38 replies to this topic

[VicHockeyFan]

Jensen is running again

 

Cairine Green will oppose him....   http://oakbay.cairinegreen.ca/

[rjag]

Excellent news

[Bernard]

I had heard Nils Jensen was likely to run again but I have not seen any confirmation of that

[John M.]

The Pro-Deer Cull camp vs. the Anti-Deer Cull camp. My money is on the former

[VicHockeyFan]

I had heard Nils Jensen was likely to run again but I have not seen any confirmation of that

 

He announced live on CFAX this morning.

[VicHockeyFan]

First-term Oak Bay Coun. Cairine Green will challenge incumbent Mayor Nils Jensen for the municipality’s top job, arguing she brings a fresh perspective and the community needs a full-time mayor.

“I think the biggest difference between Nils and myself really is the fact I don’t have another job that will take me away from the work. I will be full-time and I’m very proactive. And I have a huge background in policy development and counselling,” Green said.

Jensen, who officially declared for re-election on Wednesday, said even with his full-time job as a provincial government lawyer, he dedicates 30 to 40 hours a week to his mayoral duties.

 

- See more at: http://www.timescolo...h.GR6VeAX4.dpuf

[Mike K.]

Oak Bay needs a full-time mayor about as much as BC Ferries needs go-go dancers.

[John M.]

Interesting how in the last election, Jensen was the more left-wing of the two candidates on the ballot. Now he is being cast as pro-business. 

[rjag]

Took the dogs for a long walk this morning around south Oak Bay and noticed only 1 Nils Jensen sign and at least 10 Cairine Green signs...not that that means anything as I don't see any Mayoral signs up in North Henderson and the last 2 elections we didn't have a single candidate doorknock in our area.....

Edited by rjag, 20 October 2014 - 09:47 AM.

[Bingo]

Oak Bay needs a full-time mayor about as much as BC Ferries needs go-go dancers.

 

Are there still go-go dancers around, or have they all dried up?

[John M.]

Nils Jensen's support is far stronger in the North part of Oak Bay, generally in the polls where Andrew Weaver did worst 

[Mixed365]

Took the dogs for a long walk this morning around south Oak Bay and noticed only 1 Nils Jensen sign and at least 10 Cairine Green signs...not that that means anything as I don't see any Mayoral signs up in North Henderson and the last 2 elections we didn't have a single candidate doorknock in our area.....

Keep in mind many politicians wait for after Halloween.

[John M.]

The debate was held on Thursday night. Over 300 people showed up (Oak Bay United Church seats maybe 200 or a little over, every seat was full and the walls, balcony, and downstairs sitting room [Where a TV broadcast the debates live] were packed with people). For the mayoral debate, I wouldn't say that either candidate won. Cairine read her opening and closing statement from a piece of paper, and only looked up to the audience maybe three or four times throughout the two minutes it took her to read it. Luckily for her, she had many of her supporters show up so she got lots of easy questions and wild applause throughout the debate. Nils' opening statement was primarily about the shooting in Ottawa and was full of patriotic cliches that have nothing to do with municipal issues in Oak Bay. I think about half way through he realized that the audience wasn't eating it, and he (awkwardly) switched over to talking solely about the deer and fiscal issues, which seemed to go over a little better. 

Most of the question-askers were obvious plants for Cairine, but Nils held his ground well. On Cairine's first question, she (for whatever reason) decided her microphone wasn't good enough (even though I, at the back of hall could hear her fine and I'm sure everyone else could too) and tried to pull over a second mike, knocking it over (possibly breaking it) and forcing the moderator (Chris Causton, former mayor) to come and set it back up. Other then that, Cairine's many plants and heavily prepared answers didn't give her to many other opportunities to mess up. Still, she took every chance she could to ruthlessly attack Jensen, who is a far more seasoned debater then her. Still, Nils never really had a decisive moment in the debate, and neither candidate really stood out for me. I will be voting for Nils though.

I didn't see much of the council debate as I had to leave early, but I still got to listen to their opening statements and the first three questions. Here is my opinion by candidate:

Hazel Braithwaite: I'm undecided on her. She was pretty middle of the road for me on the rankings of the candidates at the debates. However, she seems to be the only true conservative in the running for council.

Tom Croft: Not a bad speaker. Still, he flip-flopped on amalgamation, not just in the same answer, but in the same sentence. 

Heather Holmes: Perhaps the weakest candidate there. Bad speaker, and had no discernible policy. This surprises me, as several heavy-hitting politicos in Victoria have recommended her to me.

Sigurd Johannesen: Not much of a stand out. Every time he spoke, my mind was taken up trying to figure out where his accent was from. Norwegian? Swedish? Icelandic? I think I'm settled on Icelandic. 

Michelle Kirby: I went into this debate already biased against Michelle Kirby. I disagree with her on just about everything, and have never found her that personable in all my dealings with council. Perhaps most irritating to me, she is so damn popular up in my neck of the woods (25 houses on the block, at least 10 have her signs). Her performance in the debate was mediocre.

Jan Mears: She seems like a decent candidate, but not my sort of candidate.

Kevin Murdoch: My prefered candidate, I have one of his signs on my lawn. I think this will be his last election before he runs for mayor.

Tara Ney: Same story as Jan Mears.

Joan Russow: The former leader of the federal Greens. She didn't even introduce herself in the debate, and just launched into policy. Talks about deer contraception, GMOs, chemtrails and stuff. Reminds me of what the Green Party used to be like. 

Andrew Stinson: Young fellow from Uvic, 21 I believe. Probably the strongest speaker amoung the council candidates, but I don't know how much that will count on election day.

Eric Zhelka: Swore right in the middle of the debate (while talking about sewage). That does not go over well in a room where probably about 70% of the people are grandparents, many with their grandchildren in attendance. 

Anyway, here's my ballot: 

Mayor: Nils Jensen

Council: Andrew Stinson, Kevin Murdoch, Sigurd Johannesen, Hazel Braithwaite (Possibly)

Amalgamation Question: Yes 

[Sparky]

^ Thanks for that John. Nicely done. I liked your honesty of where you might be biased.

[Mike K.]

Very informative, John, thanks for that.

[Bingo]

Well there you have it, I'm not going to vote for any of that lot.

[Sparky]

Why? Because you live in Esquimalt?

[Bingo]

Why? Because you live in Esquimalt?

 

Saanich, but I once talked to the mayor in private, so might have to abstain.

[John M.]

Saanich, but I once talked to the mayor in private, so might have to abstain.

There's always Shebib 

[AllseeingEye]

I know Hazel quite well from our time at Coast Capital Savings; super person and a great sense of humor. If I lived in OB I'd likely vote for her. And yes I would say John is likely correct in that her views tend to be on the conservative side.