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City of Victoria 2022 - 2026 Council - Discussion


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#1 Awaiting Juno

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Posted 28 October 2022 - 08:39 AM

With swearing in happening next week - figured a new council merits a new discussion forum. 

 

The city has no end of challenges to manage over the coming years, and in a context that is challenging. We are coming out of a pandemic that has been difficult - with declines in public safety, interest rates now surging and inflation running at decades long highs. We have a public that wasn't happy with the last council (see: MNP report) and will likely need the next council to win them over. 

 

Looking at the council coming in - there are some reasons to be hopeful and some reasons to be hesitant. 

 

First (likely) orders of business - the Missing Middle Housing Initiative (likely to pass), the MNP Governance Review and the redevelopment of Harris Green. 


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#2 Nparker

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Posted 28 October 2022 - 08:45 AM

...We have a public that wasn't happy with the last council (see: MNP report) and will likely need the next council to win them over... 

But apparently not unhappy enough to make any significant change to the makeup of council.



#3 Awaiting Juno

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Posted 28 October 2022 - 08:53 AM

But apparently not unhappy enough to make any significant change to the makeup of council.

 

Significant change to the makeup of council: see Isitt failing to retain seat, also see the election of both Gardiner and Hammond. Dell is a moderate, as is (ultimately) Alto. There's no reason to believe that "Team Reasonable" doesn't stand a fighting chance. Further, looking at the credentials of incoming council, we've gained a lot of depth. I expect them to be smarter, a lot smarter.

 

Let's see what they do and judge accordingly. I suspect the circus has left town.


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#4 Nparker

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Posted 28 October 2022 - 08:56 AM

...Dell is a moderate, as is (ultimately) Alto...

Both were endorsed by Lisa Helps. This gives me great cause for concern.


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#5 Nparker

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Posted 28 October 2022 - 08:59 AM

...I suspect the circus has left town.

I suspect it has reduced the size of its big top and perhaps ended its freak show, but I don't believe for a second the circus has moved on entirely.



#6 max.bravo

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Posted 28 October 2022 - 09:05 AM

That none have made a public commitment to resolving the most obvious and pressing issue facing Victoria (rampant homelessness/drugs/violence) is cause for concern.

 

If they're not coming out swinging at the big issue, then we don't stand a chance of making progress on it. Things will continue to deteriorate on that front. 


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#7 spanky123

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Posted 28 October 2022 - 10:24 AM

First (likely) orders of business - the Missing Middle Housing Initiative (likely to pass), the MNP Governance Review and the redevelopment of Harris Green. 

 

Did any of the newly elected even mouth the words governance review during their campaigns? Broadly MNP is saying that the Mayor and council should focus on strategy and oversight of municipal issues and let City staff do their jobs. That is the opposite of what we have seen over the past 8 years and completely incompatible with developing personal brands and future political ambitions.


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#8 spanky123

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Posted 28 October 2022 - 10:25 AM

That none have made a public commitment to resolving the most obvious and pressing issue facing Victoria (rampant homelessness/drugs/violence) is cause for concern.

 

If they're not coming out swinging at the big issue, then we don't stand a chance of making progress on it. Things will continue to deteriorate on that front. 

 

Given the number of tents I am seeing springing up on public throughways and parks I assume we are positioning for act 3 of the social experiment. Bylaw wouldn't be allowing it is retrench if they didn't feel that wasn't the direction of the new council and Mayor.


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#9 JohnsonStBridge

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Posted 28 October 2022 - 11:45 AM

Will this council manage to build a new Crystal Pool?



#10 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 28 October 2022 - 11:46 AM

I love how the last council just gave up. It was too difficult for them.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 28 October 2022 - 11:47 AM.


#11 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 30 October 2022 - 04:52 AM

After 8 years as mayor, Lisa Helps looks forward to 'quiet time'

https://www.timescol...et-time-6028481

“I’ve got a number of irons in the fire,” Helps said, though she would only hint that her future may include working in a leadership role within a large organization — one that definitely doesn’t involve being the face of said organization.











That’s a very long article. See if you can find any accomplishments at all in there.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 30 October 2022 - 04:53 AM.


#12 dasmo

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Posted 30 October 2022 - 06:00 AM

“ Helps said while it’s not fair that residents’ anger and frustration be focused on one person, it comes with the territory. “You are the spokesperson for the council. Whether I like it doesn’t really matter. If I get the criticism or the accolades, that is just part of the role,” said Helps.”

Sums it up. You are supposed to be the spokesperson for the people. There would be less anger focused on you then….

#13 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 30 October 2022 - 06:04 AM

And she takes pride in the Victoria 3.0 economic action plan that builds on some of those ideals and lays out a 20-year vision for the city. That vision, championed by Helps and driven internally rather than by consultants, includes an arts and innovation district in the north end of downtown, and a marine hub to take advantage of the emerging “blue economy.”

 

 

What rubbbish.



#14 dasmo

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Posted 30 October 2022 - 06:15 AM

“ An important challenge of the Blue Economy is thus to realize that the sustainable management of ocean resources requires collaboration across nation-states and across the public-private sectors, at global scale (World Bank, 2017).”

Hmmm I wonder if here future positions might be with a globalist NGO?

#15 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 30 October 2022 - 06:21 AM

Helps acknowledged whether it’s homeless camps or the city’s work on climate change, housing or reconciliation, there is always a vocal group against it. “What’s interesting, though, is I often get asked to give talks at a national and global level on the things we are doing in Victoria,” she said.

 

“So while there’s this small faction of people who’ve attacked me for things that are beyond my control, there’s also a small faction of people across the country and around the world who look at Victoria and see there’s some really interesting things going on there.”

 

 

 

There are certainly delusional people on all sides.



#16 Mike K.

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Posted 30 October 2022 - 06:30 AM

COVID travel restrictions must have been a real drag. The mayor was supposed to visit Dubai, I recall, but that didn’t happen.

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#17 Nparker

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Posted 30 October 2022 - 06:37 AM

She accomplished nothing worthwhile in 8 years.

#18 Mike K.

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Posted 30 October 2022 - 06:55 AM

Was it eight, or seven? Four year terms began in the last term, didn’t they? I think?

Helps did accomplish a lot on the housing front. Unfortunately Harris Green, which have been her term’s largest accomplishment on housing, was punted by the MMHI which we are still trying to fully understand.

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#19 dasmo

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Posted 30 October 2022 - 07:06 AM

She accomplished nothing worthwhile in 8 years.

She earned 6 out of 9 globalist badges with the covenant of mayors!
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#20 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 30 October 2022 - 07:10 AM

Was it eight, or seven? Four year terms began in the last term, didn’t they? I think?

Helps did accomplish a lot on the housing front. Unfortunately Harris Green, which have been her term’s largest accomplishment on housing, was punted by the MMHI which we are still trying to fully understand.

Accomplished what? Approved most development proposals. That would have come in regardless of who the mayor was. Brought forward by individuals much smarter than her.

When it came to projects that she and council were responsible for, they did nothing. They could not handle the sewage project, they had that responsibility removed from them.

They failed on the Crystal Pool.

They have failed on “waterfront parking lots”.

They have failed on homelessness.

They have succeeded in the crime and disorder front. It has increased.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 30 October 2022 - 07:14 AM.

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