73 replies to this topic

[Hotel Mike]

Another factor in this campaign is the Chinese-Canadian community. They will organize fully in support of Ida, and will have a lot of sway in the riding.

[masiyou]

^Now, will the white community be able to rally itself against this insidious conspiracy?

[VicHockeyFan]

^Now, will the white community be able to rally itself against this insidious conspiracy?

No, the KKK is the only white-organizing group, and they have little presence in this country. http://kkk.bz/main/?page_id=70

[rjag]

I don't quite understand this comment. You realize that Jessica almost beat Ida in the last election? Ida's margin was only 561 votes.

(Full disclosure: Jessica van der Veen is a close personal friend)

I met Jessica when she was managing Denises campaign office. My daughter volunteered there as part of school work experience. I think she's a very nice person, friendly and approachable......but.....I just dont think she has the cred's or street smarts to be a good MLA yet. She needs to have more of a CV than a couple of co-op projects and being on NDP councils. Has she ever run her own business? Has she employed people? What life skills does she have....

While I voted for IDA in the last election I most likely not vote for her in this next one and I'm on the fence about signing the recall, I would feel more comfortable if there was a stronger alternative than Jessica.

Like I said before, while I think she's a very nice person, I dont think she has the street creds to qualify for this job.

[masiyou]

There are small white supremacist groups in Canada, though fortunately not in Victoria. However I have heard anti-Chinese sentiment being expressed by individuals in this city.

Another factor in this campaign is the Chinese-Canadian community. They will organize fully in support of Ida, and will have a lot of sway in the riding.

I know very little about politics, but I'm skeptical about this. If chinese communties "organize fully" in support of ethnic chinese candidates, almost all of the Vancouver area MLAs and MPs would be chinese, and that is not the case.
I agree that some people will support Chong because she is Chinese; I also think some will vote against her for the same reason.

[VicHockeyFan]

^ Ida Chong is not Chinese. She's Canadian.

[masiyou]

^This leads directly to my question. Is her ethnicity a significant factor?
I apologise for not using pc terms.

[VicHockeyFan]

Alan Lowe was able to get a good buy-in from the Chinese-Canadian community during his campaigns, and he is third-generation. Charlayne too, I think.

[masiyou]

^Being totally unfamiliar with local politics, I'm not sure what this means.
Are Chinese canadian residents being directed to vote en masse for a particular candidate? And if so, do they obey?

[Bingo]

Another factor in this campaign is the Chinese-Canadian community. They will organize fully in support of Ida, and will have a lot of sway in the riding.

If this was Richmond I might agree, but they need to be living in the riding.

[Fairbanks]

I believe the recall for Ida Chong is because she is an elitist snob and on top of that she is lousy at her job NOT because she is of Chinese descent. When she was Health Minister she supported and oversaw the closure of Gorge Road Rehab Hospital forcing staff and patients who needed the warm therapy pool to travel by handidart or other means to JDF Rec Centre Pool for therapy. The temperature of JDF pool is no where near the the level required for intense therapy. This placed and unfair level of stress on staff and patients at Gorge Road. Something someone with the Health Portfolio SHOULD REALIZE.

[VicHockeyFan]

I think it is odd that the petitioner decides on the wording of the recall petition. Thus the word-count controversy. How crazy, or untrue can they make the reason? Like if she is afraid of spiders (and we some how learn that she is, so it is a true statement) could they use that as the reason for recall? Why not just make it a standard form, do you want to recall or not, and maybe spell out the implications or procedure for recall to the voters.

HERE is the wording for Ida, they seem to drone on.

...deceptive introduction of the Harmonized Sales Tax and refuses to represent the clear wishes of her constituents...

...the Premier and Finance Minister stated that the Harmonized Sales Tax was NOT on their agenda, and British Columbia voters re-elected them significantly on that assurance...

...campaign to repeal the Harmonized Sales Tax was an undeniable message to Ms. Chong, but was without effect...

What effect should it have had on her?

...Ms. Chong supports a costly Harmonized Sales Tax referendum (over thirty million dollars!) more than a year later, creating economic uncertainty, that is harming businesses and consumers...

I realize that those are the thoughts (ramblings) of the petitioner, one man, but those seem like subjective terms to be allowed on the form. It seems amateurish, both on the part of the writer, but on how the legislation was drafted to allow that type of prose. Can't blame Elections BC if it is allowed.

[masiyou]

That kind of wording would definitely put me off but presumably people would only sign the petition if they agreed with all or most of was written.

[Bernard]

It could have been said in many fewer words, something like

"I am proposing recalling Ida Chong because she voted in favour of the introducing the HST even though her constituents were opposed and in the May 9th 2009 election the Liberals stated it was not under consideration."

So something equally short.

[Jessica Van der Veen]

RJAG wrote:
"While I voted for IDA in the last election I most likely not vote for her in this next one and I'm on the fence about signing the recall, I would feel more comfortable if there was a stronger alternative than Jessica.

Like I said before, while I think she's a very nice person, I dont think she has the street creds to qualify for this job.

"

Take a look at my credentials and (selected) bio on my web page. I had taken the longer version down, but have reposted it. This will help you see my 27 years in one of the most competitive business in the world and my leadership experience. www.jessicavanderveen.ca

My acting and directing career, which developed my skills managing large numbers of people under strict deadlines, on tight budgets and solving problems creatively is just as important to my ability to serve as an MLA as my long history in business and experience supervising 200 students and a staff of 20.

There is also the question of diversity in the house. Even though I have a strong business background, I think it is important that not everyone in the house comes from a business background. We need people who think creatively and are able to tolerate complexity and manage big, ungainly human challenges with joy and passion.

Jessica Van der Veen, New Democrat candidate 2009 in Oak Bay-Gordon Head.

[rjag]

I'll rephrase my earlier statement, I dont think you have the street creds for my vote.

Jessica, while this thread is about Ida and the recall and I dont want it to go off-topic I will make a few comments about your statement and leave it at that.

2 years as a director in an actors studio 10 years ago is a very loose claim to a business background. A person claiming a business background is one that mortgages or pledges by way of personal guarantees to run a business. In other words an owner.

They are the person that, if the business fails, loses potentially more than their job. They cant collect EI even though they pay for it.

Again, I think you're a nice person and am not intending any insult, I'm sure as a director putting on productions means a lot of planning and managing budgets and meeting deadlines etc, but where on your CV does it say you were an owner of the studio or you staged your own production and mortgaged or pledged personal guarantees to take these risks? If you did, then you should make sure its noted.

A business person, whether a house painter or plumber or owner of a car dealership is one that is willing to take risks to reap a potential reward, the money comes out of their bank account not someone elses and if it fails, they take the ultimate responsibility. As a business owner myself, I have signed guarantees and missed paying myself in the past to make sure my employees are paid and the utilities are paid. Years ago I was the one that turned the lights out at night and opened in the morning and did my work after everyone had left.

That being said, anyone willing to stick their neck out and enter the arena of politics has to be able to accept the fact that not everyone agrees with their point of view, will have to face up to scrutiny and challenges unlike any other job, and wear the mud thrown at them and keep smiling unlike any other job.

My comments may be perceived as criticisms, but they are nothing compared to what you will experience if you succeed and are voted in.

Good luck to you, whether this is your chosen path or not.

Oh and 2 quick related questions....Where do you stand on HST? And if you are elected and the NDP forms government how will you vote then?

[Bingo]

I'll rephrase my earlier statement, I dont think you have the street creds for my vote. Where do you stand on HST? And if you are elected and the NDP forms government how will you vote then?

I think you are jumping the gun, as the HST issue will likely be decided before there is a a chance to vote for the NDP in the Oak Bay/Gordon Head riding, and assuming that Jessica decides to run.

Jessica has done a good job in drawing attention to the Oak Bay Lodge issue, which is more of an effort than Ida Chong has put forth.

[rjag]

Jessica has done a good job in drawing attention to the Oak Bay Lodge issue, which is more of an effort than Ida Chong has put forth.

I agree she has and appreciate it.

[UrbanRail]

So I was reading Mon Mag today, and it said that Ida has a $61 a day food allowance. With the amount of people dependent on food banks increasing each year, you would think that the gov would have better ways to spend our tax dollars.

[Bernard]

In the first week the campaign managed 2041 signatures, a long way short of what they need to have any chance of success. 5000 is the minimum the first week should have seen in signatures, better would have been 6000.

They have maintain the pace of week one for the whole of the campaign to get close, that is unrealistic. Typically a petition campaign that is well organized expects to get about 1/3 of their signatures very early in the campaign period.