September 21, 2010 - 1:44 pm |
Posted by Jonathan Ross
He is who he is, and his messaging hasn't changed much over the course of this campaign. Ford's definition of self and policy priorities bodes well for Mayor Gregor Robertson
Yesterday’s polling showing Rob Ford taking a commanding lead over his closest rivals in the Toronto Mayoral race is stunning in its decisiveness. From my sources around the George Smitherman campaign, the mood is sombre and even defeatist at this point.
What is even more interesting than the gap in voting intentions is the fact that a new poll today finds that Ford is now seen as the most trustworthy candidate in the race. And what of Ford’s criminal past where even though got busted in Florida in 1999, he hadcomplete memory loss about getting charged when confronted by the media? Merely an afterthought.
Now as I have previously pointed out, Ford as an angry man reciting rhetoric along the lines of “We’re mad as hell and we’re not going to take it anymore,” is really getting traction, regardless of his past indiscretions.
Now, one might deduct that this atmosphere of backlash against incumbents everywhere should present some real pause for concern within the upper reaches of the Vision Vancouver braintrust.
And yes, this type of political climate, particularly locally as seen in recent weeks, is a consideration that cannot be overlooked, and must guide Gregor and his team to consider the suggestions I had in my abovelinked post.
That being said, the Rob Ford model for success also provides a blueprint that seems to place Vision Vancouver in a decidedly advantageous position in the coming year ahead.
Read the rest of this entry »
September 21, 2010 - 10:27 am |
Posted by Jonathan Ross
The electoral future of the party is in the hands of COPE's powers that be.
Stephen Elliott-Buckley has an interesting live-blogging account of COPE’s AGM, which took place this past Sunday.
Now it must be noted that the one hundred people that showed up for the meeting, half of which were monthly contributors to the party, are about double the crowd that has bothered to show up for multiple meetings for the Non Partisan Association. And so in spite of the fact that recent polling shows that the NPA still attracts about 28 per cent support when compared to 13 per cent for COPE, the ability of COPE to produce an army for getting out the vote on election day is still very real and formidable. Election watchers will note that one of the NPA’s biggest downfalls in 2008 was the fact that their e-day contingent was absolutely dwarfed by the combined forces of Vision Vancouver and COPE.
Which brings me to the most important topic that emerged from the meeting: how the distinct stands of COPE over the past two years:
- opposing the tax shift from business to residents
- demanded a timeline on the province’s affordable housing sites
- reopening Little Mountain
- restoring arts funding
- city-wide wireless, and scooter parking
- campaign finance reform caps
- preserving Stanley Park farm and the Conservatory
- electoral reform
- opposing civil liberties violation by-laws before the Olympics
- amateur sports at Empire Bowl
- increasing green space at Hastings Park
- gave back Olympics tickets
- building a coalition to fight education cuts
- for transparent neighbourhood engagement
can be rationalized with a new deal of cooperation with Vision Vancouver. Because as I see it, Vision and COPE will be equally reliant on such an agreement being reached in order for both parties to fulfill their respective electoral goals.
Read the rest of this entry »
August 24, 2010 - 9:40 am |
Posted by Jonathan Ross
The loss COPE Executive Director Rachel Marcuse is going to prove to be a huge lost for the party.
It has just been announced that COPE’s Executive Director Rachel Marcuse is leaving to pursue her education.
Rachel is the institutional strength of that party, and her departure is going to set the organizational strength of COPE back significantly.
In her place comes Alvin Singh, who was a COPE school board candidate in the last election and an extremely bright individual who is more than capable.
That being said, there are many within COPE that are devastated by this loss, particularly Ellen Woodsworth, who from what I am being told is getting very nervous about her ability to make it into the top 10 again in the 2011 election.
Singh is a moderate voice in the COPE fold, and thus this could prove to be a good thing for the negotiation of a cooperative electoral arrangement with Vision Vancouver.
I am out and about Montreal this morning visiting family and doing a little business, but will be back tomorrow with a comprehensive analysis of Vision’s strengths and liabilities in the preparation towards the next campaign.
Until then, folks.
July 29, 2010 - 2:22 pm |
Posted by Jonathan Ross
Vision Vancouver has set a standard that Vancouver citizens should expect from both the NPA and COPE.
Vision Vancouver has just released a list of their financial contributors:
Vision Vancouver Supplemental Report on Campaign Contributions (March 1, 2009 to June 30, 2010)
Contributors over $100
So, my question for COPE and the NPA is very simple:
When is your organization going to do the same?
