Take these and give me a call in 2011
Year-end reviews have piled up over the past week, particularly on the local scene. Instead of looking back, however, I’d rather give my top five political prescriptions for what the Vision Vancouver majority needs in the coming 12 months.
CivicScene is back in the saddle with a holiday diet and a blogging schedule that once again need a steady regimen.
I have returned to the blogging horse, a little more weighty from no less than three holiday dinners within four days – a condition, I might add, that I fully intend to begin working off sometime today.
Today I am struck by two columns by two of Vancouver’s most respected scribes – Rod Mickleburgh of the Globe and Mail and Allen Garr of the Vancouver Courier – that offer assessments on two of Mayor Gregor Robertson’s most prominent and contentious policy directions over the past year.
There can be little argument with the fact that Vision Vancouver’s victory in last year’s civic election was predicated on a strong commitment to tackle homelessness in addition to a stated intention to create dedicated bike lanes on the Burrard Bridge (the former obviously having a far greater impact than the latter).
So if both of these policies were clearly articulated within the context of an election campaign that returned a decisive victory for the party proposing them, then it is safe to say that a majority of Vancouver’s electorate embraced them as something they were willing to see implemented.
This of course didn’t stop certain members of the outgoing regime from doing their damnedest to work up fervour to the contrary.
Sorry for the time off…personal and professional matters needed tending to.
So, without further ado, here is today’s version of:
The police have taken a stand, and will be using a gentle and non-forceful approach with the homeless in spite of provincial legislation to the contrary.
I think that it is a huge development for Vancouver Police Department Chief Jim Chu to in essence state that he will not be enforcing BC Minister of Housing and Social Development Rich Coleman’s new legislation on the homeless.
“If there is overt resistance, then we will back away and disengage. There will be no further physical contact. They will be allowed to remain where they are.”
The ministry is trying to put their best foot forward in response:
“The policy that the VPD has put in place appears to be a reasonable interpretation of the act. We appreciate the VPD respects the spirit of the act and we respect their position,”
but the VPD have passed a debilitating judgement on a piece of legislation that is not only controversial with Charter and homeless advocates, but is also unrealistic and nearly impossible to properly enforce.
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“Perhaps it was my silk dress or the new perfume I’ve been wearing lately. When I asked Suzanne Anton what her New Year’s resolution was, she replied, “To kiss a pretty girl!” and pecked me on the cheek.” – Writer Emily Barca describing her encounter with the lone NPA City Councillor on New Year’s Eve.
