July 12, 2008

Vancouver Municipal Election Candidates Coming Into Focus

Catherine Evans                   David Eby                 Kerry Jang

Well, it looks as if the list of candidates for the fall municipal election is firming up somewhat. And, further, it looks as if any deal between COPE and Vision Vancouver may be out the window. What this would appear to mean for Vancouverites is that COPE and Vision will likely field full slates.

Of course, no deal between COPE and Vision means war between the two centre-left parties, and the likelihood of the NPA's Peter Ladner running up the middle in his bid to gain the Mayor's chair, as well as better prospects for incumbent NPA Councilors Suzanne Anton, Kim Capri and Elizabeth Ball.

In recent days, three, new high profile Vision Vancouver candidates — including Pivot Legal Society's David Eby; president of the B.C. Society for Public Education, Catherine Evans; and UBC medical-school professor and eastside resident, Kerry Jang, have announced their bid for a Council seat.

Longtime politico Geoff Meggs announced for Vision some time ago.

The centrist Vision Vancouver civic party, then, would appear to be looking forward to running a full Council slate for the fall — made up of the four incumbents and, to date, four members who've announced (Andrea Reimer has yet to announce, and recently defeated Vision mayoral candidate, Allan De Genova, continues to be hotly pursued by Vision to run for Council, an entreaty to Mr. De Genova et famille destined for failure it would seem ...).

A full Vision slate for Council leaves no room for any deal at all with COPE.

With significant contributions already in the kitty from some of the more progressive developers in our city, as well as monies from the gambling industry — with even more funds coming in from the better than 13,000 members of the nascent political party — Vision Vancouver will head into the fall municipal election with the most funding and the best chance to gain a majority on Vancouver City Council, come Saturday November 15th.

To date, in respect of COPE, former City Councilor Ellen Woodsworth has announced her intention to run for a COPE Council seat, this November. At the recent COPE AGM, former Board of Variance chair, Terry Martin, and former City Councilor, Tim Louis, announced intention to seek COPE Council nominations. COPE's 2008 Nominating Conference will be held at 2:30 p.m., on Sunday Sept 28, 2008, at the Ukrainian Auditorium, at 154 East 10 Ave, in Vancouver. Martin has not formally announced, thus there is no website available promoting his candidacy, while Tim Louis — who has announced — tells VanRamblings he will kick off his bid for Council in mid-to-late August

The big issue to be decided at COPE's nominating conference is whether the party runs a mayoral candidate against Vision's Gregor Robertson. Should COPE decide to run a mayoral candidate — hardly a foregone conclusion — Vancouverites could very well see a majority Vision Council, and the slimy (yet photogenic) Peter Ladner in the Mayor's chair. Not a happy prospect.

Continue reading "Vancouver Municipal Election Candidates Coming Into Focus"

   

July 2, 2008

Vancouver Sun Civic Affairs Reporter Frances Bula Resigns Her Post

Frances Bula, the Vancouver Sun civic affairs reporter since 1994, abruptly announced her resignation from the newspaper today.

Dear all of my blog-readers,

This will be my last post on this Vancouver Sun blog, as I have resigned from the paper.

As Vancouver-based blogger Rob Cottingham states in his farewell tribute to Ms. Bula today, "Her blog post makes it clear that she thoroughly understands blogging - which makes losing her voice at the Sun doubly painful." Another Vancouver blogger, Bill Tieleman, weighs in on Ms. Bula's departure from the Sun, on Sean Holman's Public Eye Online, writing ...

This is indeed bad news for all of us who either report on municipal politics, follow them or are active in local government.

Frances Bula has done an outstanding job for many years and amazingly maintained her sense of humour despite sitting through endless rounds of pointless Vancouver city council meetings and much more.

Good luck to Frances wherever she goes - she will have many fans who will follow.

The Pivot Legal Society's David Eby writes on his blog, "For her to leave the Sun is, well ... shocking."

In what is shaping up to be the most important Vancouver civic election in almost a half century, Ms. Bula's resignation from the Sun, and rumoured movement to Vancouver Magazine — with its three month advance deadline, and consequent lack of reportorial immediacy — represents the loss of a critical voice, at a critical juncture, on Vancouver's civic scene.

Unless Ms. Bula commences with her new blog (which she promises) by early autumn, Vancouver citizens will find them far less informed on the machinations of the fall civic election than otherwise would be the case.

We are all the lesser for Ms. Bula's departure from the daily journalistic rigours of reporting on the often tempestuous Vancouver civic scene.

   

July 28, 2006

Board of Variance Fired. Story Over. Not By A Long Shot.

Now, you'd think what with Vancouver City Council (not to mention, the Vancouver Courier's Allen Garr) on vacation for the remainder of the summer, and Supreme Court Justice Robert J. Bauman having trampled on the hurt feelings of the recently deposed members of the City of Vancouver Board of Variance, that this 'story that won't die' would be over.

But you'd be wrong. You can take the hint from the latter sentiment expressed in the previous paragraph: the Board of Variance sacking is a story that won't die. And, why not?

Well, just when you thought to yourself, good riddance to that Ray Tomlin fella, and fair thee well to Quincey Kirschner, Terry Martin, Tony Tang and Jan Pierce, it would be too soon if I ever heard any one of their names ever again ... it seems that your cherished opinion in the matter has been overturned by citizens honourable and true, an as yet unidentified band of truth and justice seekers who, when the Board was fired four weeks ago today, filed a complaint with the Office of the BC Ombudsman.

So what, you say? Well, this is what: the office of the City Clerk, City of Vancouver, informed Secretary to the Board of Variance, Louis Ng, on Thursday afternoon that the aforementioned Ombudsman's office has launched a "full and thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the dismissal of the City of Vancouver Board of Variance." Mr. Ng was instructed to co-operate fully with the investigation.

Justice Robert Bauman ruled that Board of Variance counsel, Derek Creighton, had not proved evidence of "bad faith" by Vancouver City Council in its dismissal of the Board. But now, with a truly independent arm of government conducting an investigation into the firing, perhaps evidence of "bad faith" might finally be proven. We'll wait and see.

Seems that the Office of the Ombudsman will issue a full report on the matter sometime later this year, or as late as next spring.

Board of Variance fired. Story over. Not by a long shot. This is the story that won't die.

   

July 25, 2006

This Just In: Board of Variance Crushed by Supreme Court

This morning, in Courtroom 20, in the British Columbia Supreme Court building at 800 Smithe Street, in the city of Vancouver, during the course of a 45-minute video tele-conference address, Mr. Justice Robert J. Bauman ruled decisively against the recently deposed members of Vancouver's beleaguered Board of Variance. Okay, let's be honest: with one devastating body blow after another, he slammed them to the ground, and crushed their cheery little faces into the dirt multiple times. But who's counting?

Justice Bauman ruled that the decision by Vancouver City Council to rescind the appointments of all five members of the Board of Variance constituted "an institutional change," ruling that Vancouver City Council — as the legislative authority — had the "unfettered right" to fire the Board of Variance, and were not compelled either to give reasons for their decision, nor were they to be concerned about any possible damage to the personal and professional reputations of the deposed Board of Variance members.

Tuesday afternoon at 5 p.m., Council appointed a 'new' Board of Variance, made up of Alex "Sleepy" Lam, Francesca "I used to be an NDPer, but I seen the light, and now I'm a Liberal" Zumpano, Marguerite "I don't know why some people think I'm scary" Ford, and ("what must they have been thinking, jumping into this mess?"), former 1993 - 1999 Board of Variance member Parveen Adrakar, and newcomer, Jagdev Dhillon.

The best part of this whole fiasco? VanRamblings is now free to write any (responsible) thing it wishes on this blog about Council, without fear of retribution by Mayor Sam Sullivan and cohorts. That's the good news.

The bad news: the terrible loss that the 350 families — and all of the other members of the community who approach the Board of Variance, each year, for an appeal of the Director of Planning involving a development decision in their neighbourhood — who will almost certainly suffer an untoward experience at the hands of a Board of Variance whose determinations must surely be seen to be tainted by the recent action of Council to fire the previous Board, in a decision taken with no just and reasonable cause.

In respect of Mr. Justice Robert Bauman, and in fairness to the fulsomeness of his ruling, given the impeccable and compelling presentation of counsel for the City, Mr. George Macintosh QC, to Mr. Justice Bauman's court, there was very little room left for Justice Bauman to rule other than he did (although, one supposes, the door would always be open to a broader interpretation of the matters placed before a Supreme Court Justice).

Mr. Justice Robert Bauman ruled as he felt he must. VanRamblings believes in the rule of law, and all those who believe in civil society must stand by the rightness of a decision of the Court, whatever the negative personal consequences one might experience as a result. That an appeal of Justice Bauman's ruling is under consideration speaks only to points in law counsel for the Board feels may not have been fully explored.

Still and all, VanRamblings would ask: Was it absolutely necessary for Justice Robert Bauman to award costs to the City, risking bankruptcy for the good-hearted, principled volunteer members of the Board of Variance who have worked so hard and well, and so ethically, this past year?

   

July 21, 2006

Board of Variance Fate To Be Decided Tuesday morning, July 25

After three long, miserable weeks of psychic, emotional and other pain for the author of this blog, notice was given Friday afternoon that Justice Robert Bauman, of the BC Supreme Court, will hand down his decision this coming Tuesday morning, at 9 a.m., July 25th, as to whether Vancouver will maintain an independent Board of Variance, or have its members replaced with individuals friendlier to development interests, and the interests of the NPA, the municipal political party currently governing Vancouver City Hall.

For those of you who have not been following the torrid and often heartrending saga of the sacking of Vancouver's Board of Variance (of which VanRamblings is one of the deposed members), there's been a great deal reported in the press on the issue, as there might well have been given the import of the issue for the average Vancouver citizen, and for all of us.

Allen Garr, of the Vancouver Courier, has proved particularly dogged in his coverage of what he has suggested "may be the biggest story of the year," beginning with his July 7th column, Board firing bad for citizenry, continuing on to July 12th with Board firing stretches credulity, July 15th's PR plan followed board firing, and yet another column published this past Wednesday, which (inexplicably) The Courier has yet to post to the 'Net.

The Vancouver Sun's Barbara Yaffe, who in appealing on behalf of her neighbourhood to the Board of Variance in the autumn of 2005, lost in her bid to have overturned what she and her neighbours felt was a "wholly unsuitable" duplex development, has taken a surprising, yet ethical and principled stand in support of an independent Board of Variance.

On July 5th, Ms. Yaffe, in a column titled Citizens need a Board to stand between them and city hall (pdf), and again on July 12th in a column titled, Variance board our last hope to rein in a city hall run amok provided insight and much needed coverage of an issue which should have grabbed the attention of all Vancouver citizens.

So, this coming Tuesday morning, stay tuned to your local radio station for news from the BC Supreme Court.

Justice Robert Bauman has a very difficult ruling to make, given the able presentations of both legal counsels, Derek Creighton for the Petitioner (the fired Board of Variance members), and George Macintosh for the Respondent, the City of Vancouver / Province of British Columbia.

   

December 5, 2005

Mayor Sullivan Makes His First Set of Appointments

Mayor Sam Sullivan

Mayor Sam Sullivan was sworn in today as the 44th mayor of the City of Vancouver.

In addition, new NPA councillors Suzanne Anton (formerly a member of the Parks Board), social activist Kim Capri, arts maven Elizabeth Ball (terrible website; was she really counting on being elected), and incumbent and humanitarian Peter Ladner were also sworn in.

Vision Vancouver Council members, and Council incumbents, Raymond Louie (who oughta lose his ‘holier than thou’ smirk ... just a suggestion, if he wants to be Mayor some day) and Tim Stevenson, as well as newly elected Vision Vancouver Council members Heather Deal and George Chow were also sworn in, along with the lone COPE incumbent David Cadman.

Announced today were Mayor Sullivan’s first set of appointments — to the GVRD and Translink Boards (the websites have not been updated as of this writing), as well as a number of other regional bodies, non-profit boards and statutory committees.

Next up, but still a ways away, appointments to the various civic agencies which either carry out or help to develop policy for Council. Applications for the current vacancies (all committees, with the exception of the Board of Variance, dissolve prior to an election, and re-appointment does not take place until well into the new year ... the appointments are often construed as ‘pay-offs’ to supporters of the winning party ... although VanRamblings would suggest that such a construction in relation to these appointments would be ungenerous and wrong-headed in the extreme).

Update, December 6: Announced in his inaugural address yesterday, Mayor Sullivan will institute a Triple R Review (roles, relationships and responsibilities) of the function of existing civic agencies. The results of the review will be announced in the spring. Appointments to what are almost surely to be newly reconstituted advisory committees will likely take place in June 2006. As a first order of business, could Mayor Sullivan have instituted a more anti-democratic policy than his bludgeoning of these very important, democratic advisory civic agencies? VanRamblings thinks not.

Update, December 8: The Council package for December 13th from Mayor Sullivan will recommend that Council approve the re-establishment of the following Advisory Committees for the term December 5, 2005 to December 8, 2008, with current members reinstated until successors are appointed:

• Building Board of Appeal

• Development Permit Board Advisory Panel

• Urban Design Panel

• Vancouver Athletic Commission

The following civic agencies are established by federal or provincial legislation, and will also be continuing "business as usual":

• Board of Variance

• Family Court-Youth Justice Committee

• Vancouver Public Library Board

• Vancouver Economic Development Commission

• Vancouver Heritage Foundation

To be fair, here's Mayor Sullivan in his own words on the Triple R Review ...

I would like Council to determine how best to get input from citizens. The contribution of community voices to Council is a vital part of being informed and responsive. We have many dedicated citizens who contribute to our city on advisory committees. We owe them the respect of Council by enabling their advice to be heard through the most effective mechanisms of involvement.

At the end of every Council term all committees except those mandated by law end, until they are re-constituted by the new Council. I am recommending that Council delay the re-establishment of our committees pending the clarification of roles as part of the Triple R Review (roles, relationships and responsibilities).

The re-establishment of citizen advisory processes should await clarification of the strategic directions this Council wants to take for the city. I will ask Council early in this term, concurrently with the review of roles, responsibilities and relationships, to engage in a process to determine strategic directions and objectives.

VanRamblings wishes the new Council wisdom and sober second thought, humanity, a sense of humour, civility and respect for varying opinions, and at least a modicum of non-partisanship in their important deliberations.

   

November 28, 2005

School Board Loss: Whither Now Education in Vancouver?

Perhaps the most devastating loss in the recent Vancouver civic election was the NPA School Board majority win, and the consequent turfing out of the respected, hard-working, centrist, consultative and initiative-driven majority COPE school trustee slate — Kevin Millsip, Noel Herron, Angela Kenyon, Jane Bouey, and Green Party trustee Andrea Reimer.

Even given the downloading, by the provincial Liberal government, of a teacher pay raise onto school boards throughout the province, the COPE School Board was the only Board in the province to not lay teachers off during their three-year term, and to maintain smaller class sizes (or in the case of kindergarten, reduce class sizes and go to full day kindergarten).

Unlike past COPE School Boards, the 2002 - 2005 COPE Vancouver school trustees did not pick unwinnable fights with the provincial government, but instead worked together with senior staff in the provincial Ministry of Education to secure additional funding for inner city schools for our region’s most vulnerable children; developed a programme to make all schools across our province seismically safe; expanded literacy programmes, and increased spaces for French Immersion; and developed groundbreaking multi-cultural, anti-racism and anti-homophobia programmes.

Why was the popular COPE School Board defeated? Easy question that. COPE school trustees fell victim to the infighting between COPE Classic and COPE Lite / Vision Vancouver, as slate voting took over to elect a majority NPA slate to the Vancouver School and Park Boards, and City Council.

A diverse NPA Council will be what it will be. Mayor-elect Sam Sullivan will set the agenda for his, and the NPA’s, coming term of office. The Park Board is, for the most part, a largely non-partisan (no pun intended) entity, a Board that tends to work co-operatively and without rancour; commissioners from COPE and the majority NPA Board will almost assuredly act in the best interests of Vancouver citizens, and citizens across the Lower Mainland.

But School Board? Children, parents, teachers, and non-teaching support staff are in for a rough ride with a Ken Denike-led NPA majority on the 2005 - 2008 Vancouver School Board. The NPA School Board will almost certainly prove to be a right wing, ultra-conservative and ideologically driven Board.

Continue reading "School Board Loss: Whither Now Education in Vancouver?"

   

November 23, 2005

Sam Sullivan: The New Mayor of Vancouver

On Saturday, November 19th Sam Sullivan became the 44th Mayor of Vancouver. What does Mr. Sullivan’s ascension to the highest political office in Canada’s third largest city mean for the people of Vancouver?

Well, first off, a return to decorum. Sullivan has promised that City Council debate will not be defined by acrimony, personal invective, and ad hominem attack. All points of view will be heard and decisions will be arrived at only after due consideration. Is Mr. Sullivan to be believed on this front? VanRamblings believes Mr. Sullivan to be a reasonable person who will do everything in his considerable power to return civility to Council debate.

In setting a new — and potentially co-operative — tone at City Hall, perhaps the first tentative steps might be taken towards healing the divide that exists in our City between rich and poor, East side and West side, privilege and anomie. The most salutary aspect of a new start is the sense of hope that is inspired when one does not know for sure what is to come. VanRamblings hopes for the best and trusts that the newly elected majority Non-Partisan Association Council will, while working with the Vision and COPE members of Council, move this City forward toward brighter days.

Lest you think that VanRamblings has been consuming a little too much of the NPA Kool-Aid, we would be remiss if mention were not made of the controversy surrounding Mr. Sullivan’s election to the Mayor’s job. If you look at the chart above, you'll see that Independent candidate James Green polled third in the mayoralty race. Adding James Green’s vote to that of Vision Vancouver mayoralty candidate Jim Green’s vote places Vision’s Jim Green 526 votes ahead of Mr. Sullivan, the declared winner of Saturday’s mayoral contest. Were there “dirty tricks” involved in the NPA’s alleged support of an independent James Green candidacy, a cynical, dastardly ploy designed to confuse voters? Vision Vancouver certainly thinks so.

Re-elected COPE councillor David Cadman chalks Green’s loss up to hubris

You only have to be aware of Jim Green’s history to know that the issue of NPA “dirty tricks” will not be going away anytime soon; Jim’s a fighter and will see it through to the end. Meanwhile, Mayor-elect Sullivan has made statements to the press that he wants to get on with the job, and to that end has extended an olive branch to his Vision Vancouver opponent, suggesting that there continues to be a role for Mr. Green to play in the development of the Woodward’s site, a long cherished dream of Mr. Green.

Continue reading "Sam Sullivan: The New Mayor of Vancouver"

   

November 20, 2005

Vancouver Elects New Council: The People Have Spoken

The 2005 race for Vancouver Municipal Council, School and Park Board is over. The NPA scored a stunning come-from-behind victory, all but decimating the COPE civic party. The election of four of five Vision Vancouver councillors sets a new direction for the progressive forces on Council. What all of these changes mean at the end of the day, it’s too early to say. But development in the City will most certainly take a different direction, and municipal issues will be re-prioritized. And it was always thus.

In the coming days, VanRamblings will publish our take on the meaning behind the change in direction for civic politics, in Vancouver and across the Lower Mainland. In the meantime, we can take heart that the people have spoken, and over the course of the next three years we will receive the kind of civic governance for which a majority of Vancouverites voted.

   

November 16, 2005

Save A Vote For Mel Lehan for Vancouver Park Board

On Nov 19th, vote for Mel Lehan

VanRamblings has a request to make of Vancouver residents today, whatever your political affiliation: please save a vote for Mel Lehan, running as a COPE candidate for a position on the Vancouver Park Board.

VanRamblings has known Mel Lehan for 30 years. In that time, we have yet to run across a more humane, harder working, more steadfast, and more moral person than Mel Lehan.

Mel is a loving father and a good and caring husband, as well as a kind and generous teacher. Mel is also an activist, a member of our community who has always worked with others to help create a better and more livable society for all of us. Which is to say, Mel Lehan can always be counted on not just to do the right thing, but to do all that he can do with his considerable energies to help anyone who comes to him in need of assistance. Mel will move mountains, and dedicate countless hours towards the realization of goals which reflect the best interests of the broadest cross-section of members of our community.

Mel is a great listener. Not only does he hear you, Mel acts on the requests that are made of him, and works with you to achieve your goals.

Mel Lehan works tirelessly on behalf of those who ask for his support, or who vest in him their trust. Placing Mel Lehan on the Vancouver Park Board as a Park Commissioner would mean that you, as a citizen of Vancouver, would have a tireless advocate who would dedicate himself to creating the best parks and recreation system on the continent.

Mel would be there for you, working for you 15 hours a day, six days a week — meeting with and consulting with you, taking your calls, listening to you and advocating for you. There is no other person who is running for the Vancouver Park Board who would do a better job and dedicate more directed and efficient time, effort and energies for you than Mel Lehan.

Over the years, Vancouver Park Board candidate Mel Lehan ...

• Created “Neighbour to Neighbour”, a coalition of more than 50 Vancouver resident associations. Mel chaired the organization and assisted neighbourhoods in building and protecting their communities

• Worked with the Chamber of Commerce to help create the “Welcome to Kitsilano” sign at the south end of the Burrard Bridge, and is currently beginning work to create a tranquil neighbourhood pocket park at Fourth and Burrard

• Chaired and co-founded St. James Community Square, a space for the arts, recreational and physical activities, and a gathering place for meetings and community events

• Co-founded the Mid Main Community Health Centre — a community-based model of health delivery

• Initiated a project of daylighting / opening up the stream at Tatlow Park

• Worked to save affordable housing and character homes in Kitsilano

• Remained active as a member of the Point Grey Natural Foreshore and Waterfowl Sanctuary Protective Society, each year participating in annual bird counts and beach clean ups, and

• While working closely with the community, was instrumental in achieving the goal of preserving the Point Grey foreshore between Kitsilano and Jericho beaches, an area now declared a foreshore in perpetuity, mandating that this pristine beachfront remain natural, undeveloped, and accessible to the entire community

Mel Lehan gets things done. Mel listens, Mel cares, and Mel Lehan works tirelessly and with a focussed, goal-directed energy that consistently meets with success. Whatever your political affiliation, whatever your global intentions voting day November 19th, VanRamblings ask you, once again: please save a vote for Mel Lehan, your Vancouver Park Board candidate.

   

November 14, 2005

Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation: COPE Has The Right Plan

l-r: Spencer Herbert, Anita Romaniuk, Omar Kassis, Jenn McGinn, Mel Lehan, Loretta Woodcock

Last week, VanRamblings published a story endorsing COPE — Vancouver’s Coalition of Progressive Electors civic party — as the only municipal party that champions a sustainable programme of development that balances economic and environmental interests, towards the creation of a more livable city for all of us. Have already wholeheartedly endorsed the COPE slate of candidates for City Council and School Board, VanRamblings turns its attention today to the robust COPE Park Board slate.

Over the course of the past three years, a COPE Park Board, while enhancing public participation and access to the Board, has ...

• Championed the inclusion of 26 acres of park, and a 30,000 sq. ft. community centre at the future southeast False Creek development

• Expanded wheelchair access in our parks and introduced universal design principles to accommodate all members of the public, regardless of physical and mental ability

• Established skateboard parks beneath the east end of the Georgia Viaduct, and in the Strathcona and Quilchena neighbourhoods

• Expanded the Champlain Community Centre, including new child care facilities; rebuilt and expanded the Killarney Pool; undertook an extensive renovation of Renfrew Pool; completed the Millennium Lawn Bowling and Gymnastics facility at Riley Park; established a new artificial turf playing field in Kerrisdale embraced by the community; and established new, or renovated, parks including Emery Barnes, Sahali, Tea Swamp, Strathcona, Heather, George Wainborne, David Lam Phase Two, and Kingcrest

• Extended off leash hours for dog parks, while promoting public education for dog owners

• Promoted and facilitated community gardens throughout the city, and

• Improved environmental practices, including the diversion of rainwater into daylighted streams, as well as the re-use of rainwater for irrigation; expanded the use of green building technology and energy conservation; expanded the recycling programme and the re-use of materials; and continued our commitment to the Cool Vancouver Climate Change plan, with the goal of reducing greenhouse gases

In only a few days, you will be asked to cast your ballot for a new Park Board. Sitting COPE Park Board commissioners Anita Romaniuk and Loretta Woodcock, and new candidates Mel Lehan, Spencer Herbert, Omar Kassis, and Jenn McGinn are deserving of your vote. If a majority COPE Park Board is elected to a second term, a COPE Park Commissioners team would ...

• Continue the renewal and expansion of community centres, ice rinks, swimming pools, and fitness centres

• Move Park Board meetings into community centres, and create an open dailogue with the community

• Approve a plebiscite for the 2008 civic election on whether or not to phase out the containment of whales and dolphins in Stanley Park

• Continue the development of guidelines for waterfront and shoreline activities through the new Waterfront Planning Study

• Engage in a consultative process with young people to enhance youth programming in parks and recreation centres

• Adopt the LEED gold standard for new facilities, thus reducing future operating costs as well as reducing environmental impact

• Keep annual operating expenses and annual inflationary fee increases for facilities and programmes within the target inflationary increases set by the City, while rolling back the NPA-approved 7% increase in seniors fees for golfing, swimming, and fitness centres passed for the 2003 budget

These are good people. Hard-working people. Caring people. On November 19th, when you cast your ballot for a reinvigorated Vancouver Park Board, VanRamblings urges you to support the COPE team of Park Board candidates — Spencer Herbert, Omar Kassis, Mel Lehan, Jenn McGinn, Anita Romaniuk, and Loretta Woodcock — all of whom will work towards the creation of a more livable city for each and every one of us.

   

November 6, 2005

Elect a COPE Vancouver School Board in 2005

Noel Herron was the Principal at my children’s elementary school (University Hill) in the 1980s, and after that Principal at another half-dozen Vancouver schools. Since that time, and before, Noel has continuously advocated for public education, speaking out and publishing for the betterment of the education system.

Over the course of the past couple of years, VanRamblings has had the opportunity to become re-acquainted with Noel, in his capacity as Chair of the Personnel and Staff Relations Committee of the Vancouver School Board, and as a liaison with the employees of Cardinal Transportation Vancouver who, this year, achieved successful CUPE bargaining unit status.

The work of the COPE trustees on the Vancouver School Board has been invaluable this past three years in preserving the integrity of our education system, even while suffering the slings and arrows of a provincial government and Ministry of Education seemingly hellbent on ideological warfare with teachers, trustees, parents and children.

The following e-mail arrived in my computer yesterday, a missive from the desk of valued public servant, COPE School Board Trustee Noel Herron. Today, VanRamblings passes on to you an edited version of the e-mail ...

Dear Friend of Public Education,

The civic election is just around the corner — Saturday November 19.

As people who care about kids and public education — the COPE School Board candidates are asking you to vote for people who care about kids and public education, who believe in the potential of all children. We will do everything in our power to make public schools work for every child.

Before casting your vote on November 19th, we would ask that you check out the record of the COPE School Board trustees.

In just 3 years a COPE Vancouver School Board has:

• Stopped $3 million in provincial cuts to inner city schools and our region’s most vulnerable children, and introduced a successful consultative budgeting process

• Played a key role in winning $150 million in provincial funding for public education in BC

• Worked closely with the province to develop a programme to make all schools across our province seismically safe

• Re-hired multi-cultural workers laid off by the previous NPA controlled Board, while reaching out to Vancouver’s diverse communities, and making our schools safer and more welcoming with new anti-racism and anti-homophobia programmes

• Dedicated increased monies into text books, restored teacher librarian hours and achieved lower class size at the elementary level

• Supported student input into district decision-making

• Worked tirelessly to repair relations with parents, students and staff — relations that had been damaged under previous NPA Boards

• Expanded all-day kindergarten

• Hired one of the country’s most respected educational leaders as our Superintendent of Schools — without resorting to use of an expensive headhunting firm

• Expanded literacy programmes, and increased spaces for French Immersion

• Worked with both the SFU and the UBC Education departments to educate the community about the value of public education

l-r: Allan Wong, Allen Blakey, Angela Kenyon, Conrad Lew, Jane Bouey, Kevin Millsip, Noel Herron, Sharon Gregson

There remains much that needs to be done. We still have a lot of work to do. We need to protect these achievements and build on them.

If re-elected, a COPE School Board will:

• Continue to advocate effectively for proper resources for public schools

• Fight to keep local educational decisions in the hands of our community

• Work for smaller classes for all children enrolled in the Vancouver school system

• Provide increased support for ESL, and children with special needs

• Get junk food out of our schools

• Work hard to build strong and respectful relationships with local aboriginal and First Nations organizations while working towards making our schools more inclusive and relevant for aboriginal students

• Continue to participate and support joint initiatives between the School Board, Park Board and City Council such as the Joint Council on Childcare

• Make each school a centre of environmental sustainability

The COPE Vancouver School Board has made decisions based on sound educational principle — not Fraser Institute fiction. We need all caring Vancouver citizens to help make sure that the positive accomplishments of the COPE Vancouver School Board to support children and make public schools work for every child will not be undone by the NPA.

On November 19 — we would ask you to re-elect a COPE School Board ... Allen BLAKEY, Jane BOUEY, Sharon GREGSON, Noel HERRON, Angela KENYON, Conrad LEW, Kevin MILLSIP and Allan WONG.

The Vancouver School Board — a great reason to vote COPE!

   

November 5, 2005

Elect COPE Candidates for a More Livable Vancouver

l-r: Anne Roberts, David Cadman, Ellen Woodsworth, Fred Bass, Tim Louis

The time has come for VanRamblings to weigh in on the current municipal election in the City of Vancouver. Without any hesitation or reservation, VanRamblings wholeheartedly recommends the entirety of the current COPE slate — for City Council, School Board and Park Board — good people all.

Over the course of the past three years — since electing majority COPE Council Members, School Board trustees and Park Board commissioners to civic government — Vancouver has become a more livable city for all citizens of our fair city, the whole of the community has gained greater access to (and participation in) civic governance, and fiscal responsibility tempered by caring and a commitment to social justice have come to define governance in the City of Vancouver. Therefore, we’re recommending COPE in 2005.

For VanRamblings, the key issues in the campaign are this: development of the south side of False Creek, ensuring a mix of rental and subsidized housing, parks and community gardens, and greenways; re-development of the Woodward's building, and the resulting salutary impact that will occur in the surrounding neighbourhood; the provision of subsidized transit passes for students and persons on low incomes; keeping our libraries open and accessible; and the continued revitalization of neighbourhoods. Only COPE, and their unity partners Vision Vancouver, can deliver on these key issues.

In the coming days, VanRamblings will explore each of the civic issues outlined above, and express why it is that we believe only a majority COPE / Vision Vancouver City Council can deliver on these and other issues, while working towards the creation of a fairer and more livable City for all of us.

   

Who Will You Cast Your Vote For Vancouver Mayor?

With the Vancouver municipal election less than two short weeks away, VanRamblings will post various election-related polls in the coming days.

To begin, we’d appreciate some input into your choice for Mayor.