The Real Reason for Gregor’s Groovy STIR-Related Meltdown–Scratch Our F$$ckin’ Backs, C’mon Man, Like, I Mean, It’s For the Party, Dude…
Much has been said and written in the last 72 hours, on the Mayor of Vancouver’s mini-meltdown during the now infamous meeting in council chambers recently, where, in a moment of typical mindlessness for Mayor Moonbeam, he proceeded to dismiss citizen concerns, ridicule public input and mock due process all due to an open microphone.
“Fuckin’ hacks” he referred to them, here.
And the accompanying excuse is that it was a “long, tough meeting” according to Mayor Robertson. Well, it turns out he was quite likely telling you the TRUTH about his angst. But not for the reasons he cited…
I couldn’t care less that he used the word ‘Fuck’ (or more specifically, a variation), and for any of you prudes that want to pretend you don’t use the word–let’s stop the pretending. It’s become part of the global lexicon. I use it all the time if I’m having a beer with a pal and I’m expressing my regrets that the Flyers lost the Xwayxway Trophy and that Germany didn’t win the World Cup. I used it recently at the club when I was losing a badminton match I should have been winning (much to the horror of a very well-known elderly woman, within earshot, who should have been more in horror over the lack of length of her very little white skirt). I had a female cabbie in Grand Cayman once use it in the MOST hysterical context…but that’s another story for a less serious post.
The words around the profanity laced comments by the Mayor are what should be a bother. Public input is, apparently, the currency of “hacks” according to Gregor Robertson. Clowncillor Heather Deal, who has during this term erased all the good work she has done in previous years, with this term’s heavily partisan buffoonery, demonstrated a stunning, but telling, disregard for the concerns of citizens when she referred to “democracy squared”–clearly meaning that the the speakers against STIR in the West End were only duplicating what Vision Vancouver were already putting into place. Horse feathers…
Not so fast, Heather, baby. The STIR program, impossibly well-intentioned, shows in the first paragraph of narrative on the city’s website why it’s flawed from the beginning.
Here’s that first paragraph:
“Did you know that 52 per cent of Vancouver households are renters? Or that only about 6 per cent of new market development since 2004 has been for rental housing? This has resulted in a very tight market for rental housing. The Short Term Incentives for Rental Housing (STIR) program is a time limited (2.5 year) program that responds to the market rental shortage by providing incentives to encourage the development of new market rental housing. The STIR program is an opportunity to increase rental housing supply during the current economic downturn, while supporting the development industry to maintain jobs and invest in the City’s economy.”
Do you see the problem? It assumes that only NEW market rental housing is what will help the market. This is pure, unadulterated nonsense. There are dozens of buildings in each and every quadrant of the city that could be renovated or, yes, even built anew, without the monstrosities proposed by huge developers in Vancouver. And this current state is not primarily the reason for “tight” rental market conditions. The tight market is because for years, this country has not demanded more stringent requirements be met by its mostly offshore Asian real estate speculators that have turned Vancouver’s market into a Monopoly board. Robertson identified foreign investment as a problem in this case, but that’s when he was running for Mayor 2008–but that was just another well-scripted lie.
It’s not just the ‘newness’ of STIR and its broad sweeping densification overload, it’s the entirely mammoth size of the changes that have residents and citizens naturally scratching their heads as to ‘Why?’
The problem, , to begin with, my friends and dear readers, is that this is a program designed without a stitch of consultation, REAL consultation, over a project that has been launched in the most densely populated part of the city: the West End (also the most densely populated part of any city in North America, save and except for possibly Manhattan–the two used to compete for that designation when I lived in the West End in the mid-90s and then when I lived for a brief time in Manhattan in the late 90s).
In Surrey, for example, where Super-Mayor Dianne Watts continues to impress even detractors, she has instituted rezoning policy committees, future planning boards and community consultation groups, with ALL stakeholders involved, including critics, residents, developers, planners, architects and the city–ALL AT THE SAME TABLE, and WELL-AHEAD of any council decisions or endorsements on new future development. “The City has to have an open consultative process on any future development no matter where it is that people are building (in Surrey). We want to hear from everyone. I want all stakeholders engaged and I want every councillor to have an opportunity to hear everybody at the table. If some people have a problem with that and think they want to move faster–too damn bad. We don’t operate like that in Surrey–not anymore. You know, that’s how mistakes are made”, Watts told me last week.
Yes, Ma’am. (How’d ya like to be on the other side of her? No thanks!!!)
So, as this story about the Mayor Robertson’s potty-mouthed Marie Antoinette impression played itself out over the last couple of days, I started to peel back the cheap, Hollyhock veneer and think about why this otherwise vacant, scripted puppet of a man would be so exorcised over about a half-dozen, articulate, polite but earnest and honest citizens expressing their opinions.
And then I looked at the process…and thought about the bizarre, blinding speed of the push for this kind of rental housing (all to be built within 2.5 years)…and where…the West End.
And who was involved. Oh-oh…
And then it hit me. What’s the one thing that Vision Vancouver and their hierarchs care more about than anything else? No, not rolling paper. That’s second.
Money.
Well, power, and influence and SUPPORT. But it all begins with the money, honey.
So I did a little research yesterday, and those of you that have caught on to the Vision game of using useless, convoluted, feel-good initiatives to possibly enrich pals and insiders, will NOT be surprised.
Let me tell you why the Mayor is frustrated that the STIR program is receiving a very frosty reception from people like Randy Helten, a member in good standing, no less, of the Mayor’s own party, Vision Vancouver. Let me tell you about why Head Clowncillor Geoff Meggalomania was vociferously BOOED at a West End community meeting not long ago regarding STIR (because he makes no sense) . Let me tell you about why the Mayor might be a little concerned, and how there are two infamous, common players in all of this STIRring controversy.
1) One major proposal under STIR in the West End is at 1215 Bidwell (at Davie), referred to in the ‘hood as Maxine’s. This ONE-STOREY building formerly housed local lizard-lounge Balthazar (as a former patron, I can attest to its charms…and those of its more fetching female attendees). The building has about a 100-plus year old heritage history and was at one time everything from a hair salon to a whore house. It’s a property whose area straddles densely populated towers to the southeast and the merchant district to the north. A great place to begin the OVER-gentrification and density SATURATION of the West End, and, absolutely the wrong place to look to BEGIN projects for additional rental housing considering the precedent setting proposal. But here’s where it gets interesting. It’s a project being built by Millenium Developments. with architecture/consultation by Gregory Henriquez. The marketing is being done by über-realtor Bob Rennie.
The public consultation for this project was almost zilch, no matter who you talk to except for the (Vision big bossman/Chief of Staff) Mike Magee/Penny Ballem-controlled city and some Vision plants in West End community groups (more on them and WERA below). And to show you how much Vision Vancouver care about consultation, at a meeting in city council chambers on December 8th, 2009, a unanimous vote of ALL Vision Vancouver councillors present passed the project that is now well into its marketing phase.
You can find the website for ‘Alexandra at English Bay’, here. See anything about rentals being mentioned? STIR? Not a word. When I called Rennie Marketing Systems this afternoon ‘Anna’ proceeded to tell me that as far as Rennie Marketing Systems is concerned, “all the units are for sale, nothing is for rent…it’s up to the individual owners on if they’re going to rent them, we don’t get involved in that decision, really.” When I asked if she was aware that this building was designated as part of the STIR program and was part of an effort to house renters, she said, “What’s STIR? I’ve never heard of that.”
Do you get it so far? This isn’t about developers or the city taking any kind of altruistic risk on “rental” units. It’s just another profit-first condo develpment, except this time fast-tracked, that will further enrich the developer and everyone attached to the project. The builder is providing largely unregulated, unstructured ”new market rental housing”, regardless of (loose) city requirements. The developer risk is mitigated, considerably, as this is a largely “sales” proposition at the outset. No one is putting up a strictly rental building where they’re holding onto the units in inventory just for that purpose.
Now…
Bob Rennie was one of the biggest supporters of Vision Vancouver in the last and previous election. He has given them mammoth donations and provided much support. For example, according to Vision’s latest financial disclosure, Bob Rennie, in February of 2009, personally provided Vision with three separate donations of $5,000.00 a piece, totaling a whopping $15,000.00.
Greg Henriquez, of Henriquez Partners, is also staunch Vision supporter and has been quite supportive of Mayor Gregor Robertson and Vision Vancouver, and even provided design counsel to the Mayor when the discussions about another crossing for the Burrard Bridge was taking, place, before we were saddled with the failed Burrard Bridge bike lane. Mr. Henriquez also donated to Clr. Geoff Meggs’ campaign. His proposal for this development was for 21-storeys…
Millenium Development, of Olympic Village fiasco fame, were also donors to Vision (although nowhere as heftily as Mr. Rennie) prior to being bailed out of the financial quagmire that occupies False Creek (where Mr. Rennie is ALSO the realtor of choice).
What was it Geoff Meggs wanted to know last election? Something about how much Millenium “possibly” gave Sam Sullivan’s so-called secret fund? ”Vision Vancouver would never accept donations to maintain some kinda status quo relationship with a developer and the city…everybody has to be there strictly on their own merits” Remember that nugget from the campaign trail, Geoffy?
And then…there was a “dark, shadowy figure that came into the meeting that spoke in support of STIR but left really quickly…”, as described by Randy Helten of the principled West End Neighbours, who are bravely fighting the railroading of STIR through the culturally vibrant West End (not to be confused with the support for STIR by WERA, the West End Residents Association. WERA’s President, Brent Granby, is a NDP-loving, Davey Barrett-adoring, VISION bobblehead, who is close pals with VISION Parks Chair Commissioner ‘Arrogant’ Jasper. No surprise, Jasper’s wife, Arminder Randawa, sits as a Director of WERA, while also currently sitting on the Vancouver Board of Variance, as a VISION appointee–does she excuse herself on issues and votes related to the West End? Also of note, Aaron Jasper is a realtor working primarily in the city of Vancouver…are you seeing VISIONS yet?)
And if you think the relationships to Vision or supporters for this project, and, generally for STIR, aren’t convenient or cozy enough, on June 1st., 2010, according to Mr. Helten’s group:
“Residents of the West End were disturbed to discover preparatory work in anticipation of the demolition of the heritage building called Maxine’s at 1215 Bidwell, had begun on June 1 without a development permit or demolition permit. (Emphasis added)“
This is happening at City Hall, where VISION appointee Dr. Penny Bedlam (on a no-bid, no tender contract) rules with an iron-fist. But I’ve already told you that…
None of this, of course, was enough to raise the interest of one Frances Bula (a close personal friend of Bob Rennie), who spent the entire day the Mayor’s comments were top news across the province, excuse-making for her idol–instead of actually putting some of her (now dormant) investigative skills to use and dig deeper. Why would such a mild-mannered dimbell as Gregor Robertson go off half-cocked? According to Fabula (as she secretly loves to be called) Gregor was “being human.”
Pathetic.
As for Vancouver’s other long-time civic observer, Allen Garr, who this year successfully ran for a spot on VanCity’s Board…on the same Mike Harcourt (VISION advisor), Larry Campbell (VISION co-founder) and Bill Tieleman (VISION communications committee member) endorsed political team, as seated Director Jan O’ Brien (VISION Clr.Geoff Meggs’ wife), his excuse-machine must be red-hot and smoking…unless he’s off on his retreat property making bees see VISIONS.
Oh, yes, and what about the “dark, shadowy figure”…? Just hang on a little longer my darlings, we’ll get to him.
2) At 1401 Comox, referred to as the St. John’s Church property, Westbank Development, led by developer Ian Gillespie, is proposing a tower under the same STIR specs. You know Mr. Gillespie. He built out the Woodwards development…
And again…
Ian Gillespie is a long-time supporter of Vision Vancouver, who has also consistently donated to them and highly supportive of Vision’s movement. He is the developer of the Woodwards project in Gastown, where, um, why, Henriquez Partners are the architects of record.
And guess who is the architect of record at 1401 Comox? Why it’s Greg Henriquez (who once wrote a fascinating book entitled “Ethical Architecture”). He and Mr. Gillespie would like to see a 22 storey tower there. Same general set up as Maxine’s.
Now, for the missing piece, the “dark shadowy figure…”
Who consulted on the Woodwards project for Westbank? Who is a pal of Greg Henriquez and was fawningly hailed by him as “the driving force behind Woodwards”? Who is a pal of Ian Gillespie? Who lives in a luxury, three-storey condo in the Woodwards; a ‘sky-balcony’ unit, now worth well over a million and half dollars? Who is currently consulting for Millenium on various projects including STIR? Who is very close to Heather Deal? Who is a pal of Geoff Meggs? Who is a die-hard supporter of Vision Vancouver? Who ran for them for Mayor and lost?
Who co-founded Vision Vancouver?
Jim Green. The man Bill Good inappropriately promotes as a “political pundit” and synchronously as a “real estate consultant”.
THUD.
Now, tell me again how much the Mayor was frustrated by the “long” meeting? Tell me why Heather Deal was so vocal? Tell me how Tim Stevenson remains asleep while reportedly wide awake?
All a coincidence?
Okay…absolutely…..
Ever heard the phrase, “Scratch my back and I’ll rub your front?”
No?
Fuckin’ hacks.
Sure the Mayor wasn’t looking in a mirror with all his pals and insiders standing behind him when he said that?
A dynamite piece. Can’t wait to see this pursued by the major media!
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High praise from the best investigative journalist in B.C. history. Much appreciation Harv. Many, many thx.
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It seems that you and Frances Bula have very different views on the motivations behind policies implemented by City Councils. In one of her comments on her blog she states:
“I know none of you wants to believe this, but Sam brought in EcoDensity largely because of a theoretical belief in density as a way to achieve environmental goals, and Vision, to my knowledge from attending the public meetings where the STIR program was developed, brought in STIR because of a genuine conviction that the city needed more rental and as a way to get development going again in the city when it had come to a standstill.”
I think your commentary on this issues clearly belies the above assertions of Ms. Bula’s.
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Sorry – the last sentence should have read: “I think your commentary on this issue clearly belies the above assertions of Ms. Bula.”
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No problem, I understand exactly what you mean and Frances is completely, shamelessly offside on this matter. She was hammered by me and others for her clear bias and tried to correct matters on day later, only to make matters worse with quotes like the one you cite above.
To illustrate how out to lunch she is, she claims that Vision did this out of a genuine concern for a lack of rental housing, but she does not bother to make the connection that the kind of increases in density (400%) and increase in height (500%) that, for example, 1401 Comox is getting will surely make the project borderline very luxurious–it will have to. So where is the affordable or even moderately affordable housing component there? She, Bill Good (who is totally inept and ignorant) and Jim Green have a fundamental misunderstanding of what rental housing means. You cannot apply one standard for all parts of the city. Frances doesn’t tell you that that was the problem with Sam’s proposal as well. Eco-Duncity, at its genesis, was a huge mistake and morphed into more support for LEEDS buildings, that’s all, and nothing more.
I was in the real estate business for almost 15 years. I know exactly what it takes and Frances is just grasping at straws. She has become a sad figment of a past existence–that was vibrant, not vitriolic; relevant, not ridiculous.
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As with a lot of political decisions all you have to do is follow the money.
As much as VISION claims to be different and more representative of normal folks it unfortunately is COPE/NPA Lite and gives people the the worst of both worlds.
The total financial ineptness of a useless left wing party and the “You scratch my back and I’ll scratch your back” underhandedness of a corrupt right wing party.
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Good fact finding & well said. Here’s some more:
Many condos are indeed rental housing & the number on Craig’s list daily makes one wonder how much of a rental shortage there is. Based on comments by the City’s rental housing point lady there is a clear bias against condo rentals.
Affordability….. Average WE rents — $1.50 to $2.00 / SF. Announced STIR rents @ Maxine’s — $2.70.
City of Vancouver [read taxpayers] giveaway to developers — $5.45M directly, PLUS giveaway in excessive profiteering — $26.5M to $34.1M spot rezoned profit less $3.1 to $5.3M existing zoning PROFIT = $23.4M to $28.8M.
I am entirely in favour of developers making a profit, I’ve been one. But, profits of this outrageous sort are unfair to other developers who don’t get into the pyramid scheme soon enough, it destablizes & distorts the real estate market, it results in higher land prices thus, higher condo / rental costs & causes the unlucky developer & contractor to go bankrupt. Is this good, enlightened public policy-making?
On a side note Alex, can I respectfully suggest that it is not necessary to debase ourselves & dumb down the level of discussion via 4 letter words. The English language, & your use of it generally, is far to rich & expressive to be so debased for me @ least. But, agreed, the real issue is arrogance.
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I don’t disagree, I’m just simply not prepared to be a hypocrite and pretend the f-word offended me as much as the pompous sense of dismissiveness was so ugly and terribly offensive. I swear. I think anyone that knows me knows that. But let’s not over-analyze what he meant by using the word. He was clearly frustrated that all the PR masturbation that comes out of his office isn’t working anymore. Otherwise, as NPA Director, maybe you can tell me why it was that your not-so-dazzling damsel, Ms. Anton, took almost a day and half to even question the Mayor on this issue? Where was your inept President Mike Davis? The rest of your Board, including Vision’s plant? Only Ian Robertson took on the Mayor the day of the infraction.
Nice. One, lone Park Commissioner doing the job of an entire party…while the rest of you slept. Sorry Bill. I call a spade a spade, here. With respect…
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Thank you Alex for your calling out the NPA, Ms. Anton and the rest of the NPA sans Ian Robertson, for their ineptitude (my word, not yours).
I am absolutely sickened by this bunch and how they continue to pound nails into their own coffin. And when anyone calls them out on it, they get as defensive as Gregor and his Visionites.
Let’s examine their record for a second.
Suzanne votes blindly for $25 million in bike lanes (because it was already in the engineering budget), while the park board gets stripped bare.
She then votes in favour of making the bike lanes on the Burrard Bridge permanent without questioning the phony stats, the money, or the fact that not once during the process was there ever proper public consultation.
Dunsmuir Bike lanes, ditto.
Another issue where she refused to listen to taxpayers was approving laneway housing in Dunbar when they were clearly against the idea. Did someone try and claim on city caucus that she listens to her constituents…..what a load of unadulterated bullshit. When she was approached with ideas from residents on how it could be implemented in a more community-friendly manner, she scoffed and brushed them off. Community and homeowners…..f–king hacks.
Sean Bickerton on hearing of Geoff Meggs plans to take down the Dunsmuir Viaducts, throws his support behind the idea within nanoseconds. I could go on about his stances over the past 2 years but won’t bother, he’s a fool. And yes I’ve heard that he’s a great guy but as long as he defends and supports Suzanne, and ripping down the viaducts among other lunacy he’s backed since finding his political voice, he’s garbage in my books.
A BTW for you. On his web site he prominently displays your quote about him being a star candidate in the next election, if he wises up. I find it hard to believe that you would endorse a candidate that would rip down the viaducts and supports millions in bike infrastructure, while increasing taxes and cutting services to families. A leopard doesn’t change their spots Alex, and since he continues to come out in favour of these hair-brained Vision initiatives, I hope you’ll reconsider your support of the clown. Wising-up doesn’t appear to be in his playbook.
Should I go on….because I can keep going, yahoo by yahoo. Even your good friend Michael Geller came out in the past giving good grades to Vision. Geezus. I want to like the guy. I want to believe in him….but I can’t, not anymore.
This lot of people behind the NPA is just clueless. It’s like showing up to a gun fight with a knife with this lot, and Vision has the gun. This bunch is so far out of the weight class its almost laughable, if it wasn’t so damn frustrating. Fools..the lot of them.
Right now, there is absolutely no policy difference or in fact any difference in the way Suzanne comports herself compared to Vision. Suzanne votes for what Suzanne wants, and she doesn’t give a shit about standing up for the Vancouverites without a voice. I’m surprised she said anything about Gregor at all considering her own actions.
Let’s touch on the management and board for a second.
I’m aware that people went to Mike Davis with great ideas in the past and nothing was ever followed up on. If he didn’t have time to fulfill his duties he should have stepped down. Instead opportunities have been wasted every step of the way with him.
So what do they do, they keep him on. Ship of fools I tell ya.
Now we have guys like McCreery and Pasin on the board. They seem like nice enough guys but have already failed miserably at what they joined to do just 2 months ago. If why you came got punted, do you stay or do you go? I won’t bother getting into some of the dirt I’ve heard on the who’s driving who nuts over there, I’m sure your sources are better than mine. Apparently though its a joke and turning some folks off.
The political opportunity that arose from the arrogance on display at this last council meeting was absolutely wasted by the NPA…..yet again. What a f–king (in honour of Gregor of course) disgrace.
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Truth be told, the NPA are pathetic. Anton is ridiculous and the board is completely inept. It will take a miracle to turn them around. But it CAN be done. THx for your comment. Much appreciated.
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The Thought of The Day
“The only way to get your name on the front of the list, is to bear the name of Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaanton”
Glen and Alex,
Suzanne votes the way she votes because she dreams that none day she might be the leader of her own NPA Light vis a vis the NPA Classic.
Deja vu?
All she needs in order to achieve that, is to start a following, say ‘The Friends of Suzanne Anton’. It will get all the Developers mixed up maybe even take some of them to wallet frustration. And hopefully they will stop screwing with our local politicians.
In my humble opinion, her name of ‘Anton’ is not going to carry her shadow over the Finish Line least her ‘container’. Her horse can only carry one of her multiple personalities. Maybe, she should try AAnton for a change.
We live in Vancouver and this keeps us busy.
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“he then votes in favour of making the bike lanes on the Burrard Bridge permanent without questioning the phony stats, the money, or the fact that not once during the process was there ever proper public consultation.”
Hundreds of people showed up at the Roundhouse six months before the bike lane trial began to attend a public consultatation. Certainly the topic was debated at length before it was implemented.
What are the phony stats? Everyone, pro or con would be interested to know more about what you are alleging. How does one phony up stats created by a mechanical counter?
“I find it hard to believe that you would endorse a candidate that would rip down the viaducts and supports millions in bike infrastructure, while increasing taxes and cutting services to families”
Bike lanes are for everyone, including families. As one can see by watching traffic on the 10th Ave bike route, many families are using bicycles for transportation and separated bike lanes make it possible to do so with a greater degree of safety, not to mention freeing parents from having to chaffeur their older kids everywhere once they are old enough to get to nearby destinations un-chaperoned.
The times are (slowly) changing and increased options for travel via cycling are something a sizable portion of the population supports. Bike lanes are a good addition to our city, and as we see in reading the news, Vancouver is merely one of hundreds of cities embarking on similar initiatives. Surely Hollyhock can’t have brainwashed everyone?
cheers,
CK
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I’m going to allow this nonsense from Vancouver premier cycling radical to go through only to illustrate that if Chris Keam is not on Vision’s payroll he should be.
Three lies in a row and some other associated points interspersed:
1) There were not “hundreds of people” at the Roundhouse. It was stacked with largely cycling activists. And public consultation was at a minimum with no more than three major meetings, again stacked with cycling fascists. Lie #1 by Mr. Keam.
2) Phony stats? Happy to oblige. A memo went out from Dr. Ballem’s office not too terribly long ago: ALL REPORTS WILL GO THROUGH HER OFFICE. She made clear to several people I spoke to that if any report did not meet the agenda, she would go so far as to have the reports rewritten. Mechanical counters…? Okay…um, you obviously didn’t get the memo from your friends at Vision Vancouevr.
3) “Bike lanes are for everyone” This is not only a lie, it confirms you are a damn fool. Only an idiot would cart or bike their child across a busy bridge. It’s unsafe. And if the bike lanes are for everyone, why are we still holding at a negligible increase? Don;t give me the line about a 24% increase. That’s a bigger lie, but told by the Mayor. A 24% increase from 3% of the population? LOL! Spin somewhere else Chris. Lie #2.
4) “Times are a changing and increased options for travel via cycling are something a sizable portion of the population supports…” MASSIVE LIE. NO ONE has done a proper poll. Particularly in the areas affected by bike lanes. Bikes lanes in other cities is not a like comparison. Vancouver is heavily ethnic and two of the main ethnicities are not cyclists. They buy their daughter’s a Porsche for ‘Sweet Sixteen’ You need to get off whatever planet you’re on and return to earth. And that was Keam lie #3.
Thx for stopping by for a little attitude adjustment. Bye-bye!
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“two of the main ethnicities are not cyclists.”
Are you referring to China and India. Are you for real AGT? Both countries are known for high levels of cycling for transportation. When people from those countries come here they abandon that mode for what they see as the ‘typical’ behaviour of the people already here.
Not suprisingly, as transportation woes and the myriad other downsides of relying on private automobiles become more apparent, there is a growing appetite within the immigrant community for cycling education and resources. Importantly, for many of those people, who are often females with limited financial resources, cycling is a great way to open up their world and give them exactly the kind of personal freedom we value so highly. Little wonder that programs designed to appeal to this demographic have been well received here, in Toronto, and in other cities as well.
It’s funny how people who disagree with you are always liars Alex. I haven’t made a single statement that even smacks of spin, let alone lying. Just the facts man, to paraphrase Joe Friday.
The public consultation at the Roundhouse was a great mix of people from all walks. I ran into some decidedly non-cycling acquaintances there, along with many cyclists as well (of course). One might as well cry foul if a Hastings Park public meeting drew people with a vested interest in the Sport of Kings.
“Only an idiot would cart or bike their child across a busy bridge. It’s unsafe.”
The Burrard Bridge is perfectly safe for a parent and child to cycle across… now that there’s a separated, protected lane. The fact of the matter is that the most dangerous place for a child is in a car. This is borne out by years of accident statistics.
I do applaud you allowing me to comment Alex. It makes the comments section of your blog less reminiscent of an echo chamber.
BTW, I’m definitely not the premier cycling activist in Vancouver, simply one who has a bit of time to engage you and your similarly misinformed ilk regarding the realities of our transportation system both now and likely to come in the future. There are a host of hard-working people who commit time and effort in less visible settings to increase the safety and appeal of cycling in Vancouver and surrounding regions. I don’t mind being your whipping boy, but let’s give credit were due. I would be an egomaniac to take more than a few crumbs from that cake.
Bike lanes make travel safer for everyone. Once again, this is borne out by statistics derived from the Burrard Bridge bike lanes, and the experience of hundreds of other cities worldwide. Your antipathy towards them seems to be based purely on a personal opinion, with very little research or study to back up that viewpoint. That’s a shame.
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Drivel. I proved to you in the previous post what the truth was. It is YOU that won’t see the light. Nothing coming out of Silly Hall can be fully trusted anymore.
Care to comment on the shameless behavior of those you support? Of course not.
I was at the meeting at the Roundhouse Chris. You must have been in a different community center. It was a stacked meeting. So were the others…
Ethnic communities that come here adopt our ways? Yeah, sure thing Chris, that’s why the despicable gay-bashings that happen in the West End are predominantly done by young males from one particular ethnic group–an ethnic group where being “a fag” is considered sub-human. Give me a break. You’ve had your 15 of fame on here.
That’s why Porsche and Mercedes have one particular ethnic group predominantly as customers. sure thing. Yup, they’ll drop those Cayennes and SLKs for a trip to Caps Cycles tomorrow morning.
You need to get out of the sun. Too much, I think…
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Look Alex we can trade barbs and opinions all day long, but there’s one crucial fact you’re ignoring. Why are cities all over the world also embarking on similar programs to Vancouver’s w/r/t encouraging walking, cycling, and transit? Until you can come up with some reasonable explanation for this global trend away from accommodating car use all you are doing is foisting off your opinions as Gospel. There’s something else at work. beyond your unproven allegations. The reality is that cycling is attractive to enough people that it deserves consideration when planning for transportation. End of story.
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I though that would be obvious to you. The fraud of global warming alarmism is what’s driving all this and the fact that the VAST MAJORITY of other cities do not have our heavy rains and inclement weather. And let me be clearer, I have no problem with cycling and pedestrian infrastructure THAT DOES NOT INTERFERE WITH VEHICULAR TRANSPORTATION. Your pals at Vision want to economically hurt people out of their cars. I have a HUGE problem with that kind of fascist policy. I would fully support a second crossing but for whom? 4% of the people? And I don;t make allegations, I speak the truth. That’s why people come here.
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Why are cities everywhere embarking on cycling policies? Because cars are an easy target, and it’s all very PC and hard to disagree with at first (it’s the details that kill you.) It also makes Mayors and councils everywhere look like they are busy and earning their paychecks. IF ONLY bikes would stay in their lanes…
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Well put!
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“Why are cities all over the world also embarking on similar programs to Vancouver’s w/r/t encouraging walking, cycling, and transit?”
Why? Because of members of “the religion of bicycles” like you who have very LOUD voices, drowning out every one else.
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Correct again!
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“There were not “hundreds of people” at the Roundhouse. It was stacked with largely cycling activists.”
EVERY time there’s a consultation involving cycling it’s stacked with activists. I’m a cyclist myself and don’t even own a car, but this is getting out of hand. I will be at the next one at Pac Centre to voice my disapproval of the millions being spent to f*** up Hornby Street.
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Right you are!
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Here we go again, a bike lane gets mentioned and Arno’s best friend Chris Keam to the rescue.
Lets just cut the bullshit because you’re tiresome. As I’ve said to Alex, I don’t know why he even lets you comment.
You believe in spending millions on infrastructure that 4% of the people use and I believe in spending millions on infrastructure that a majority of people use.
The reality is that your numbers are not growing at the rate any of you had hoped and as an investment it’s a terrible one. Capital T.
I’m not going to debate points with you for numerous reasons, but the main one is because not once in a year have you EVER accepted or shown reason over ideology.
The numbers are a sham. A million riders…..big FN deal. That works out to an average of 100 cyclists per hour using the bridge on a yearly basis. When you take out the 4 months of the year where you have the majority of riders, it’s ridiculous.
Further I haven’t seen any families using Dunsmuir yet so cut with the crap that your bike lanes are for everyone. Its getting as old as the AGW crap you folks have tried to con everyone with.
Lastly, Vancouver ranks higher in worldwide livability ratings, on a regular and consistent basis no less, than ANY other city with bike lanes that you cycling fascists are trying to emulate. So in your books you’d like Vancouver to become less livable to fit your ideology of what “your” perfect little world would be. Not so funny that Mussolini and Stalin did exactly the same things in the name of their beliefs.
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Thanks for spelling my name right, Glen (and for reading my blog.) I truly appreciate the mention, especially in the company of Michael Geller and Suzanne Anton, both of whom I admire.
As for why Councillor Anton took her time to comment on the firestorm this mayor created, there’s an old expression of Sam Rayburn, who was a titan of a House Speaker back in the day: “Never interrupt your opponent when they’re busy shooting themselves in the foot.”
Please carry on.
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Well Sean, let me step in and leave Glen to reply to you whenever he comes around again.
I think your thinking is severely flawed. Loving everyone only puts you in that class of politician who doesn’t understand the problems because he’s too busy worrying about his electoral possibilities. You were a very good candidate for the NPA, but I am growing weary of your embracing of Suzanne’s performance as councillor this term, which, let me ASSURE YOU, will be detrimental to your chances of election should you wish to run again in the fall of 2011. You obviously have not looked at the electoral map from the last three elections. I, on the other hand, make it my business to study them. The NPa actually lost votes in key long-standing NPA territory, that dipped slightly with Sam, but always delivered for Peter, Philip, and only with Jennifer did it disappear as it did last time. You can thank Suzanne for assisting in knee-capping Peter Ladner’s mayoral campaign for that, and thus, YOUR ELECTORAL CHANCES. You like whom? Someone who is in it only for herself and has proven that time and again over the last 18 mths, not only in voting record but in (hopeless) messaging?
Perhaps instead of thinking of a career change to politician, you might consider comedian.
Your own positions embracing lunatic fringe Vision initiatives and policies are also of deep concern for many. IT demonstrates a breathtaking inability to see what’s best for Vancouver.
In the end, that’s all that will matter to the person standing behind the voting booth. Remember that.
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Alex,
You wrote:
“I think your thinking is severely flawed. Loving everyone only puts you in that class of politician who doesn’t understand the problems because he’s too busy worrying about his electoral possibilities.”
Bada Bing Bada Boom!
Right on. I want to add to your comment the words of a very dear comedian of mine.
“I don’t know the key to success, but the key to failure is to try to please everyone.” Bill Cosby.
Bada Bing Bada Boom!
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Thank you. kind Sir.
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Hi Glen,
Your comments referring to me as a clown, garbage, a fool etc. have damaged my professional reputation and are hurtful to me, my family, my friends. As none of those statements are true, they veer into the territory of actionable and so I’m cautioning you about repeating those assertions in print.
That being said, I understand how political passions can get out of hand and will try to engage with the substance of your arguments instead of your invective.
For some who care deeply about public policy, politicians are the equivalent of their sports team, and that sense of ownership makes some fans feel entitled to trash any performance they perceive as poor.
But you should realize at the moment that your voice is indistinguishable from that of our political opponents. They too want to push Councillor Anton out – they are vicious to her.
If your advice were followed, the NPA would get rid of the candidate who won more votes than any other NPA candidate in the last election, and raised more money as well! Getting rid of that kind of winning candidate doesn’t sound like a winning electoral strategy to me. That sounds like Vision’s electoral strategy.
I notice that Mike Taylor commented sharing similar views, and freely admitted he was a Vision supporter in the last election …
You would also like the NPA to get rid of me, something I suspect Vision would also like to see. Leaving aside the inconvenient fact that I have no position with the NPA, so they can’t get rid of me, how would that help the party?
I’m not sure what you’ve been doing since September of 2008, but I’ve spent every ounce of my effort, all of my resources and much of my time working to rebuild a party destroyed in the last leadership battle. I’ve been out front, willing to lend my name to one of the most unpopular political franchise in the history of the city at its weakest point. If that doesn’t fully demonstrate my loyalty, I don’t know what could.
I do appreciate the fact you’ve read my blog. My latest post “Who Are These Hacks?” does exactly what you were so upset we weren’t doing, so I’m waiting for the effusive praise to follow – - http://seanbickerton.com/2010/07/13/who-are-these-hacks/
In fairness to you, I suspect what you’re really railing at is the weakness of the NPA. We have gone from holding the Mayoralty and majority on council to one elected rep on council. They have the entire City government and communications department. We have no political staff – they have several full time operatives working for them. We have no party organization – they have large unions back-stopping them with tons of money and volunteers.
We on the other hand are literally a small group of volunteers dedicated to the idea of the NPA constitution which states that, at its best, the NPA is a collection of individuals of independent thought that picks the best candidates from a broad variety of backgrounds and allows them to vote their conscience in office.
If you don’t agree with that constitution, or you feel let down by everyone involved, please by all means run for the Board at the next AGM and change it. Or run for office yourself – early nominations are this fall – or start your own party that will do exactly what you tell them. Any of those actions would be constructive.
Endlessly bashing Councillor Anton or those few of us willing to speak up in her defense only helps Vision.
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Actually, what helps Vision is having you be willing to speak up in defense of Suzanne. Something you don’t get.
Notice Michael Geller’s silence in this regard? He gets it–big time.
And I would happily pay Glen’s legal fees if you were to sue him for his comments here. Glen’s comments are not actionable as they are part of a stream discussing an issue that is a matter of public record and if you can find a lawyer who will take that case, I’d like to see how you intend on proving injury. Your suggestion that his comments injured you imply by association that I have allowed defamatory statements to be made here, and as anyone of my readers know, we don’t do that here.
You are showing a VERY sensitive skin. And you want to run? Oh dear…
Think before you write? Bad night’s sleep? What gives?
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Sean,
Apparently you don’t quite understand what an OPINION is.
Well, I’m entitled to have one and that OPINION is negative of YOU, because of your OPINIONS on civic matters I can call you what I want providing it’s not racial, religious, or a “hate-related” statement.
Last I checked, fool, clown and garbage are none of the three.
Threatening to sue someone because they have an opinion is pathetic. If you don’t like it, get out of politics. Over-sensitive isn’t exactly what I’d call you but I’ll save that for the next time you take a position that aligns with Vision and hurts average Vancouver families.
As for your merry band of volunteers trying to resurrect an NPA party ripped to shreds after the 2008 election, I can’t even say good luck.
What’s left of the party, specifically because of the 30 or so people who hold memberships and show up at the AGM’s to vote, are what’s holding it back.
You’ve got a small handful of people in that 30 that get it. The rest don’t, you included but that isn’t a surprise.
It’s a dead party walking…..actually crawling.
To suggest: “In fairness to you, I suspect what you’re really railing at is the weakness of the NPA.”, is laughable.
I say what I mean Sean. If I meant I was frustrated with the weakness of the NPA, I would have said it.
What frustrates me is the weakness of those trying to resurrect the party.
Do I need to be clearer still?
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COMMENTS FOR THIS POST HAVE NOW BEEN CLOSED.
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Sean,
Let me ask this: If the situation were reversed, how long do you think it would have taken Vision to be in the media, just hammering away at the NPA?
Quotes are a funny thing, lots of people love to use them because they think it applies to situations they are currently in, yet rarely are they ever applicable at all. In fact they usually represent a sorry excuse by the writer to come up with something original from their own minds.
My “ad hominem” attacks against you didn’t come from my imagination, they came from following what you and other council candidates say and do and that involves visiting your web site and reading the many disappointing and pathetic comments you’ve left on various blogs. Right now, I see no difference in policy or belief between you and Vision. Nor is there one for Suzanne or Michael Geller for that matter.
Note: that’s bad….
Except I’ll give Geller the respect he deserves with respect to real estate matters. Under his watch the OV situation would have been handled much better and with the dignity and class he comports himself with and I would never be concerned with any matter pertaining to the PEF. I trust it would be safe in his hands.
However, I can’t trust that with the other issue – you, Suzanne or Geller would vote for, would have the taxpayers interests come first and over some ideological stance that you firmly believe in. Frankly right now I can get that from Vision, so why bother. The only difference is that you would be nicer to my face and not mock me. Please, if you’re going to ruin the city, you may as well act as arrogant and cocky as Vision has been for 18 months.
Further on that topic, at least Vision knows how to win a scrap. Not one of you (Anton, Geller or yourself) knows how or when to throw a bloody punch. This is politics not jump rope for pete’s sake.
Here’s just on example for you. His name is Bruce Allen.
Bruce Allen is absolutely revered in this town for taking a stand, speaking his mind and not tolerating this bullshit you just happen to support. Hands down the guy would plaster Vision. And guess what; it’s because everyone knows where he stands and he isn’t afraid to say so. Nor is he willing to back down from a fight.
There isn’t a chance in hell the NPA could ever convince Bruce to run under their banner because of people like you vying for councillor spots. Not to mention the other left-wing clowns allowed to partake in the sham of being a “non-partisan” party. Oh, right, make that association.
To close, one of my favorite lines of all time comes from batman……”this town needs an enema”…..unfortunately that doesn’t just apply to city hall these days, it applies to the NPA as well.
And this quote just happens to apply.
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Hi Alex,
I realize you’ve given up on me. You’ve made it clear in previous posts and I accept that and respect your position. One of the reasons I’m trying to take strong stands publicly is to signal the kinds of decisions I might make as councillor so that voters have an opportunity to see what they’re getting up front.
So you’re welcome to vote for Vision or COPE instead, or run yourself or start your own party if you don’t like my positions. So by all means, have at it. You’ve given up on me and I accept that.
So that’s me taken care of.
On Councillor Anton, we’ll just have to agree to disagree. I know her to be a person of integrity and principle. And she knows more about city policy than most currently sitting councillors and certainly more than the sitting Mayor.
And yet, because you disagree with 3 votes she’s taken, you want to get rid of her. But that means your answer for saving the NPA is to get rid of the one person that got more votes than any other NPA candidate. with all due respect, that’s not logical.
As for Mayor, Suzanne has never said she intends to run for Mayor, and has repeatedly said she wants the very best candidate available to run. So by all means, if you’ve identified a better candidate, use the power of your blog and this huge fan base to promote them! That would actually be constructive and helpful.
No one’s preventing you from supporting a candidacy – the field’s wide open, so go for it.
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Jesus Christ Sean, you could have written me a love letter and it would have been less painful.
1) You make it increasingly difficult not only to be unsupportive of you, but also to be highly critical. Your stubborn refusal to accept that you are on the wrong side of a whole series of issues is crystal clear proof that you will end up with another loss in 2011 BECAUSE THERE IS NOTHING MORE THAT ANNOYS THE ELECTORATE THAN POLITICIANS WHO DO NOT UNDERSTAND FISCAL PRUDENCE.
2) Supporting $25 million dollars in cycling infrastructure in the middle of an economic rumpus, while summer programs for children are being gutted and old folks have nowhere to sit in the shade will have voters tacking themselves to you, by association, because you will not accept that you support mindless propositions as much as the mindless people, like Suzanne, who support them.
3) Telling me that I’m welcome to vote for Vision is sheer idiocy. you’ve become an idiot too? IF you are spouting policies and hailing Vision supported initiatives, what the hell is the difference between YOU and THEM? Nothing! Were you drinking heavily when you wrote me this note?
4) Suzanne Anton is the most shameless, self-centered, egocentric politician, other than Geoff Meggs, on current council. Here’ her record: Flew on the coat tails of Al DeGenova. When on Parks tunred on him. Flew in on the coat tails of Peter Ladner. When on council, turned on him–including backstabbing him and the wishes of the NPA, after the membership spoke loudly and clearly that her choice, Sam, was finished. She has not, even in the time she, Kim Capri and Elizabeth Ball were filling chambers with lather and stupidity, initiated ONE, NOT ONE, solid, meaningful, appropriate or useful policy while either on Parks or council. Your rendition of how she was elected is a breathtaking, embarrassing display of why you are, currently, ill-equipped for public office. Pay attention, you might learn something about local govt. Suzanne ANTON, is first on the list of candidates. Her last name begins with an ‘A’. Then, there is the matter of name recognition. That’s HUGE in local politics. Finally, she is a HOOVER. As she is proving on council this term, she cannot differentiate between what is right and wrong. She is simply looking at what she perceives is politically expedient and votes accordingly. That’s her modus operandi. All you are doing by making statements about her that are untrue is simply proving that you believe incompetent messaging and woeful political decision-making is what will help the NPA.
5) If Suzanne is such a genius and knows so much about the city can you tell me why in the entire time she has been wither a Commissioner or Councillor that she has not outlined or supported a reasonable vision for the city? She brown-nosed her way into Sam’s good books while he navel-gazed. She didn’t support Peter Ladner, who actually HAD a vision that would work. And she’s now agreeing with Gregor and MAJOR initiatives, Sean, not just three votes.
6) What’s not logical is the thin gruel you have offered here. You need candidate training, desperately, and you need to sit down and have a drink with yourself: is what you have scribbled here the kind of reason and critical thinking Vancouverites can expect? Supporting a woman who is in it only for herself? IF she actually cared about Vancouver and REALLY wanted the best candidate, she would have already said, ‘NO!’ and saved the NPA from being perceived as a party so in the mud that all it can offer as a mayoral candidate, is a selfish, vacant and incompetent woman, who is incapable of putting aside her gargantuan ego for the good of her party. Maybe she shoud change her name to Hillary–she is about as hated and dense. She has told people I know well that she is considering a mayoral run. Stop your whining Sean and get with the program. She spent almost two days doing nothing on the Gregor meltdown. Meanwhile Ian Robertson came out swinging on behalf of the NPA the same day, without hesitation.
And don’t worry, when a good candidate comes along for Mayor, this time, I’m going to search under his/her fingernails before he/she gets an endorsement from me. But I can assure you, under no circumstances would I support a selfish harridan.
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Sarcasm – the mark of a weak mind…
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Glen,
I have gotten involved with the NPA to make the organization better & more effective. Our 2 initiatives have been dealt with by the membership. I respect that. We’re moving on. If one way doesn’t work, there are others.
I will continue to work inside the tent doing what President Johnson said rather than outside. I invite you & others in if you want to make a difference. The important thing is defeating Vision in 2011. We can do that. But, it won’t happen if you all stay outside the tent.
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Also agreed re: ‘F’ etc. +. The NPA does need to be more proactive & out there. Suzanne is doing a good job in a difficult circumstance but, she needs help. It’s a work in process.
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“Suzanne is doing a good job…”
You are a jokester. Suzanne is doing a woeful job and is the MAIN reason you can’t raise any money. Most of the cheque writers that would love to bolt Vision (and there are three very good ones) are PETRIFIED of a Suzanne mayoral run. Why? Because you and your other board incompetents haven’t yet found the testicular fortitude to tell her to put a sock in it and stop selling the NPA brand short. She is a moderately good councillor…at times. She has voted in lockstep with Vision for most of the term on major issues. She supported $25M in bike lane BS while complaining about cuts to programs. She supported the permanency of the bike lane without thinking of what it has done to businesses and car travel in the area, or residents in the side streets on either side of the bridge.She complains about the Mayor but makes him a special guest to her home for a summer garden party, bloody hell. Shall I continue? Suzanne is in it for Suzanne. Always has been, always will be. When she was running first time around she was GLUED to Peter Ladner’s side. When Sam got elected Mayor, she turned on logic and reason and dumped on Peter. Why? Well, it’s simple, she is actually delusional enough to believe that Sam OR SHE would have gotten a better result as a mayoral candidate. It’s embarrassing to listen to such drivel.
You know my advice, Bill: raise money (after you’ve plugged Suzanne pie hole from telling anyone who will listen that she has the inside track on being the NPA mayoral candidate); identify your opponent (instead of relying on the collateral benefits of having this writer and people like Mike Klassen do your work for you) and get ride of anyone not fully committed to doing the first two–PERIOD.
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Bill,
Claiming Suzanne needs help is almost implying that she’s overwhelmed. Yes she’s a one-string banjo up a team of organs (I’ll leave out which), however suggesting she’s doing a good job under any circumstances is ridiculous.
Being the lone councilor from the NPA, whichever way she votes, is in fact considered NPA policy or direction by the general public, and its reported that way in every newspaper article when they write about council decisions.
Yeah yeah I know what the initials NPA stands for but the reality is that every position she stakes, reflects on the whole party.
She clearly doesn’t give a crap about that because she continues to support foolishness out of the opposition you folks will try to unseat in 18 months. Suzanne has been in civic politics now for 9 years I believe, she shouldn’t be a work in progress, using that excuse is simply that, an excuse.
And forget the crap the City Caucus boy is spouting about hopefully winning 3-4 seats in 2011. You don’t go into any election trying to come in second – thats stupidity. The goal is to win, if it isn’t find something else to do with your time – seriously.
Now I realize you’re being polite and have no intention of speaking publicly about your dirty laundry, however the more you folks speak publicly at all and support her, the more it appears that she does in fact speak for the party as a whole.
Further, having NPA members and a former-candidate like Sean Bickerton running around voicing their support over getting rid of the viaducts will not get you any votes. In fact it’s losing you a bunch.
All for what, a $10 membership fee. I sure that 10 bucks is worth it.
As a party…..excuse me…association, without any policies, you rely on your chosen candidates to define it.
Well so far the cling-ons may as well belong to Vision, so unless you can sign up enough people to control a meeting vote and start exorcising your demons, your car will be stuck in neutral.
In 10-20 years people will wake up and realize all of this nonsense with viaducts, bike lanes, chickens, bees and gardens was nothing but a waste of time and money, that will cost 10x as much to fix – if it even can be.
We’ll have 120,000-150,000 people in the downtown core, with 95% of them working elsewhere (you know because there is will be no businesses with good paying jobs left downtown) and having to commute out of Vancouver, with gridlock beyond belief because of ideological initiatives to force people from their cars.
If the NPA isn’t going to stand against what Vision is for, your reason for existence is not required. Leave the ball (it belongs to Vision) and go home.
One party ruining a city at the top of every world livability study, while being above those cities with “high bike usage”, is enough.
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It would be interesting to carry on this discussion but, as an NPA Director, it is inappropriate.
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Now comes that rare moment when we must disagree with some contentions of our host. Actually I don’t think it a disagreement at all, but rather a mis-statement of the facts.
I suspect that when Alex says he “couldn’t (or could) care less that the Mayor of our fair Burg used this foul expression for physical love, he is being just a bit (not insincere) but rather flippant, because I suspect he would care if someone used it in front of his beautiful son or daughters.
It is a course word, and he is right that we all (well, most) use it occasionally, and some of us on every occasion. That said, it is not right; we should try to be what we ought to be. I recall when Bill Clinton was at the height of his depth, screwing around with all and sundry, people would chastise my disgust with him by saying “Oh Larry, it’s only sex.” But of course it is never “only” sex, and in this case it was adultery, and it brought shame on his wife and his daughter. Now in the matter of the profane use of the language, it would appear a minor faux pas, but I think we are entitled to expect more of our elected officials. By the way, I don’t recall Joseph Biden apologizing for his use of the same word, nor do I recall the President demanding that he do so. And Pierre Elliot Trudeau not only did not apologize for this crudity,but refused to admit he had used it (which alone tells us something about its use).
The Mayor of Vancouver has admitted that what he did was unacceptable, and that it was inexcusable (though he did try to mitigate his use of it somewhat, which again says something about the word’s infamy) and it behooves us as mostly Christian folk to forgive him, being as the Pater Noster demands it. And being as we all had our kick at the can (myself included) and that we all do it ( in most cases for a woeful lack of vocabulary) I suggest we forgive him this indiscretion just this once.
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My friend, I am not a hypocrite, that’s all I meant. I have sworn many times in front of my kids and we would sometimes keep a jar in the kitchen for when I did it–typically the charge was one dollar.
It just became too costly…
On a serious note, Trudeau actually flashed the middle finger at citizens, in effect telling them to f-off. Robertson used it as an adjective. Regardless, the shock here is that he he claimed to be different that previous Mayors, and, in fact, he’s the worst Mayor in the history of Vancouver, easily eclipsing Sam Sullivan. Sam did little and created much concern. The worst thing he did was destroy his own party. But Gregor Robertson takes dangerous, radical, ill-conceived initiatives, that he NEVER campaigned on, and lies about their success.
He bitterly complained about Sam’s people getting this and that, and yet his biggest donors and insiders are in an apparent revolving door.
You tell me who’s worse…
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You may be right when you put it that way Alex; this guy doesn’t just talk flakey, he does flakey things, things that will be very expensive to undo.
I guess it’s because of that cocker spaniel look in his eyes; not the scowl of a Larry Campbell here. It’s true you know, everyone loves a promising young man, they merely revere an old one; Lordy, not that Larry is in anyway reverential.
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Cocker Spaniel look…that’s VERY good. But I tell you, do you remember Bob Skelly whenever he came off script and was challenged? That’s exactly what Gregor looks like when he’s finished parroting what Mike, Maria and Kevin have written for him back at the office. It’s remarkable. In the last month of the the last campaign he started to show signs of nervousness. He can’t think on his feet. I honestly believe it’s a retention issue. Some people cannot contain political bullet points if their life depended on it. Unfortunately, for a politician, this can be the death knell of your career.
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*snort*..
if these politicians think they have it tough, well try being a volunteer in these political parties.
Can be rewarding most times, other times (thankfully not often) you feel like tearing the head off the political hack you see like peeling cabbage because he or she did something to ruin alot of volunteer effort and hours and despite making dumb errors, gets rewarded.
But with a sigh of maturity, the volunteer just continues on to serve
the community, the city province and country.
Gregor should watch his potty mouth.
and you’re right Alex, the f-bomb word is used so much these days
it’s more of an irritant than being shocking.
In my adventures around construction sites, I heard language that would make a job hardnened forest worker or longshoreman blush.
Probably would kill Suzanne Anton if she heard what I used to hear.
One guy got after me and told him “Either I get in or you wait a week
I’m not coming back until next week. Your choice. And dump the fucked up high school level piss-ass language. It won’t change anything”. He backed down and was very cool afterwards.
But if these politicans are going to complain about being stuck in a long meeting, well then, they can follow a volunteer on a cold wet day putting up signs or walking pamphlet drop and seeing hard work being done with no reward other than doing it because it has to get done, and working harder than those piss-ass fucking hacks.
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Okay, I’m relaxing the blog rules for this post only. No more f-bombs pls. But your point is extremely well taken.
You make, as per usual, excellent points.
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h-e-double hockey sticks, Alex!
A well written article – forgot the accolade there, Old Boy.
Gotta love the behind the scenes writing. Much better than the soppy 24 Hours paper and yes better than the Tyee.
Marjorie Nicoles is smiling down on ya.
Now there was a real reporter if you remember her columns in the Sun.
.
and thanks
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I do indeed. I thought the world of Marjorie. John Pifer introduced me to her in Victoria. Regardless of her decidedly left wing positions on all sorts of issues, I found her a credible and often entertaining writer. She was one of the best. And her perspectives were pointed and cogent. As a person she was terrific. Always affable. I saw here a few times after her cancer and then once before she died. A real great person.
I also enjoyed Trevor Lautens and Les Bewley; Jack Webster and of course Allan Fotheringham, who I think is one of our best Canadian writers ever.
And thank you for the kind words. Much appreciated.
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Frankly Tsakumis when you left 24 HOURS I thought you were crazy since you built a brand there but now I think they are crazy for letting you leave.
This piece is the finest journalism I’ve seen on Vision anywhere on the internet. Without accusing any of the donors or players of corruption, you lay the blame for playing an insider’s game right at Robertson’s door, where it belongs!
I agree with you 100%. Who cares about the f-word. He just didn’t like his buddies getting their project smacked with criticism.
Congratulations Alex. There is you and then everybody else. I gave up on Frances Bula a long time ago.
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Many thx. Kind words. When I left, I left out of principle. But it seems to have all collapsed since then. The put a yoga piece today on a page marked ‘Breaking News’ and gave it 2/3s of a page. Insanity. And then the dating chronicles is a complete joke (do you need more than one column for readers to ask themselves why an incredibly beautiful woman can’t seem to get a decent date or keep a boyfriend? There are only three answers, two being not particularly complimentary)
As for my story you found so good, yeah, there was no need to trash Rennie, Henriquez, Green, Gillespie or the Maleks. They’re just doing their jobs. But that Gregor seems to have a revolving door of Vision supporters and insiders on this STIR business is troubling. Are they getting favoritism? It’s a fair question. The Comox Street application is looking for 400% increases in density and 500% increase in height. That’s OBSCENE! And yet the Mayor and council want to ram it through. Plus, their committee process is pure political fraud. They stack the committee with their own people like they do on every other committee. Politics? Sure, and that’s fine, but this is about a neighbourhood, about how people live and work in that neighbourhood. It’s not about chicken wire and vegetable patches.
Vision are lost and floundering. And it’s only going to get worse.
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Alex my man, Well Done!!!
I was waiting for this story all day at work, only to start reading the first few paragraphs and I laughed so hard that I woke up the rest of my co-workers.
“Xwayxway Trophy” simply priceless.
At any rate, switching to a more serious note, this article shows how truly disgusting Vision is and it’s “leader” Gregor “due process, we don’t need no stinking due process” Robertson.
I am at a loss for words that one of the developers you contacted did not even know what STIR was!!!!! That all the units were being sold to owners, and not being held for rental use! Wow.
Once again Joe taxpayer is going to fund (via the loss of revenue) highrises for Mr. Rich Developer.
First the HST–oh yeah, I forgot, business owners are going to pass on the savings to us–yeah right–and now developers being given a free pass to build so called rental units while the city loses much needed revenue.
Thank God I have this outlet to vent my frustration.
Let’s see how City Hall does the two step around this one now!!!
And as a side note to all and it cannot be stressed enough: The F-Word is not the issue here, it is the utter contempt that Vision and the Mayor have show to the citizens that just want to be heard and taken seriously.
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You said it! Precisely correct. Thx for the kind words. It took me quite some time to source all the information. Yes, the gal at Rennie has no idea what I was talking about when I mentioned STIR.
You think you were shocked??? LOL!
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Excellent!
Alex, your piece reads like Will’s ‘Comedy of Errors’ with just a hint of Jonson’s ‘Volpone’.
It is crystal clear that the Interlopers in your story are linked in a more closer relationship than the manliest men are during a gay orgy.
The chain of events is spellbinding. You are preaching to the choir here, my friend.
One curtsy and two bows from me,
Glissando
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Thx Glissy. Very kind words. Two bows? A curtsy even.
Good grief! I must have done something right here.
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Excelelnt piece, Alex.
I too am incredulous at Anton’s slow reaction on this issue. WTF (only letters, folks—teehee), why is she constantly waiting to see which way the wind is blowing.
Her lack of fealty to the party that helped finance her is sickening. And her actions demonstrate the reason that the NPA, if it cares to run candidates, MUST define itself with policies and attract candidates that will work together.
This loose collection of people , allowed to run under their own power but with financing under the old party banner, is nuts.
I would like to be the Whip, I tells ya…
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Be careful what you wish for…
Very insightful. And your kind words are very appreciated, thank you! Pls come by again, often…
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Wonderful Alex! You may just pull me from the Canadian center (in American speak, that sits somewhere between social / communist) to the Canadian hard right (US: still basically the center) because of your fine work.
“Now, tell me again how much the Mayor was frustrated by the “long” meeting?”
That’s an easy one: the day didn’t end last Thursday after the mayor’s debacle with WEN folks. It was followed by an in-camera meeting with 5 suits from – can you guess which company? It rhymes with shrillemflimflam.
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Thx Dennis. Very funny stuff. Oh I bet he was cornered by his puppetmasters after the WEN tape was released. I bet he was… Thx for the kind words. Pls come again anytime.
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Steady on, old chap! According to la Bula it is libellous to ‘infer’, meaning imply, a connection between contributions to Vision and decisions by Vision.
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Notwithstanding that she’s wrong, that’s not what I have done. There is obviously nothing wrong in any of the contractors or agents I named in earning a buck. Quite to the contrary, that’s why we all get up in the morning, and, truthfully, Henriquez Partners are superb architects, Rennie it top of the tree when it comes to real estate marketing and both Gillespie and the Maleks know the building business well and have built some very good product.
But the point Frances Bula misses, intentionally (I’ll explain in a minute), is this: is it in the public interest to ask if Vision Vancouver are applying any favoritism to these STIR projects because some of their staunchest supporters are involved? I think it clearly is very much in the public interest to ask that, when the original intent, if you listen to Meggs, Deal or the Mayor tell it, is to provide reasonable rental housing in a short market. If that’s the case then why allow for MASSIVE changes to zoning that has the Comox Street proposal by Westbank sitting at increases of 400% to 500% on density and height respectively? Then it comes back to who is involved. No wrong doing of course on the part of the developers or their architects or agents etc. But would Vision be applying the same rules if it weren’t the same strong Vision supporters involved?
That’s the question that has now been asked by me, and Vision owe the public a response.
As for Bula, she clearly subscribes to the view that if she is nice to people whose political bailiwick she is part of, that stories will come her way. She has intimated as much to me and has been almost as open on her own blog. If she’s hard on the Vision folks, no tips on stories so that she can keep the folks at the Mop and Pail happy.
Look at Mason instead. Year before last, on the day before the Webster Awards, right in the middle of the municipal campaign, he landed a monster story on the Olympic Village (that actually sealed Peter Ladner’s fate), but he did the digging. Look at all the stories I nailed Sam with during his three years. Or the intel I get now from City Hall or from within Vision. If Frances wanted to do some digging on either the NPA or Vision, she could, but that’s hard work. I cancelled dinner with my wife (which I rarely do) the other night so I could wait for someone in the West End until they got off work–just to talk to them. When it’s a big story, you make sacrifices. Frances always prefers the phone call and the note taking and then presto, a story. I like to get a tactile feel for what I’m going to give you. I want to sit down in front of someone. Make several calls, not one, do the research, you know?
Anyway, at this point Frances knows she dropped the ball on this one is being quite sensitive about it. I’m sure after she tells us about the next soiree at Mr. Rennie’s art gallery or which next (useless) zoning issue of the day is “very interesting” we’ll all just fall over.
From tedium…
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Yes, I have often enjoyed articles by Frances Bula and the comments they open on matters of civic design, However for a journalist of all people to throw out remarks about libel in this context, which is so chilling to free discussion, seemed to me to be very strange and a little disturbing.
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It does make one wonder considering how wrong she is on this issue: Frances, who rarely takes a strong position on anything playing this game with such fervor really, really, really makes you wonder…
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Hi again Alex,
In my previous comment I got so wrapped up in the disgrace that is the NPA, I failed to congratulate you on your investigative reporting on this story.
I don’t know if Webster’s look at blogs for investigative journalism but they should, and you should win one.
Vision continues to enrich their friends with absolutely every motion and vote, and the local media is asleep at the switch.
How is all of this even legal?
Why are Vision Vancouver, Gregor Robertson, etc…not being investigated for breaching the public trust??
There doesn’t need to be a hunting knife or a deck involved (wasn’t Meggs working for Clark at the time) for this to be a crime.
And here we go again with Jim Green being involved. But of course when he appears on the Bill Good show he doesn’t recuse himself from the conversation due to a conflict of interest because he’s never understood what one is.
The guy is pond scum.
Anyway back to this STIR mess. The evidence is compelling. The amount of taxpayer money going back to their friends is becoming alarming.
In just 18 months, they are very close to Gordon Campbell’s level of “gifting” his friends and that should say something.
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Thx for the kind words Glen.
I don’t think money is going back to Henriquez, Gillespie, the Maleks, Rennie or even Green the way you describe it. I’m sure they’re earning a fair price for fair work. They are all at the top of their fields. What I am questioning is whether they are getting favorable treatment because they have been generous in gift and in kind with Vision. The question, and, of course, the answer, is a matter of public interest.
Thank you for stopping by.
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That the first comment on this piece is from Harvey Oberfeld is a credit to you both. I read Keeping it Real, Rebel with a Clause as well as Sean Holman’s Public Eye almost daily.
We must all thank our lucky stars for these Three Muskateers! You just don’t find this kind of discourse in the MSM.
Each of you should have a Jack Webster Award for Excellence in Online Journalism.
http://jackwebster.com/submission/
“All for one ‘n’ one for all.”
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Way too kind to be putting me in the same league as Harv or Sean.
I’m privileged enough to call either a friend.
Thank you, RS…
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To quote Jame’s Post “The F-Word is not the issue here, it is the utter contempt that Vision and the Mayor have show to the citizens that just want to be heard and taken seriously.”
That IS the story, and did you ever get on it!
Thanks for all the time and energy you expound on our behalf!
Cheers
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Thank you Gary. Nice to hear form you. Always a pleasure to have you around.
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Wow, well worth the wait Alex…. excellent job connecting the dots…. and I suspect the other shoe has yet to drop. Mr. Green has his footprints everywhere doesn’t he?
Thanks for all your hard work.
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Thx George. Very good of you to say so. Take care an thx for coming by. Always good to hear from you.
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An absolutely brilliant summary of what a large number of people all over Vancouver are starting to piece together about how our city is running. This is what I call journalism, I’ve never read this blog before, but I am in awe.
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Extremely kind words. Too kind. My opinions are varied, but I respect all opinions. I have many regular readers, some comment here, and many other privately. We might agree and then have robust discussions, though we have a mutual respect and care about teach other. Welcome! Tell your friends. My opinions are unvarnished: straight talk, no nonsense. Well, maybe a little…
Thank you for stopping by. Much appreciated.
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Alex, didn’t you promise us that you were going to ban Chris Keam. It’s bad enough to read the man on Bula’s site but here too? Get a job Chris we don’t believe in spending $25,000,000 on biking in the city is money well spent. Go believe what you want to but it’s true and you will see that next election. I voted for Vision last time and will never do that again.
But I’m like Alex. When are the NPA going to wake up and lose people like Sean Bickerton and Suzanne Anton. If they like Visions priorities then they can go run with them.
Vision are a big disappointment for me and my family and I don’t know anyone of my friends who will vote for any of them again.
I also compliment you Alex, on the excellent piece you’ve written here. First rate journalism.
No more Keam! Lots more Tsakumis please!
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I appreciate your kind words Mike. Chris is a very clever fellow. He doesn’t really care what you and I think as long as his message gets out there and gets people propagandized. He knows that if he’s polite I’ll let him back on, so he doesn’t go DEFCON 1, and gets the word out, get it? But the biking topic is done now and I won’t permit more on this stream. It’s ridiculous social engineering. If it made sense I’d approve it.
More to the point, Gregor and Vision are entirely beatable, but as you say, Bickerton and Anton have woeful messaging and are wrong on all sorts of policies Vision has initiated. They think that by doing this they will endear themselves to the independent who will pick a few NPAers to hoist over the threshold, but that’s a gross miscalculation. Next election will be fought in traditional territories. Independent voters will wait till the last minute and the ones who lean one way or another before the campaign starts will have enough red meat by then to make their decision early. Vision have provided lots of reasons to lose the public trust.
Unfortunately, Bickerton and Anton have also provided much for people to stay away from them too. Embracing costly cycling infrastructure and the bitching about cuts is lunacy. Chickens and vegetable gardens? Absurdities abound.
Geller is getting a little better (Although he’s given Vision lots of PR ammo next election) and Ian Robertson seems to have his messaging very straight most of the time. They’re the only two on the NPA side I would vote for at this point.
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“Chris is a very clever fellow. He doesn’t really care what you and I think as long as his message gets out there and gets people propagandized.”
Both statements are absolutely true, although I’d substitute ‘better informed’ over propagandized.
Mike:
Every time folks like you try to name and shame me, all it does is pique people’s curiosity. When they actually read what I write, it turns out I’m a fairly middle-of-the-road guy when it comes to cycling advocacy. A better strategy if you dislike my comments is to ignore them. Also, your computer probably has a scroll button. You can use that to bypass my comments if they upset you. Personally, I like to hear from all sides of an issue, but your mileage may vary.
cheers,
CK
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Chris,
If you were a middle of the road cycling advocate as you “claim” to be, you would support licensing of all cyclists, a cycling education program that is required prior to obtaining said license, and the holding of insurance to drive you bike on city streets that are shared with other forms of transportation and pedestrians.
The reality is that you are against all of that and continue to espouse nonsense about how ineffiecient spending on road infrastructure is, despite the fact you are trying to claim said infrastructure that would have never been built if it wasn’t for the car.
The automobile has contributed far more to society than any bicycle ever has and you continue to deny that cyclists need to pay their share of the tax base to even get into the discussion.
You are not a middle of the road guy and to suggest as such is completely laughable. On top of that, you admit to writing articles for a cycling web site, newsletters or whatever type of rag you and the critical mass folks like to read in between black bloc violence.
If you weren’t so passionate about cycling, you wouldn’t be making an effort to debate anyone and everyone who dares to criticize the lunacy taking place in the city right now. That is unless you’re being paid for it, or receiving perks, which you like to continually deny.
You’re full of shit and you know it. It reminds me of that study I saw awhile back that was done to prove that people from your ilk, were more likely to lie, cheat and steal because you believe your cause is for the greater good and that the end justifies the means. You, Vision, Arno, and the rest of your lot continue to prove those study authors were bang on.
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Glen:
I’m going to ignore most of what you wrote, because it’s just a personal attack that doesn’t deserve the dignity of a response but…
“If you were a middle of the road cycling advocate as you “claim” to be, you would support licensing of all cyclists, a cycling education program that is required prior to obtaining said license, and the holding of insurance to drive you bike on city streets that are shared with other forms of transportation and pedestrians.”
Why would I support those things? Actually I do support better traffic safety education, regardless of the mode of travel. But, what are the benefits of registering and insuring bicycles? The cost of running such a program would far outweigh the benefits. The number of incidents where a cyclist causes injury or property damage due to negligence are so rare that a universal approach is pointless. Better to spend the money on educating the truly dangerous road users who account for the vast majority of deaths and injuries. That’s the people who drive irresponsibly Glen if you’re wondering.
At what age will we be insuring and licencing cyclists? 12, 16, 8?
Ask yourself why cycling licenses and insurance are practically non-existent around the world. Ask yourself why Vancouver no longer registers bikes. Figure it out. There’s no benefit and considerable expense. Are you going to require every bike be licenced? What about my mountain bike that almost never gets ridden in traffic? What about Alex’s Norco he rides on occasion?
Let’s face it Glen. Cycling is dead easy mate. I’ve been doing it for 40 years without incident. If a chump like me can manage it, then it’s hard to imagine intellectual giants such as yourself needing a tin plate and plastic card to safely navigate the streets. The only thing I would support is education for kids to teach them safe cycling habits, so they ride safely and predictably. Anything more than that is a waste of money.
cheers,
CK
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Chris,
If you think I’m going to let you have the last word to end any debate on cycling, you’re sadly mistaken.
If cycling is so dead easy Chris more cyclists wouldn’t be causing the trouble at intersections throughout the city that they are. And if you think anyone believes that you follow all the road rules, you’re delusional.
Ever run a red light Chris? A stop sign? So you always signal when you change lanes or turn?
DIdn’t think so.
You claimed you’re just a middle of the road cyclist, and that isn’t true.
You are not being honest to any reader of any blog that you comment on, regarding your associations and what motivates you to troll blogs where anyone comments against this nonsense.
Why not come clean and admit your associations Chris. Let’s hear it mr. perfect.
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Alex, great piece. Sorry if I’m a little slow on the uptake here, or maybe I’m just too floored to wrap my head around this, but are you saying that the Alexandra is being processed as a STIR project (for rental stock only and fast-tracked with significant reduced costs to the developer), and yet all the units are being SOLD as market condos?
I went to the Alexandra site and it clearly says that “85 ABSOLUTELY BREATHTAKING IRREPLACEABLE RARE CONTEMPORARY GREEN RESIDENCES COMING SOON….”
Horrible ad copy aside, I don’t get it. Are there more than 85 units, or is there any provision for rental stock in this development at all? If not, well, wow…. Given the cast of characters you’ve sketched, it also makes me wonder what role the Planning department had in choosing which projects to fast-track? ie. I suppose Maxines was in the pipeline since well before STIR came about?
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I knew these questions would come…and I preparing another piece as follow-up. Wait til you hear about whata sweetheart deal someone in the STIRring pot got!
And thx so very much for your kind words. Always appreciated.
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Alberta Government Telephone. Sir,
There has been a lot of talk about people moving politically, mostly from the Left to the Right in the media. That is to say (as they say) people who have been mugged by reality. This has me thinking lately of Christopher Hitchens and the fact that he has come down with cancer of the throat.
Now Christopher wrote mainly, or most famously for Vanity Fair, an insufferably effete magazine that is edited by some poofy looking Torontonian who goes by the name of (get this!) Grayden Carter, or somesuch; no, really. He once traveled widely on the political and literary Left, with the likes of Chomsky and Gore Vidal etc.. Would like to have read his take on the famous debate between W. F. Buckley and Vidal wherein Buckley threatened to break Gore’s nose for having called him a Neo- Nazi or crypto-Nazi or something approximating same, and calling him (Gore) a queer. I’m sure there is something out there somewhere.
Now I don’t wish Hitchins death of course, but I wonder if he is presently reprising his nastier assertions in his book “God Is Not Good”? We know too that he was incensed that the writer and interviewer, Oriana Falacci refused to tell him the content of her final conversation with Pope Benedict XVI, prior to her death by cancer. Of course we should pray for his cure, as I don’t think it is absolutely imperative that the person being prayed for need necessarily believe in the miraculous, because as Chesterton noted: The disbelief in miracles is no match for the miraculous. Oh well, even if that shouldn’t work out, it is not all a loss, as he may share eternity with his fellow traveler, Stephen Fry. And who knows, maybe I’ll be there to torment him also?
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Save me a seat…wait, on second thought…
On a serious note, notwithstanding the Hitch’s argument against God, he remains the single best English language writer on the planet today. Bar none. Without question.
His anti-Lord arguments, which are really anti-religion arguments, are simply based on this: the extraction of FAITH from belief. And thus the thesis makes perfect sense in one if looking only at empirical evidence the way he does.
When you reassemble belief, and add FAITH, then you get what I have and you have my friend.
Gob bless.
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That is true Alex, nor can the sceptics disprove by empirical evidence that He does not , in fact, exist; as you say, it is just theory. What I find unnecessary in his debates and arguments however, is the nastiness of his attitude, the cruel put-downs, even of his brother. I mean, why would anyone want to trash, so viciously, a woman like Mother Teresa? Oh well, maybe he has some ‘splainin’ to do when he’s before the throne.
Of course, he just recently found out that his mother was Jewish and that by the Jewish definition of themselves, they are Jewish having been born of a Jewish woman. May be that he’ll have some explaining to do on both accounts.
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Could be. But I’m neither here nor there on what might happen at the pearly gates…I’ll have enough splainin’ to do on my own. As far as I’m concerned, the death of the Hitch would be a massive loss to sanity in this world. His atheism is none of my concern since I simply ignore it. His accusations against Mother Teresa are mostly nonsense. And his virulent attacks are part of his schtick.
My interest is in the sheer beauty of his writing, and, most certainly, in the manner he dissects radical ISlam, neo-socialism, the green fraud, the Gores, the Clintons, etc. He is so very magnificent that words cannot express my admiration for his style. I once received some hate mail from a woman who said, “You remind me of that other neo-con fascists Hitchens from the United States…”
I almost wept in the overwhelming joy of the comparison…
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I would say that your words express very admirably, your admiration of him or any other emotion you wish to express. You’re such a wordsmith,
you neo-con schwartzkopf!
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Thanks for the happy-face because after I had read over what I had written I was afraid you might misunderstand my meaning, which was that I think you are a silver-tongued devil yourself. Still I sensed some reticence in your part, to reply given the comment about being a “neocon schwartzkopf”. I used to work at a bodyshop beneath the Granville bridge and we sometimes used to slip over to a dinky little cafe on 4th Ave.. It had only about 6 stools (I don’t recall even a booth) and was run by a rotund German fellow who made huge and affordable sandwiches before your eyes. I also liked the fastidiousness of the German people (physically if not mentally). I would go with my work-mates, painters and panel-beaters, Pasquali, and Otttorino and Franco. The German fellow always called them Schwartzkopfs, and because I worked on BMW and Mercedes, I knew that a can of black paint was called “Schwartz”. He wasn’t being cruel or racist or anything, perhaps just a little jibe at his fellow Europeans who touched on the Mediterranean Sea. The boys seemed to care less what he called them as they were busy doing what Italians are wont to do … eating. Nor could you be properly compared to a “Neo-con” as they generally came from the far, far Left and were usually of the Jewish persuasion.
Kyrie Eleison!
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My pleasure. I wasn’t offended at all. And I’m quite happily a silver-tongued devil. I make no bones about it. Part of my charm. I trust you’re enjoying the sun.
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Hi Alex, you are right (as usual) the F-word is not the main factor in the discussion, the disregard (arrogance) for the public opinion is.
I don’t agree with banning anyone, except troglodytes, some people like to expose & expose again, how wrong they can be and the more they do the more the “cause” they try to promote goes to where it belongs “The Trash”.
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Alex,
THAT my friend is the single best post I have seen on any blog in a long time – nice work, excellent research. I can no longer listen to CKNW’s civic affairs panel – FB drives me nuts with her “any opinion is OK as long as it’s VISION’ approved” and now I know why Jim Green screams like a baboon protecting the last banana – it all makes sense now.
I am visiting Calgary this week – spinning tales of backyard chickens, no-barrier crack houses (oops – homeless shelters sorry), social housing in $1000 per square foot prime real estate, bee farms, Patti Bachus and the VSB, STIR, HEAT, F**ing hacks…..really now — I am leaving people here in stitches and they are not sure whether to believe me – I wish it was a paid gig and I really wish I was making this stuff up.
Vancouver — with it’s barely 600k citizens (about 1/2 of Calgary and Mississauga) — is truly the Lindsay Lohan of Canadian cities (I heard Penny Belham even frequents the same nail salon) and Gregor Spears?? Ooops he did it again!
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Thank you very much, Phil. Too kind. Way too kind.
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“How fortunate for governments that the people they administer don’t think.” – Adolf Hitler
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Hi Alex,
I was compelled to listen to Bill Good this morning with the Mayor as guest on CKNW. After the “interview” I have vowed never to listen to this “idiot on radio”again. Where are his hard-hitting, fact-finding questions? It sounded like he was holding hands across the table, enjoying an intimate breakfast with the Mayor whilst interviewing him. I used to live across the road from the HEAT shelter (aka city/province funded crack house). I felt during that HEAT fiasco, the Mayor and his bunch of bandits had their own agenda to force down the throats of residents and I feel the same way now about the West End/ bicycle agenda. I notice the Mayor burrowed my much used phrase during the time when we were trying to plead with him that the shelters were creating chaos in the neighbourhood. “I don’t want to force policy down the throat of people”. What a joke. What is wrong with making a politician and his party accountable to the people WHO PAY THE TAXES.
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I know, I held my nose, so to speak and heard it myself. Bill Good becomes more pathetic as time passes. It’s really quite remarkable. I’ll blog about it tomorrow or Monday.
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I listened to the Mayor on Bill Good this morning has he tried to explain away his actions…..
I need to seriously reexamine how I spend my few free moments in the morning.
Good was gushing all over him ; identifying with his ‘frustrations’ over rental housing and WEN (I mean really, what are they objecting too???) Why would this group be worried about a ‘stacked’ advisory board???
I almost spewed my coffee when Good gave an ‘at a boy’ to the Mayor over the Burrard St. bike lane….such a success…. After all, people complained about that too and you, the Mayor, pushed it through – for the good of the people….
Pandering – very sad blatant pandering.
Enjoy your weekend Alex!
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What would happen to the price of land if condominiums were banned outright?
Could we then go back to building rental apartments?
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Neither is likely…the former would kill the market and the latter wouldn’t survive it on its own.
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By the way, where is John Pifer now? I mostly liked him, he was refreshing for his time. And of course, Peter Warren could make anyone look like a good alternative to what was on CKNW at the time.
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John died a few years ago and it was a huge loss to everyone who understood his goodness.
As for Peter Warren, I never liked him. His pomposity and unknowledgeable performances easily outnumbered his competent ones.
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It seems that His Worship, the Mayor,
Has proven he knows how to swear;
And while some are aghast,
At his flair for bombast,
The rest of us really don’t care!
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Ditto on Bill Good’s ludicrous softball interview today. Maybe he could read a few blogs for some backround.
His child producer should be ashamed of herself. Oh, well, it’s actually HARD to put together good research notes at the morning show, it seems. Much easier to chit chat about food or “our favorite Summer Places!”
Bring back Shirley Stocker!!!!!!!
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I LOVED Shirley! She and I and Bruce Allen had a great chat at the bar not last year, but the previous year, at the Websters. Hilarious NW anecdotes…
As for Good, he’s so gone it’s only a matter of time. I predict that CKNW will not re-sign his contract which is up soon. He is so pathetic, words just cannot describe the waste of air-time Bill Good’s show really is. And as much as I like Mike Smyth, he’s not the guy to replace him. nor, for that matter, is Christy. Her numbers are passable. But Bill’s numbers are completely in the tank. Most of his listeners are over 65. It’s embarrassing. And he is so incredibly uninformed, it’s mind-boggling.
No, NW need someone young with heart but lots of spirit and a ton of robust discussion going on from 830am – noon. They need to get rid of the two producers Bill has. They’re nice, but they’re kids with little experience and overblown attitudes.
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This reminds me of Concert Properties (a la Pavco’s) David Podmore.
HOW did the taxpayers of BC get stuck with this monstrosity?
$600 million ( and counting ….tick tick tick) for a FRACKING ROOF ?
One question. Was there a bid process for this debacle?
ON A CFL FOOTBALL STADIUM? Are they insane?
A typical CFL game attracts what, maybe 15,000 on a good day?
In a stadium that can hold 60,000 ? can you hear the echo whaen I stand up and say HELLO, hello,hello,hello,………..?
Oh right! We’re getting “Major League” Soccer ! HAH !
The Fricken NBA tried to make a go in this city and it FAILED miserably. What a bloody joke.
My prediction for 2011.
Before the roof is on BC Place , Pavco will announce the hiring of Gordon Campbell( close personal friend of Mr. Podmore) as a “consultant”.
AFTER the roof is on and they have fixed the leaks ( yes ! The building leaks like a seive because for its ENTIRE LIFE it was PRESSURIZED! Air pushed the water OUT! duh !) .
What will happen when the first snow fall hits. The previous roof was Convex ( bowed out) The new roof will be flat or slightly Concave( bowed in). Since watching the scene’s of the Minneapolis(?) convex roof collapse a few weeks back it got me to thinkin’
How’s this flat , fabric, cable stayed “Salad Bowl” gonna hold up?
Just askin’
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I’m simply going to provide you with the following statistic: New Wembley stadium cost $1.6B It seats around 100,000 people. It’s complete with all the latest and greatest.
We’re getting a new roof on an old girl that’s costing us one third of that….and counting…
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I hear you Alex. I guess I just grind my “taxpayers teeth” when we get stuck with the bill and then some corporation gets to slap their name on the side for a few million a year ( 200 years and the sponsership pays it off .woo woo).
How many Tractor Pulls, Home Shows, and Gardening extravaganzas can they host? The Rolling Stones arent doing ANOTHER tour are they( tickets at the door $200). It will be interesting to see what the annual maintenance costs are.
My spies tell me that each time they “raise” another massive “roof post” the whole building creaks and groans. I for one wont set foot in the place for at least a year or two after its finished. When I commute home over the viaduct I cringe at the way those things LOOM over the road. Earthquake anyone?
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