2544 replies to this topic

[Rob Randall]

The Local's been around for over ten years. St. Stephen slayed the Wharfside dragon circa 2012.

[Awaiting Juno]

Victoria Buzz has been very pro-camper - just look at Brishti Basu's tweets.  There's simply no sympathy for conventional residents and there's far too much compassion towards those who are "unhoused", it's really a coddling.  I've come to the conclusion that most of the people who have the softest stances really have no firsthand experiences of either living in poverty or having an addicted loved one/family member.  That they really do not understand the cruelty of enabling dysfunction or that they see the problem as simply being one of a lack of affordability or housing.  They do not see how a person prioritizes their drug use ahead of any or all other needs (including the need to pay rent or buy food).  They do not see how a person refuses to make accommodations to live with others. All they see is some poor person in an awful state - and rather than think "how can this person be 'helped'" the thought is, lets just give them what they're asking for without any conditions attached.  Note - some are simply in need of a temporary hand up (ie. transitional housing with job search and housing search), but far more need much more (residential drug and addictions treatment) and are actually harmed by the approach that is being taken.

[Nparker]

...lets just give them what they're asking for without any conditions attached...

This is where the current system utterly fails. There are no expectations or responsibilities on the part of those getting taxpayer-funded help.

[Stephen Andrew]

^Of course he's a supporter, Andrew put the final nail in the coffin of the career of the fellow directly across Wharf Street, a restaurateur who had been terrorizing Victorians for over 30 years.

So that is absolute nonsense.

Jeremy and I have known each other for years. We have great arguments about the city. We obviously agree more than don’t.

Jeremy loves this city and his client base is built on repeat business, engaging with the community and doing good in the community - especially with sports teams.

He also as some of my husband’s original artworks.

As to Wharfside ~ I suspect it was a rebrand, not out of business.

I never intended to put anyone “out of business”. This was a case of an operator not paying their employees, cheating them and threatening them when they tried to collect.

I had a visceral reaction to this behaviour and set my mind to right this wrong on young people who needed their paycheque.

In my Victoria - my world you do not go around and do this people. You treat them with respect and decency.

We got them their money and for years after people came up to us ans thanked us. Parents sought me out to thank us for our diligence.

It is times such as this you realize you CAN do good. You CAN make a difference. You CAN make someone’s life a little better.

I’m in that same situation now. I’m tenacious. I want to help. I’m not doing this run at council to bring about accolades, I’m doing it for all the people who are ignored and need their voice heard and hopefully I can be a champion for them too.

You do this work for public service, not to further a career in activism or plan to move to Ottawa as an MP.

There’s my rant. Well, it’s more of a definite wish for my legacy as a political leader.

Thank you for reading.

[Mike K.]

At this juncture I think we need to start tabulating who Victoria councillors are involved with. It was a historic moment to watch three councillors recuse themselves due to conflicts, one of whom recused himself then defied his responsibility towards the electorate by returning to the discussion, and a fourth who it was not clear did or did not have a possible conflict.

Again, what happened on Thursday was unprecedented, and the degree to which elected officials are involved with taxpayer dependent social services in Victoria should not be presented to voters solely at a council table when they announce a conflict, it should be clearly disclosed.

[Stephen Andrew]

The Local's been around for over ten years. St. Stephen slayed the Wharfside dragon circa 2012.

2013

[Nparker]

... I’m not doing this run at council to bring about accolades, I’m doing it for all the people who are ignored and need their voice heard and hopefully I can be a champion for them too...

Someone needs to be that champion since they seem to be missing or very silent at the current council table. I wish you the best of luck Stephen.

[On the Level]

I am wondering if a number of the councilors got themselves into a conflict of interest position without knowing it, and it was only recently that there was some sort of conversation to let them know that they were exposed.  What happens now with the rest of the millions?    

[Nparker]

I would guess like Comrade Ben, several of the councilors don't care about being in a conflict of interest. They know their dogmatic followers will still support them.

[Mike K.]

Loveday’s partner works at one of the bidders for the contract, Isitt is a director of another, and Dubow lives with someone who is affiliated with a bidder, too.

Potts decided she does not need to recuse herself but whether or not that’s necessary will be established shortly, now that council has made it clear how far their involvement goes with taxpayer funded organizations.

[Mike K.]

Quite honestly, generally speaking, I don’t see an issue here, other than Isitt returning to the table. That was a bad decision and he knows better.

We can’t fault people for pursuing employment or living with someone who is affiliated with a bidder. But when you’re a director of a bidder, and you defy your conflict of interest we have a serious matter and I expect the City of Victoria to look into this.

[rmpeers]

At this juncture I think we need to start tabulating who Victoria councillors are involved with. It was a historic moment to watch three councillors recuse themselves due to conflicts, one of whom recused himself then defied his responsibility towards the electorate by returning to the discussion, and a fourth who it was not clear did or did not have a possible conflict.

Again, what happened on Thursday was unprecedented, and the degree to which elected officials are involved with taxpayer dependent social services in Victoria should not be presented to voters solely at a council table when they announce a conflict, it should be clearly disclosed.

Indeed. If a candidate were to promise to rid the streets of all drugs immediately, we should have the right to ask, "so you'll genuinely try to do that, even though your spouse owns a needle exchange? You sure that wouldn't disincentivize you from getting all drugs off the streets?"

[Stephen James]

Victoria Buzz has been very pro-camper - just look at Brishti Basu's tweets.  There's simply no sympathy for conventional residents and there's far too much compassion towards those who are "unhoused", it's really a coddling.  I've come to the conclusion that most of the people who have the softest stances really have no firsthand experiences of either living in poverty or having an addicted loved one/family member.  That they really do not understand the cruelty of enabling dysfunction or that they see the problem as simply being one of a lack of affordability or housing.  They do not see how a person prioritizes their drug use ahead of any or all other needs (including the need to pay rent or buy food).  They do not see how a person refuses to make accommodations to live with others. All they see is some poor person in an awful state - and rather than think "how can this person be 'helped'" the thought is, lets just give them what they're asking for without any conditions attached.  Note - some are simply in need of a temporary hand up (ie. transitional housing with job search and housing search), but far more need much more (residential drug and addictions treatment) and are actually harmed by the approach that is being taken.

I struggle to accept that CTV, CBC, The T. C. are the same profession as victoria buzz or rebel news.

 

My understanding of the professional ethics of journalism includes concepts like "balanced reporting", "primary sources", "confirmation", all in service of the elusive truth. These things are about good governance; and these ideas acknowledge the effort it takes to be objective. 

 

I don't know what to call something like victoria buzz, or what brishti does... but I think it's related to why we are more polarized, more hateful, less patient, more likely to "other" people, and abandoning some of the social norms that preserve discourse.

[rmpeers]

Someone in Twitter pointed out that Hardman was promoting herself at Moss St Market a few works earlier and apparently the market had no issue with that. So definitely a political hatchet job by the market. Not that anyone takes Victoria Buzz seriously anyway but still an embarrassment for the market. Do they get grants from the City or something?

[Stephen James]

At this juncture I think we need to start tabulating who Victoria councillors are involved with. It was a historic moment to watch three councillors recuse themselves due to conflicts, one of whom recused himself then defied his responsibility towards the electorate by returning to the discussion, and a fourth who it was not clear did or did not have a possible conflict.

Again, what happened on Thursday was unprecedented, and the degree to which elected officials are involved with taxpayer dependent social services in Victoria should not be presented to voters solely at a council table when they announce a conflict, it should be clearly disclosed.

 

^ It's really important to think about this and not let it fade.

What followed might have been even worse, procedurally:  

 

1) Counsellors own related parties couldn't get their applications in on time for the deadline.

2) Counsellors voted to change the rules, apparently after the fact.  

3) It appears that the same parties, related to the recused, were benefitting (greatly) from changing the rules.

 

How can this process be fair to those that did get their bids in on time (not TV's friends?), especially given their bids are public?

 

What is this? What do we call it?  a bit stunned by it all

[A Girl is No one]

The extent of their boldness in corruption keeps surprising me... how on earth do they keep getting away with it? I know... TC, CBC, CTV, CHEK etc let them...

[marks_28]

Someone in Twitter pointed out that Hardman was promoting herself at Moss St Market a few works earlier and apparently the market had no issue with that. So definitely a political hatchet job by the market. Not that anyone takes Victoria Buzz seriously anyway but still an embarrassment for the market. Do they get grants from the City or something?

Getting a little off topic here, but Victoria Buzz does have some merit. Brishti Basu has probably been the best local online source for Covid updates the past few months. On par with Justin McElroy of CBC.

[rjag]

So interesting that the local union council is endorsing TV...

 

I'm sure its because they think she's the best candidate for the job and has absolutely nothing to do with controlling the labour negotiations around the table

 

https://www.timescol...ining-1.2282051 I'm sure its got nothing to do with the old legal saying "Cui bono"

[Mike K.]

Someone in Twitter pointed out that Hardman was promoting herself at Moss St Market a few works earlier and apparently the market had no issue with that. So definitely a political hatchet job by the market. Not that anyone takes Victoria Buzz seriously anyway but still an embarrassment for the market. Do they get grants from the City or something?

The Victoria Buzz piece appeared days ago, but Andrew was at the market weeks ago, right around the same time Hardman was at the market.

Why the article appeared weeks later is anybody’s guess.

[Stephen James]

Getting a little off topic here, but Victoria Buzz does have some merit. Brishti Basu has probably been the best local online source for Covid updates the past few months. On par with Justin McElroy of CBC.

That doesn't change anything for me - she has to publish some stuff to maintain a veneer, and that's no different than rebel news as well.

 

Besides, she's just pulling that stuff from the same place someone here is/was doing, so 0 effort. You can't be 1/2 a reporter, to me, because you can't be 1/2 truthful or 1/2 pregnant or have 1/2 credibility... non-sensical.  

 

What she and rebel news do destroys the value of real reporting by deliberately greying the area, and borrowing credibility from an otherwise honourable profession to advance an agenda. Very Orwell because the damage is against truth, discourse. Not sure what offenses would be much morally worse...