Episode 7 of the Cambie Report on Vancouver civic politics. The three wise guys ramble over this ever-shifting, ever-entertaining ground. They sadly committed the podcast to electronic form just hours before Councilor Hector Bremner was rejected as NPA mayoral candidate. Oddly, they still manage to cover the potential fallout from this decision quite well.
Here are my idiosyncratic notes, slammed down in free-form as the podcast rolls.
Cambie Report: Episode 7 Green Lights at the Crossroads (63:37)
Bremner hot news arrives, a last-second add. Adrian Crook steers ship away from the NPA. Chernen rumours.
Election in 166 days.
Mayoral races in Vancouver:
The Left – the Crossroads conference; unite the left
Dividing the candidate slots
COPE proposed to get two slots
Name recognition as a practical reality
Position of Vision in this group
Swanson rally and platform – raising issues and ideas for all the lefty candidates
The Captain Vancouver statue
The skits and songs that ended the Swanson rally
Vision:
After work event (Pub night). Decent turnout; lots of candidates; silence on mayoral candidate
All parties are run in the back room
Kennedy Stewart – the Canseco poll, interesting timing w.r.t. Vision mayoral announcement
Tactics on race timing; membership timing
Will Vision’s candidate be the unity candidate? Is Carr in or out? Is Sylvester in or out?
Crossroads Conference
Meant to be a progressive strategy & planning event
Panel cancelled due infighting
Around 150 people attended – many candidates
Shauna Sylvester audio . . . fragmentation, Trumpism, racism, anti-democracy, centre-left splits have become evident. Why I’m independent. Biggest policy: renew co-op leases immediately.
Kennedy Stewart audio . . . 7-year MP, strong look at Vancouver mayor. Ex city planner. SFU professor. Vision: maybe. Still reviewing the landscape. Biggest issue: housing affordability, some housing background; note market failure, might need other models (co-ops, rent-to-own). One big policy issue for him: housing – bring in Provs & Feds.
Vancouver District Labour Council trying to broker united candidate strategy.
NPA:
Greenlight Committee in progress
Member signups: Bremner tops; Chernen next. Coupar is establishment candidate.
Chernen: no bikes; get off my lawn. Hopes that Bremner will get red-lit.
Speculates on possible Bremner ouster:
Party defections; flip to Coupar; won’t run as independent; concerned about being seen as a traitor;
NPA characterization – not a normal party; more like a private corporation
Failed (like Vision) to satisfy professional millennial class
NPA having a hard time understanding the Bremner takeover, and the related council candidate process
School Tax Revolt (housing solution taxing homes over $3M)
Revolt from big $$ homeowners (lots of noise – but how big?)
Such a small amount; deferral available at low rate (gift)
Wealth increase has occurred in house values; not with wage earners
Tax increases are not hugely bigger than common rental increases
Who cares about these homeowners?
Zoning for social housing only: Blocked City Hall.
Liquor law changes; night mayor (transportation) no CCTV (due ineffectivity – proposing fake cameras)
New podcasts: CBC’s SOLD! ; Metro Conversations (4 metro area city Councilors);