May 11, 2010 - 12:12 pm |
Posted by Jonathan Ross
Park Board Commissioner Stuart Mackinnon is playing politics with an issue that is supposed to be close to his heart.
I read with interest Park Board Commissioner Stuart Mackinnon’s blog post from last Friday, which levied criticism at an article published in the Vancouver Courier on the same day, entitled “Green commissioner opposes Beaver Lake plan”.
In his rant, Mackinnon accuses the Courier of getting the details of his political machinations wrong, and goes on to advocate for an overall stewardship plan for Stanley Park.
Well, I have done a little digging about the specifics of what exactly happened, and it is clear that Mackinnon is playing politics with an issue area that a) is a huge component of the core principles he campaigns upon and b) is one that he and his political higher-ups feel as though has been fumbled.
Mackinnon’s rebuttal to the Courier is not only inaccurate, but is also without the proper context regarding priorities and motivations. Here is a clearer account of this whole affair.
Read the rest of this entry »
October 20, 2009 - 4:05 pm |
Posted by Jonathan Ross
It's always raining and the sky is always falling in the opinion of lone(ly) NPA Councillor Suzanne Anton.
From The Tyee’s The Hook:
“Non-Partisan Association councillor Suzanne Anton largely applauded the strategy. Though many of the goals planned by the mayor’s Greenest City Action Team were drafted in a consultation vacuum, she said.
“It was a secret process,” she said. “I couldn’t get to the meetings. I was specifically not welcome.”
According to the Greenest City Action Team website, the group is comprised of “leading thinkers in conservation, environmental management, sustainable development, and green economic growth,” and is considered an advisory committee to City Council. This means that it is conducted outside of the confines of Council chambers, and is there to guide rather be guided, meaning that elected officials were not designed to be prominently involved in this process.
So get over it Suzanne – the whole point of the initiative is to have outside voices with expertise in a number of sectors and fields assist in crafting this strategy. This is an example of collaborative governance, a concept that you might not be familiar with.
September 2, 2009 - 12:58 pm |
Posted by Jonathan Ross
