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On Saturday, November 19th Sam Sullivan became the 44th Mayor of Vancouver. What does Mr. Sullivan’s ascension to the highest political office in Canada’s third largest city mean for the people of Vancouver?
Well, first off, a return to decorum. Sullivan has promised that City Council debate will not be defined by acrimony, personal invective, and ad hominem attack. All points of view will be heard and decisions will be arrived at only after due consideration. Is Mr. Sullivan to be believed on this front? VanRamblings believes Mr. Sullivan to be a reasonable person who will do everything in his considerable power to return civility to Council debate.
In setting a new — and potentially co-operative — tone at City Hall, perhaps the first tentative steps might be taken towards healing the divide that exists in our City between rich and poor, East side and West side, privilege and anomie. The most salutary aspect of a new start is the sense of hope that is inspired when one does not know for sure what is to come. VanRamblings hopes for the best and trusts that the newly elected majority Non-Partisan Association Council will, while working with the Vision and COPE members of Council, move this City forward toward brighter days.
Lest you think that VanRamblings has been consuming a little too much of the NPA Kool-Aid, we would be remiss if mention were not made of the controversy surrounding Mr. Sullivan’s election to the Mayor’s job. If you look at the chart above, you’ll see that Independent candidate James Green polled third in the mayoralty race. Adding James Green’s vote to that of Vision Vancouver mayoralty candidate Jim Green’s vote places Vision’s Jim Green 526 votes ahead of Mr. Sullivan, the declared winner of Saturday’s mayoral contest. Were there “dirty tricks” involved in the NPA’s alleged support of an independent James Green candidacy, a cynical, dastardly ploy designed to confuse voters? Vision Vancouver certainly thinks so.
Re-elected COPE councillor David Cadman chalks Green’s loss up to hubris
You only have to be aware of Jim Green’s history to know that the issue of NPA “dirty tricks” will not be going away anytime soon; Jim’s a fighter and will see it through to the end. Meanwhile, Mayor-elect Sullivan has made statements to the press that he wants to get on with the job, and to that end has extended an olive branch to his Vision Vancouver opponent, suggesting that there continues to be a role for Mr. Green to play in the development of the Woodward’s site, a long cherished dream of Mr. Green.
As to what a Sam Sullivan municipal administration will look like, again … hope reigns eternal.
The good news today is that Mr. Sullivan appointed Daniel Fontaine to the position of his Executive Assistant, the most powerful non-elected political position at City Hall. Mr. Fontaine will help the Mayor to set the agenda for the coming term of office. That Mr. Fontaine is reportedly from the small-l liberal / moderate side of the political spectrum, has no enemies, is politically astute and comes to the job with very little, if any, political baggage has a great deal of good to say for Mayor-elect Sullivan’s political judgement.
So, who is Daniel Fontaine? A protégé of former provincial Liberal cabinet minister, and federal Liberal candidate for New Westminster-Coquitlam, Joyce Murray; 2002 NPA mayoral candidate Jennifer Clarke’s campaign manager; a former NPA Board member; and a constituency assistant to former provincial Liberal Health Minister Colin Hansen.
In recent times, Mr. Fontaine was Communications Director for Legacies Now — a 2010 Vancouver Olympics initiative — and Director of Communications and Public Affairs for the Western Brewers Association.
What’s On The Agenda for the New Mayor?
The Woodward’s project — to revitalize Vancouver’s urban ghetto and make the Downtown Eastside a livable part of the City for everyone — is not dead, although the sustainable development of Southeast False Creek would appear to be in jeopardy if the Mayor-elect insists on an 80-20 private / public housing assignment, and carries the day. The proposal for southeast False Creek as a sustainable, inner-city community dedicated to
- affordable housing, where one-third of housing would be available to people who would pay no more than 30% of their income for rent
- a green strategy, meaning adoption of the Leed Gold standard, ensuring energy and environmental benefits
- one-third market rental housing, for those persons who fall into the middle third of income distribution across Greater Vancouver, and …
- one-third market housing, conventional low-rise strata development available to the upper third of income earners across Greater Vancouver
… will not go down without a fight, particularly given that Vision Vancouver councillor Raymond Louie was one of the project’s earliest champions.
The construction of a new Wal-Mart store on Marine Drive will be back on the agenda. Expect the folks at Wal-Mart to appear before Council as early as February, and look for a favourable result from the NPA Council.
Also on the agenda: the rescinding of the two-lane trial closure of the Burrard Street bridge, championed by defeated COPE councillor Fred Bass.
With the exception of the Board of Variance, members on all of the volunteer civic agencies — appointed by Council to terms extending to one month before a civic election — will be replaced. Word is that the NPA administration will jettison the Peace and Justice Committee, even though this hard-working, activist Committee is responsible for bringing the World Peace Forum to Vancouver, an event scheduled for June 23 – 28 2006.
In January, the City will advertise for volunteers to sit on the standing civic committees. One can reasonably expect that Council will appoint NPA supporters to these volunteer civic positions (for which members receive a nominal stipend), stalwarts who would be sympathetic to an NPA agenda.
Surprisingly, the most political committee will be seen to be the Vancouver Public Library Board which, in this last term, re-instated library hours cut by the previous NPA-appointed Board, the members of which also ordered the libraries across Vancouver shuttered for two weeks each year. Will the NPA seek to reverse the COPE / Vancouver Library Board initiative? Stay tuned.
Then, of course, there’s transit. In terms of process, the RAV line would appear to be a fait accompli, but there are other transit issues on the agenda: the twinning of the Port Mann bridge, development of light rail transit along the Arbutus Corridor, the NPA commitment to lower bus fares (VanRamblings would prefer the COPE initiative to provide subsidized fares for students and those on low incomes), an expansion of the successful Community Shuttle Bus system, a free transit service from UBC to and throughout Vancouver’s downtown core, and expansion of the at-grade street car system, from False Creek, along Main Street, through historic Gastown and along Burrard Inlet to Coal Harbour / Stanley Park, among a raft of other transit initiatives to which the Council must respond soon.
Perhaps the most hopeful perspective to end this posting on would be to refer to longtime Georgia Straight astrology columnist (oh puh-leeze, bear with me here) Mac MacLaughlin’s read on the new Mayor …
… a fearless leader and great strategist. One who has persistence, guts and vision along with the courage to make things happen … a person keenly interested in getting things done right and thoroughly … (an) appearance of almost shyness and some reticence to be forth coming. Don’t be fooled by this for one second. This man is extremely powerful and will forget nothing and has a great ability to convince others of his vision. He is keen and sharp and can read right through you in an instant. He is a natural born leader and knows how to take charge and will be most like the old guard in his ways. Plus he is somewhat of a visionary and may very well have a long-term plan to get Vancouver healthier than ever.
For the sake of all Vancouverites, for those living across the Lower Mainland and throughout British Columbia, and for all those who will visit our beautiful City in the weeks, months and years to come, let us hope that Mr. MacLaughlin is right about our new Mayor. For Sam: fortes fortuna adiuvat.
