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The Bonfire of the Olympics continues: The Raymond Louie chapter

November 14th, 2008 · 11 Comments

Okay, people, this may be a little incoherent because I’ve had a few glasses of wine — it’s all you can do under these conditions. But, really, aren’t you finding this Olympic-loan, hunt-for-the-leaker saga is all really like a Tom Wolfe novel? We have the mass media in full hyena mode (I’m one of them, […]

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Chapter 237: The case of the purloined Olympic-loan documents

November 13th, 2008 · 13 Comments

This the latest: One of the city clerks who works with the councillors has sworn an affidavit saying that the missing documents relating the the $100-million Olympic loan turned up in B.C. Lee’s office at a different time than he has said. Cecelia Smith says B.C. Lee called her into his office around 4 p.m. […]

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The last round in the Vancouver knock-down starts at 7:30 on CBC

November 12th, 2008 · 6 Comments

We let Gregor Robertson and Peter Ladner go at each other one more time, with all kinds of fresh news unspooling at every moment. Today, Mayor Sam Sullivan asked for a police investigation into who took the documents relating to the $100-million loan to the Olympic village builder, while all the councillors offered to take […]

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What highly educated Vancouverites want from the city

November 12th, 2008 · Comments Off on What highly educated Vancouverites want from the city

Think City, the group that has been working to promote interest in city issues, posted results of a survey they did of 2,500 people who came to their workshops or responded to their questionnaires, showing what those people wanted in the way of solutions for housing, transportation and citizen involvement at the city. The survey, […]

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Only three more days, fortunately

November 12th, 2008 · 18 Comments

I think I speak for many when I say, “Let us give thanks that there are only 72 hours of this left.” Four news conferences skedded for tomorrow (NDP saying who they endorse — can’t imagine who their choices might be); Kashmir Dhaliwal and Ujjal Dosanjh on crime; Gregor Robertson and Jim Green on Woodward’s; […]

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Mayors defend Olympic Village

November 11th, 2008 · 15 Comments

The media circus continues; Ex-mayors Philip Owen and Larry Campbell are going to hold a news conference at 4 p.m. to defend the current Olympic village loan. And this news release just came out from Mayor Sam Sullivan’s office. Open Letter from Mayor Sam Sullivan Southeast False Creek planning a decade in the making – […]

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Tags: 2008 Vancouver Civic Election

Inside the failed Pantages deal

November 11th, 2008 · 3 Comments

A few weeks ago, there was a cascade of stories about how the city had scuttled a private developer’s effort to restore the historic Pantages theatre in the Downtown Eastside. We didn’t get much information about that, except for the general impression that the city had been the bad guy squashing a feisty entrepreneur. This […]

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Philip Owen wades into the election campaign

November 10th, 2008 · 9 Comments

In 2005, the turning point of the election came when the ex-mayors started entering the fray. Philip Owen and Larry Campbell appeared side by side in the Vancouver Sun three years ago this week, each blasting the opposing camp and endorsing their candidate. You’ll remember whose candidate won. (And you’ll remember Philip Owen’s effect on […]

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What happens after Nov. 15 when the smoke clears

November 10th, 2008 · 9 Comments

Everyone is focused on this Saturday. But given the turn that this campaign has taken in the last few days, victory is not going to be simple if Vision wins on the basis of public uproar over the $100-million loan to the Olympic village builders. Nope, the city’s troubles — and Vision’s — will only […]

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Tags: 2008 Vancouver Civic Election

Robertson posts his developer-free donor list

November 10th, 2008 · 3 Comments

In the battle for full disclosure of campaign contributions, Vision Vancouver has now posted how much Gregor Robertson got in financial contributions for his mayoral campaign. At $180,382.50, it’s about $20,000 more than the Non-Partisan Association’s Peter Ladner got for his race. But if you break it down by how much they spent per voter, […]

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