This past Saturday evening, the voters of Vancouver averted disaster.
Considering what might have been, the circus the next Council might have turned into, the results of Vancouver Votes 2018 represents one of the best possible outcomes for those of us who care about the life of our city.
As we wrote on Sunday, October 14th, Blue Lake City in Humboldt County California elected an all-woman City Council in 2017.
Other than the Blue Lake example, on Saturday night Vancouver citizens voted for the only City Council on the continent where 80% of our municipal representatives are women of heart, wit, substantive policy ideals, and on the ground, real life accomplishment, who we believe mean much good for our city over the course of the next four years.
Top, l-r: Michael Wiebe, Christine Boyle, Jean Swanson, Colleen Hardwick, Pete Fry
B (l-r:) Adriane Carr, Melissa De Genova, Lisa Dominato, Rebecca Bligh, Sarah Kirby-Yung
VanRamblings believes voters have fortuitously put in place one of the only post partisan municipal administrations on the continent. The rancour between right and left that defined governance in our city over the past 10 years is a thing of the past. Never again will we see the dispiriting partisan bitterness that was a central feature of Vision Vancouver’s years in power.
And for that, we should all be grateful.
VanRamblings also believes that municipal voters have put in place at Vancouver City Hall the most progressive government since the days of the Art Phillips administration in the early 1970s. The capacity for good outcomes of legislative endeavours in the Council chambers is limitless — and leaves us feeling full of hope towards the building of the city we need.
Voters wanted change. Voter got change. The days of rancour are over.
Who constitutes Vancouver’s next City Council & what does it mean for us? (list of elected Councillors below, by number of votes secured, top vote-getter to bottom)
2015. Province reporter Cassidy Olivier sits down with Vancouver Coun. Adriane Carr
Adriane Carr. The moral leader of the incoming Council, having served two terms in office, a democrat of the first order, and in 2018 once again the top vote-getter, Adriane Carr’s re-election means much good for the city — working with Mayor-elect Kennedy Stewart, and not just the five-member progressive caucus, but across the aisle as well with the newly-elected or returning members of the Vancouver Non-Partisan Association caucus.
Pete Fry. The city builder, who along with Christine Boyle represent the two most progressive new members of Vancouver City Council, so articulate and thoughtful that he may bring you to tears, not only means well for the city, but working with all of his other Council mates, will do well for the city. Has developed a human-scale Jane Jacobs-like neighbourhood development plan that will put the power back in the hands of citizens. Committed to building the city we need, and to see it come to fruition, sooner than later.
2012. Vancouver City Councillor Melissa De Genova during her tenure on Park Board
Melissa De Genova. Will represent an eighth vote to get Kennedy Stewart’s budget passed (a super majority of 8 Councillors is required to pass the city budget).
As is the case with Sarah Kirby-Yung — both women are former Park Board Commissioners — committed to our city’s parks and recreation system. As outgoing, two-term NPA City Councillor George Affleck said on Global BC’s NewsHour last evening, “There’s going to be some horse trading behind closed doors, in order to get anything done.” NPA Councillor Kirby-Yung & Councillor De Genova will, as a top priority, ensure the proper funding of our city’s parks and recreation system — because they, unlike the left surprisingly, see parks and recreation as a class issue, deserving of our attention and better than adequate funding. Oh yes: tough as nails.
Jean Swanson. In the video below, outgoing NPA City Councillor George Affleck suggests that Jean Swanson will be a disruptor on City Council. Let’s hope so. We’ve had a non-functioning, discriminatory status quo for far too long. Will emerge as the conscience of the incoming City Council. VanRamblings can’t wait to see Ms. Swanson and Colleen Hardwick go head to head — it won’t be pretty, but Jean will emerge victorious.
In the final week of the election, the Vancouver Greens signed onto COPE’s Rent Freeze campaign commitment. One would have to think Green caucus members, and OneCity Vancouver’s Christine Boyle, would join Jean in demanding that the provincial government give Council the ability to freeze rents. If the province doesn’t sign on to the initiative, Council has options open to them to achieve the rent freeze, and a great deal more for tenants. Best part of Jean’s recent election to Council? The pending resolution to 58 West Hastings (across from the Army & Navy), which will finally be converted into, and built as, a 100% low cost social housing rental project.
Outgoing NPA Vancouver City Councillor George Affleck suggesting incumbent Councillor Melissa De Genova , and incoming City Councillor Colleen Hardwick may be cray-cray
Colleen Hardwick. Currently completing her PhD with UBC professor of urban development, Patrick Condon. Owner of PlaceSpeak, a location-based community consultation platform. Late father: Walter Hardwick, UBC professor and former City Councillor, developed the Livable Region Plan, determining development across the region. Good on the transit file, and on urban development. Probably the most right-wing of the newly-elected Councillors. If she can keep herself focused on policy — and stay away from commentary on social issues, keeping her feet out of her mouth — Councillor Hardwick will do herself, and her father’s legacy, proud.
Michael Wiebe. Brimming with ideas, as he told VanRamblings on election night, on Saturday. Will be the arts advocate extraordinaire on the incoming Vancouver City Council, taking the place of outgoing City Councillors Heather Deal and Elizabeth Ball. Close to new Council mate, the NPA’s Sarah Kirby-Yung. Ran the strongest campaign of any Councillor seeking office in the 2018 Vancouver civic election. Just completed a term as a Park Board Commissioner and Chair, where he shone. A staunch environmentalist. The articulate, engaging, principled millennial voice of change on the incoming City Council. A force for good going forward.
Christine Boyle. VanRamblings is taken to saying, “Hope of our future” of some young persons of conscience of our acquaintance. Christine Boyle? The hope of our present. Despite yesterday’s VanRamblings column, our belief in Christine Boyle remains undiminished, her capacity for good, to work with others, to achieve the city we need, unparalleled among her peers. Along with Sarah Kirby-Yung, the single most important candidate to be elected to Vancouver City Council on Saturday evening, October 20th.
Lisa Dominato. Recent Vancouver School Board trustee. No fool she. Former Chief of Staff to B.C Liberal party Deputy Premiers, Ministers of Education, as well as a political advisor to the Minister of Management Services, Sandy Santori. Director, Student Wellness and Safety in the Ministry of Education, November 2010 to August 2017. Accomplished. As may be seen in the video, loving mom to her two young daughters, who are clearly destined to become future leaders (like their mom). Fiscally conservative (a good thing). Tends to prioritize market solutions (also not a bad thing). Tends to the quiet side, but will be a blockbuster Councillor behind the scenes to get things done. We’re lucky to have her on Council.
Rebecca Bligh. Impressive on the campaign trail, where she knocked our socks off. Solid on the small business advocacy front. Founded Vancouver’s shoebox project, a non-profit that delivers shoeboxes filled with small gifts and toiletries to homeless women. Tends to the conservative side of the political spectrum. Will emerge as one of the stars of our new City Council. Principled, with a strong social conscience. Means well for our city. Will work across the aisle. Non-dogmatic. Takes no guff. One of two important diversity voices on the new Council. Lives on the eastside with her (très cool) partner Laura, their teenagers & Bernese Mountain Dog, Kingsley.
Sarah Kirby-Yung. Hope of our future and our present. VanRamblings’ favourite win on Saturday night (it was a nail biter). Possessed of immense gifts of intelligence, and personal and & professional integrity. Identified by VanRamblings, along with One City Vancouver’s Christine Boyle and COPE’s Anne Roberts as a member of The Holy Trinity of Vancouver civic politics. Along with Ms. Boyle, the toughest, velvet-gloved ‘can do’ City Councillor in the next term of civic governance. There is no person VanRamblings feels safer around, and holds in higher regard than Sarah Kirby-Yung, whose capacity for good (and achieving that good) outstrips — by a country mile — any of her soon-to-be fellow Vancouver City Council running mates. Doubtful? Just wait and see. Hopefully, will become NPA caucus leader.
