1722 replies to this topic

[On the Level]

I was just wondering about the pic in the Times Colonist today.  I recognize Ben and Jerry, but who is the other Councillor in the background wearing the orange hat?

 

 

http://www.timescolo...-urge-1.7740345

[tedward]

I was just wondering about the pic in the Times Colonist today.  I recognize Ben and Jerry, but who is the other Councillor in the background wearing the orange hat?

 

LOL It's the "Clowns Against Poverty" guy.

[thundergun]

Hate to be picky, but it looks more like a jester to me.

[J Billings]

Hate to be picky, but it looks more like a jester to me.

An adviser?

[On the Level]

Is it a new "resident city jester"?.....or "resident city tailor"? Perhaps it's the CoV department of silly hats?

[Nparker]

Is it a new "resident city jester"?.....or "resident city tailor"? Perhaps it's the CoV department of silly hats?

Arrrgghhh....don't give CoV council any ideas. 

[RFS]

LOL It's the "Clowns Against Poverty" guy.

i see 3 clowns

[tedward]

Hate to be picky, but it looks more like a jester to me.

 

Yep, he does wear a Jester hat. Listening to him speak at the all candidates meetings I attended was equal parts amusement/annoyance.

 

 

i see 3 clowns

 

And the winner for, "most obvious joke" goes too...

[Nparker]

...And the winner for, "most obvious joke" goes too...

To be fair, RFS might have said 3 fools.

[johnk]

3 Stooges?

[SimonH]

[Nparker]

The photo just needed a bit of tweaking. To be honest, I had a very tough time designating anyone on council as "speak no evil". My decision finally came down to the one who utters the least original thoughts.

[spanky123]

Looking at Helps' website it seems like she is launching a new procurement initiative today to focus on purchasing goods and services from 'social enterprises' and first nations. Will be interesting to see how this plays out. I thought that procurement rules were fairly well established in Government.

 

http://www.victoria....n_DRAFT 11e.pdf

 

The City of Victoria Procurement Framework should include weighting for the hiring and training/retraining of unemployed and underemployed people, especially First Nations, youth, those with disabilities, those who have recently exited homelessness and those with mental health and addictions challenges.

 

City procurement activities provide preference for vendors that hire and, if needed, train First Nations, youth and those who have recently exited homelessness or have as part of their supply chains social enterprises or SMEs that do so.

 

RFPs and City procurement activities include and have a priority for vendors that hire from or work with EI programs and programs for those on disability benefits.

 

RFPs and City procurement activities provide preference for vendors who can demonstrate they are hiring skills-retrained employees, employees returning to the workforce after parental leave or other types of leave. Support current and potential City vendors in the hiring and training/ retraining of unemployed and underemployed people, especially First Nations, youth, those with disabilities, those who have recently exited homelessness, and those with mental health and addictions challenges.

 

City RFPs and procurement activities have links to federal and provincial employment programs that support youth, First Nations, people with disabilities, people with mental health and/or addictions challenges, people released from prison and any other related program for employers wishing to hire unemployed or underemployed people.
 

Edited by spanky123, 19 January 2017 - 07:07 PM.

[Nparker]

...she is launching a new procurement initiative today to focus on purchasing goods and services from 'social enterprises' and first nations...

Will this ensure the best value for the taxpayer dollar?

[spanky123]

Will this ensure the best value for the taxpayer dollar?

 

I don't think they have thought through yet how much more they would be willing to pay for each homeless person, convict, FN, or disabled person you had on staff/contract. I wonder if that means we have to survey all of our staff and fill out an extra form with counts each time we respond to an RFP.

[LJ]

I don't think they have thought through yet how much more they would be willing to pay for each homeless person, convict, FN, or disabled person you had on staff/contract. I wonder if that means we have to survey all of our staff and fill out an extra form with counts each time we respond to an RFP.

Aren't  at least half of those people already on the payroll?

[Sparky]

This idea screams against fairness.

How does one put a price tag on weighing the difference between a company that has an employee that meets the criteria for special consideration and a company that does not have such a person(s) on the payroll? Company B might not have the luxury of hiring such a person without firing a fully trained existing employee.

This plan flies in the face of "cost effective" public funds spending.

There are guidelines for how public funds are spent fairly. I once tied with another contractor with the exact same price. We both had the low bid price on a publicly funded project. The guidelines clearly describe how to break the tie with a coin toss complete with a description of how the toss will be called.

I can't wait for the court case that will ensue when a city contract is awarded to the high bidder of a project based on the merits of of that bidders hiring practices and not his bid price.

[Bingo]

Victoria’s Johnson Street Bridge project has been singled out by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation for being a waste of public money.

The project has earned the federation’s 2017 Municipal Teddy Government Waste Award.

The award, given out in a number of categories, is named for Ted Weatherill, a federal appointee who was fired after an investigation into his expenses.

The City of Victoria is a first-time recipient of the award, said Jordan Bateman, the federation’s B.C. director.

- See more at: http://www.timescolo...h.TsPjlTuF.dpuf

[Bingo]

City hall staff are recommending a six-month “roadmap” toward elimination of the bags, including a $2,000 design competition to come up with a city-branded reusable bag. 

- See more at: http://www.timescolo...h.9ZiwGnVo.dpuf

 

How about making the reusable bag larger than average to make the project worthwhile. If you could carry your laundry to the laundromat and then bring home the groceries or a couple of bags of potting soil. Of course the fabric would need to be stronger. I think there needs to be a new City of Victoria logo as part of the design competition and with some of our more recent poetry inscribed on the bag. This needs to be a take away must have item for the tourists to pack home their souvenirs in.  

[Nparker]

How about people who walk to get their groceries are given free cloth bags. People who drive to get their groceries are charged a $1/bag even if they bring their own. After all, what is actually doing more harm to the environment: my 2 plastic bags that I re-use at home or your SUV that belches out carbon monoxide? This entire thing is complete nonsense.