9 replies to this topic

[Caramia]

Please use this thread to discuss how candidates intend to work with the province, the CRD and other municipalities in Greater Victoria.

[Sue Woods]

Since this thread was set up in June 08 and no one has jumped in yet - I guess I'll throw in my two-cents to get things started.

How will I work with other local and senior levels of government?

As an entrepreneur I need to, and enjoy, building productive partnerships. As a broacaster I am not shy about initiating contact, setting up meetings, and speaking my views (my kids have been known to call me "anoying" at times:-) As a journalist I am used to listening to both sides of a story - and have a healthy respect for debate and differing points of view.

The job of a city councilor is to make good decisions based on info from expert city staff, residents and community groups. I feel confident in my ability to represent and communicate the views/needs of Victoria City to all levels of goverment. In my view, the best way to build consensus and gain cooperation is to make sure all parties are able to identify a mutual benefit to making changes or revisiting an outdated policy/belief system.

The power of persuasion is an important element, as well as being able to accept defeat and not hesitate to get back up and try again. My favourite Winston Churchill quote: "Success is greeting failure after failure with great enthusiasm."

I also don't believe partisan politics belongs, or is needed, at the local government level. As an independent thinker who values my freedom to move between left, right and centre depending on the issue at hand - I have consciously chosen to not be identified with, nor restricted by, party politics. Instead I am driven by a desire to advocate higher expectations and leadership for Victoria going forward.

Thats it in a nutshell. Thx Sue

www.susanwoodsforvictoria.com

[Sue Woods]

Opps - never mind. I moved the entry that was in this text box (re coffee meetings) to my main thread. Thx.

[Ms. B. Havin]

I also don't believe partison politics belongs, or is needed, at the local government level. As an independent thinker who values my freedom to move between left, right and centre depending on the issue at hand - I have consciously chosen to not be identified with, nor restricted by, party politics. Instead I am driven by a desire to advocate higher expectations and leadership for Victoria going forward.

Yes -- let's stop this "left wing" vs. "business interests" nonsense.

[Baro]

Some of my friends still fall into that compulsive need to pigeon-hole people into tidy little pre-packaged political labels and mindlessly adhere to them regardless of the situation. You can't possibly want to reduce red-tape and help grow business in the city AND be an environmentalist as the first is strictly the domain of the 'right' and the later the left. As we all know the "right" HATES the environment and wants to see it destroyed, and the left wants all business run out of town and anyone who makes over 100k a year hung from the nearest tree. You gotta pick a side and stick with it on every issue or you're some sort of fence sitter or traitor!

I like what I've been hearing from you so far, Susan

[Sue Woods]

Thank you for your supportive comments.
Cheers, Sue

[Concerned Citizens]

CCC

Working with other levels of government is a laudable ideal, but failure to do so should not be used as an excuse to do nothing at all.

That has been the lamentable modus operandi of the present Liberal Mayor of Victoria, Alan Lowe and his weak Liberal City Council.

Year after year, for almost nine years now, he has used the pathetic excuse of an inability or failure to engage with higher levels of government as a lame explanation for his appallingly poor efforts to attend to the needs of the poorest of the homeless poor littering our downtown Victoria streets.

This has become a predictable and tiresome refrain which fools no one.

Victoria City Council should reprioritize its focus to attend to the needs of these people first, without any help from senior levels of government.

If the City of Victoria is seen to be actually doing something significant to tackle this pressing issue, it is much more likely that senior levels of government (both provincial and federal) will be shamed or cajoled into matching funds already allocated by the City.

No government worth its name wants to be associated with failed programmes, and the failure of the Lowe Liberal Council to solve the homelessness problem is glaringly obvious to most impartial observers.

For a real change at Victoria City Hall, please consider voting for CCC candidates Patrick Jamieson and myself.

- Gregory Hartnell, President
Concerned Citizens' Coalition

CCC

[Bernard]

The city has a lot of powers to take actions on issues without having to get the approval from the Provincial or Federal governments.

What local governments have become dependent on from the other governments for is funding for programs and for capital projects. I think this dependency is one that from often restricts actions by local government.

If it makes sense doing something and the funding is not there for Canada or BC, there has to be another way to make it happen.

Doing something because you get money for Canada and BC and it is not something you had planned on is always a bad idea.

What is it that we want do? If we know that, then we can find the money to do it.

[Ms. B. Havin]

What local governments have become dependent on from the other governments for is funding for programs and for capital projects. I think this dependency is one that from often restricts actions by local government.

The senior levels downloaded responsibilities to municipalities (a spin-off from the excessive federal downloading to provinces under Paul Martin, 90s), without giving them tools to fund the new responsibilities.

So I'm not sure what you mean by "local governments have become dependent on from the other governments for is funding for programs..." Funding for programs was cut off, with no tools (other than the usual suspects of property and business taxes) to pay for them.

So ask yourself how much more you want to pay in business or property tax to pay for programs? I think it would make more sense to let cities collect at least some part of the PST and/or GST that gets generated in cities, but that would mean giving cities some real tools.

[Sue Woods]

Sorry - I have moved this to the correct thread. Thx S