As much as we love OneCity Vancouver candidate for City Council, Christine Boyle — but simply politically, you understand (which is the admonition you will hear thousands of people giving themselves, who have become just as smitten with Christine Boyle, as we assure you, you will become) — as we do her talented, chock full of integrity, energetic, full of ideas for a better and more livable city for all of us, colleagues who’ll be running for office and Council, in tandem, with OneCity Vancouver: the phenomenally bright, learned and engaging democrat, Ben Bolliger, his incredibly wonderful colleague, the move-you-to-tears when you hear him speak, Brandon Yan, and colleague, dad and saviour of our city, R.J Aquino …
Just a few of the very fine folks in OneCity Vancouver, who are working for you. Click on this link to join OneCity Vancouver, and this link to donate money to OneCity Vancouver.
Good lookin’ crew above, huh? They’re with Vancouver’s oldest and most established left-of-centre social justice political party, COPE — the Coalition of Progressive Electors. Want to see the revolution come sooner than later? Then these are your folks — good-hearted, well-meaning, mean to get things done now, and you better believe they will, who believe, as Emma Goldman did, “If I can’t dance, I don’t want to be part of your revolution.” Good thing these folks can dance up a storm. Join COPE today. Click here.
And as deep as our affection is for Anne Roberts, who is the must-elect COPE candidate for Council come this autumn, who will sweep into office, returning to Vancouver City Council for a much-deserved second term (there was a bit of an interregnum between terms, but she was fighting in the trenches on our behalf, a ground level, people-oriented social justice campaign of change), and as much as we would wish to see Adriane Carr near top-the-polls this year (which position will be reserved for, yep you guessed it … Christine Boyle), and for her very able, city-building for all of us, neighbourhood advocate colleague, the too lovely and kind for words, and — can we say phenomenally bright again? We can. Oh good — phenomenally bright Green colleague, autumn must-elect, Pete Fry …
Vancouver City Councillor Adriane Carr, and Pete Fry, Green Party of Vancouver 2018 candidates for City Council. Join Adriane and Pete in the Green Party, work with them to ensure they’re both elected to Council, and help our city to become the city you know it can be — defined by compassion, an environmentally-forward and slow-and-sustainable-growth, where affordable housing, better transit and much much more can be yours. All you have to do is join the Green Party of Vancouver — in order that you can be the one who will make a difference, make the difference. And, you know what else? When you join the Vancouver Green Party, and you find yourself spending time in the campaign office, particulary on Friday afternoons, you’ll discover one little known salutary aspect of being involved in a Green campaign for office — the food, the most scrumptious food you’ve ever eaten, biotic region food, natural and organic food, tasty-beyond-belief food, enjoyed in the company of some of our town’s most good-hearted and socially-conscious folks. Click here to join the Green Party of Vancouver, and enjoy the time of your life.
Ignore all the foofaraw that you’re hearing around the NPA, the Vancouver Non-Partisan Association. That’s just the politics of distraction. The three folks above — John Coupar for Mayor, with Sarah Kirby-Yung and Rob McDowell looking to each secure a seat on Vancouver City Council, as they must — three of the best people our town has ever produced, politicians of character (how rare is that?), whose nose-to-the-grindstone approach to public life, where they’re working 24 hours a day for you … I mean, what’s not to love about that? Honest, you should join the Vancouver Non-Partisan Association if you’re looking for a party that offers a steady hand on the till, non-intrusive governance that keeps you in mind, and a City Council dedicated to services and service for the citizens of Vancouver. Oh sure, they’re nominally right-of-centre, but puh-leeze, that’s hardly disqualifying wherever you are along the political spectrum. Want to join the NPA, and work on their civic election campaign, as you must, then click here.
And as much as we think the the sun rises and sets on Park Board Commissioner, Sarah Kirby-Yung — set to become British Columbia Premier one day … just you wait and see, but who has her eyes set on a seat on Vancouver City Council this autumn, a net good and a great thing for the citizens of Vancouver, the depth and breadth of her democratic advocacy beyond compare in this civic election year — our affection for her Park Board colleague, John Coupar, who all but willed us to get better during our battle with cancer — and as deep and abiding as is our affection for their soon-to-be-announced colleague’s candidacy for Vancouver City Council, the one, the only, you’ve got to vote for him, Rob McDowell …
For the new candidates elected to Vancouver City Council on Saturday, October 20th, they are going to find that there is a huge learning curve. Realistically, it will take Christine Boyle, Ben Bolliger, Sarah Kirby-Yung, Catherine Evans, Rob McDowell, and even Anne Roberts a good year-and-a-half to find their way around City Hall, figure out how things are done, read up on past decisions of Council, and the impact of those decisions on newly proposed pieces of legislation at the Council table. Honestly, as we say below, don’t you want some institutional memory, a couple of people, like Raymond Louie, Heather Deal, and the Greens’ Adriane Carr in the chambers of Council, to help facilitate what looks to be an unprecedented affordable housing construction programme for the people of Vancouver? C’mon now, if you’re a rational person — and you know, you are — you absolutely want that to be the case. That’s why you want to make darn sure Raymond Louie, Heather Deal, joined by Park Board Commissioner Catherine Evans, will be re-elected come this October 20th. Join Vision Vancouver? You betcha. Just click right here.
And, did we tell you how important it is to cast your ballot this autumn, for these folks: they’ve accomplished far, far, far more than they’re given credit for, Vision Vancouver 2018 candidates for Vancouver City Council, Mr. Federation of Canadian Municipalities honcho Raymond Louie (we have the same first name, what’s not to love about that?) — who may not be going for the top job this year, but we sure-as-hell need his voice of passion and compassion, wit and intelligence, and critical institutional memory that he has gained in 16 years as a member of Vancouver City Council; and his equally able, arts advocate extraordinaire colleague, the talented woman-of-the-people feminist and environmentalist, Heather Deal (did you see her on the video, in the Monday column, chairing the City Finance & Services meeting? Wow, wow, wow! … we believe Ms. Deal’s picture accompanies the definition of the word democracy in your dictionary); and let us not forget, saving the best for last, current Park Board Commissioner, the humble and kind and oh-so-talented voice of reason (coupled with an incredible work ethic, and a heart as big as all outdoors), Catherine Evans, whose term in office at the Vancouver Park Board is the realization of a dream for those of us who love Vancouver’s Parks & Recreation system, and whose election to Council will provide us with an advocate extraordinare …
Has VanRamblings told you how much we honour, respect, admire and just plain love the folks who are working on #TeamJean, on #TheCityWeNeed campaign, the single most organized, heartened and heartening group of activists to become involved on the municipal scene in Vancouver in nearly 50 years? Join with the folks working with and on #TeamJean if you really, really, really want to make a difference, by clicking here.
You know how VanRamblings like to save the best for last when we’re writing about folks we love? You do? Thought you did. Thank you to the indefatigable Anne Roberts for reminding us — we tell ya, this four hours of sleep each day, up until 6am or 7am writing thing we seem have going — and how could we forget, because they are first in our heart, running a campaign we truly believe in, good and caring folks like activist, Carnegie Community Action Project worker along with Jean Swanson (our town’s most powerful speaker, although she’s quiet and you’ve got to listen closely), and unbelievably great mom and her father’s daughter extraordinaire, Wendy Pederson (follow her on Facebook now!), Riaz Behra, Maddy Madderson III, Maria Wallstam, writer and organizer extraordinaire, Derrick O’Keefe, Nathan Crompton, Laura Stannard (who we hugged last Saturday at the St. James Community Square fundraiser — it was our friend Christopher Richardson who purchased our $100 ticket, cuz … y’know … we’re a pauper, cuz coverage of the civic political scene and this lack of sleep thing we seem to have going was getting to be just a little too much) and … tell you what, VanRamblings will interview and write about each of these fine folks (who, if you look up the word humility in the dictionary you’ll find their photo) and the names of #TeamJean / The City We Need folks whose names we have missed above. VanRamblings’ socks are impressed off with the dedication, the determination and the heart — and an organizational ability and élan that would have made the Obama team blush in 2012, these folks are that good. Well, you know about them now, if you didn’t before, and in this sometimes crazy world of ours, you can set about to make a difference working with The City We Need folks.
Incredibly good people, democrats to their core, public officials who will dedicate their lives to making this a more livable city for you, your family, your friends and colleagues, and everyone in every neighbourhood in our city, Vancouver — but only, and listen up and listen tight … have we got your attention? … only if you get involved, and we don’t mean just voting, we mean: donating monies to the candidates and civic parties of your choice, who best reflect your values, because those candidate and civic party brochures you’re going to see so much of this next five months don’t come for free, they require your hard-earned, put to a good cause dollars.
Democracy. That’s what we call it in these parts.
We live in a democracy, and not a totalitarian state, or in the United States below, where a racist, homophobic, ill-tempered man-child is destroying the very essence of what his country has stood for the past 242 years, because of good folks like you — because in each and every election, hundreds and thousands of volunteers get involved in the campaigns of the candidates they support; answering phones in the candidate campaign or party office, making fundraising calls, holding coffee klatches for their neighbours, going door-knocking on behalf of their candidates til they can’t climb another stairway or walk another step, who dig deep and give whatever monies they have to forward the cause of the candidates and party they support, because money is needed, and money helps to win the campaign.
Quite simply, it is not good enough for you to sit at home on your duff (or for your friends and neighbours to sit at home on their duff). There is simply too much on the line in the 2018 Vancouver municipal election, as there is in every civic election that will be held across British Columbia on Saturday, October 22nd.
What’s that we hear? You have no interest in politics. That’s like saying …
“Sure I’m a chain-smoker. Hell, I smoke 3 packs a day, as I have for years. And drinking? Never gone through day without drinking at least a mickey of gin — and more, if I can afford it. What’s that you say? Exercise? That’s for chumps & suckers. Walking? What a waste of time. Me, I like to start off each day the same way, fry up some eggs soaked in oil with a frying pan full of bacon, sausage, ham and steak, with greasy hash browns piled high on the plate, and four slices of white bread toast slathered in honey, cinnamon, butter and jam. Of course, that’s just to get me going to start my day. Dinner? Lemme tell ya …”
As eating well, exercising, not smoking and taking good care of yourself is important to your health and well-being, getting involved in the maelstrom we call Vancouver politics is equally, if not more, important.
The environment, green initiatives, advocacy for expansion of transit, the construction of housing co-ops, the approval of co-housing, social housing, and truly affordable rental housing is critical to our city’s future, and critical to the livability of the city where you — where we all — reside.
Make a difference. You are the difference. Work together for change. Help build the city we need.
And you know what?
If you don’t get off your duff, if you don’t join the political party which best represents your values, if you fail to set aside at least 100 hours this summer, and another 100 hours come September and October, if you don’t dig deep, go into your savings or even a bit into your line of credit or put some money on your VISA or Mastercard, you are not going to get the city you want, the Vancouver we need, a city of equity, fairness and social justice, a city for every person, in all of Vancouver’s 23 neighbourhoods.
Again: you are not going to get the city you need, we need, your family, your neighbours, your friends and colleagues need, if you don’t work for it. Because, the success of our city, the health of our city depends on YOU.
That’s right — no sitting at home on your duff whining, “Oh, they’re all a bunch of neoliberals. Why would I want to dedicate 5 minutes of my time, when I’ve got John Pilger, Chris Hedges and Noam Chomsky to read.” No sitting on your duff at home saying, “Those damn politicians, they’re all alike. They’re just trying to line their pockets. And they’re all a bunch of communist thieves, too. I don’t want anything to do with any of them.”
Active transportation. A thriving parks and recreation system. The commencement of the construction of thousands of new homes for people, member-run housing co-ops, or co-housing, and social housing. An expanded transit system to meet the needs of our fellow citizens. A livable city where our environment remains a priority, as does the recognition of and reconciliation with our indigenous peoples. A livable city for you to live, to enjoy, to love, a city for everyone.
Tell you what, though. If you are not out on the hustings with the candidate you’ve chosen to support in the crucial civic election year of 2018, if you’re not donating monies and time and energy, if you’re not out meeting with your friends and neighbours and colleagues this next five months, extolling the virtues of candidates like — okay, okay, we can’t help ourselves, and you won’t, either, once you get to know her — Christine Boyle, and doing everything human and in your power, to do your part to realize the city that you want, come Saturday, October 20th, you’re going to be darned disappointed, whether you know it or not, that you didn’t do your part to help our city become the city of your dreams, and a near paradise on Earth.
That’s Curtis Woloschuk pictured above, VIFF’s ‘RUPTURE’ series programmer
Filmmaker David Lowery ready for his Creator Talk at the Vancity Theatre on May 26th
