11779 replies to this topic

[Rob Randall]

Let me put it this way: Ben is the most popular politician, he could also be the least popular. How is this possible? Because there is no middle ground. A lot of people don't have a strong opinion of Marianne Alto. A few love her, some hate her but a large number say "meh, I guess she's not bad, I don't know". 

 

This is also known as the Nickleback rule. There is no middle ground. 

[Rob Randall]

Also, Ben is perhaps the most consistent politician ever. I looked up the letters to the editor he wrote as a teenager--I think he came out of the womb complaining about the evils of unfettered capitalism. What I'm saying is he was never an unknown quantity like Dubow or a bait-and-switch like Helps*. they always knew exactly what they were getting with Ben, and his numbers only get higher. You think his policies are bad but his supporters are fine with it.

 

_________

*I think some people supported Helps because they thought she'd be tougher on developers than Fortin. Like the Mason Street folks. They were rudely surprised.

[RFS]

Isitt is popular in Victoria. Victoria is nuts. We need amalgamation

[Nparker]

...Victoria is nuts. We need amalgamation

And term limits. No more than 2 consecutive terms for any elected position.

[Belleprincess]

Also, Ben is perhaps the most consistent politician ever. I looked up the letters to the editor he wrote as a teenager--I think he came out of the womb complaining about the evils of unfettered capitalism. What I'm saying is he was never an unknown quantity like Dubow or a bait-and-switch like Helps*. they always knew exactly what they were getting with Ben, and his numbers only get higher. You think his policies are bad but his supporters are fine with it.

_________
*I think some people supported Helps because they thought she'd be tougher on developers than Fortin. Like the Mason Street folks. They were rudely surprised.

He was obviously raised that way.

I was starting to like Shamarke but alas - he might be too lefty for my blood. He seems like a nice guy who genuinely cares about others. So, if he remained on council, would I lose any sleep over it - probably not.

Edited by Belleprincess, 22 February 2020 - 01:41 AM.

[Belleprincess]

Isitt is popular in Victoria. Victoria is nuts. We need amalgamation

I can’t seem to figure out why. Langford has Stu - who in my opinion- is awesome. Saanich is pretty lefty but nothing like Victoria. There must be a lot of hippies in fernwood & JB

[Belleprincess]

This is your opinion. One not shared by a lot of people

The guy is dangerous, there’s no two ways about it.

And yes, it terrifies me to my very core that there are over 14000 communists living in this city.

[On the Level]

The guy is dangerous, there’s no two ways about it.

And yes, it terrifies me to my very core that there are over 14000 communists living in this city.

 

While I share your frustration, I don't think calling this group "Communists" is a realistic characterization.  They don't understand the challenges faced by others and labels like "Communist, or in their case "1 %" or "Developer" contribute to creating a divide and lack of understanding.

 

I was one of those "Greedy Landlords" that had built a suite in my house in hopes of helping our families finances.  From my view, the rent was a bargain after comparing it to the mortgage, property tax and utilities I am expected to pay. 

 

Try explaining that to someone from Ben's base when their mindset is free bus passes, free university and partially free rent.  It's a total mindshift. 

 

fwiw - We decided a while ago to no longer rent out the suite.  While we had some great tenants, I was finding an ever increasing sense of entitlement from those looking to rent.  I already have a family to support so I don't feel I should be expected to take on additional dependents.       

Edited by On the Level, 22 February 2020 - 07:47 AM.

[Awaiting Juno]

While I share your frustration, I don't think calling this group "Communists" is a realistic characterization.  They don't understand the challenges faced by others and labels like "Communist, or in their case "1 %" or "Developer" contribute to creating a divide and lack of understanding.

 

I was one of those "Greedy Landlords" that had built a suite in my house in hopes of helping our families finances.  From my view, the rent was a bargain after comparing it to the mortgage, property tax and utilities I am expected to pay. 

 

Try explaining that to someone from Ben's base when their mindset is free bus passes, free university and partially free rent.  It's a total mindshift. 

 

fwiw - We decided a while ago to no longer rent out the suite.  While we had some great tenants, I was finding an ever increasing sense of entitlement from those looking to rent.  I already have a family to support so I don't feel I should be expected to take on additional dependents.       

 

This.  So much this.  There's a failure to understand that the very policies they see as "helping" them - the things that make it difficult to adjust rent beyond a set amount to recoup rising costs (rent control), difficult to remove problematic tenants who pose risks (hoarding, as an example), difficult to determine who is or is not a good tenant, difficult to renovate existing property etc. all contribute to people who could provide housing choosing not to.  As a result, the "moving penalty" - the difference between what your rent was and would be should you move, grows and we fail to get adequate tenant mobility.  It also doesn't help that the residential rental supply market has been muddled with the tourist accommodation market.

 

Meanwhile - the things that would encourage supply, like low cost loans for landlords who wish to renovate and provide a suite (with a commitment that it would be in the month to month rental supply for a given period of time), or breaks on property taxes for those who provide rental accommodation, or whatever else are snubbed as things that help those who have the "privilege" of being able to own in the first place.

[Mike K.]

Also, Ben is perhaps the most consistent politician ever. I looked up the letters to the editor he wrote as a teenager--I think he came out of the womb complaining about the evils of unfettered capitalism. What I'm saying is he was never an unknown quantity like Dubow or a bait-and-switch like Helps*. they always knew exactly what they were getting with Ben, and his numbers only get higher. You think his policies are bad but his supporters are fine with it.

A lot of his supporters don’t actually know what he stands for, and I mean really stands for.

But he takes the time to respond to constituents who message council and he’ll send them an occasional email, whether they signed up for them or not.

That tactic works. People love being heard and he takes the time to show them that he’s reading their emails.

Come election time he gets the votes because he puts in the time.

[Awaiting Juno]

A lot of his supporters don’t actually know what he stands for, and I mean really stands for.

But he takes the time to respond to constituents who message council and he’ll send them an occasional email, whether they signed up for them or not.

That tactic works. People love being heard and he takes the time to show them that he’s reading their emails.

Come election time he gets the votes because he puts in the time.

 

And as a result of "putting in the time" he wants council salaries pretty much doubled, and wants to set a standard of being on council as "full-time" commitment, barring many who would make effective contributions to council on a reasonable, part-time basis.  If we want our best and brightest, I think it's reasonable to expect those people are going to have other things on their plates, and the being on council can't be an all consuming endeavour to be done well.

[Stephen James]

And term limits. No more than 2 consecutive terms for any elected position.

... and wards PLEASE!  We have an accountability crisis in Victoria.

 

Since returning to BC, I've made several phones calls to Victoria City councillors and staff to 1. ask a question, 2. make a request, 3. clarify a bylaw.   I can tell you the outcome stats with confidence:  not one single returned call.  The only exception was during blasting; my partner was panicked and I called over 10 times. Plenty more examples of utter incompetence in service delivery.

 

This while I pay for the TC to read article after article of self-congratulatory BS from council and staff?  (They did another study and, it turns out, "they're doing great!")

[Nparker]

So much winning.

The B.C. government has rejected two measures that municipalities pitched with the goal of reducing vehicle speeds in residential areas, around parks and in school zones...One resolution, put forward by the City of Vancouver and supported by Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps, asked the government to consider amending the Motor Vehicle Act to allow municipalities and regional districts to institute blanket speed zones in residential areas...Helps...launched her 2018 re-election bid by promising to seek a default 30 km/h speed limit on all low-traffic neighbourhood streets...

https://www.timescol...ties-1.24082072

Edited by Nparker, 23 February 2020 - 08:23 AM.

[Bernard]

And term limits. No more than 2 consecutive terms for any elected position.

In Canada there has been no history of having term limits and it is questionable if this could be legally done at all.

 

Every municipality, other than Vancouver, has the option to change to wards if they would like to.  All it takes is a motion from the council to make it happen.   Only a few municipalities have gone to wards.  I think this is because current councilors were elected under the current model, it worked for them so why change it?

[spanky123]

Up on deck this week at the COTW meeting is a proposal to introduce discrimination into the City's procurement policies.

 

https://pub-victoria...ocumentId=50426

 

Although the claim is that barriers are being removed, the staff recommendation is to award "points" to organizations when evaluating proposals for up to $4M in City procurement.

 

https://pub-victoria...ocumentId=50425

 

So does this mean that employers now have to start keeping an inventory of staff sexual orientation, religion, gender and immigration status in order to be awarded City contracts?

[Nparker]

Discrimination in the guise of removing barriers. Classic. 

[rmpeers]

Wouldn't a good approach be just to pick the best, most qualified people and then make sure nobody good is being overlooked due to the criteria?

Also, is there currently a specific issue with city hall's hiring practices? If not, then this doesn't seem like a great use of time for a local government that can barely manage the basic local government functions.

A cheaper approach would be to outfit the mayor and council with tshirts that say "I am definitely not prejudiced against anyone. Not me."

[Awaiting Juno]

Wouldn't a good approach be just to pick the best, most qualified people and then make sure nobody good is being overlooked due to the criteria?

Also, is there currently a specific issue with city hall's hiring practices? If not, then this doesn't seem like a great use of time for a local government that can barely manage the basic local government functions.

A cheaper approach would be to outfit the mayor and council with tshirts that say "I am definitely not prejudiced against anyone. Not me."

 

If the choice is between two equally qualified candidates and one is a historically disadvantaged group, I'm okay with a tie-breaker.  I'm not okay with this being used as an excuse to hire someone who is not qualified for the job and is not the best candidate for the roll.  It actually enables people to hire their friends so long as their friends fall into the target group.

[Stephen James]

This is your opinion. One not shared by a lot of people

really?  based on what do you say that?  Isitt's election numbers?  his ability to make noise?

[Stephen James]

A lot of his supporters don’t actually know what he stands for, and I mean really stands for.

But he takes the time to respond to constituents who message council and he’ll send them an occasional email, whether they signed up for them or not.

That tactic works. People love being heard and he takes the time to show them that he’s reading their emails.

Come election time he gets the votes because he puts in the time.

This, btw, was Rob Ford's secret weapon - well understood by everyone at the time.  Ford couldn't keep up with the work because he was returning every call, every email and every text, as he thought he should and because it got him elected.  Drugs didn't help.

 

Ben Isitt, Rob Ford, Donald Trump (Donald Trump, Doug Ford, J Kenney, Erdogan... and so on) all understand that the easiest way to get and keep votes is:  1) pick a controversy and can claim higher ground than your elected peers  2) create a moral/values argument - doesnt need to be real  3) align it with popular grievance  4) get noticed as much as possible.  

 

"Tear it all down" is the easy, intellectually bankrupt, intellectually lazy (dead from the neck up), narcissists cry.  He's an infant.