54 replies to this topic

[Bernard]

Does his announcement amount to anything new or anything visionary? Could Alan Lowe have made the same announcement?

A bigger question, does what he says in the election matter as I see no one on the horizon that could beat him for the job?

Does he have a campaign website or a facebook group?

[Holden West]

http://deanfortin.ca/

http://www.facebook....hiq=dean,fortin

[rjag]

Ha, 1st pisture I see is of him with Carol James. I get to strike him off my list.

[G-Man]

He is for a new library and better transit so that is a good start.

[Nparker]

I will vote for the first person who mentions amalgamation without saying how it will usher in the apocalypse.

[Baro]

I will vote for who ever builds me a train. Even a little one in my back yard.

[Mike K.]

Helen Hughes for mayor!

Dean will most likely get in simply because there's nobody else running and he'll have the benefit of the NDP machine behind him.

I don't envy him, though. The next several years will be a tremendously difficult time in the history of our city (social issues, rising cost of living, crime, etc).

[Nparker]

I don't envy him, though. The next several years will be a tremendously difficult time in the history of our city (social issues, rising cost of living, crime, etc).

In other words, exactly like the past few years, or perhaps even decade.

[Rob Randall]

He is for a new library and better transit so that is a good start.

I don't think there is anyone against those issues.

[Caramia]

I'd say the last few years have been characterized by a very strong economy, jobs for everyone, & lots of construction. I think that things are going to slump a bit and whoever is at the helm will need to be ready to steer us through some difficult waters.

[Rorschach]

Your guilty conscience may force you to vote NDP, but deep down you secretly long for a cold-hearted Conservative that will lower taxes, brutalize criminals, and rule over you like a King.

[gumgum]

Housing, safety atop mayoral candidate's priorities for city
Carolyn Heiman, Times Colonist
Published: Friday, June 06, 2008

[Caramia]

Your guilty conscience may force you to vote NDP, but deep down you secretly long for a cold-hearted Conservative that will lower taxes, brutalize criminals, and rule over you like a King.

Or wander through city hall hitting everything that is broken with a large blunt object while scandalizing neighbourhoods until the inevitable assassination.

I'd vote for that.

[martini]

Dean will most likely get in simply because there's nobody else running and he'll have the benefit of the NDP machine behind him.

I don't envy him, though. The next several years will be a tremendously difficult time in the history of our city (social issues, rising cost of living, crime, etc).

Yes my thoughts as well.

I honestly don't know who else I'd vote for anyway. I think he's the only one to clean up Alan's mess.
Besides, Dean will do right by Victoria as he'll eventually seek Federal.

[Joseph]

To be fair, I believe Dean is also one of the councilors with the strongest support. I think it's a huge oversimplification to say he will be elected as the only candidate apparently representative of the most popular/common values.

[Bernard]

I have to admit I am not inspired by Dean Fortin, but on the other hand, he is by far the strongest candidate for mayor from the left that I can think of, but my memory only goes back to the Gretchen Brewin.

He has also been one of the few Victoria councilors from the left that have been above average and exceeded my expectations.

While he did say some nice things in launch, there are few details to indicate how he thinks it can be done.

He also made no mention of business and economics, his approach to this is important for me to know. Most New Democrats, as nice as they are as people and as much as they want to make the world a better place, are so out of touch with how basic economics work that they still do not trust market forces to work. The NDP in Canada needs to learn from Labour in the UK and Australia.

Meanwhile we have the 19 year old running as the competition - he must be desperate for attention to doing this.

[martini]

I have to admit I am not inspired by Dean Fortin, but on the other hand, he is by far the strongest candidate for mayor from the left that I can think of, but my memory only goes back to the Gretchen Brewin.

He has also been one of the few Victoria councilors from the left that have been above average and exceeded my expectations.

While he did say some nice things in launch, there are few details to indicate how he thinks it can be done.

He also made no mention of business and economics, his approach to this is important for me to know. Most New Democrats, as nice as they are as people and as much as they want to make the world a better place, are so out of touch with how basic economics work that they still do not trust market forces to work. The NDP in Canada needs to learn from Labour in the UK and Australia.

Would it help to say he's more leaning to the right as a left? I don't find him to be the typical NDP. He's very astute, and seeing how he's run BGCA over the years; I'm not worried about his economic/business capabilities.

I'm curious to see how the NDP chain will work if he's elected.
Dean as Mayor, Rob Fleming MLA, and Denise Savoie Federal.

[Joseph]

Meanwhile we have the 19 year old running as the competition - he must be desperate for attention to doing this.

I am not aware enough of this individual's platform enough to be for or against him at this point, but I highly protest to this ageist response. Natress has only been 'on the ballot' for a day and already he is facing discrimenatory remarks. If you are simply suggesting that anyone without experience/party affiliation being the first to rival Fortin is desperate for attention, then I'm not sure why you identified him as 'the 19 year old'.

I hope I misunderstood your comments. I will be running myself for councilor this year (more details shortly) and I am not looking forward to battling deeply rooted ideas that young people always have alterier motives for getting politically involved.

- Joseph Boutilier

[Mike K.]

To be fair, I believe Dean is also one of the councilors with the strongest support. I think it's a huge oversimplification to say he will be elected as the only candidate apparently representative of the most popular/common values.

Name recognition and the NDP's political machine will go a long way to ensuring his victory. If no contenders from our current council join the race then, yes, he will benefit tremendously.

If someone like Geoff Young or Chris Coleman announced his intention to run then Dean would have a serious opponent that would also heavily benefit from name recognition and receive the business vote.

That would be a fair match. As things stand now, Dean is not facing any serious opposition.

[Joseph]

That would be a fair match. As things stand now, Dean is not facing any serious opposition.

Agreed - I just wanted to differentiate between election by default/lack of options and election by genuine, long-held support. Both of which Dean is capable of.