Vancouver Civic Election 2018

[s211]

Originally Posted by Klazu

Most Vancouver residents think the city is headed in the wrong direction: survey

At best, this tells us we have a divided populace, and an unhappy one. Ask that question of anyone across the political spectrum: a no answer from an antifa left-winger could mean something completely different than a no answer from an alt-right person.

No we're not left-wing enough; we're headed in the wrong direction.

No we're not right-wing enough; we're headed in the wrong direction.

Am I missing something fundamental here?

[Migrant_Coconut]

When Abacus Data asked who they would vote for today as the Mayor of Vancouver, independent incumbent Kennedy Stewart and Ken Sim are neck-to-neck at 13% and 14%, respectively. This is followed by Green Party councillor Adrianne Carr at 6%, independent councillor Sarah Kirby-Yung at 3%, and independent councillor Colleen Hardwick and former Vision Vancouver councillor Andrea Reimer each at 2%.

So half the city thinks we're headed in the wrong direction, but nobody can agree on the right direction. Nothing new there.

Also important to note just who's doing the polling:

Abacus Data’s survey was commissioned by Sim’s campaign.

So it's pretty much just pre-election mudslinging. Ken Sim ran last time on the idea that we need MORE resident consultation, so exactly who here gives a rat's ass what he thinks?

---

The really disturbing part is this one:

Decided voters also gave their input on who they would re-elect as a city councillor, with 28% for Carr, 16% for Kirby-Yung, 13% for COPE’s Jean Swanson, 12% for NPA’s Melissa De Genova, 10% for Green Party’s Pete Fry, 7% for OneCity’s Christine Boyle, 6% for Hardwick, and 3% each for independent Lisa Dominato, independent Rebecca Bligh, and Green Party’s Michael Wiebe.

[svlt]

How old is Swanson again? I in no way will ever wish ill health to anyone that isn't evil but does she have much more left in the tank? Then again they've got Biden having the top job in the world...

[Feathered Friend]

For those who are curious, Biden, and Swanson are about the same age, give or take a few months.

as per
https://www.burnabynow.com/news/order-of...d-at-burnaby-pipeline-protest-1.23354333

[idunno]

Jean Swanson has a very strong point of view in homelessness/affordability, which will always have some support. The bigger shocker is Melissa De Genova with 12%. Have you ever heard her speak about anything? She barely has any idea what's going on in Council proceedings half the time.

[GenWhy?]

I think the last numbers I saw was 20% of Vancouverites are poverty line or below... so if Swanson compromised and worked with the other councillors more I bet her numbers would be higher among renters in general.

As a renter who works in developing rental housing, Boyle and Kennedy are actually the "better" members. Then De Genova, Kirby, and Bligh or Wiebe (in no particular order). The now-independents have been leaning pretty hard on the prospects of the City Plan lately however, since it was introduced to be studied.

Carr and Hardwick are slow to-no development. In all they are all "fine" councillors, but there is just no consensus from what I can tell either within the parties themselves or in the chamber. Not sure if a "better mayor" would fix anything right now with this make-up of council.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by GenWhy?

Carr and Hardwick are slow to-no development. In all they are all "fine" councillors, but there is just no consensus from what I can tell either within the parties themselves or in the chamber. Not sure if a "better mayor" would fix anything right now with this make-up of council.

Yeah the mayor is more like a figurehead, but when it comes down to it, they only get 1 vote on council.

Stewart came in as a "consensus builder" but that's fallen flat as even some of his own high profile motions have failed.

This council is probably the most dysfunctional in recorded history.

[Migrant_Coconut]

At least Stewart's marketing team has stopped bulk-emailing me... or maybe I moved them to the spam folder and forgot about it.

[whatnext]

Possibly Vancouver's last really good mayor, Phillip Owen, passed away Thursday night peacefully from complications of Parkinsons;

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/philip-owen-vancouver-mayor

[jlousa]

He was definitely one of the better ones. It's certainly been a while since we've had someone that's made Vancouver better for most residents.

[djh]

^ ^
Huh.
My memory of the time during Philip Owen's mayoralty was that the public and the media were calling Vancouver "No Fun City".
From what I remember, he oversaw the passing of several bylaws that prevented very common activities, including alcohol, and I think there were a few events that he prevented from happening (possibly the car race?).

I think from memory he was popular with older, established upper-middle class, more conservative voters, and hated by the younger, more liberal residents.
I wasn't around for his earlier mayoral stints, just the last one, so I'm interested to hear what he did that makes people now remember him as "one of the better mayors" - unless that's a damning indictment of the quality of the other mayors.

[jlousa]

The Indy race ended in 2004 two years into Larry Campbells term. Phillip Owen ran the city as a business, it might not have been glamourous but the city ran smoothly efficiently.

[Klazu]

Those were definitely pivotal years for Downtown to become the world renowned place it has until recent years been. From around 1995 to 2010 seem to have been the golden years.

[Migrant_Coconut]

Ironic to see posters who dislike safe injection and harm reduction policies now praising the exact same guy who pushed for them in the first place.

[jlousa]

I've always supported the 4pillars approach which he championed. We just never got the other pillars....and the results speak for themselves.

[WarrenC12]

Yeah he was mostly responsible for the "no fun city" name, although I think that's a bit overblown in general.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

Yeah he was mostly responsible for the "no fun city" name, although I think that's a bit overblown in general.

Yeah let’s all thank Larry Campbell and Co for the Granville Street Vomitarium & Fight Club. So much fun!

[EastVanMark]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Possibly Vancouver's last really good mayor, Phillip Owen, passed away Thursday night peacefully from complications of Parkinsons;

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/philip-owen-vancouver-mayor

Don't want to speak ill of the dead, but if Phil Owen was the last "really good mayor"- yikes.

[EastVanMark]

Originally Posted by Migrant_Coconut

Ironic to see posters who dislike safe injection and harm reduction policies now praising the exact same guy who pushed for them in the first place.

Very ironic, but I guess folks have selective memories or he looks good compared to the dumpster fire we've been treated to since.

Not to mention he was the ultimate no-fun city mayor.

[EastVanMark]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

Yeah he was mostly responsible for the "no fun city" name, although I think that's a bit overblown in general.

Totally overblown.

Just because he suggested people stay home for the once in a lifetime New Year's Celebration, and when asked what people should do for fun, he literally suggested that people can go to the library. Said no to a mega concert in Stanley Park, did not support the mega entertainment proposal on the waterfront, did nothing as the PNE was hacked away, went to war with bar and restaurant owners....

Yup, totally overblown.