Tuesday, September 16, 2008

VANCOUVER MUNICIPAL GREEN VOTERS DISCOURAGED

Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC


VANCOUVER MUNICIPAL GREEN VOTERS DISCOURAGED


In the aftermath of the backroom deal cut by COPE, Vision and the municipal Green party, Green party members who I have spoken to are discouraged by their executive members selling out Green principles for mere crumbs.

In the deal, Green supporters will have one person on the ballot registered as the Green party in the upcoming November 15 election.

Registered Vancouver voters can vote for 27 municipal positions and Green supporters are infuriated with Vancouver municipal Green Chair, Ben West and past Chair, Stuart MacKinnon for bending to the wishes (demands) of Andrea Reimer to join forces with Vision.

Ms Reimer had dumped the Vancouver Greens party in favour of greener pastures with Vision, a loose consortium of special interests fronted by the former Friends of Larry Campbell group, Union leaders, Developers and Casinos.

Stuart MacKinnon, who was Chair of the Green party until May 2008 has publicly announced his intention to seek a Green park board nomination which is perplexing considering that in a May 2008 interview with Matt Burrows of the Georgia Straight , he stated he was resigning so younger people could become the public face of the Green party. Hm.

One wonders if Mr MacKinnon has received a benefit as some Green members allege for his ass-licking up to Vision. All the while, they allege--while suppressing the Green membership--while a deal was being brokered. Whether Mr MacKinnon is an ass-licker is unknown, what is fact though is that he and Ms Reimer shared a house together until very recently.

Is it possible that Ms Reimer and Mr MacKinnon had discussions about merging the Vancouver Greens with Vision?

For clarity purposes it must be noted that Ms Reimer and Mr MacKinnon are not partners.

Other Green members claim that Mr Ben West may have been the point man in the Vision deal-making as it is also being alleged that he wants to run for the Vancouver park board as the Green nominee. Mr West still hasn't stated his intentions.

Green members must ratify the deal negotiated supposedly on their behalves. This is a mere formality though since the Vancouver Green executive hasn't consulted with the membership in quite some time and as one Green put it, this Executive isn't interested in expanding our membership base, being transparent or accountable.

With the federal Green party in BC now running second to the Conservatives--at least--according to latest polls--I bet the municipal Greens must be feeling mighty foolish for cutting such a dumb deal.

As one Green member puts it, I can't wait to see Adriane Carr elected and Andrea Reimer go down to defeat.

It seems like the Greens are not one happy family these days.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com