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Michael Geller, New Blood for NPA
Vancouver's reigning party stumbled, says developer who seeks one of its council slots.
Geller: 'Would have done differently' Southeast False Creek. Photo by Monte Paulsen.
"When I told people that I was thinking of running for Vancouver City Council, invariably their first question was, 'With which party?'" boasted Non-Partisan Association candidate Michael Geller. "I want to flaunt that. Because I like to think that while I'm running with the NPA, the values that I bring could fit with all of the parties, including COPE."
Geller, an architect and developer, is one of just two political newcomers on the NPA's slowly emerging council slate. The other is former banker David Lee, who is expected to join the race within days. Geller and Lee will be touted as new blood within Vancouver's oldest political party, and as proof-of-life for the city's fractured centre-right.
But in a wide-ranging interview with The Tyee, Geller painted himself less as a saviour of the NPA than as a lowercase non-partisan who doesn't agree with everything his party has done, and wants to help all sides figure out how to fix the city's affordable housing crisis.
"In hindsight, I think my children probably would have been happier if I'd run with Vision Vancouver. My wife even commented that I might have a better chance of winning if I was with Vision," he chuckled.
"But, just to show that I'm not a complete idiot, I am a candidate for city council under the NPA banner. I would ask you, if I were trying to get nominated under the Vision banner -- given all those other candidates -- do you think I'd get a slot?" Geller asked. "So maybe I wasn't so stupid."
'I wanted to put up buildings'
Michael Geller, now 60, is that rare individual who seems to have known what he wanted to do since he was a boy growing up along Bathurst Street in North Toronto.
"I wanted to put up buildings," he said. "When I was very little, I got something called Bayko. It was a children's toy, sort of like Lego, and you made little houses. I think it influenced my life."
He studied architecture at the University of Toronto, and went to work for housing innovator Irving Grossman. "I was doing stacked townhouses at 21 years of age," he said. "I've always had an interest in multi-family housing."
Geller joined the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation in 1972, where he designed homes for seniors and people with disabilities. With the CMHC, he moved to Vancouver in 1974.
"My first assignment was to do a map of Granville Island." He went on to manage the development of social housing on the south shore of False Creek.
"It was a fabulous time," he said, "because that's when CHMC had money. We had co-op housing programs. Non-profit programs. There was more money, often, than there were projects to be funded."
Geller joined The Narod Group in 1981, and later started his own development firm. He has served as president of the Urban Development Institute, and has written extensively about architecture for The Vancouver Sun, among other activities.
Asked to name the developments of which he's most proud, he named the creation of three seniors-oriented housing projects on the west side (including one at Larch and 41st), the redevelopment of the Westin Bayshore in Coal Harbour and UniverCity, Simon Fraser University's planned community on Burnaby Mountain.
'Pangs of regret' drive desire for change
Noticeably absent from Geller's list of accomplishments is the development in which he and his family reside.
Deering Island is a private refuge just south of the Southlands, on which Geller helped develop 32 waterfront homes.
"This isn't on the list because it didn't turn out as well as it should have," he said.
Geller had hoped to create a more New Urbanist style community, with a narrow, tree-lined lane winding among a mix of town homes and traditional white waterfront residences.
But he said the city nixed the narrow road, the parks board killed the cherry trees, and Deering Island devolved into yet another monotonous row of suburban mini-mansions. Geller is particularly critical of the role played by former city councillor George Puil.
It was a bitter defeat for a man reputed to be a tough negotiator, and one who drives his Toyota Prius home every evening.
"Often, as I arrive, I feel little pangs of regret for what this could have been," he said.
Those pangs are part of why he is running for council. For the past three decades, he's watched how council decisions have literally reshaped the city, and he thinks council can do better. Specifically:
"The first thing is the Downtown Eastside. I would like to be on council when the tide changes in terms of things starting to get better rather than continuing to get worse," he said.
"Affordable housing is the second thing," he said. "I live in a 3,600-square-foot home. I'm lucky, and I know it. But my two adult children are also living here at the moment. I know from their experience what you get for $800 a month -- and they can't really afford $800 a month."
Third, he's concerned about what he sees as the city's faltering social fabric.
"Having taken a year off and travelled around the world... I came back and discovered that Vancouver wasn't quite as happy a place as it seemed to me when I left," he said. "I saw so much more life in European cities."
Having stood before Vancouver City Council so many times himself, Geller believes he could facilitate better outcomes -- and maybe settle a few old scores.
"One irony is that George Puil is now a development consultant, and one day may well come before me on council," he chuckled. "I intend to show him the same sense of fairness that he always showed me."
'A new aura to the NPA'
Many of Geller's long-time friends were less surprised to learn that he is running for council than they were to discover he is running within the Non-Partisan Association.
"The simple answer is that the NPA approached me," Geller said. He credited Jost Bakker, a fellow architect and former chair of the party's nomination committee, for making the pitch.
"At that point, the party was split between Sam and Peter, genuinely split. Some directors were for Sam, some for Peter. And given my personal interests, it didn't really matter to me whether the next mayoral nominee would be Sam or Peter. I could see pros and cons to both. I didn't know either of them really well," Geller said.
He's since come to know NPA mayoral nominee Peter Ladner and his NPA running mates much better.
"I think Ladner is a remarkable guy. And I can't understand why he isn't more popular, because he has all the qualities I would love to have," he said. "Suzanne Anton and Kim Capri both strike me as reasonable, caring, thoughtful people. I am quite proud to be running with them."
Geller is advising his supporters to make up their own minds.
NPA from a Jewish perspective
"I would like to see the best people win," he said. "I don't know all the candidates yet. But I've already gone on record as saying I will be voting for some people who are not in my party if I think they are better. And I think everybody should do that. They should vote for the best people."
And he seems to enjoy confronting people -- including some within his own family -- who would have preferred he run within Vision.
"When a friend of mine who is associated with Vision heard that I might be running with the NPA, she asked, 'How can you run for the NPA? The party is not sympathetic to the Jews. The NPA once had a major fundraiser on the holiest night of the year. They had their annual general meeting on the first night of Passover,'" Geller recalled.
"I told her, 'Yes, that's true. But if I'm elected, they'll never do that again.'"
He believes that in the wake of the Sullivan era, Vancouver's oldest political party is changing.
"There's potentially a new aura to the NPA," he said. "We really are quite a diverse lot. I am not an old Vancouver, Anglo-Saxon protestant blue blood. I'm a Jewish guy from North Toronto."
He added, puckishly, "Besides, I'm still more left than one of the Vision mayoralty candidates."
NPA 'wrong' at Southeast False Creek
The Tyee asked how Geller, who spent the first decade of his career developing social housing, could support a party that cut social housing at Southeast False Creek, and back-peddled from the city's commitment to build social housing in conjunction with the 2010 Winter Games.
"I can see certain policy issues that I think were wrong. I think in Southeast False Creek, that's one that I would have done differently," Geller said.
He added that the NPA-led council acted on advice of staff, which, in hindsight, significantly underestimated how much money the city land would fetch.
"I actually did feel that the party needed some more fiscal strength, when I looked at the list of candidates. But I feel we've now got that with the upcoming announcement of David Lee," he said.
"Southeast False Creek isn't finished," he added. "More importantly, there are a lot of other potential projects where more socially sustainable decisions can be made."
Sullivan no 'born leader'
Likewise, Geller was blunt when asked why the NPA-led council appears to have abdicated the development of new social housing to Housing Minister Rich Coleman.
"I think a lot of people did criticize Sullivan because he was not a born leader. I think he's a very clever guy, but not a born leader," Geller said.
"I think that the NPA, on some of these issues, has not done as well as other parties might have done," he added.
But, he added, "Many of the things that the NPA has stood for over the years are policies that I would basically support."
And he said Vancouver continues to be admired for its achievements toward social and environmental sustainability.
"I think you might be a little too harsh," he said. "Have you seen what's happening in Edmonton and Calgary and Winnipeg?"
Things the city can do
Geller is hardly alone in naming housing affordability as among Vancouver's most pressing problems. NPA, Vision and COPE candidates all cite the issue. And at some point, most candidates cite the withdrawal of federal and provincial funds as primary causes of the problem. Mayor Sullivan went so far as to make the lack of funding from senior governments a central theme of his term in office.
As a social housing developer in the 1970s, Geller has forgotten more details about former federal funding programs than most of his competitors will ever know. But what distinguishes Geller from the rest of the pack is that he is literally brimming with ideas he believes would lead to the creation of more affordable housing, and nearly all of his proposals could be implemented with or without new funding.
Ten of Geller's ideas are outlined below.
"The biggest thing has to do with the spirit of cooperation... No developer, non-profit, or government can do these things alone," he said.
"I like collaboration. I particularly like strange bedfellows. And I take pride in working with people who you wouldn't normally expect me to work with."
Geller's To Do List
During his Tyee interview, Michael Geller tossed out 10 ideas he says would create more affordable housing in Vancouver. They are:
- Reduce parking requirements. Overturn the existing formula to make current minimum parking requirements the new maximums.
"How can you build a 450-square foot, one-bedroom suite, and then have to pay $55,000 for the underground parking space?"
- Allow secondary suites in apartments and townhouses.
"This could increase the stock of rental accommodation. At UniverCity, second and third bedrooms have their own door to the corridor, and provisions for small kitchens, so they can be rented out as mortgage helpers."
- Encourage back lane housing, mews and other 'infill units.'
"This won't work everywhere, but needs to be encouraged as an affordable solution. We also need to rethink what a laneway can look like."
- Fee-simple row houses.
"Why should young families and other homeowners who can least afford it be forced by a condo association into paying someone else to cut their tiny plot of grass?"
- Encourage alternative forms of family housing. Semi-detached homes, triplexes and four-plexes can be build alongside single-family houses.
"It would have been so easy on Deering Island to allow some of the lots to have had semi-detached units. But the zoning blocked it."
- Facilitate light-weight steel construction as an alternative to concrete for mid-rise buildings.
"An affordable alternative between wood-frame and concrete construction."
- Shrink the lot size. Allow corner lots to be redeveloped into two single-family lots.
"You can do a very nice detached housed on a 25-foot lot. For those neighbourhoods stubbornly determined to fight townhouses, at least let's get smaller single-family houses."
- Lease city land at graduated payment rates to organizations developing affordable housing.
"If you can reduce the land component by not paying for it up front, you can begin to help reduce the cost of developing new housing."
- Encourage creative partnerships between the private, non-profit and public sectors.
"There are a lot of churches and other organizations that have parking lots or other land on which they could build a project that might provide both housing and space for community amenities."
- Speed up the approval process. Zone for more flexible development.
"Buyers wind up paying the carrying costs of unused land. Who do you think reimburses a developer who pays interest on a site for two or more years before he can even begin construction?"
Related Tyee stories:
- Ladner Seizes NPA Crown
After 15 years on council, Mayor Sullivan turns out fewer than a thousand supporters. - Dhaliwal's Bid for Vision Slot Marks Political Shift
Indo-Canadian wants 'to bridge communities' in Vancouver. - It's Gregor Robertson's Vision
He leads fired up party into Vancouver civic race. Can he mend COPE rift?
![[Tyee]](http://thetyee.cachefly.net/ui/img/ico_fishie.png){kind=small}
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Frank
3 years ago
The winds are a-changing?
A developer and a banker joining the NPA doesn't sound like change but the guy seems to be trying to distance himself from being called a right-winger.
davidex
3 years ago
Clueless
Mygod... where to begin?
This is just what we need... another developer on council - a kinder, gentler developer, like a kinder, gentler cobra. I have to hand it to Michael Geller, at least we know where he stands on the issues:
A developer develops, so his answer is to just make the lots smaller and push more people into the tinier spaces. Free up land that is beside churches and other places that might just have it as buffer space, and develop, develop. Think of the opportunities! If it all screws up, well I guess we just have more Deering Islands and less heritage buildings, community spaces and artisan shops. I'm glad to hear that he's forced to live on Deering Island and must look at the outcome of a development gone wrong...oops - pesky thing, how realpolitik makes a mockery of a developer's plan.
He finds Susan Anton and Kim Capri reasonable and caring... 'nuff said. They, and all of the NPA team have been soooo effective and caring in dealing with the Downtown East Side problems, SouthEast False Creek and community facility cutbacks, who couldn't find them warm and fuzzy.
I don't get his comment about Edmonton, Calgary and Winnipeg. Yes, I've seen what's happening in Edmonton (ex-pat that I am) and I see an inexpensive LRT system crisscrossing the city, along with a bus system that effectively transports people exactly where they need to go, middle-class, reasonably priced housing from the centre of town out to the 'burbs and excellent roadways for bikes. There's great opportunities for the Arts and artisans/craftspeople to flourish because performance and workshop space is affordable and available and boy can they plow streets in a snowstorm!! Sure, there's a downtrodden part of town, but nothing on a World-Class scale like the Downtown Eastside here. Is it perfect, no, but it's not the polarized mess that this city has turned into.
Michael Geller needs to take a step back and stop seeing the world through an ex-Toronto, Vancouver developer's eyes before I'd support his Council bid.
Sheeeesh.
PS: I do applaud his positions on Passover and the Anglo-Saxons and George Puil.
ARCCA Chair
3 years ago
Michael Geller
I found your article on Michael Geller interesting for what it did not say. Michael Geller was the long-time agent for LARCO Developments Ltd., one of the first beneficiaries of the City's new "EcoDensity" policy.
I invite your readers to go to our website at arcca.info to see for themselves what Mr. Geller really means when he praises EcoDensity - i.e., massive 6-8 storey buildings with 550-650 condos, taking away the amenities from the seniors retirement community of Arbutus Village which was developed just over 30 years ago, and encroaching on nearby seniors condos, removing their views, sunlight and privacy.
Budd Campbell
3 years ago
DENSITY IMPACTS
ARCCA Chair
I invite your readers to go to our website at arcca.info to see for themselves what Mr. Geller really means when he praises EcoDensity - i.e., massive 6-8 storey buildings with 550-650 condos, taking away the amenities from the seniors retirement community of Arbutus Village which was developed just over 30 years ago, and encroaching on nearby seniors condos, removing their views, sunlight and privacy.
I don't know the details of this proposed project, but I do personally think that every apartment property in BC that is presently zoned for 4-storey heights should be forcibly up-zoned by provincial legislation to a 6 to 8 storey height in order to reduce the market price of apartments. It would also lead to more permanent concrete construction, albeit at a somewhat higher cost per square foot, but with a long term savings over the extended life of the structure.
If there needs to be some method of preventing undue shadowing of neighboring properties, remember that eight stories is really just tree top height for mature trees.
Geller annoys me with his stupid advocacy of reduced parking requirements, a silly proposal put forward by "SmartGrowthBC", which in reality is nothing more than an arm of the real estate industry. They fund it, and they get a damn good return on their money. The notion that the reduced costs would be passed on to buyers is a bit problematic, but even if it were, the ridiculous notion that apartment owners don't own cars, or won't own cars if there's no stall for them, is one of the most utterly insincere bits of greenwashed BS around. In fact it's so bad, I expect to see it on Stephen Rees's and Gordon Price's blogs!
Luke Skywalker
3 years ago
Geller...
My wife even commented that I might have a better chance of winning if I was with Vision," he chuckled.
Many of Geller's long-time friends were less surprised to learn that he is running for council than they were to discover he is running within the Non-Partisan Association.
I've already gone on record as saying I will be voting for some people who are not in my party if I think they are better.
"Besides, I'm still more left than one of the Vision mayoralty candidates [Al De Genova]."
Yeah, Geller straddles the political centre and has already endorsed Vision Vancouver's Heather Deal.
He certainly would fit into either the NPA or Vision Vancouver as a candidate.
That's certainly alot of experience that could be brought forward on council in terms of the social housing and housing affordability problems plaguing Vancouver.
With another million more people in the region over the next few decades, and minimal land left to populate, it's all about creating sustainable density nodes and growing upwards, not outwards.
"I like collaboration. I particularly like strange bedfellows. And I take pride in working with people who you wouldn't normally expect me to work with."
And that's how things usually get done in the real world.
Right now I see at least 5 incumbents retaining their council seats:
Anton - NPA
Capri - NPA
Louie - VV
Stevenson - VV
Cadman - COPE
Of the remaining ~5 seats, I see Geller (NPA) and Andrea Reimer (VV) snagging two of 'em.
Grumpy
3 years ago
Geller - Shmeller .........
......... what we have is just another property pimp running for the NPA. Densification and unlivability go hand in hand. But property pimps care nothing for that, nope nada. Developers great god is profit, by up-zoning residential property, tearing down houses and building leaky cramped condos.
Vancouver was once a city of envy, now it has become an over built disgrace, a place to avoid. The downtown core is dismal and RAV/Canada Line will become filled with density 'refugee's fleeing a drugged out city, with little or no future. The East-side is Vancouver's future, rejoice for this is the NPA legacy.
And Mr. Geller, just another developer who knows better - not!
ARCCA Chair
3 years ago
Budd Campbell
Perhaps I should have been more specific.
The property in question is the only major commercial property in the areas of Arbutus Ridge and Shaughnessy, servicing an area of approximately 4 square miles. All of the surrounding area is residential, including approximately 2000 other households within 550 metres of this property (apartments, condos, townhouses, senior's residences, assisted living facility, extended care facility, etc.).
The Arbutus bus line which serves the property is inadequate for the existing population - the bus drivers themselves call it "the never-never line" since its renowned for its unreliability.
Redeveloping this amenity and commercial property into a massive condo complex will mean that all the residents in the area and the surrounding areas will have to drive to other areas to work, shop, do their community activities, etc., since there will be nothing for them in their own community, the area is surrounded by steep hills and the transit is inadequate. So much for walkable communities (especially for the elderly who've lived in this area all their lives).
Furthermore, this commercial shopping centre was one of the few in Vancouver built to be accessible by seniors and others with varying disabilities. So now all these people will have to travel elsewhere to do their shopping (probably Oakridge until its gone, and then Richmond), since there's no other place suitably accessible on the west side of Vancouver. This will put quite a burden on the public health system, since the provincial government will have to pay for and provide assistance for all these people in order for them to do their daily activities. So much for an inclusive society. Let's just ship out all the old people and the disabled and make them someone else's problem.
If you take the time to look at our website at ARCCA.INFO you'll perhaps understand that this development is just Density but without any "Eco" - which is obviously what EcoDensity was really all about. Despite the spin from our politicians, it was not about laneway houses, walkable communities, increased amenities, sustainability or affordable housing. The condos on this property will likely go for a minimum of $500,000 for a bachelor or small one bedroom (without parking).
EcoDensity was about giving City Council the ability to benefit developers by imposing whatever development they want where ever they want, without taking into account the negative consequences of their decisions. This is hardly a recipe for sustainability or for livable communities - especially when it means tearing down brick and steel 30 year old buildings in order to replace them with more potentially leaky condos to benefit a few at the expense of the entire community.
If you want to believe the EcoDensity spin that's your prerogative, but our experience has taught us otherwise.
Luke Skywalker
3 years ago
ACCRA...
Arbutus Ridge Shopping Centre lies on a 7-acre site. I'm quite familiar with it.
It currently comprises 110,819 square feet of commercial floor space.
The proposal includes expansion upto 130,000 sq. ft. of commercial/ office space.
And from ARKS community vision approved by council in 2005:
http://www.city.vancouver.bc.ca/commsvcs/planning/cityplan/Visions/arks/pdf/neighcentres.pdf
Same thing is contemplated for the Oakridge Mall and the Semihamoo Mall in White Rock/South Surrey, among others, with even greater density.
ARCCA Chair
3 years ago
Luke Skywalker
I suggest you read the ARKS Arbutus Centre Subcommitee report posted in the Issues Section of our website, ARCCA.info, which clearly indicates how this proposed development is inconsistent with the ARKS Vision. This report was produced with the consensus of a group of more than 20 residents from throughout the Vision area.
Of course, EcoDensity overrode most of the ARKS Vision, except for one of the Vision Directions (19.1) which supported a new neighbourhood centre WITHOUT HOUSING. But of course, the planning department said that this meant they could impose whatever kind of density and form of housing they wanted, since it wasn't specified in this Vision Direction.
69% of those who attended the "public consultation" said that the proposal contained "significantly too much residential"; another 15% said there was "slightly too much residential". So with less than 16% support of the community, this proposal was adopted. Who said we don't live in Beijing.
I guess 7 acres of property (out of 4 square miles) s just too much space to devote to the needs of the thousands of seniors and disabled persons who actually live in the area. As Peter Ladner said, they don't need a public community centre because they have the Arbutus Club ($40,000 to join). And they don't need more commercial space than they had in 1974 - even though the number of housing units in the area has doubled and already gone up 40% in the last ten years, without any new commercial shops or amenities. And they can wait for the Streetcar to run on the old interurban line (1 km uphill) if they want more public transit.
No, housing and cars - that's all this development would bring - more traffic, congestion and greenhouse gases into an already underserviced and congested area. And, of course, a huge profit for Mr. Geller's now former client.
dorothy
3 years ago
Density indeed...
"If there needs to be some method of preventing undue shadowing of neighboring properties, remember that eight stories is really just tree top height for mature trees."
You CAN'T be serious! Trees are not massively dense, they do let some light through, and during the darkest time of the year, they go skeletal and practically all the light is allowed through. Replace a tree with a concrete block of the same height and four or five times as wide, and life in your yard will, er, change, like, to a shadowy swamp instead of a place of light and life.
Unmitigated greed is king to some; at least show those of us who are not his subjects the respect of ditching the silly euphemisms and outright lies.
Budd Campbell
3 years ago
USE YOUR HEAD
dorothy
You CAN'T be serious! Trees are not massively dense, ...
Unmitigated greed is king to some;...
Unmitigated greed got us into this. People with single family homes wanted their prices to rise as far and as fast as possible, to maximize their non-taxable capital gain in their principal residence. So they have opposed density increases at every opportunity in order to restrict residential supply and jack up prices.
An eight storey building is about the same height as a mature tree. So the streetscape will still have a residential feel to it if there are landscape setbacks, and people in those apartments will be looking out directly at some kind of greenery.
A agree a solid, block wide building would shadow homes nearby, and that does have to be dealt with. However, I would be absolutely opposed to remedies that involve inefficient, smaller floorplates as recommended by men like Price who want apartment towers limited to less than 10,000 sf per floor.
Budd Campbell
3 years ago
ARCCA CHAIR - THANKS
Thanks for explaining the situation. I have to say I am surprised anyone would recommend removing that shopping centre altogether. I assumed from the first post that there would be structures built over top.
dorothy
3 years ago
Not on the same planet...
"they have opposed density increases at every opportunity in order to restrict residential supply and jack up prices."
How about they just want a humane place to live, not a storage box crammed in among others such? Can you not get through your head, that some people think that monetary gains can be had too dearly? It's about quality, not quantity, as if we had reason to worry about keeping up the numbers in the situation of mankind!
eight storey buildings and residential feel, well, that would depend on how one defines residential. What are the other categories in your book, i.e. as opposed to what? How tall and how dense would you have to go, before you would consider that you were looking at mink-cages instead of 'residences'?
Budd Campbell
3 years ago
I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT
dorothy
... Can you not get through your head, that some people think that monetary gains can be had too dearly? It's about quality, not quantity, as if we had reason to worry about keeping up the numbers in the situation of mankind! ...
...How tall and how dense would you have to go, before you would consider that you were looking at mink-cages instead of 'residences'?
I have no idea what you're talking about. Neither do you.
zalm
3 years ago
Gee Budd...
Maybe you can show me where any neighbourhood in the city ...ANY neighbourhood... has successfully restricted rezoning for density. You can't, because they've all lost, and in short order too. There has been no restriction on residential supply due to residents of single-family housing, and they have not driven prices higher either. What HAS driven prices higher is the willingness of people to pay more - to put their wives to work and now their extended families too.
Former Wall-Street economist Michael Hudson addresses this quite well in this interview on Counterpunch today http://www.counterpunch.org/whitney08292008.html as well as in articles on his website at www.michael-hudson.com
It's probably the most stupid thing we could have done, to turn our houses into our investments and nest eggs, but to refuse to have done so would virtually guarantee the enduring poverty of at least our children, if not ourselves. We need a new financial model, preferably one with more control over the fiat money supply so that it bears some relationship to actual value created, instead of the limitless promise of debt financing.
Can't disagree with the unmitigated greed, though...
zalm
3 years ago
Plus ça change, plus ça même chose
Geller's a perfect fit for the NPA - same old tired solutions as Tom Terrific gave us in the 1960s, updated with the new buzzwords for the new millennium. Look at his to-do list.
Top of his list - do away with parking requirements without even a word about improving transit in the city so that people don't need cars. Gawd, my neighbourhood has been under siege all the fifteen years I've lived here by people endlessly circling looking for parking, whether it be neighbours who have no parking in their post-war-era apartments, city hall employees looking for free parking, VGH employees looking for ANY parking at all, or shoppers in the district. Traffic counts on my [snicker] "residential" street have gone from 850 to 1900 per day despite traffic measures. I have traffic jams, folks.
Strike one.
Number two: secondary suites in apartments, complete with mini-kitchens. Can you say slum? Especially with no absentee landlord controls? Increase the number of dwellings, increase the water/sewer/hydro/fire-protection demand, but don't notify the city or anyone else? Aren't we stretched thin enough on our utilities and services already? But, oh no, the developer's solution is to build more units without paying one thin dime for the infrastructure upgrade required to support it.
Strike two.
Number six: facilitate steel construction? When your builders are largely high school dropouts? I think not - it took everything the city (and the province) had to create a building code simple enough for them to follow that only specified wood. How can you create a parallel code (at least Part 4 and Part 9 anyway) to specify steel when there aren't any standard dimensions for lightweight steel construction? Every billet custom-ordered to the structural engineers specs?
Strike three. And most of his other suggestions are just as idiotic and selfish, if anybody's interested in more ranting from me.
Geller's an idiot, despite his work on social housing, if he thinks his proposals will truly benefit anyone in the city except a few bureaucrats and bankers and even fewer developers. Our city is stretched too thinly in many areas already to be adding more people at the rate we have been in the past few years.
But that's the fault of successive federal and provincial governments, who have reduced the number and quality of opportunities for people and businesses to maintain jobs and quality of life outside the city. What with log exports and hospital shutdowns, not to mention inconsistent taxation and improper accounting practices, it's been very hard to make an honest living anywhere in this province except the big city. And that's not something Geller would have any hope of changing if he got on council.
If he even thought of such a thing. Which it appears he's incapable of so doing.
dorothy
3 years ago
Dead end, eh?
"I have no idea what you're talking about. Neither do you"
Where again did you get your degree in Psychiatry? Of course I have an idea what I'm talking about - doesn't everyone?
I am talking about your complete failure to imagine that some "people with single family homes" care about the quality of their environment over the persnickety capital gains concerns, the rules of which might easily change any number of times, before they get to cash in, as we live in a changeable world.
I am talking about some of us having understood that 'gold makes men mad', and therefore the acqusition of that commodity - and its potential for madness -should not be one of the guiding principles of our lives.
Do you follow me now? If not, I'll leave you alone. I don't kick people who are lying down...
Luke Skywalker
3 years ago
Geller and Lee...
Lee jumped on board the NPA's band wagon on Wednesday. Politics should makes strange bed fellows:
(Lee was then just retired from working with HSBC in Toronto, four years after being transferred there, in 2000, from Vancouver.)
G West
3 years ago
Hey Luke
Have you heard from Al Bundy lately?
Frank
3 years ago
Emerson
David Emerson switched from the Cons to the Libs. I guess that makes Emerson and Olivia Chow the same.
Frank
3 years ago
Clement
I think its great we have a right-wing health minister more interested in American politics than people dying in Canada from bad meat.
SharingIsGood
3 years ago
bundy - GWest
Yep, I read that AlBundy/Campbell cheerleader in the CBC news. I recognised the same can of soup with a different label. I wonder...how many pseudonyms...?
Albundy wouldn't dare touch it here, would he? Not after his unending tiresome poll-quoting. I wonder what colour Andy Warhol would paint that AlBundy can?
ME2
3 years ago
Vancouver's future?
Slowly but surely Vancouver is morphing into one of those barren residential complexes we have come to associate with those Russian communities which were designed to accomodate as many people on as little square footage as possible, as cheaply as possible.
Who will remember?
realisticman
3 years ago
Wind Powered Buildings
This is what Vancouver really needs, beautiful buildings that harness the power of nature.
http://aavaas.com/2008/08/07/rotating-tower-pdf-document/
Download the PDF.
Stump
3 years ago
bedfellow
Like centre-rightists who belong to unions Luke?
The things some people will do to get ahead eh?
realisticman
3 years ago
Choices
Fact: Vancouver is a popular place to live.
Fact: Vancouver is attracting people and they are coming.
Fact: The people that come to Vancouver will live somewhere.
Fact: There is no mechanism whereby people can be stopped from coming to live in Vancouver.
Fact: As long as density in the city of Vancouver is restricted people will either; live in suburban residential 'sprawl' that will be continue to be built, or, they will live in the central city in increasingly crowded spaces.
Fact: As long as the density of Vancouver is restricted the value of the low-rise houses will climb, as long as more people continue to arrive.
Luke Skywalker
3 years ago
Ohhhh Geeee West... and SIG....
Huhhh???
Not able to make an intelligent commentary on the subject matter .... but go off on another silly moonbeam tangent...
So what else is new??? :)
Stump:
No kiddin'... or rather one step forward and two steps backward....
What was Lee thinkin' trying to bring up Layton's wife Olivia Chow asking him to run for Toronto city council a few years back?????
G West
3 years ago
Yeh Luke, what else IS new?
So it wasn't you posting the same tired old argument about polls as a comment on that CBC site?
Would you like me to post the offending paragraphs here for others to compare with your previous work?
Does the Bureau give you a list of aliases or are you allowed to choose your own?
Perfect illustration of stump's little principle about what people, even anonymous ones, will do to get ahead.
As for the subject at hand, why bother?
Zalm has handled it perfectly well, anything else would be redundant.
As for Dubai and beauty r'man, you must be joking. The place is a bad joke and a monument to upper-class idiocy, racism and wastefulness. Maybe they can use the extra power to freeze enough water for another interior ski-hill. I’m sure it provides lots of carpetbagger income for British Expats though.
Vancouver is bad enough now - the emirates are already too tied in to the local elites for my taste. So please, let's forget the globalization waltz - it has nearly ruined the world as it is.
Luke Skywalker
3 years ago
Oh Geeee West...
Give it up!!! lol
Let's see... there's gonna be two major civic parties in this November's Vancouver civic elections, namely the NPA and Vision Vancouver.
As for VV:
So what's the difference between the two parties in terms of voting records and continued development in the City of Vancouver??? NADA.
COPE might be your best bet!
G West
3 years ago
Okay then
I guess you won't mind if I do post that little gem from Al Bundy and we'll see if anyone else agrees with me about how much it sounds like you.
1. Only the FIRST BC public opinion poll that they have ever published;
2. They are "online" pollsters representing a new frontier in polling and the results can be dubvious at best;
3. Mustel, the gold standard of BC polling, also comments in this article about online surveys not being truly representativeof the public and the impossibility of determining a "margin of error";
4. Mustel and Ipsos have been providing quarterly BC political preference snapshots for 10 - 15 years; Not so ARS;
5. The last Mustel and Ipsos polls were released in late June with an average 12% Liberal lead. That lead has been stable for the past 2 years;
6. For a 15% swing in favour of the NDP to occur during the holiday summer months is inconceivable. Such a swing has never happened before in BC public opinion AFAIK. Not even when Gordo was arrested for his DUI or the raid on the legislature.
Let's wait for Ipsos and Mustel to publish their results again in the next few weeks. I betcha Angus is gonna have mud on his face.
Hopeforusall:
"The jobs created are leaving fast, BC has lost more jobs then created the last quarter and those jobs created are not family supporting ( they are part time service industry jobs "
I think that ya better do your homework before ya make such commentary. The latest Canada Labour Force Survey release from StatsCan tells a different story:
1. 4.4% unemployment rate - still a record 40 year low;
2. 63.8% employment rate - still a record high.
3. 19,000 FULL time jobs created in July in BC, while part time emplyment has been consistently dropping off.
http://www.statcan.ca/english/Subjects/Labour/LFS/lfs-en.htm
Certainly paints a more realistic picture.
Please note the diction, vocabulary and style, not to mention slang usage.
Over and out luke. How many other alias do you have?
Luke Skywalker
3 years ago
Yep... You're a Real Winner GWest!
Al Bundy would be a perrrrrfect pseudonym for you! Isn't he that idiot character from that TV show Married... With Children???? lol
realisticman
3 years ago
Trees or Forest
My Wind Powered building reference above, West, was about the building, not about the town it's in. Your comments about Dubai are like saying you hate Paris because you don't like the Montparnasse Tower.
G West
3 years ago
Luke
So you don't mind if we call you Al then. Since he is clearly your choice: Interesting that you aren’t so foolish as to deny the obvious connection. It does wonders for your credibility.
I'll just post the link for anyone else who cares to compare Al's style with Luke's - look down the comments thread for items authored by AL Bundy.
A small group of colleagues is looking around the blogosphere for more of your fine work under other pseudonyms. We'll keep Tyee readers posted.
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2008/08/27/bc-liberal-ndp-poll.html#articlecomments
Realisticman:
Hardly, that kind of excess could only be the product of an absurd and evil concatenation of money, dictatorial power, wage slavery and a complete lack of democratic sensibility.
If has nothing to do with Paris, as you well know, and everything to do with evil excess and opportunism and a disgusting family compact that dominates the Arabian Peninsula and the ‘servants’ who provide carpet-bagging services for them. There are no technical solutions coming – if we don’t change our behavior, we’re done.
Stump
3 years ago
Quote: The things some
No kiddin'... or rather one step forward and two steps backward....
What was Lee thinkin' trying to bring up Layton's wife Olivia Chow asking him to run for Toronto city council a few years back?????
Maybe he wanted to burnish his own buttons by name-dropping somebody with tons of experience in gov't?
BTW, a step left is pretty much the same as a step forward. Oligarchy and kleptocracy are as old as the Magna Carta... oh wait, they're older. Collective action is the new kid on the block. Scares the old guard even now. I LOL everytime.
Luke Skywalker
3 years ago
Al Bundy...
Al Bundy...
From now on, no more G West or lynn for you. It will be just plain and simple Al Bundy... Al's character certainly suits your persona. I love it! :)
Sheesh fella... you are in need of, and better seek, some serious help. REALLY!!
Luke Skywalker
3 years ago
Stump...
Well, not according to the real world.
Kashmir Dhaliwal, Vision Vancouver council candidate, is a moderate provincial New Democrat and a federal Liberal... and even apparently supports the federal Liberal candidate in the Vancouver Kingsway riding against the competing NDP.
To put the picture into a larger context, Vision Vancouver was formed by moderate provincial New Democrats and federal Liberals as a move to the right ... into the centre... away from left-wing COPE.
Ergo, it looks like the electorate will place left-wing COPE into the political dustbin of history in November, 2008.
For that matter, even the leadership of the German federal Social Democrats (Peer Steinbruek, et al) are to the right of Canada's federal Dion Liberals.
G West
3 years ago
So you did write that stuff luke and post it on the CBC site
That's all I wanted to have confirmed
Because I, and a lot of others, think that's it's way too close to your usual line of stuff to believe anything else.
Like I said, it does great things for your credibility.
Thanks.
Luke Skywalker
3 years ago
Al Bundy...
Al Bundy...
http://allhatnocattle.net/bush_al_bundy.jpg
G West
3 years ago
Thanks for the picture Al
Still no denial I see.
You can find more of G West's posts here if you're interested.
http://www.haloscan.com/comments/hormel26c/2690573685277077573/
I'm perfectly happy using the same label and email whenever I post - because I'm not trying to pull the wool over anyone's eyes.
Luke Skywalker
3 years ago
Al Bundy...
OK Al, when I write a post I ALWAYS respond. This guy NEVER responded. Hmmmmm...
Anybody picking "Al Bundy" for a moniker is a goof, big time. Great credibility.
There is similar commentary all over the 'net about the Angus Reid poll.
If I wanted to post similar commentary, I would have posted it right HERE on the Tyee.
NICE TRY. You're well known for doing that here big time!
Common sense has also never been your forte.
Go outside and play in the sunshine.
realisticman
3 years ago
He's Miffed
You really got to him this time Luke.
You must move on from those bad days of old when you weren't quite so lilly-white and saintly. We're all so glad that you're now a Born-Again Mono-Persona-Poster! Alleluia Brother.
I am a bit concerned about this though:
Who are these members of this small group? Do they do this sleuth work frequently? Who trains them and runs the show? Are they funded by a foreign power? What are their ultimate objectives? Are they employing encryption/decryption software? Who do they inform to? Do they have a 'Black List'?
Frank
3 years ago
Luke/Al whichever
I don't see the name Al Bundy as being any worse than "Luke Skywalker". Both are simply names chosen from popular culture. There's very few other people on the Tyee that have done so.
Anyway, the post looks exactly like one of your posts here. Even calling the Liberal party polling firm, Mustel, the "Gold Standard of polling". You're the only other person I've ever seen say that.
Are you by any chance the Liberal guy on the Canuck forums too? He posts a lot of links anytime the conversation brings up the Liberals in a negative light.
As for other forums, I pretty much always use the name Frank or something very close to it.
Frank
3 years ago
Credibility
Of course neither of you were around back then. However I was. And the difference is obvious. Unlike GWest, Luke denies he posts at the CBC under the name Al Bundy.
Frank
3 years ago
Luke/Al/realisticman
In case my prose was too hard to understand, GWest outted himself, he didn't try to deny anything and simply lash out at others.
Haven't you guys learned anything from Tylenol and Maple LEaf? Be upfront about it, don't try to deny it.
Kinda like trying to claim you understand STV when you didn't understand the most basic parts of it but hoped bluster and name calling would suffice.
Frank
3 years ago
Luke/Al and realisticman
By the way, I don't recall hearing outrage from you two when sanamark copped a new name, his old ones of City Person and Working Man having been banned.
Nor did I hear any outrage when simonfraser (ex-Nemesis, ex Sir John A, ex- Elliot et al) posted under a different name.
As for Al Bundy, I really don't see why you wouldn't admit you post on the CBC, its not a crime Luke/Al. Its not like I deny posting on other sites.
Luke Skywalker
3 years ago
Frank...
Ohhhhh Frank, you don't always have to back up good ol' Al Bundy whenever he gets into trouble posting on the Tyee.
We ALL know that he's your "wing man".
Only parents do that for their kids.
Al Bundy, errr Geee West, is not your KID, is he???
Then ya better get attuned to popular culture... As you would be the only person who can't tell the difference between a "Luke Skywalker" and an "Al Bundy" in terms of their characters. For that matter, neither can our own in-house Al Bundy here on the Tyee.
Even folk over on the left-wing Babble forum NEVER use the term "Liberal party polling firm" to describe Mustel, EVER!
In fact, they and elsewhere on the 'net also describe Mustel and CROP (Quebec) as the "gold standard" in polling. Many times. REALLY. You better get out more!
BTW, Frank... are you the guy posting as "FrankR" that our own "Al Bundy" linked to on the CBC website??? I would have LOVED to have responded those posts!!!!
Luke Skywalker
3 years ago
Frank...
Good one. You don't have to post four posts in an attempt to make an awkward point. :)
Frank
3 years ago
Luke/Al
Can you point to anything in particular in Al Bundy's post that is different from your style?
Kinda proves I'm not one of them then doesn't it? However, it sure doesn't help your case.
No link? Show me
Guilty as charged Al.
Frank
3 years ago
Luke/Al
Well, why is it you never concerned yourself with the two right-wing guys that like to post under different names on the Tyee?
Frank
3 years ago
Luke/Al
You did
Luke Skywalker
3 years ago
Frank...
Who??? I only pay attention to people on the far opposite side of the political spectrum.
You did
LOL... Frank, if you are "FrankR" on the CBC you have 3 successive posts after our own in-house Al Bundy namesake's 1.
Go figure!
Hey... you don't have to back-up both SIG and G West just because they are both posting buddies. You demean yourself. REALLY.
Frank
3 years ago
Luke/Al
You didn't read my post above? Sanamark=CityPerson=WorkingMan
simonfraser=Elliot=SirJohnA=4 other names I can't recall at tis point.
Gee Luke/Al, doesn't it still say "97 comments"? Do you think its possible I have other comments pre-yours?
Indeed
Why not, you guys on the Right agree with each other and pat each other on the back all the time. In my time here I've NEVER seen two right-wingers argue ANY single point. Ever.
Monolithic? Oh ya
Frank
3 years ago
Luke/Al
By the way, you must have missed my asking you to find and tell us where it is the Al Bundy post differs from Luke Skywalkers style?
Luke Skywalker
3 years ago
Frank...
I didn't even know that the CBC site even existed.
But since I've now caught the bug... from "Al Bundy"... I've now registered as "Luke Skywalker". I'm gonna now post there alot!!! Look forward to twisting barbs with ya!
Frank
3 years ago
Luke/Al
It'll be fun, I get tired of the old "I HATE FU**IN SOCIALISTS" refrain that seems to be the highwater mark of so many posters there.
Also, another question you didn't answer, you frequent the Canuck forums too don't you?
Luke Skywalker
3 years ago
Frank...
Did ummm G West now hi-jack your moniker??? lol
How does it differentiate from other styles on the internet from other centre/centre-right styles???? Tons of 'em.
You didn't watch Married... With Children, did you? It was a very popular show during the 1980's.
Anyway...
Al Bundy (a great caricature):
http://allhatnocattle.net/bush_al_bundy.jpg
http://www.eebell.net/mwc/al.gif
Luke Skywalker:
http://www.rabittooth.com/800x600StarWarsWallpapers2/LukeSkywalkerESBV3Wallpaper.jpg
You may not know this... but certain people choose monikers based upon their quasi-credibility characteristics.
And ya think that I would choose "Al Bundy". Tooooo funny. But I digress!
Luke Skywalker
3 years ago
Frank...
NOPE. I only go to some of their season games and watch the playoffs.
Why would anyone waste their time on a "Canuck" forum???? Tooo funny!
Frank
3 years ago
Luke/Al
I'll ignore the fact you keep referring to yourself (and "Al Bundy" too) as a centrist and simply state that the style, chosen phrases and diction match your posts here.
Having argued with oodles of right-wingers on here and in other places I have to say you're wrong, all of you simply do not write the same way just as even GWest and I don't. Everyone has their own style and yours and Al's are practically indistinguishable.
May I ask, what are the similarities? Are you telling me you own a light sabre?
Frank
3 years ago
Luke/Al
So you're not a big fan? The guy on there doesn't talk about hockey, he simply posts Liberal party propaganda. Most of his audience are 15 year olds but he doesn't seem to care.
You'd have to be a fan or a paid media monitor to understand. You can find the score of a game anywhere, but if you want to find out what really happened as in who screwed up or who did this or that then you want to hear actual fans talking about it.
However, if anyone complains about something sports related such as Olympic costs, you'd be surprised just how fast that Liberal party hack appears.
Luke Skywalker
3 years ago
Frank/Al Bundy...
Cool. So ya bought into Al Bun... er G West's postulation, eh? lol
Just because it would be something that I would likely say and others have said all over the 'net. And with slang, BTW.
Sheesh... too bad "Al" wouldn't respond to your successive posts on the CBC. lol
Yep, Frank didn't ya just say on another thread that I "love the carbon tax" when I've said on numerous times that it's "Meh, just social engineering"????
Luke Skywalker
3 years ago
Frank/Al Bundy...
Ummmm... isn't that Al Bun.... G West's postulation also. And ya also bought into it???
You still didn't answer. Is he also your kinfolk? ;)
SharingIsGood
3 years ago
Greek Tradgedy
Isn't Luke Skywalker a character out of a Greek tradgedy: killed his father and lusted after his siter, Princess Lea. Did he not put his eyes out in the end? Luke is blind isn't he?
Frank
3 years ago
Luke/Al
No, we've never met.
Exactly.
Luke Skywalker
3 years ago
SIG/Frank/Al Bundy...
SIG:
That's a REALLY pathetic comment SIG! Go hang your head in shame. REALLY!
Frank/ Al Bundy...
Exactly.
And just because most knowledgable people on the 'net would also likely say... and have said same. Ya need to get out more... on the 'net. Oh brother!
Is trying to back up Al Bun... er... G West really worth it THAT MUCH???? Gotta be! :)
Frank
3 years ago
Luke/Al
So you don't post anywhere but the Tyee?
Actually, although you keep repeating it, Al Bundy and GWest not only sound different, Al is on the Right and G is on the Left.
Which reminds me, why didn't you and realisticman complain about sanamark or simonfraser using aliases when you get so vexed about the GWest/Alcibiades thing which happened before either of you were even on here and yet you know about it and it still bothers you?
Luke Skywalker
3 years ago
Frank/Al Bundy...
NOPE. Post on a couple of development/planning/construction websites. But civic/BC/Canada politics... that's the Tyee, n'est pas?
That sounds a little... um ... long in the tooth! :)
SharingIsGood
3 years ago
Oedipus skywalker
http://www.gradesaver.com/classicnotes/titles/oedipus/shortsumm.html
Frank
3 years ago
Luke/Al
I looked in the archives, it was you that defended the tax. You joined the discussions against the tax by attacking the NDP's position saying their platform would be worse and that the NDP would lose support due to their anti-carbon tax campaign.
The discussions were about the Liberals and the carbon-tax, and you defended the Libs and attacked the NDP. I don't see how you can claim now you're anti-carbon tax.
Luke Skywalker
3 years ago
Frank/Al Bundy...
Never heard of that before. So how could it bother me????
Frank
3 years ago
Luke
You refer to babble discussions, do you post there or just read the comments?
Frank
3 years ago
Luke
So even though I brought it up in a discussion you were part of you (and realisticman) never heard of it? Yet you did hear about GWest/Alcibiades from a time before you (and realisticman) joined the Tyee?
Luke Skywalker
3 years ago
Frank/Al Bundy...
The discussions were about the Liberals and the carbon-tax, and you defended the Libs and attacked the NDP. I don't see how you can claim now you're anti-carbon tax.
Cool. Now SHOW ME THE MONE... um... the LINK!!! :)
I wanna see. I wanna. I wanna!!!
Frank
3 years ago
And
You forgot to answer how it is you and Luke Skywalker are similar.
G West
3 years ago
Still no denial
Why not?
Luke Skywalker
3 years ago
Frank/Al Bundy...
I read. Most are actually centre-left and reasonable and I agree with many of the insights.
Go find your "Al Bundy".
Frank
3 years ago
Luke
There's numerous articles on it but here's one
http://thetyee.ca/News/2008/06/23/CarbonTax/
Luke Skywalker
3 years ago
Frank/Al Bundy...
Frank, now that you have laid the foundation for Al Bun... ummm G West's return ... look what's happened...
... he has apparently arisen from the grave:
Man, I can't even get this kind of humour at Yuk Yuk's...
... and yes that even includes the dude with his Arnold Schwarzenegger routine!!! lol
G West
3 years ago
G West /Alcibiades
You've never heard about that luke, I'm surprised.
here's the basic story - of which I'm very proud - now you're up to date:
http://thetyee.ca/Views/Teacherdiaries/2007/02/27/BoyTrouble/
It's all in the comments.
Nothing at all to be ashamed of....and something my little circle of friends knew about during the one year that I posted here (and nowhere else) as G West and Alcibiades.
Luke Skywalker
3 years ago
Frank/Al Bundy...
http://thetyee.ca/News/2008/06/23/CarbonTax/
Yeah, but did ya read my comments therein???
In response to the idiotic NDP "includes a cost to all consumers" and that the concept is a "centre-left" idea.
And becuase of that "I love the carbon tax"???? ROFLOL!!!!
Frank
3 years ago
Luke
Not a word against the carbon tax here either in spite of multiple posts
http://thetyee.ca/News/2008/06/05/CarbonCampaign/
Luke Skywalker
3 years ago
Al Bundy...
I mean... WHO CARES???????
Frank
3 years ago
Oh please, here is what I
Oh please, here is what I said.
The discussions were about the Liberals and the carbon-tax, and you defended the Libs and attacked the NDP. I don't see how you can claim now you're anti-carbon tax.
If you wrote anything negative about the carbon tax I have yet to find it.
Frank
3 years ago
Luke
You do, you said :
So how's he "well-known" for it since you weren't here when he did it yet you never heard of sanamark and simonfraser doing it when you were here?
Luke Skywalker
3 years ago
Frank/Al Bundy...
In that last link, my first response:
Many centrist, middle, soft-left enviro voters vote NDP, but the NDP's apparent stance on what should be an NDP issue (the carbon tax) may draw many of these voters over to the Green Party.
And the first comment I ever made, somewhere on here:
If ya keep on looking further back, you'll find it.
I just don't know where to look right now.
But come on... "I don't LOVE the CARBON TAX"!!! :)
Frank
3 years ago
Luke
But you agree you've never said a word against it? Because I can't find even a simple "I don't like it" or "I disagree with it".
You just attack the NDP from what I see.
G West
3 years ago
And who cares about you being Al Bundy?
That you've posted the self same stuff, right down to the affected diction, including this:
Let's wait for Ipsos and Mustel to publish their results again in the next few weeks. I betcha Angus is gonna have mud on his face. (your views on Angus Reid are well known and you're the only person I know who writes 'betcha' virtually all the time, remember?)
Hopeforusall:
"The jobs created are leaving fast, BC has lost more jobs then created the last quarter and those jobs created are not family supporting they are part time service industry jobs "
I think that ya better do your homework before ya make such commentary. ( you're an inveterate user of 'ya' remember?)
Have you forgotten that things like that crop up constantly in your writing and they're just like fingerprints - especially for someone with such affection for Ipsos Reid and Mustel...remember, you called them (and CanWest Global) the gold standard.
Just deny it luke, that's all you have to do.
Luke Skywalker
3 years ago
Frank/Al Bundy...
I only know of "sanamark" from his posts on here within the past week. Period. And I can't ever recall hearing of the poster "Simon Fraser".
And when I said "well known" that was within the context of the exact similarities between him and "lynn". Read my posts in previous threads.
Happy... um "labour" day??!!! :)
G West
3 years ago
Still no denial
I guess we can assume that the original conclusion - which, you'll be interested to note, didn't come from me (although I was the first one to post anything about it here at Tyee) - was correct.
Thanks for that luke.
Frank
3 years ago
Luke
Strange, I was sure you were around when simonfraser got banned for the the 6th time. Oh well. As for sanamark, you weren't around for CityPerson either?
Say what? You think GWest and lynn are the same person?
For what its worth I can categorically say that's not true as I've talked to lynn off the Tyee about the history of an area and a business within that area. She is a "she" and doesn't live anywhere near GWest.
Luke Skywalker
3 years ago
Frank...
You just attack the NDP from what I see.
When I say "social engineering", from at least my prespective that should say "contempt". Enough said!
I "argue" with the attacks against the "Liberal" carbon tax on here by those who should know better.
The NDP hypocracy in "Axe the Tax" and then clearly stating in its own program that its plan "will cost consumers"... is ... well...
Another re-run of the "Dumb and Dumber" movie. I've seen it at least 15 times and I still get chuckles out of it.
Al Bun... Um G West:
Just deny it luke, that's all you have to do.
Leaving fingerprints at a crime scene is one thing... but AL BUNDY lol????
There ain't no such thing as "Ipsos Reid"... it's "Ipsos" for a long time.
And Vaughn Palmer, Keith Baldrey, et al on the 'net (whatever ya think of 'em) also concur.
Experience in these things matter.
In any event, the Tyee moderators are gonna be pissed off about this thread.
We better leave it at that.
And in the spirit of Labour Day... Yes, I approve of a $9.50 - $10.00 minimum wage.
Luke Skywalker
3 years ago
Frank...
I don't know when someone gets banned around here! How do you know???? I certainly know City Person.
G West...
Oh come on... give it a break! lol
Frank
3 years ago
Luke
The NDP hypocracy in "Axe the Tax" and then clearly stating in its own program that its plan "will cost consumers"... is ... well...
Luke, if the subject is Campbell's carbon tax and you spend all your time attacking the NDP its fair to assume you support it.
Now I don't know what the first quote above means, how those of us arguing against the Liberal carbon-tax should "know better". What does that mean?
As for the second quote, how is not hypocritical of Liberals to attack the NDP when they themselves have passed legislation to create a new tax?
Just as how is not hypcritical of the Liberals to say the NDP is all about taxes when all the taxes originate on the Right?
G West
3 years ago
You know luke
I might have cut you some slack if it weren't for all the times I told you that G West and Lynn were not the same person - and Lynn's told you the same thing at least three times. And every single time you just ignored it and came back for more.
So pardon me if I won't accept anything other than an unequivocal denial about that Al Bundy post....I just don't believe you.
Stick to discussing the issues, post your opinions all you like, stop dissing people you disagree with and getting personal and we'll get along fine.
Otherwise, not so much.
And I think the editors won't have a problem with that either.
Frank
3 years ago
Luke
Their comment gets deleted by the editor and something like "offensive remark deleted" gets inserted and they no longer post.
Well it's been a long time since his last post under that name.
Luke Skywalker
3 years ago
Al Bundy...
Watch this video. Ya just might learn something: :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-sYi3xCsfg
Luke Skywalker
3 years ago
Frank...
A negative is a negative is NOT a Positive. ;) Simple deducement.
Again, I do NOT LOVE the carbon tax!!!! :)
Well it's been a long time since his last post under that name.
I've been on here since November, 1997. He lasted posted about one month ago.
Frank
3 years ago
Luke
So you're against the carbon tax then?
I'm willing to bet you haven't since the Tyee is not that old.
He did? where?
G West
3 years ago
That memory of yours
Tyee started in November of 2003.
G West has been a member since 22 March 2005.
Luke Skywalker
3 years ago
My Goof...
November 21, 2007!
Although I've been reading since early, 2005 before the last provincial election.
Frank
3 years ago
Luke
That's long enough to have seen Nemesis turn into Elliot, turn into AdamWest, turn into Robin, turn into simonfraser.
And of course its long enough to have seen "Working Man" and then City Person.
Luke Skywalker
3 years ago
Frank...
And of course its long enough to have seen "Working Man" and then City Person.
Unlike you're focus upon the posters, I was more interested in the stories/series, Will McMartin's Election "Horse Race", among others. Not the fluff and commentary so much.
And until I first started to post, none of the monikers meant anything to me.
G West
3 years ago
As for City Person
I think you'll find the last time anyone posted under that label was in late April or early May when he took a particularly distasteful and personal run at Ed Deak.
By the way, if you go back to a coupld of Monte Paulson stories from that same period I think you'll find references under your name to the polling firm Ipsos-Reid as well.
Frank
3 years ago
Labour day
Well guys its been fun but I better hit the hay.
As for the minimum wage reference earlier, I was pretty sure you argued against raising it but if you're for doing so now that's fine.
ME2
3 years ago
Confessional
I'll fess up, you guys, after Beers screwed up my efforts as City Person and Working Man, it became just too boring - even posting as Frank R and lynn was no fun, so it was ME who posted as Al Bundy.
Now that you know, maybe you can give us a rest and instead dazzle the 15-yr-olds on the Canucks site with your sleuthing powers?
And you can stop tapping my phone now, Garth.
realisticman
3 years ago
Before?
not quite Frank.
G West
3 years ago
You're right about that realisticman
You certainly were around during much of the one year that G West and Alcibiades posted here.
I think the first time we crossed swords was on the subject of taxation and the second was over your dismissive attitudes toward native people and the appalling conditions on 'their' reservations, with a side trip shortly after dealing with your critical and ad hominem views about the French.
By the way, do you have any problem with the accuracy of the post you've quoted just above, it was a reaction to, as Stan so accurately noted, union slagging.
Stump
3 years ago
The long (and wide) view
Well, not according to the real world.
Ummm, try looking further afield than B.C. or Canada. It would be an error to judge the world based upon a few examples of Canadian politics. Albeit in character for the Right and its acolytes. Also, try taking the longer view. Even Conservative parties have changed their politics and polices to shift towards that which can benefit most... since nobody's buying the faux-meritocracy they've been trying to peddle for centuries.
You can conjure all the ghosts of collectivization and gulags all you want, but the Left isn't touting Stalinism despite your misapprehension. Don't worry, if I held your views and kept the political company you do, I'd be worried too. Kind of like being an urban SUV driver... all you're doing is putting a "dumb as a stump" sticker on your forehead by keeping company with the greedheads and planet-wreckers.
As to the pseudonyms, I'd have to say you took too long and issued to wishy-washy a denial to NOT think you're guilty as charged. Since perception is everything, you've effectively screwed yourself. If you weren't both posters you would have said so at the outset rather than prevaricate so. After all your credibility is at stake. Without it, all your polls, statistics, and tortuous attempts at painting better, more equitable ways of governance as a fifth horseman of economic apocalypse is wasted effort.
As to the paid online mouthpieces of the Lieberals... I think that was MY pet theory first. Give credit where due wouldja?
Stump
3 years ago
i-drop(ped)
should read "politics and policies" in first para.
Too many cops still fall into the Cst. Sweet archetype IMO. :-)
dorothy
3 years ago
The outer limits of Realistic?
“There is no mechanism whereby people can be stopped from coming to live in Vancouver.”
Sure there is. First, zoning bylaws; then the market forces will kick in; then people may ‘come’, but where will they be, if the prices are prohibitive? Many will – and have been known to – leave again. A lot of potential ‘comers’ are already here, a lot of young people still huddling in the basements of their family home, because their own turf is beyond their reach. They are effectively prevented from ‘coming’, are they not?
“As long as density in the city of Vancouver is restricted people will either; live in suburban residential 'sprawl' that will be continue to be built, or, they will live in the central city in increasingly crowded spaces.”
What kind of wishy-washy thinking is this? How about some real leadership, some pragmatically directed social engineering? Who the deuce is in charge here? Somehow, you manage to come across as a parent whose children are out of control, and who is throwing in the towel!
We are constantly inundated by problems the politicians throw at our doorstep, which should have been their province, and when we bring that to their attention, we get this kind of whining. These people should either do their job or get out. In my professional capacity, I should just try to pass my picayune logistics problems on to my clients. They have problems already, that’s why they come to me. Why should the rules be any different for the movers and shakers? Enough, I say. Yes people can be made to do what they need to do. Why else are we paying taxes?
realisticman
3 years ago
GWEST
I think the first was more likely when you incorrectly stated categorically that I do not own an OED, which I do. The first of your many mistakes that I continue to see you proudly display for all to see. As for the 'reservations' issue, which you bring up frequently, the legend becomes larger in your mind as all legends tend to do. It was you that said detours through a reservation to repeatedly witness what you perceive as... Well, I'll let you have yet another go at it.
realisticman
3 years ago
Dorothy
You tell me, Dot. I simply stated the facts. Unless some, or all, of the suggestions made by Michael Geller are enacted the price of dwellings in Vancouver will continue to climb. What you seem to be saying, Dorothy, is that the present zoning regulations are working fine. Single family houses may become prohibitive in price for some and they will leave town. Vancouver will thereby increasingly evolve into an exclusive enclave for the owners of property. Those that cannot afford to buy their own, but decide to stay, will have to double and triple-up. Others will face increasingly longer commutes.
The cost of housing is often a topic of conversation and will perhaps become part of the upcoming municipal election. Soviet-like blocks are not the only alternative to little houses with picket fences. Some voters, maybe Dorothy included, seem content with the status quo.
dorothy
3 years ago
Ever helpful...
"You tell me, Dot."
I am flattered. I gather the need to use a diminutive must be because I am seen as looming too large for comfort. Thanks indeed!
You were not stating facts, you were predicting.
For those who have the same problem with Acronyms that I do, I found this:
http://www.acronymfinder.com/OED.html
Happy hunting, all!
G West
3 years ago
Umm, I think not.
Though certainly your self-appointed penchant for correcting others did raise my gorge more than once and I did say, in jest, that, should the power ever come to pooling here in our great land, I'd claim your full edition of the OED myself someday.
Then I learned yours was the tiny print version requiring the clumsy little magnifying glass before it's of any use - and I lost all interest in it.
I remember as a boy a Carney Barker at a fair trying to sell me an edition of the bible little more than an inch square -
I do acknowledge your help with one particular definition my shorter oxford unkindly left out. Accurate enough for you?
G West
3 years ago
As for the other matters
I rest on my record and you'll have to make do with yours. Anyone whose attitudes fall into the categories I see displayed and who (self-declared and very early on in his presence here) sees himself as somewhat liberal and left wing at least in the view of his dinner acquaintances is a veritable bundle of contradictions.
I try to be consistent.
On the question of housing costs, Geller among a host of others, will not solve the problem.
Catastrophe, given the absolute unwillingness of human beings - and especially greedy financial elites - to change, is probably necessary first.
I hope it happens without the blood that often accompanies such change - but happen it will or this society will become the mewling cranky unkind nasty sort of place it has frequently show signs of becoming.
As my good friend zalm put it above here a few days ago:
We need a new financial model, preferably one with more control over the fiat money supply so that it bears some relationship to actual value created, instead of the limitless promise of debt financing.
He's right about Geller too.
Now, I'll let you cruise back up the thread to see what he said about him!
realisticman
3 years ago
Dorothy
Don't think of yourself as too large for comfort, I didn't. These days there is a distinct tendency towards brevity in the written word particularly when computers are employed. The use of the diminutive; ironically the converse of "looming large", was perhaps somewhat overly familiar and presumptuous since we are not acquainted. Nevertheless my statement, "Fact: The people that come to Vancouver will live somewhere.", is, as you point out, merely a prediction. The rest are facts, too.
If you'd care to expand on your comment;
"How about some real leadership, some pragmatically directed social engineering?"
...I'm intrigued, please amplify.
dorothy
3 years ago
At least a start...
Query: "How about some real leadership, some pragmatically directed social engineering?"
...I'm intrigued, please amplify.
Reply: I shall try to be brief.
Now, it seems, we have ‘development’ just happening, not according to any coherent plan, but in the nature of straws in the wind, thrown this way and that, according to whose ‘turn it is’, politically speaking.
Then, when we find we have some bad mess, streets too small, people living in the wrong end of the metropolis for their jobs, an unpalatable mix of incompatible life-and dwelling styles trying to get along in the same neighbourhoods, then some political tinker will try to, verbally speaking, hold a gun to our heads and tell us, that we can choose which method of destruction we want of our quality of life, because ‘things happened and will go on happening’, as if we were discussing developmentally challenged puppies piddling on the carpet.
I am trying to make the point, that human intelligence can possibly do better, if the will is there, that in fact there is another way of doing these things. Politicians can quit seeing it as being ‘their turn’, but start to make long-term rational planning, which, because it remains optimal to the whole, regardless of political orientation, will not be undermined/abolished/killed on the table by the next crew. The adversarial nature of politics in our society cuts too deep, and starts to gnaw on the fundamentals. The shortsighted greed is too gross, and figuring out what is needed in the way of, and securing the land for, transit to serve the new satellite(s) should be the start of urban expansion. In the absence of resources to accomplish this, the development should not be allowed to happen.
So, Yes, I guess you can say I am ‘happy’ with the status quo, at least until I am convinced that the next development isn’t just a new mini-mob trying to make big bucks on my city without regard for the mess this may create.
SharingIsGood
3 years ago
provincial planning
The worst of the planning began with the Olympics and the Convention Centre.
By bringing these mega-progects to Vancouver construction companies pulled the skilled labour from the city. The construction companies and their workers made money and that money was being spent along with speculative money attracted by the Olympics. Workers moved to the city to build the condos and the olympic skating ovals etc. Those workers got paid and spent their money on regular stuff that people earning money buy -- coffee, beer, big screen TVs and new SUVs. That put other people to work. Now that the Olympic bubble is bursting, the workers will be looking for work, and the speculators will be looking to sell, but their will be no new cash and the cost of all the city housing is too dear.
This huge boom and bust cycle could have been ameliorated if the government had decided to make improvements to hospitals housing and retirement facilities throughout the province. Schools could all have had their needed seizmic upgrades and technology upgrades; improvements in building efficiency (green technology) could have been built into the structures (solar hot water, passive solar, etc.) Further, the province could have been training technicians and creating incentives for companies to produce green technological products for sale on the world market. They could have continued to demand value to be added to timbre before it left BC shores. The Liberals could have spread money all over the province rather than concentrating their spending in the Vancouver-Whistler areas.
With commodity prices at record highs, the Liberals had the perfect opportunity to help the entire province develop in a sustainable fashion. That is how you could have avoided covering farmland with concrete asphalt and lawn - densifying the city of Vancouver with sterile concrete, glass and steel structures. They could have been helping cities fix their sewers and home owners make thier houses more efficient. Instead, we get boom and bust. The Liberals could have continued to allow Interior communities and regional districts to manage their own development rather than over-riding the local governance, time and again.
realisticman
3 years ago
Planning
Can't argue with this idea since it always takes transit a long time to catch up to developments but I would imagine that this would require amendments to the UNION OF BRITISH COLUMBIA MUNICIPALITIES ACT, whereby cities and towns would have to apply to the Provincial Legislative Assembly to obtain authorization for any developments. based on your suggestion that transit be in place first. Not sure how the cities and their mayors would react to this concept, whereby Victoria would, in essence and fact, control their development and only Victoria be able to issue development permits. More centralised power like this is always resisted.
dorothy
3 years ago
"More centralised power like
"More centralised power like this is always resisted."
Can't argue with this. But sometimes, it is maybe worth overcoming the big, heavy, creaky machine of bureaucracy/tradition/turfwar tendencies in order to see orderly progress instead of k-k-k-aoos, and we can sometimes in politics find the equivalent of Veronica's magic kitchen, even if it takes a bit of grit to do so.