Mayor Roberston Appears to have no Ethics

November 9, 2014 Well this really pissed me off. Residents of the Seafield apartments on Pendrell Street in the West End were under threat of renoviction from developer landlord Gordon Nelson. Some elderly tenants received rent increases of 300 % and at that time the MLA for the riding Mr Chandra Herbert stood in solidarity with them. He even attended their press conference and spoke at it. Now that same Gordon Nelson development corporation has made a donation of $25,000 to the Vision party that MLA Spencer Chandra Herbert just days ago endorsed. I'm terribly troubled that Mr Herbert thinks it is OK to support a Party which takes sizable donations from developers who have forced elderly seniors from their homes in the West End. AND GET THIS. Gregor Robertson on November 9, 2008 stood with the residents of the Seafield at their press conference as he was a candidate for Mayor denouncing Gordon Nelson and now 6 years later Mayor Robertson readily accepts a donation of $25,000 from Gordon Nelson for his re-election campaign. Jamie Lee Hamilton www.ideavancouver.wordpress.com

Politiicians who Weasel out of taking a Position

November 6, 2014 Something really peeved me tonight at the Hastings Community Centre Association all-candidate meeting. First though I would really like to thank the moderator Patricia Coutts who is President of the HCCA and Rolf Tevely the past President. They did a great job organizing the meeting and ensuring civility. The issue which irked me was this one. In July 2014 Park Board held a number of public meetings on the Whale and Dolphin captivity issue. Two NPA Commissioners Melissa DeGenova and John Coupar did not attend these meetings. Commissioner Coupar cited that he had a conflict of interest and Ms DeGenova claimed she had a pre-planned trip to Paris. It should be noted that Commissioners have the whole month of August off with pay and so they should be attending meetings in July. Anyway tonight one of the last questions was posed by a member Errol Povah of the Sea Shepard Society on the question of Cetacean captivity. He directed the question to the NPA. and some other candidates. I was sitting close to Melissa DeGenova and watched her madly writing down notes and I overheard her say to her NPA running mate to take the question as she pushed her written notes toward him and to no surprise he began reading her notes. This is so insulting to voters since Ms DeGenova and Mr Coupar clearly did not desire to address the issue of Cetacean captivity because they are supported by the Aquarium and they know the keeping and breeding of Cetaceans is a controversial one. So it is one thing to worm out of taking a position but why does Melissa think she can now express an opinion on Cetacean captivity through someone else? As people know I'm a Parkboard watchdog and attend most meetings. The issue of Cetacean captivity and breeding came back for a full Park Board vote in September and of course Commissioner DeGenova was back from Paris. The motion was read and Commissioner Coupar cited again his conflict of interest which is his right to declare conflict. So what did Ms DeGenova do? Well she ran from the room so she wouldn't be required to take a position on the vote. And I ask you is this the type of person you want as a City Councillor? Jamie Lee Hamilton www.ideavancouver.wordpress.com ..

Action Needed on Cactus Club English Bay

November 5, 2014 PRESS RELEASE Park board watchdog and 2014 Park Board candidate Jamie Lee Hamilton is demanding action on why the Cactus Club refuses to put the affordable fish n chips on their take-out window which was a condition of their approved restaurant use on public waterfront land. . Jamie Lee Hamilton charges "Cactus Club English Bay by refusing to comply with the Park Board directive to have the affordable fish n chips item at their beachfront concession are displaying a reckless disregard for Park board governance and this is unacceptable behaviour of a private leaseholder" Ms Hamilton six months ago brought this matter to the attention of Park Board General Manager Malcolm Bromley who said he would bring this matter to the attention to Cactus Club. Following up with Park board watchdog Ms Hamilton a month later GM Bromley said that Cactus Club felt if they had fish n chips on the take-out window that this would affect the nearby Raincity Grill which has a take-out window for fish n chips. Ms Hamilton claims, " unfortunately Raincity is now closed and along with their closing so goes the affordable fish n chips take-out wiindow. It seems to me if Park Board is going to lease out public land to private operators they have a duty to ensure there is a public benefit . The benefit to citizens of course in regard to the Cactus Club at English Bay would be the take-out window serving the affordable fish n chips and this has not materialized. Many speakers at Park Board raised concerns regarding the application from Cactus Club voicing that affordable fish n chips must be offered at the concession window and Park board agreed to this". Ms Hamilton is calling once again on the General Manager of Park Board to ensure that the contractual obligations of Cactus Club English Bay are met. -30- For further information contact Jamie Lee Hamilton at (604) 446-2489

Hamilton Endorses MacKinnon for Park Commissioner

November 2, 2014 Hi friends. In 13 days on November 15 we will be voting in our Vancouver municipal election and I hope that I can count on your vote for Park Commissioner on November 15. There are many good candidates seeking office and at the Park Board level one candidate who really stands out for me is Green Party candidate and former Park Commissioner Stuart MacKinnon. Hearing him speak at our all-candidate meetings has been so refreshing and his unequalled passion on the issues related to the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation is intoxicating. OK I think I'm equal to Stuart in the passion department and believe if you elect Stuart and myself that you will get a dedicated team fighting on behalf of your issues. Equally you can count on Stuart and I to respectfully listen to you and you have my guarantee that Stuart and I will always place the public interest before anything else in our deliberations. I encourage my supporters and friends to vote Stuart MacKinnon of the Green Party for Park Commissioner. I am honoured to say that Stuart MacKinnon has earned my complete faith and trust. I happily endorse his candidacy without reservation. . . Jamie Lee Hamilon www.ideavancouver.wordpress.com

Kensington Community Centre Deserves Better

October 29, 2014 Attended the Kensington Community Centre Park Board all-candidate mtg last night except it wasn't all candidates as the governing party Vision chose not to send any of their park board candidates. Not one. Campaigns are the time when politicians need to attend these meetings and answer questions around the decisions they have made or will make in the future.. This is called transparency and accountability. And it is sad that Vision candidates think they are beyond needing to be transparent or accountable to the citizens. A familiar refrain last night was Where's Vision? Kudos to Mary Sutherland the longtime President of KCC and Milan for organizing this meeting where residents voiced concerns about the deplorable conditions at the public parks in the Kensington catchment area of which there are seven (7) parks. Mary and Milan presented us with a video of the neglect by Park Board of the Community Centre's facilities because promised funding in the Capital Plans has yet to materialize. The last few capital plans voted on by the public earmarked Kensington as a top priority to receive funds but these promises have been ignored by Park Board. The last few election cycles have produced nothing for this community and that is offensive. When Communities and Neighborhoods are promised funding in the capital plan this becomes a priority. But it seems Vision has other priorities for their pet projects like putting an asphalt bike freeway through a family picnic area and children's playground and they fund projects to divert traffic in an area creating a closed gated community for the very rich in our City. Of course the Mayor lists his own address as being in this gated community which we know has dramaticlly increased the value of his own family home, you know the one he was kicked out of last spring. And you just know this will be part of a divorce settlement and it oesn't hurt to have your home increase its value by a quarter of a million dollars. And this my friends is Vancouver politics for you. Jamie Lee Hamilton www.ideavancouver.wordpress.com

Is BDSM Always Sane, Safe and Consensual?

October 27, 2014 Yesterday many of us learned about the firing of Jian Ghomeshi from CBC and it caused us to pause and think. Was he fired because of his different sexual lifestyle? It was brought to our attention by Mr Ghomeshi himself on a Facebook posting that he likes rough sex and engages in BDSM. I don't think that is a big deal. I read the Toronto Star article where four women have come forward claiming that Mr Ghomeshi acted violently toward them without their consent. As a sex positive advocate obviously I accept that for the most part that BDSM is safe, sane and consensual. Although I have had women engaged in that lifestyle who informed me that some of the supposed safe play went well beyond what they felt comfortable with and or originally agreed to. And therein lies a problem. Mr Ghomeshi went on the offensive yesterday claiming that an ex girlfriend because he dumped her was out to ruin his career. That type of claim I find juvenile since it portrays that women if a guy breaks up with them that women are somehow out to get the guy. I had hoped that we have moved beyond this type of gender stereotyping but obviously Mr Ghomeshi hasn't. I am keeping an open mind to this story and it may be that criminal charges are laid if an investigation is opened as a result of these four women coming forward. As far as I know sexual assault cases do not have restrictions regarding when the assaults took place. Also I do not believe that the victims in sex assaults have to pursue investigations. It is my understanding that criminal investigators can initiate investigations on their own regarding abuse or sexual assault allegations. I know there will be BDSM'ers who think this issue will cause BDSM to be on public display and there is probably no getting around this. I do know that most BDSM lifestyle people engage in safe, sane and consenting play. I hope though that these lifestylers will keep an open mind that while Mr Ghomeshi claims his sexual lifestyle is causing him to be treated unfairly and as a result has cited discrimination as a result of that lifestyle. What these four women though are alleging on the surface looks like the BDSM went well beyond just some rough sex and into the area of abuse, assault and sexual assault. This may well wind up in the courts if Mr Ghomeshi is charged. While Mr Ghomeshi wants us to believe he is entitled to engage in the privacy of his bedroom whatever he wants but whether the public will buy into this claim especially when a number of women are stepping forward suggesting he punched them with a closed fist and nearly choked them to death is yet to be determined. Jamie Lee Hamilton ideavancouver.wordpress.com

Vision Needs to Respect Meeting Participants

October 24, 2014 Attended last night the Killarney Community Centre's all-candidates meeting. Great crowd and lots of feisty seniors there. Well thought out questions and concerns being brought forward by them. I suspected the ruling Vision Vancouver candidates may receive a rough going but the audience was respectful to the Vision candidates but did not clap all evening to any of their answers. I was completely shocked though when Vision park Commissioner candidate Brent Granby called the crowd a bunch of conspiracy theorists. Very concerning when a number of Community Centre Presidents and Seniors took the time to attend the meeting and to be treated so disresectfully resulted in me calling Mr Granby out on this. I scolded him and the crowd loved me for it. I was further shocked as was the crowd when Mr Granby said that he supports their in some cases 60 year joint operating agreements to be negotiated through the courts. A number of Community Centres are in the courts because Vision gave them eviction notices if they did not sign off on the contracts Vision was trying to impose on them. Thae courts are no way to negotiate contracts and I'm very displeased that a party and let along a candidate would even suggest this. Jamie Lee Hamilton PARK BOARD CANDIDATE www.ideavancouver.wordpress.com LikeLike · · Share