Below is the official statement out from Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson. It will be interesting to see how the Vision team handles relations with the new premier, considering some of the ties between their two operations. Among the Vision types working on the Clark campaign:
– Don Millar of FD Elements, who has also done a fair bit of work for the Vision team
– Greg Wilson, a political organizer who has worked extensively with Vision
– Brad Zubyk, who was part of the Vision campaign group in 08. (He’s also partners, or whatever the word is these days, with Marcella Munro, a former Vision board member. Munro is working with the Farnworth team at the provincial level.)
– plus lots of indications that various Vision types were in contact with the Clark team throughout the campaign.
Here’s the news release
Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson congratulated Christy Clark on winning the BC Liberal leadership race and becoming British Columbia’s next Premier.“I’d like to congratulate Christy on a competitive and well-fought campaign to become the next Premier of our province,” said Mayor Gregor Robertson. “I know that she cares strongly about BC and that passion was clearly on display these past few weeks and months.
“We’re at a point in time where BC faces a number of crucial challenges, whether it’s a lack of affordable housing, adequate public transportation, or a clear plan for creating jobs and keeping our province competitive. These are some of the issues we’re dealing with in Vancouver and I know other municipalities across BC are grappling with as well.
“My hope is that as Premier, Christy will waste no time in meeting these challenges head-on, and will seek a new level of collaboration with BC municipalities. I look forward to working closely with her on the issues that matter not just to Vancouver but to people throughout the Metro region and our province.”
35 responses so far ↓
1 Morry // Feb 27, 2011 at 1:57 pm
oh dear.
2 Max // Feb 27, 2011 at 2:22 pm
Interesting.
It almost mirrors last night’s input from Sinclair and Dix.
3 Michael Geller // Feb 27, 2011 at 2:32 pm
I appreciate the Mayor’s comments much more than those of Dawn Black who doesn’t seem to understand the meaning of the word gracious.
4 Morry // Feb 27, 2011 at 2:48 pm
@gelller:
“”As interim leader of the official Opposition, I want to offer my congratulations to Christy Clark on winning her party’s leadership contest and on becoming the next Premier of British Columbia.””
Sounds gracious to me?
5 jesse // Feb 27, 2011 at 3:06 pm
Morry quit interjecting facts in the way of a good argument.
6 F.H.Leghorn // Feb 27, 2011 at 5:41 pm
@Morry: Extremely gracious, particularly when you consider that Ms. Black has zero chance of ever becoming leader of her party or Premier, for that matter. And because they had a female leader but Mr. Dix’s cat’s-paw Ms. Kwan knifed her in the back, a fate Ms. Black would have suffered had she been Leader.
But that’s the NDP for you. They’ll sell out a sister (or do anything else) if Jim Sinclair tells you to.
Odss are Ms. Clark winds up on the same ash-heap as Rita Johnston, Kim Campbell and Carole James. You women never learn. Some jobs are not for you, hard-nosed lesbian or not. Now bring me a coffee.
7 Everyman // Feb 27, 2011 at 7:39 pm
@F.H.Leghorn #6
I hope you were being facetious, rather than just extremely offensive.
8 Robert Seymour // Feb 27, 2011 at 10:04 pm
Given BC’s finances, heaps and heaps of new spending are exactly what is needed…
How about help from municipalities in reducing transfers from the province?
9 Glissando Remmy // Feb 27, 2011 at 10:57 pm
The Thought of The Evening
“Gregor to Spaceship: ‘Hi Clark! Bye Clark!’ Spaceship to Gregor:’Up Yours!'”
Aye, nothing like the beginning of a new romance in BC politics. I said it before, I’ll say it again, with a little add-on this time.
“STUPID + VANCOUVER + BC= BC STUPIDER”
After three recent, different elections, and after seeing how things turned out in Vancouver and in BC, all I can say is:
“ICH BIN EIN BC STUPIDER”.
We live in Vancouver, BC and this keeps us busy.
10 Lin // Feb 27, 2011 at 11:59 pm
Gregor preaching to a new Premier – now that’s rich. He continues to grapple with these issues only because he fails to make sensible, thought-out decisions in the first place.
And while he can have a speech written for him with the word “collaboration” in it, that doesn’t mean he understands or practises it.
11 Deacon Blue // Feb 28, 2011 at 1:13 am
Premier Clark has two pluses in her corner: she was born after 1960 and represents the next generation coming on the scene; and she sat in on talk radio listening to the constituency and experienced a day-to-day and week-to-week exposure to the whims of the call-in public.
Best of luck Premier… times they are a-changing. Hope you and your team will keep up.
12 PeterG // Feb 28, 2011 at 7:06 am
Is there a single liberal MLA that understands the meaning of hypocrisy? Although only a single MLA supported her campaign, there they were, like trained seals, on the stage on Saturday night chanting “Christy, Christy”. And what a singularly unattractive bunch they were too….. Where do the liberals do their recruiting? It looked like closing time at the Turf Hotel.
13 rf // Feb 28, 2011 at 7:28 am
ha! Let’s get to the NDP beauty contest, PeterG.
Now on the catwalk, Adrian Dix.
Adrian’s outfit is a combination of brown velcro strap new balance runners, blue socks halfway to his knees, khaki short cargo shorts (slim fit), and the latest from the 90% off rack, featuring 1997 eddie bauer short sleeve plaid collection.
Hair by Flow-bee.
14 PeterG // Feb 28, 2011 at 9:06 am
Gosh… I always thought Dix was quite pretty.
15 Max // Feb 28, 2011 at 9:44 am
You have to love Sinclair and Dix, you know what they are going to say, word for word, before they even open their mouths.
16 Morry // Feb 28, 2011 at 10:42 am
“It looked like closing time at the Turf Hotel”
Now that was a good line!
17 F.H.Leghorn // Feb 28, 2011 at 12:17 pm
Or the opening bell at the Nanaimo Commonwealth bingo hall.
18 rf // Feb 28, 2011 at 12:25 pm
Farnworth looked like he bought his first new suit and tie since he was in cabinet.
Too bad he didn’t know how to wear it without tugging his shirt lapel pocket touching the collar.
19 Michael Geller // Feb 28, 2011 at 2:34 pm
Morry, this and other related comments were what troubled me….
““I think it’s time Ms. Clark stopped the victory lap, moved on and called the legislature back,” said Black.
Read more: http://www.timescolonist.com/sports/leader+Dawn+Black+attacks+Christy+Clark+premier+designate+first/4356232/story.html#ixzz1FIOQQzLx
20 Morry // Feb 28, 2011 at 2:57 pm
Michael :
“…this and other related comments were what troubled me….”
Well I give you that on Sunday, a day after her gracious congratulations to Ms Clark , Ms Black, was no longer gracious.
But then again it is fair play. Clark is getting mega attention for picking up her son from a hockey game! … and the Opposition goes on the offensive! typical BC politics I would say. esp. given the pit-bull tactics that Clark practised on radio for over four years.
Bow Bow… who let the dogs out! http://bit.ly/bn06bm
21 Gassy Jack's Ghost // Feb 28, 2011 at 5:44 pm
Well, I hope the mayor presses the new Premier to show some direction on the new mega-casino on False Creek her government is so aggressively pushing for.
Let’s put those “Family First” values and renewed commitment to listening to citizens right to work, eh?
22 Glissando Remmy // Feb 28, 2011 at 8:45 pm
Good Lord, rf # 13… LMAO!!!
You brought tears to my eyes.
Dix on the catwalk…Too funny!
23 Paul // Mar 1, 2011 at 8:02 am
Hahaha! rf#13
Pure Gold.
@F.H.Leghorn #6
Nice. It should be pointed out also that James was completely unelectable. She would never have won.
24 Chris Keam // Mar 1, 2011 at 8:13 am
Well, except for the 11 years in an elected position with the Victoria School Board, rebuilding the NDP, and winning her seat in the Leg a few times. Other than that, completely unelectable. Right.
25 IanS // Mar 1, 2011 at 8:52 am
I agree with Chris Keam on this one. Carole James had put a lot of time into rebuilding her party and it was pretty shoddy what happened, just when it appeared they might finally be in a position to win an election.
26 Paul // Mar 1, 2011 at 9:26 am
I agree with CK on this one Paul. Carol James was a bloody shoe in as the next premier until Kwan and Co. decided to rip the carpet out from under her. Biggest mistake the NDP had ever made. A poorly trained monkey could have beaten the Liberals in the next election. That party was imploding and there was no hope of saving it. But not wanting to stay out of the headlines the NDP decided “HEY NO FAIR, WE CAN IMPLODE AS WELL!”
Cheers to a 4th consecutive Liberal majority.
27 Paul // Mar 1, 2011 at 11:29 am
Nice tone, CK.
None of this – “11 years in an elected position with the Victoria School Board, rebuilding the NDP, and winning her seat in the Leg a few times” is becoming Premier of British Columbia (despite giving it two golly gosh darn good tries).
Second Paul: A poorly trained monkey could have beaten the Liberals in the last two elections….If you can’t do it in two tries against Gordo et al, you can’t do it ever. Besides, did you see CJ’s polling numbers? How is that moving towards winning an election?
The only reason there will be a 4th consecutive majority is if the NDP continues the infighting after their main obstacle to electability has been removed (that would be CJ).
28 Paul T. // Mar 1, 2011 at 11:34 am
Paul #27 – (I’ll change my name to avoid confusion), I disagree. CJ had name recognition. People were becoming more comfortable with her. The BC voters (although somewhat insane) do like continuity. They might not necessarily like Carole, but she certainly is better than a party with an untested leader.
Oh well, back to the drawing board for the dippers.
29 MB // Mar 1, 2011 at 12:10 pm
Clark has to be elected to justify doing anything of consequence. Of course, that’s a minor technicality for her party in the proposed riding where a byelection may be called: Gordo’s soon-to-be-forgotten West Point Grey.
But can she afford to actually live there and serve her constituents (depends on her CKNW salary) , or will she just be parachuted in and always be invisible?
I have never witnessed such a motormouth on a politician before — more words per second than hummingbird wing beats.
It remains to be seen how the Liberals will do under her leadership in the next general election … and the NDP under whomever for that matter. If the neocons currently under the Libertal banner break off because of Clark, then say hello to premier Farnworth.
30 Max // Mar 1, 2011 at 1:19 pm
I have never witnessed such a motormouth on a politician before — more words per second than hummingbird wing beats.
**************
I guess you haven’t listened to Jim Sinclair or A. Dix lately.
But then again, they are both in the same.
31 Deacon Blue // Mar 1, 2011 at 9:53 pm
“Well, I hope the mayor presses the new Premier to show some direction on the new mega-casino on False Creek her government is so aggressively pushing for.”
GJG 21
Good point, Ghost. The Premier Designate also had an amicable call with the Prime Minister. Hope that she, as a one time contender for the Mayor’s chair in Vancouver, thought to put the Feds on alert that our homelessness problem is going to require some leveraging from their neck-of-the-woods.
32 Otis Krayola // Mar 1, 2011 at 10:09 pm
You have to love Max, you know what he is going to say, word for word, before he even opens his mouth.
33 MB // Mar 2, 2011 at 1:50 pm
@ Max 30.
I am aware of the rhetoric Sinclair and Dix and host of others can pump out. But in terms of sheer verbal volume, speed and annoying tone, Clark wins the contest.
34 Everyman // Mar 2, 2011 at 11:48 pm
@MB 29 “But can she afford to actually live there and serve her constituents (depends on her CKNW salary) , or will she just be parachuted in and always be invisible?”
Why would you think she has to live in Point Grey? That certainly isn’t a requirement in a Westminster tradition democracy. Did Carole Taylor live in Vancouver-Langara? Did David Emerson live in Vancouver-Kingsway? (Hint: no) And representing Pt. Grey and living in Fairview is hardly parachuting.
35 MB // Mar 3, 2011 at 10:01 am
True enough, Everyman.
But take this de facto and rather loosie goosie principle farther and you’ve got Delta resident Van der Zalm running for mayor of Vancouver.
He lost. Badly.
And Emerson drew the fire of his own constituents for his demonstration of pure political opportunism, something that belittled his genuine leadership experience from the private sector.
Carole Taylor … there are reasons she didn’t run for leader — not all them personal — in a race in which she surely would’ve swept away all the other candidates, including Clark.
Dare she articulate them someday?