Vision finally made its decision on how the nomination process is going to work for all its candidates. It’s a race for everyone except the mayor, who gets a performance review. (Hope it’s as much fun as mine always were.)
Get ready, get set, go. Actually, some candidates have already. Geoff Meggs launched his campaign for re-election this past week. Heather Deal has hers coming up at the end of February.
I haven’t been able to check with everyone on whether they’re running again. I hear a couple are thinking about it. Kerry Jang says he’ll decide by mid-February whether he can “work on homelessness the best at the province, the city or in my lab at UBC.”
Here’s my story and below is a fact sheet from the party.
- Vision Vancouver Nomination Fact Sheet
Vision Vancouver is continuing its tradition of open and member driven party processes. As such the Board of Directors of Vision Vancouver has approved an open nomination and leadership review process that empowers our members with the task of selecting our candidates for the November 2011 election.
· Council, School and Park Board level will have an open nomination contest. The race will be open to approved candidates once they have been approved through the candidate selection process and approved by the Vision Vancouver Board of Directors.
· A leadership review vote will be conducted for Mayor Gregor Robertson. The review will be open to all members of Vision Vancouver eligible to vote at our nomination meeting. The question members will be phrased with a yes or no answer. The success threshold will be a majority of votes cast (50% + 1)
· While we anticipate a spring 2011 nomination, Vision Vancouver will release the specific date at a later time.
· With respect to nomination campaign expense limits Mayor- $25,000, Councillors, school and park board $5000. All candidates will be required to disclose their donations and expenditures to Vision Vancouver.
· With respect to membership and candidate “cut offs” to vote in the June nomination and leadership review meeting a member must be in good standing 30 clear days prior. To run as a candidate for nomination, the prospective candidate completed all the necessary paperwork and have submitted it to Vision Vancouver 45 clear days in advance of the nomination vote.
- The nominations rules were passed by a unanimous vote
38 responses so far ↓
1 F. H. Leghorn // Jan 31, 2011 at 9:56 am
“…he’ll decide by mid-February whether he can “work on homelessness, etc.”
I vote for the lab at UBC. They heat those buildings at night and the average lecture hall could sleep a couple hundred. God knows people sleep there during the day, particularly in Dr. Jang’s classes. At least those people know exactly how much they’re paying to listen to him talk and talk and talk and talk and talk and talk. Oh, is that a camera?
2 Michelle // Jan 31, 2011 at 10:27 am
Excuse me? The ‘Mayor’ gets a what?
A ‘leadership’ review? LOL, that’s way too funny.
Note to Vision:
Hurry. Send someone to Egypt. See how Hosni Mubarak deals with his crisis. Maybe you’ll learn from it, or not.
3 Brenton // Jan 31, 2011 at 1:07 pm
Michelle, leadership reviews are pretty standard in provincial and federal politics, across the political spectrum. Not sure how that relates to an Egyptian dictator, but sure, go ahead and make that comparison. Can a comparison to Hitler or Stalin be far behind?
4 George // Jan 31, 2011 at 1:17 pm
@ Brenton actually the statement made by Michelle is pretty spot on… how else can we explain how the Mayor refuses to deal with the Pandora St. fire and the loss of 3 men.
Gregor and council do not display a desire for free speech or due process… that my friend is the definition of a dictator… someone that finds democracy a hindrance… but then again what do we expect… democracy cubed?
5 Higgins // Jan 31, 2011 at 1:28 pm
Brenton,
I think you are playing the same dumb game as your Mayor. IMO Michelle’s right on. I see the funny part , why can’t you? Do you know anyone with no feet trying to wear shoes? I didn’t think so. One cannot have a LEADERSHIP REVIEW when there is NO LEADERSHIP to review in the first place!
6 Max // Jan 31, 2011 at 1:42 pm
There is an intersting rticle up on City Caucus:
Vision pollster gets personal with questions about sexuality
http://www.citycaucus.com/2011/01/vision-pollster-gets-personal-with-questions-about-sexuality
It bounces from who would you vote for in the next election to what is your sexual orientation..
I am not even sure if you can legally ask that.
7 George // Jan 31, 2011 at 2:09 pm
Did anyone else notice that it is Andrea Reimer’s voice doing the poll….does she work for the polling company, is that ethical?
Shameful how Vision panders for votes…Kerry Jang goes to council using the race card in response to the McLeans article on being too Asian… how is this different!!!
Shame on this group of fools…
I’m surprised residents weren’t asked if they ride bikes..
Does anyone know how we can get on that bulldozer alert list… I’m available 24/7 put me on the call tree…
8 spartikus // Jan 31, 2011 at 2:33 pm
Spot on, eh?
Human Rights Watch found that law enforcement officers routinely and deliberately use torture and ill-treatment – in ordinary criminal cases as well as with political dissidents and security detainees – to coerce confessions, extract other information, or simply to punish detainees.
Example:
They took me to Imbaba police station and put me in a room by myself. Two officers came in and told me to confess. I asked, “What to?” They answered, “Confess to the theft.” The head of the Criminal Investigations unit said, “Work on him until he confesses.” They handcuffed my hands in front of me and hung me from the door for more than two hours. They had whips and hit me on the legs, on the bottom of my feet, and on my back. When they took me down, they brought a black electric device and applied electro-shocks four or five times to my arms until they started smoking. All of this time they kept saying, “You have to confess.” The next morning they beat me again and whipped me with the cable on my back and on my shoulders. I fainted after three hours of the beating.
Grow up.
9 George // Jan 31, 2011 at 2:38 pm
@ Spartikus, I’m not clear was your message directed to me… please clarify…
if you are telling me to” grow up” I find your comment offensive, as it is my opinion, or am I not entitled to one?
10 Max // Jan 31, 2011 at 2:55 pm
@ George (7)
Good catch on the Reimer thing!
Perhaps she is practicing for life after city council……LOL!
11 spartikus // Jan 31, 2011 at 2:55 pm
Oh so casual comparisons of municipal politicians you don’t like to real dictators is what is actually offensive, George. Last time I looked opposition parties were going to be allowed in the next election, newspapers aren’t censored or shut down for writing critical pieces on the Mayor, and NPA members aren’t being hung from doors or being electrocuted until their limbs started smoking in police stations.
Stop exploiting the suffering of Egyptians.
Yes, grow up.
12 Max // Jan 31, 2011 at 3:01 pm
@ spartikus:
Hve you checked with the people working in City Hall.
Seem the ‘mute’ button has been pushed.
FOI – no F’ n’ way
13 George // Jan 31, 2011 at 3:04 pm
Where did I exploit the Egyptians… I’m the last person to exploit or engage in racism…
I lived in a point in history when my friends were not given equal treatment, military tanks drove up the middle of the street, shooting… my father was almost killed by random sniper shots… I sir, do not exploit… I don’t get information from books I lived it !!.. Can you say that! If anyone is exploiting here spartikus… I think it is you… you brought the Egyptians into this conversation. shame on you.
As for the “grow up” part.. shame on you. I lived what you use as a deflection argument… Shame on you.
14 George // Jan 31, 2011 at 3:12 pm
@ Spartikus
almost forgot I am a card carrying Vision member disgusted with what has gone on with this administration…. this shall change because what Vision is doing is extreme and discriminating towards anyone with a brain or a differing opinion… and that includes their minions..
15 Been There // Jan 31, 2011 at 3:19 pm
@ Spartikus et al
It’s fine to use hyperbole to make a point (within reason)
However, unless you have actually lived in or through the fear of totalanarism you have no idea.
I happened to be in Prague in 1968 when the Army was in the Streets and the rest Western Europe was in fear. I well remember the hoarding, the fear and resistance and the motivation to resist.
That’s SCARY!
Some tinpot Mayor and his faithful minions of a backwater outpost are hardly worthy of discussion in the same or any breathe for that matter.
We have a ballot, USE it next time and encourage your friends to do the same. That’s how you effect real change.
Debating semantics on a discussion board may seem pertinent to those involved but not really relevant to those who oppose this or any other regime.
16 The Fourth Horseman // Jan 31, 2011 at 3:47 pm
spartikus,
A too long bow to draw, methinks.
it’s all relative, anyways. If we say “great, compared to the Egyptians, we are so much better off”, agreed.
But I suggest that it doesn’t take that much to shut down democratic rights. Or to ignore voices of dissent.
It’s happening at all levels of government, and a lovely Indo-canadian pol tells me “it’s as corrupt here as anywhere else, it just differs in degree”.
Thus must we protest, in our our small way, for our own small issues. It doesn’t take much to lose a little freedom, every day.
I still remember Gregor’s wistful remarks about how much more easily the Chinese government can get projects done.
Ahem.
17 spartikus // Jan 31, 2011 at 5:44 pm
Oh puh-leeze.
George: that my friend is the definition of a dictator
spartikus: [provides examples of what the cited dictator actually does]
George (paraphrased): How dare you use my words against me! (Pass the laudenaum!)
it’s all relative
Help, help, I’m being repressed! Yes, it’s all relative. Quite. An atomic bomb is simply a firecracker. Relatively speaking…
Get a grip. No one is repressing you in a way that will get Amnesty International concerned. Though you remain free to write them a letter.
Godwin’s Law was invented for a reason. Apparently a Mubarak variation will need to be defined.
By all means criticize away. Just remember to breathe between your soliloquies on tyranny.
18 Chris // Jan 31, 2011 at 5:49 pm
For a little perspective, here was the situation 3 years ago: http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/westcoastnews/story.html?id=773b8086-8c44-4b37-8bbf-16e52791201b
19 Westender1 // Jan 31, 2011 at 6:35 pm
Thank you Chris for that background – it’s refreshing to get back to the original topic of the post.
I’m disappointed that Vision Vancover will not allow for open nominations for all of their candidates.
20 The Fourth Horseman // Jan 31, 2011 at 6:39 pm
sparty,
Haven’t had din-din yet? Hysterical reactions are usually the purview of others.
Speaking about relativism.
21 spartikus // Jan 31, 2011 at 6:44 pm
I’m disappointed that Vision Vancover will not allow for open nominations for all of their candidates.
Vs.
It’s a race for everyone except the mayor, who gets a performance review.
So…it’s just the Mayor. As is the norm with most parties.
If you object to that statement, please provide evidence.
Oh yes, Sam and Carole were deposed. In a coup. Let’s talk norms not outliers.
This “shocking” lack of democracy will only affect Vision Vancouver’s fortunes, not Vancouver’s.
22 spartikus // Jan 31, 2011 at 7:01 pm
Speaking about relativism.
Right. Earlier…
It’s happening at all levels of government, and a lovely Indo-canadian pol tells me “it’s as corrupt here as anywhere else, it just differs in degree”.
Right.
23 lux // Jan 31, 2011 at 7:22 pm
Just follow the money.
http://www.citycaucus.com/2011/01/vision-pollster-gets-personal-with-questions-about-sexuality
24 Max // Jan 31, 2011 at 7:23 pm
@spartikus;
So let’s not have the best possible person running for the position, let’s give it to the person with the most thumbs up.
That is how we (tax payers) end up in the position we are.
I once read in the Van. Sun that Robertson being described as an ineffectual MLA (when he was with the NDP). Glad to see that legacy will not abandon him.
25 George // Jan 31, 2011 at 7:28 pm
@ Sparty, don’t ever refer to me as your friend, I would never pick your ilk to be a friend. I too can google.. see below.
“In modern usage, the term “dictator” is generally used to describe a leader who holds and/or abuses an extraordinary amount of personal power, especially the power to make laws without effective restraint by a legislative assembly[citation needed]. Dictatorships are often characterized by some of the following traits: suspension of elections and of civil liberties; proclamation of a state of emergency; rule by decree; repression of political opponents without abiding by rule of law procedures; these include single-party state, and cult of personality.[citation needed]
The term “dictator” is comparable to, but not synonymous with, the ancient concept of a tyrant; initially “tyrant”, like “dictator”, did not carry negative connotations. A wide variety of leaders coming to power in a number of different kinds of regimes, such as military juntas, single-party states and civilian governments under personal rule, have been described as dictators. Some examples of leaders commonly viewed as dictators include Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, and Kim Jong-il.
my addition “special interest groups”
IMO Gregor fits the bill… Please remember Spartikus you started this by attacking me and my opinion… a bullying tactic used by tyrants.
26 spartikus // Jan 31, 2011 at 7:59 pm
@Max
So let’s not have the best possible person running for the position,
You understand you’re talking about a the candidacy of a particular party and not the actual Mayorality itself? There are other candidates.
Unless you feel the Vision Vancouver choice is going to be the only viable one. I somehow believe you do not.
As I said before, this only affects the fortunes of a political party. They will live or die by that.
@George
Some examples of leaders commonly viewed as dictators include Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, and Kim Jong-il.
my addition “special interest groups”
IMO Gregor fits the bill
Doubling down, eh? G’night.
27 Tessa // Jan 31, 2011 at 8:29 pm
Have we all lost our sanity? How can we possibly have a debate on a topic of local civic politics if we can’t even hammer down the definition of dictator, with commentators going on hysterical, ignorant and delusional rants claiming a mayor is a dictator simply because he’s been successful at enacting an agenda that he was elected to do but this commentator disagrees with.
Even wikipedia’s above quoted definition is nonsensical.
“Dicctatorships are often characterized by some of the following traits: suspension of elections and of civil liberties;”
-Doesn’t fit that criteria: there’s an election coming up in November.
“proclamation of a state of emergency;”
-Nope. None has been declared.
“rule by decree;”
-Every rule has been passed by council.
“repression of political opponents without abiding by rule of law procedures;”
-All repression of political opponents has been legal and following the rule of law procedures. Of course it still happens, but last I checked citycaucus.com’s staff haven’t been thrown in jail.
“these include single-party state,”
-Four political parties are currently represented at city hall: Green Party, COPE, Vision and NPA.
“and cult of personality.”
-Yeah. Right. All hail Gregor. A giant portrait of him would look quite dashing on the side of every blank surface downtown, don’t you think?
But there is, after all, a missing citation. Maybe that section could be improved by adding “anybody we disagree with and wish to claim is a dictator for purely political purposes.”
Now, getting past that childish nonsense.
If I remember correctly, it’s this exact same policy that caused such a kerfuffle in the NPA prior to last election, and it was eventually overturned to allow an open race for the mayoralty nomination of the NPA. Seems kind of funny that Vision would try for the exact same thing after that experience. I wonder if anyone with a little more time on their hands could dig through the old comments to see if there were any public Vision comments on the NPA process last year.
28 Tessa // Jan 31, 2011 at 8:30 pm
I’m sorry: “above quoted definition is nonsensical” should read “above quoted definition shows this concern is nonsensical.”
29 Sean // Jan 31, 2011 at 9:12 pm
@Max #22
“So let’s not have the best possible person running for the position, let’s give it to the person with the most thumbs up.”
The very definition of democracy…
30 Max // Jan 31, 2011 at 9:27 pm
@ Sean #27
Especially if you are a Vision councilor with aspirations to run for Mayor.
Ahhhh, love when ‘democracy cubed’ comes back to bite you in the butt.
31 Deacon Blue // Jan 31, 2011 at 10:32 pm
After a Fat Pope, a Skinny Pope… it worked for centuries and Rome was the better for it.
32 Glissando Remmy // Jan 31, 2011 at 11:47 pm
The Thought of The Day
“If I remember correctly, just before his execution, Romanian Dictator Nicholae Ceausesco was pleading with the soldiers ‘Comrades, don’t shoot, check my last leadership review Comrades, I had a 98 % approval rating, Comrades! Don’t shoot.’…some leadership review, eh?
Now, if I were a member of Vision, which Thank Beelzebub, I’m not, I would have liked to be the ‘one’ in the 50% + ‘one’. Just for the fun of it. But I’m not a Bingo fan, so…
IMHO, the leadership review is yet another reason why Councillor Raymond should change his name more appropriately, from Louie to Looser.
As for the rest of the Vision Councillors ‘proudly’ announcing the start of their re-election campaigns, I ask, why bother? Who would want to do that? Based on their performance on record, doing that would be akin to Flashing in Public:
‘Listen up people, pay attention and no one is going to get hurt! I’m having cramps, and I’m going to take a crap, again. It’s going to be loud this time, it’s going to be big, and it’s going to be stinky. Don’t you worry, though; I’m going to blame it on the Global Warming. Who’s with me, eh, who’s with me?’
For whoever thought this is going to be easy, it’s not going to; it ain’t over ’til the fat lady sings.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIVfbylUU-M
We live in Vancouver and this keeps us busy.
33 Sean Bickerton // Feb 1, 2011 at 10:42 am
I’m looking forward to seeing the councillors at the Hall today and speaking in support of Ellen Woodsworths motion to delay this massive casino expansion until serious questions are answered about the $400 million paid out to private casino owners over the past ten years while charities were completely cut off.
34 The Fourth Horseman // Feb 1, 2011 at 1:48 pm
Whoo hoo!
We’re number 8! We’re number !! Singapore beat us?! Singapore?!
Too bad they don’t break it out as local or provincial government numbers. BC Rail, or the proposed expansion of casino gaming here in lovely VanLandia, anyone?
To which I could compare it to some deals in more obviously corrupt regimes.
35 spartikus // Feb 1, 2011 at 3:00 pm
Singapore beat us?! Singapore?!
It’s a Corruption Perception Index, not a democracy index.
36 Deacon Blue // Feb 1, 2011 at 4:31 pm
The “Fat Lady” really was a Pope, right?
… Number NINE … Number NINE… Number NINE… Number NINE… Number NINE
Let-me-on-dead-man.
37 The Fourth Horseman // Feb 1, 2011 at 6:54 pm
Nice, Deacon. #36.
Story in the Nat Post today, about a guy who was an anarchist before G20, but was arrested before the Day of mayhem. Arrested, burbling his shtick. Writer rolls eyes.
What writer Joe O’Connor didn’t like, was this:
http://www.nationalpost.com/take+system/4200147/story.html
Seems to me that corruption of the system and loss of democracy in the System sort of go hand in hand.
38 Glissando Remmy // Feb 1, 2011 at 10:43 pm
The Thought of The Night
“Noisiv…Noisiv…Noisiv…Noisiv…Noisiv…Noisiv…Noisiv…Noisiv…Noisiv…’Revulsion’ 9”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQal-lJrSLI
Deacon,
Right. The Fat Lady was ‘a’ Pope.
We live in Vancouver and this keeps us busy.