WHAT"S HOT IN 2007

WHAT'S HOT IN 2007?
Could it be ALEX G TSAKUMIS?


Well the old year is now but a memory in our minds and possibly in our hearts. I hope everyone had a festive, enjoyable and peaceful holiday season.

Today brought us from the festive season back into the political season as the Prime Minister of Canada, Hon Stephen Harper, shuffled his cabinet, obviously preparing for a possible spring election. With an election call soon upon us, I'm certain, Mr. Harper is only too aware that he must shore up political support in large urban centres across Canada and especially in places like hometown Vancouver, if he is to have a real shot of forming a majority government.

The problem, PMO Harper faces in Vancouver is that his former star Cabinet Minister David Emerson, is most likely retiring and someone who he looked to as another potential political star who became Mayor of Vancouver just over a year ago but has been losing popularity faster than the former Mayor, Larry C could suck them back. Of course this leaves Mr. Harper in quite a a quandary.

Speaking of quandaries, the ruling municipal Non Partisan Association (NPA) will soon have to make a decision on whether to stick with Sam Sullivan and according to other pundits, flush their slight majority down the drain. Or, the other option for the NPA is to quietly let it be known that they are seeking other Mayoral candidates who they feel can bring victory rather than defeat.

And if the NPA chooses the latter, most obviously, Mayor Sam will resign. But who are potential Candidates? This is where numerous names spring to mind but astute political watchers will remember that the American Jim Green nearly won the Mayoral race over Sam Sullivan and previously Larry Campbell knocked off the NPA's Jennifer Clarke. They must be thinking Vancouverites really seem to like characters as their leading Men aka Mayors.

So I decided to do some polling of NPA insiders and a name which keeps coming up is ALEX G TSAKUMIS. Mr. Tsakumis previously was a huge backer of Mayor Sam Sullivan. Alex G as I call him, has been making a name for himself of late writing guest Commentaries for 24 hours and the venerable Vancouver Sun. Of course, these columns by Alex G Tsakumis are way better than the dribs and drabs we have been spoon fed by the Courier's resident Spinner, Allen Garr.

Alex G for Mayor? Interesting thought! He is of Greek heritage who started from humble beginnings and has become a very successful developer. A family man with three children, who goes to Church on Sundays but yet has a compassionate streak a mile long. He is vocal in his support of Vancouver's gay and lesbian communities and he generously donates to many worthwhile charitable causes. He was a friend to legendary and leftist City Councillor, Harry Rankin, yet Mr. Tsakumis remains a loyal Conservative. Among his admirers is former NPA Park board Chair, Laura McDiarmid who is a staunch Liberal.

If you ask me to define Alex G Tsakumis, I like many others, would define him as a Traditional Man with with lots of Character, sound political smarts and a talented Journalist. An interesting package indeed for the NPA.

But is Mr. Tsakumis ready to leapfrog from developer and journalist to being Mayor of Canada's third largest City? Well I'm certain, if he is, unlike Dr. Fred Bass, who recently jumped the gun in announcing his Mayoral ambitions, I suspect, Mr. Tsakumis, would probably prefer to keep matters under wraps, at least for the time being.

Like many political watchers and observers, Mr. Tsakumis is probably watching with interest in how the suspense docudrama currently playing at 12 and Cambie unfolds.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com