Jen St. Denis at Business in Vancouver lays it out:
Battle lines drawn in transit referendum fight
‘Yes’ side boasts diverse support base; Canadian Taxpayers Federation leading the charge for opposition
.
On the “yes” side is the Better Transit and Transportation Coalition (BTTC), made up of business groups, unions and environmental organizations. Most Metro Vancouver mayors are also supporting the yes side, as is the B.C. NDP. The governing BC Liberals have said they will support, but not fund, the yes side.
In contrast to the politically heterogeneous yes side’s politically mixed tone, the “no” side is headed by the conservative Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF).
Also working on the no campaign is Hamish Marshall, a pollster and strategist who has worked in the Prime Minister’s Office and on campaigns for the federal and B.C. Conservative parties and the Wildrose Party of Alberta. His consulting firm, Newclear Productions, created the website for the blog EthicalOil.org, which painted environmental groups like Greenpeace as foreign-funded provocateurs bent on stopping Canadian oilsands and pipeline development. …
So: is it winnable?
Interesting point in the article, that Bill Tieleman is on the ‘Yes’ side. As much as I resent his involvement in past referendums, he has a track record of winning. It’s a real reason to feel positive.