On a recent Saturday night, I once again took the thought-altering drive through the Main and Hastings area of Vancouver. If anything, the situation looked worse than ever.
Last September, I took my second trip to New York City, the first being 40 years ago. In 1968, I couldn't believe what I saw -- street begging, bars on windows, people sleeping in doorways. Although that city has been cleaned up, Vancouver has now become what New York City was.
On my recent visit to Manhattan, tables were set up at various corners, with a vested attendant and a 40-litre plastic water jug for donations to the needy and homeless; those were the only places where passersby were encouraged to give money. Seattle's Pioneer Square had a booth for the same purpose the last time I was in that area.
The police presence (on foot) in New York was remarkable, frequent, friendly and effective. You could often see the squad captains talking to the officers, then dispersing patrols from the Times Square subway station. I felt safe on the subways I feared to ride in 1968. I went out alone (a 59-year- old woman) a few times in the evenings and felt perfectly safe. I would never do that in most downtown areas of Vancouver.
Little more than 10 months remain until our guests arrive for the 2010 Winter Olympics. It serves us not at all to pay later for what we don't do now, in human costs above all. Every one of us has a responsibility to help.
Don't let Main and Hastings as it is today be the memory that Olympics visitors take away.
Eileen Robinson
Pitt Meadows
Monday, March 30, 2009
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Council's extravagance too much for taxpayers - Vancouver Sun Letters
Re: Free tickets for dignitaries?, March 24
You have got to be kidding me. The city of Vancouver may be on the hook for tens of millions of dollars for bad decisions on the Olympic athletes' village, merchants are out of pocket or out of business because of bad decisions on the Canada Line and the cost of security for the Olympics is nearing $1 billion. The fact that city council has approved spending $257,500 to buy Olympic tickets for visiting "dignitaries" tells me that these people have either no clue or no consideration for their citizens.
Paul Shuley
Port Coquitlam
You have got to be kidding me. The city of Vancouver may be on the hook for tens of millions of dollars for bad decisions on the Olympic athletes' village, merchants are out of pocket or out of business because of bad decisions on the Canada Line and the cost of security for the Olympics is nearing $1 billion. The fact that city council has approved spending $257,500 to buy Olympic tickets for visiting "dignitaries" tells me that these people have either no clue or no consideration for their citizens.
Paul Shuley
Port Coquitlam
Council's extravagance too much for taxpayers - Vancouver Sun Letters to Editor
Re: Sustainability should include taxpayers' ability to pay increases, Miro Cernetig, March 23
Miro Cernetig deserves much credit for his well-written and precise commentary of what is posing as leadership at Vancouver City Hall these days. This clean sweep that occurs every time there is a change of government is a practice that must end. It is both costly and unnecessary. Letting former city manager Judy Rogers go and paying her more than $570,000 was wasteful and showed a total disregard for taxpayers. And why would we have to pay former chief financial officer Estelle Lo some $450,000 when she left on her own? There's more than $1 million right there!
Miro Cernetig deserves much credit for his well-written and precise commentary of what is posing as leadership at Vancouver City Hall these days. This clean sweep that occurs every time there is a change of government is a practice that must end. It is both costly and unnecessary. Letting former city manager Judy Rogers go and paying her more than $570,000 was wasteful and showed a total disregard for taxpayers. And why would we have to pay former chief financial officer Estelle Lo some $450,000 when she left on her own? There's more than $1 million right there!
Vancouver's City Hall out of touch with taxpayers - Vancouver Sun
Mayor Gregor Robertson and his council have to recognize the economic crisis.
President Barack Obama reports being "stunned" by $165 million in bonus payouts to execs at the American International Group Inc., even as taxpayers were bailing out the faltering company.
Many Vancouverites will be similarly stunned by recent city decisions approving payouts of $571,788 to one civic employee, $420,000 to another.
The payout to Judy Rogers, dismissed in December without cause after 10 years as city manager, included accumulated banked time. So did the payout to Estelle Lo, who left of her own free will in November after a decade at City Hall.
In more than 32 years time spent covering government activities across Canada, I've noticed such payouts -- which for some reason most frequently involve hospital executives -- always are justified as perfectly normal by human resources experts.
And sure enough, in the payout involving Rogers, a human resources consultant in Vancouver has reassured us that this sum is a fairly standard. But should it be?
Sustainability should include taxpayers' ability to pay increases - Vancouver Sun
We're supposedly all about sustainability in the City of Vancouver. Too bad city hall hasn't a clue about the concept where it counts most -- the bottom line.
It may not have hit home with our elected pols quite yet, but the City of Vancouver is in danger of sinking into an ocean of red ink. And Vancouverites need to start worrying.
Vancouver's political and bureaucratic stewards have managed to create a de facto structural deficit -- meaning they're spending more than the city takes in.
This problem has been disguised for years, of course, because city hall has hidden its bad management with small, steady, incremental hikes to fees and property taxes. That's easy to do in boom times. Harder to do now, when the economy slows. People are now catching on.
It may not have hit home with our elected pols quite yet, but the City of Vancouver is in danger of sinking into an ocean of red ink. And Vancouverites need to start worrying.
Vancouver's political and bureaucratic stewards have managed to create a de facto structural deficit -- meaning they're spending more than the city takes in.
This problem has been disguised for years, of course, because city hall has hidden its bad management with small, steady, incremental hikes to fees and property taxes. That's easy to do in boom times. Harder to do now, when the economy slows. People are now catching on.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Friday, March 20, 2009
$571,788 severance paid to city manager - Vancouver Sun
Rogers worked for the city for 25 years and served as city manager for a decade.
Why did the city employ someone who was incompetent for this long? Or if Rogers was competent - why was she fired? How can this expense possibly be justified during these tough economic times?
I guess there is no problem - just foist the expense onto hapless taxpayers.
Why did the city employ someone who was incompetent for this long? Or if Rogers was competent - why was she fired? How can this expense possibly be justified during these tough economic times?
I guess there is no problem - just foist the expense onto hapless taxpayers.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Shootings to date in Vancouver
Click the link above to see locations of the 30 shootings so far since January 1st to March 6 resulting in 12 dead, 15 wounded to date.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Ideological war against big business sends wrong (and dumb) message - Vancouver Sun
City hall has no monopoly on bad ideas, but you don't have to delve too deeply into the agenda of any Vancouver city council meeting to find one.
Take, as a case in point, a motion last week by COPE Coun. David Cadman to ask the provincial government to create a new tax class for small business. The plan is to reward small business with a break on property taxes for, well, being small, while penalizing big business, with which Cadman and his ilk are engaged in perpetual, ideological war.
Take, as a case in point, a motion last week by COPE Coun. David Cadman to ask the provincial government to create a new tax class for small business. The plan is to reward small business with a break on property taxes for, well, being small, while penalizing big business, with which Cadman and his ilk are engaged in perpetual, ideological war.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
The mayor's spending goes well beyond the city's mandate - Vancouver Sun
This mayor and council have shown little discipline in their spending to date, incurring a lot of extra expense in their first two months alone:
- Communications advice around the Olympic Village: $60,000 (Did it help? Do we look better now?)
- Mayor's inauguration ceremony: $88,000.
- Firing the city manager: about $500,000.
- York Theatre proposal: $10 million or more.
- Replicating the Firehall 15 heritage building: a premium of $1.4 million
- Communications advice around the Olympic Village: $60,000 (Did it help? Do we look better now?)
- Mayor's inauguration ceremony: $88,000.
- Firing the city manager: about $500,000.
- York Theatre proposal: $10 million or more.
- Replicating the Firehall 15 heritage building: a premium of $1.4 million
Social housing to cost $595,000 per unit It's now up to the mayor to deal with the costly dilemma - Vancouver Sun
Where's bankruptcy court? I want to get in line.
Not because I'm actually going broke. I'm just thinking it might be a way to move closer to Vancouver's downtown waterfront.
Yes, I'm musing about getting on the Olympic Athletes' Village social housing list. It's quite the deal.
A few days ago, I had a tour of the $1-billion Olympic village. Sadly, I'll never afford the $6-million penthouses. But the City of Vancouver's brain trust has managed to build us some of the slickest social housing on the planet.
As you may have heard, Vancouver's taxpayers now face a $110-million bill for 252 units of "affordable housing." That's $77 million over budget -- or about $436,000 a unit.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Carts of Darkness - the ugly side of recycling
These guys create a disturbance day and night and they could care less who they wake up with their stolen shopping carts. Vancouver used to be relatively peaceful and quiet. No more.
Vancouver now Canada's gang capital: Minister - Vancouver24hours.ca
LANGLEY, B.C. - Canada's top cop labelled Metro Vancouver the country's gang capital Tuesday as police identified the young mother killed in a hail of bullets while her four-year-old son rode in the car.
Nicole Marie Alemy was driving her husband's Cadillac in suburban Surrey when she was hit.
The 23-year-old White Rock, B.C., resident's son was unhurt, though traumatized when the car coasted into a tree by the side of the road Monday morning.
Nicole Marie Alemy was driving her husband's Cadillac in suburban Surrey when she was hit.
The 23-year-old White Rock, B.C., resident's son was unhurt, though traumatized when the car coasted into a tree by the side of the road Monday morning.
Downtown Eastside residents fear they'll be jailed during Games - Vancouver Sun
Some people can't afford to pay fines given during ticketing sweep for civil disorder
Pivot Legal Society lawyer Douglas King said the ticketing sweeps were instituted under Project Civil City, an initiative of the previous city council, and B.C.'s Safe Streets Act, both of which recommend increased enforcement of bylaws dealing with civil disorder, such as spitting, jaywalking and vending items on sidewalks.
Dawson said that with the help of the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users and Pivot Legal Society, he'll take his tickets to court, and fight them, rather than risk jail time.
"I should have gone on the crosswalk, but this is my front yard," he said Sunday, adding that one of his friends served a five-day jail sentence after not paying a jaywalking ticket.
Pivot Legal Society lawyer Douglas King said the ticketing sweeps were instituted under Project Civil City, an initiative of the previous city council, and B.C.'s Safe Streets Act, both of which recommend increased enforcement of bylaws dealing with civil disorder, such as spitting, jaywalking and vending items on sidewalks.
Dawson said that with the help of the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users and Pivot Legal Society, he'll take his tickets to court, and fight them, rather than risk jail time.
"I should have gone on the crosswalk, but this is my front yard," he said Sunday, adding that one of his friends served a five-day jail sentence after not paying a jaywalking ticket.
_________________________________________________________
(It's groups such as these that are actually making it even more difficult to restore order to our Streets. Rather that clogging the courts with frivolous cases, they should be explaining to jaywalkers why we have concepts such as "right of way" - so there isn't complete chaos! But instead - they interfer with the police - and actually ENCORAGE even more negative behaviour and social disorder such as panhandling, street vending, jaywalking, dumpster diving, etc.)
(It's groups such as these that are actually making it even more difficult to restore order to our Streets. Rather that clogging the courts with frivolous cases, they should be explaining to jaywalkers why we have concepts such as "right of way" - so there isn't complete chaos! But instead - they interfer with the police - and actually ENCORAGE even more negative behaviour and social disorder such as panhandling, street vending, jaywalking, dumpster diving, etc.)
Poverty groups claim Downtown Eastside crackdown unfair - Vancouver Province
Police bid to reduce civil disorder on streets under fire
People like Wendy Pedersen of the Carnegie Community Action Project are in part, responsible for the civil disorder on Vancouver Streets.
Every time the police attempt to clean up the streets - these people protest and advocate against it.
People like Wendy Pedersen of the Carnegie Community Action Project are in part, responsible for the civil disorder on Vancouver Streets.
Every time the police attempt to clean up the streets - these people protest and advocate against it.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Police chief seeks longer terms for chronic thieves - Vancouver Sun
Chu proposes '30 strikes and you're out' sentencing system
Rothwell said police research had identified 379 criminals considered to be chronic offenders.
The study found that:
- The 379 chronic offenders had an average of 39 convictions each.
- A quarter of them had more than 54 convictions.
- Ten had more than 79 convictions.
- Six of the 379 offenders had more than 100 convictions.
Rothwell said the incidence of property crime in Vancouver now dwarfs that in comparable jurisdictions.
"The property crime rate in Vancouver is more than double that of Toronto and more than double that of Richmond," he said.
Chu said factors considered in sentencing should not exclude the need for public protection.
"We owe it to the people of Vancouver and the victims of every property crime in the city to protect them from criminals who have decided that ripping off is the way they want to live their lives," the police chief said.
Rothwell said police research had identified 379 criminals considered to be chronic offenders.
The study found that:
- The 379 chronic offenders had an average of 39 convictions each.
- A quarter of them had more than 54 convictions.
- Ten had more than 79 convictions.
- Six of the 379 offenders had more than 100 convictions.
Rothwell said the incidence of property crime in Vancouver now dwarfs that in comparable jurisdictions.
"The property crime rate in Vancouver is more than double that of Toronto and more than double that of Richmond," he said.
Chu said factors considered in sentencing should not exclude the need for public protection.
"We owe it to the people of Vancouver and the victims of every property crime in the city to protect them from criminals who have decided that ripping off is the way they want to live their lives," the police chief said.
Letter to Editor of The Province
Re: Oppal not impressed by police video of alleged addict begging to be jailed, Article June 24, 2008
Attorney-General Wally Oppal implies that the police must be pulling a fast one when it comes to super chronic offenders when he says: “the video needs to be taken with a grain of salt. Here's a guy with his face blurred out. We don't know who he is…”. Then, instead of admitting what a terrible job he and judges are doing, he simply deflects all responsibility with: "I'm not sure it's productive to go around pointing fingers at everybody else, when there's enough blame to go around," Oppal said.
Oppal typifies everything that’s wrong with governance today. Mirror opposites of what Thomas Jefferson had in mind, the politician of the day hardly intends on serving the people, but are only concerned with preserving power and serving themselves. And not unlike the end of the Roman Empire, people are getting the leaders they deserve. Oppal and judges should be fired and held accountable for the losses they are contributing to.
But until the people of Vancouver demand far more, conditions will surely continue to deteriorate.
Louis Paquette102 - 2020 Comox Street
Vancouver, B.C. Canada V6G 1R9
(604) 687-5772
http://beautifulvancouvernot.blogspot.com/
Attorney-General Wally Oppal implies that the police must be pulling a fast one when it comes to super chronic offenders when he says: “the video needs to be taken with a grain of salt. Here's a guy with his face blurred out. We don't know who he is…”. Then, instead of admitting what a terrible job he and judges are doing, he simply deflects all responsibility with: "I'm not sure it's productive to go around pointing fingers at everybody else, when there's enough blame to go around," Oppal said.
Oppal typifies everything that’s wrong with governance today. Mirror opposites of what Thomas Jefferson had in mind, the politician of the day hardly intends on serving the people, but are only concerned with preserving power and serving themselves. And not unlike the end of the Roman Empire, people are getting the leaders they deserve. Oppal and judges should be fired and held accountable for the losses they are contributing to.
But until the people of Vancouver demand far more, conditions will surely continue to deteriorate.
Louis Paquette102 - 2020 Comox Street
Vancouver, B.C. Canada V6G 1R9
(604) 687-5772
http://beautifulvancouvernot.blogspot.com/
Oppal not impressed by police video of alleged addict begging to be jailed - The Province
The attorney-general is not impressed with the Vancouver Police Department's latest salvo in its campaign against the courts.
The department yesterday released a video of a man they say is a chronic thief who walked into a police station seeking a lengthy jail term with addiction treatment.
"Nowhere else in the world, and nowhere else in history has a community had to face this kind of problem," LePard claimed.
The department's analysis of court records showed that a thief's initial crimes usually bring a sentence of around 100 days, but after the 30th to 35th offence, the sentences drop to 25 days, said Insp. Rob Rothwell.
"The justice system is doing a lousy job of protecting the public," he said.
The department yesterday released a video of a man they say is a chronic thief who walked into a police station seeking a lengthy jail term with addiction treatment.
"Nowhere else in the world, and nowhere else in history has a community had to face this kind of problem," LePard claimed.
The department's analysis of court records showed that a thief's initial crimes usually bring a sentence of around 100 days, but after the 30th to 35th offence, the sentences drop to 25 days, said Insp. Rob Rothwell.
"The justice system is doing a lousy job of protecting the public," he said.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
City's 'chronic offender syndrome' unique, police say - Vancouver Sun
Crack cocaine addicts with more than 100 convictions remain on the street
Vancouver is the only city in the world with "chronic offender syndrome" where criminals with more than 100 convictions are still at large, capable of committing more crimes, say Vancouver police.
"No where else in the world faces this problem," Vancouver Deputy Police Chief Doug LePard said Monday, as police released an interview with a petty criminal who recently turned himself in after committing a break-in and asked for help in dealing with his addiction to drugs.
The man is in his early 30s and has led a criminal life since he was 14 and now has 26 convictions. He is well on his way to becoming a "super-chronic offender," said LePard.
Full Article >>
Vancouver is the only city in the world with "chronic offender syndrome" where criminals with more than 100 convictions are still at large, capable of committing more crimes, say Vancouver police.
"No where else in the world faces this problem," Vancouver Deputy Police Chief Doug LePard said Monday, as police released an interview with a petty criminal who recently turned himself in after committing a break-in and asked for help in dealing with his addiction to drugs.
The man is in his early 30s and has led a criminal life since he was 14 and now has 26 convictions. He is well on his way to becoming a "super-chronic offender," said LePard.
Full Article >>
Friday, January 25, 2008
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