JAMIE LEE SUPPORTING TIM LOUIS

Dear Reader,

A private email message which I sent out to my friends & supporters who hold left leaning sympathies has made it onto the Public Eye Online message board. Apparently, this has created quite a stir and that's OK by me since it allows me to speak about municipal politics.

As some of my readers have heard, I'm hosting an informal get-together for former City Councillor Tim Louis on Friday. This notice to my private email list was sent to Public Eye and it wasn't sent by me. However that is fine with me since it gives rise to this post.

First, Tim Louis helped me out enormously in the 80's. I worked with him for many many years within COPE. I have never made it a secret that I always vote for Tim no matter what. I also publicly announced my support of Sam Sullivan for Mayor in 2005, which wasn't unusual since everyone who knows me, is aware of my animosity toward Jim Green. However, I supported Sam because I knew he wouldn't be a bully like Mr. Green. Plus it seemed to me at that time, that he was independently minded and not in the back pocket of some provincial or federal leader.


I have learned that in doing community work, never to lock yourself into one political ideology. I have many friends and supporters from all walks of life. Some have left-wing tendencies while others have more right-wing outlooks. To me it doesn't matter how you vote as long as you don't harm others. Treating people with courtesy, compassion, respect and dignity must be paramount in your world view in order to have my support. I never back away from saying how I feel and I know my friends never do either.

I know that by continuing to support Tim Louis, I'm not going to lose any of my real friends over this. As a civically minded individual, I'm actually looking forward to hearing what Tim's plans are for the future. Just as I'm interested in knowing what Peter Ladner's are.

So while others may desire to make hay out of my holding a get-together for an old political acquaintance, I'm not about to shrink away from this, just because he happens to be a COPE member.


In politics, integrity and honestly often take a back seat to political strategies and I think this is wrong. The public loses faith when this happens. So if anyone demonstrates the courage of their convictions and are not afraid to voice their important principles, to me they are the best friends one can have and in my humble opinion, they are the best suited for political life. And former Councillor Tim Louis is one of those special individuals.

On a personal level, I have on numerous occasions witnessed provincial and federal parties encroaching on the various municipal party structures and I don't like it all. I believe that municipal representatives should be accountable to their constituents rather then some party leader in Victoria or Ottawa.

Now to the issue at hand.

I am concerned that the NDP, through their closely associated municipal electoral organization, Vision, appears to be attempting at the municipal level to crush perceived opposition. Actually Vision, the municipal electoral organization, through certain sympathetic members within COPE appears set on finishing off what Jim Green and Larry Campbell could not do in 2005.

Tim Louis stands in the way of the Vision wrecking crew and his bravery and courage must be rewarded. He asked for my support and I am quite happy to assist in this very small way.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com