your forum went well.
But I do think that at least appearing like you are trying to be everything to everyone is dangerous. It will make re-election that much more difficult and I’d love to see you get elected.
Mazel tov!
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I just read Geller’s comment.
So the only position he’ll take a stance on, is his position to continue fence sitting. Nice. Can’t understand how he doesn’t see that won’t work in the long run.
Not to mention his stance on wards.
So he thinks having a ward system will diminish the slate and party voting. Fat chance, then it turns into a whole other kind of mess with parties funnelling money to individual candidates to win majority and fucking over parts of the city as Vision is doing with the west side that didn’t vote for them right now.
I really want to believe you when you say that he’s the best council candidate in 30 years.
Although I suppose that could potentially say a lot about those who have run………….
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Sorry, I take that back. I didn’t see it there.
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Like I stated in my reply to you, so long as you are respectful, and appropriate, no problem. The second you go postal, you’re gone from this blog. I did that to one of your other cycling brethren last week. I will not hesitate to do it to anyone who comes on here and pretends and makes wild-eyed accusations, blurs legal lines, etc. You get the msg.
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