November 15, 2010 - 12:01 pm |
Posted by Jonathan Ross
With former electeds like Chiavario, Cowie and Rogers, vcaTEAM had a respectable group of candidates back in 2002. The party's Achilles heal was the lack of a viable Mayoral candidate.
Back in 2002, I became involved with a group of municipal activists who had the the notion that the polarized politics of COPE and the NPA could use a dose of moederation, and as a result formed a new party named vcaTEAM.
The tried to take a middle of the road approach. They had established candidates (Nancy Chiavario and Alan Herbert was were both former NPA Councillors, Art Cowie was a former TEAM Councillor and Liberal MLA, and Stephen Rogers was a six-time Cabinet Minister and former Speaker of the House). They had a platform that spoke to many of the issues that are topical today (biking corridors, opening up the city to fun, adding social and affordable housing and a push to increase support for alternative forms of transportation other than the car).
At the time the NPA was in total disarray. Councillor Jennifer Clarke had organized a coup against popular former Mayor Philip Owen, and the party was divided down the middle as a result.
So it sounded like a recipe for potential success – the elements certainly were there.
And then the party introduced their Mayoral candidate very late in the game, and everything changed.
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October 26, 2010 - 3:53 pm |
Posted by Jonathan Ross
Toronto's ballot anger isn't likely to carry over to Vancouver's election next year.
“The revenge of the suburbs” is the best explanation that I have heard about Rob Ford’s victory yesterday.
And if the voter turnout is any indication, the Toronto electorate wanted vengeance – an amazing 53.2 per cent cast a ballot.
By contrast, the last election in Vancouver saw an embarrassing 31 per cent of registered voters turn up, which was the lowest participation rate in over fifty years.
Anger might have been the motivating factor, but as difficult as it is for me to admit, there was a message that Ford delivered that resonated with people.
Unfortunately for those of us who believe in the merits of results based on participatory democracy, I see nothing to propel voters to the same extent here in Vancouver.
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September 22, 2010 - 11:46 am |
Posted by Jonathan Ross
September 9, 2010 - 8:34 am |
Posted by Jonathan Ross
These open arms seem to be bringing in a huge swath of voters regardless of the man who they are attached to.
In the past few days in Toronto, I have had the opportunity to talk to friends involved in the various Mayoral campaigns, and my knowledge about this race grows, so does my fascination with the Rob Ford phenomenon.
Inherent within this race is a warning that Gregor Robertson and Vision Vancouver must be cognizant of in the year ahead towards the 2011 election.
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