Press Release
Michael Davis, NPA President
(604) 505 3932
Vancouver, BC – In response to the increasing political rhetoric regarding school budgeting challenges, Vancouver School Board trustees Ken Denike and Carol Gibson are urging their fellow trustees to end disparaging remarks about Minister of Education Dr. Margaret MacDiarmid, and to remain focused on constructive dialogue with the Province of B.C.
“The difficulties of dealing with our structural deficit require a positive dialogue with the Education Ministry, not political barbs and calls for the Minister’s resignation,” comments NPA Trustee Ken Denike. “I find the remarks of the Chair and her colleagues insulting, and in no way will they succeed in helping children’s education in our city.”
Since last weekend Chair Patti Bacchus, several of her Vision/COPE colleagues, as well as several leaders from the trade union movement have attacked Dr. MacDiarmid, suggesting that “she doesn’t understand basic numbers” and is “deliberately trying to mislead the public.” Last Sunday Ms. Bacchus used this as a premise for calling for the Minister’s resignation.
“We are in sensitive deliberations with the Province,” adds NPA Trustee Carol Gibson. “There is nothing we can do about the statements of labour union representatives, but we feel it is time to ask our Vision/COPE colleagues to consider the implications of their statements. It only hurts the prospects for children’s education in Vancouver, and sets a very bad example for our youth. This is not about scoring political points.”
The Vancouver School Board met on Wednesday evening to review a list of proposed reductions in staff and services in the face of declining enrollment and a budget shortfall. Public consultation will continue throughout the month of April and a final decision on the 2010/11 budget will be voted upon on April 29th.
Vancouver – Councillor Anton won’t be voting for a $50 permit application fee for block parties. Over the past six years block parties have become increasingly popular with more than 166 events organized last year alone.
“Neighbourhood block parties builds strong communities,” said Councillor Anton. “Imposing a $50 application fee will make Vancouverites less inclined to organize such events. We want to promote neighbours closing off streets and bringing out the summer grill. The Olympics clearly showed the appetite that Vancouverites have for celebrations and community activities. Mayor Robertson seems to want to take the city back to being a no-fun city as he discourages neighbourhood block parties. "
Council is being asked to support a number of new fees on Thursday, including a new fee for block parties.
NPA Park Commissioner Ian Robertson demands Mayor respect independence of Park Board
Vancouver—NPA Park Commissioner Ian Robertson is brining a motion to the Park Board meeting on March 22, 2010 that he hopes will force a public debate on the independence of the Vancouver Park Board and its authority to hire its next General Manger.
"Mayor Gregor Robertson and his Vision Vancouver Councillors are gutting Vancouver’s Park Board,” says Park Commissioner Ian Robertson. "The Park Board has built one of the best municipal parks systems in the world, but this Mayor seems determined to destroy the Park Board or make it so dysfunctional it will simply die off on its own."
Commissioner Robertson's motion demands that Council delegate sole authority to the Park Board to select and oversee the Park Board General Manager. Vancouver's City Manager Penny Ballem has indicated she will have a role in hiring and overseeing the Park Board Manager. Commissioner Robertson says this is a recipe for failure.
Past Park Commissioners are backing the call to maintain the independence of the Park Board. Former Park Board Chair Malcolm
Ashford: "The Park Board has a long history of independence that has allowed us to build and protect our parks and recreational services for decades. I know the public does not endorse this kind of interference from City Hall. Vancouverites are very protective of their Parks System and a full public process will confirm this. There is no logical reason to change something that has been so successful.”
Five-term Commissioner Allan De Genova is also bothered by the City’s direction: “The citizens of Vancouver set it up so the Park Board is elected directly by them to run the park system. It has worked beautifully for over 100 years. They have successfully managed their budgets. We have the best run parks in North America and the hiring of the General Manger is critical to that. Why is the Mayor changing something that isn’t broken?”
“Up until this Mayor and Council, the Park Board has been independent and very successful,” says Commissioner Robertson. “If the Mayor is going to change that, they shouldn’t do it by stealth. There should be a public debate.”
Vancouver,
"Mayor Robertson is spending scarce city resources on sheltersa band aid solution to homelessness which has traditionally been funded by the Province, says Councillor Anton. Virtually no permanent housing has been announced by this Mayor since he was elected, adds Anton. Millions are being spent to move people indoors for the Olympics without any permanent solution to their homelessness."
Vancouver, BC City Council will vote today on whether to require all re-zonings to achieve higher environmental standards, as planned in the EcoDensity initiative.Projects in the city which are proposed to be built beyond their "as of right" zoning would be required to achieve LEED gold.At the moment the standard is LEED silver.
The EcoDensity initiative, passed by the previous council in June 2008, set green standards for private buildings which are the highest in
Councillor Suzanne Anton says, "This proposal will raise the bar even higher for buildings in
Council will vote on this issue Thursday afternoon.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 17, 2009
ANTON CALLS ON MAYOR TO RETURN MONEY TO INNER-CITY COMMUNITY GARDEN FUND
Mayor contravenes city policy to build himself a garden at City Hall
Vancouver, BC – City Councillor Suzanne Anton is calling for Mayor Robertson to repay the $25,000 taken from the inner-city portion of the Olympic and Paralympic Legacy Reserve to construct the City Hall community garden.
The community garden at City Hall was built at the direction of the Mayor, ignoring a long community process around the redevelopment of the formal front lawn of City Hall.
The Mayor also ignored City of Vancouver community garden policies which direct that community gardens be developed and maintained at no cost to the city.
“The garden was built by edict from the Mayor using funds that were intended for inner city gardens,” says Anton. The Mayor should repay the money so it can be used in the inner city neighbourhoods, which is what it was meant for.”
Anton will present her motion at today’s Council meeting.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 17, 2009
CITY BUSINESS SHOULD NOT BE KEPT UNDER WRAPS
MAINTAINING TRANSPARENCY AT CITY HALL
Councillor Suzanne Anton’s motion calls for transparency and voter access to correspondence at City Hall
Vancouver, BC – City Councillor Suzanne Anton will introduce a motion today calling for strengthened policies around records retention. City staff will be requested to report back with policies for record retention. As an interim measure, Anton is calling for Council to direct all Councillors and staff to retain all documents (including emails) for one year.
“The current policies about the use and retention of email by staff and politicians are weak,” says Anton. “They should be clearly laid out to allow appropriate public access via the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.”
Anton says the public has the right to access information. “Emails can and should be kept indefinitely to allow the public to exercise their right to information. For the same reason, private email accounts should not be used to conduct public business.”
Anton says that Vision Vancouver promised open and transparent government but their actions since being elected are not fulfilling those promices. “The use of private email by public sector staff conducting City business circumvents the spirit of freedom of information regulations and the public’s right to openness and transparency in government.”
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 23, 2009
Councillor Suzanne Anton gives keynote on EcoDensity
EcoDensity to be highlighted at the Congrès de l’Ordre des urbanistes du Québec
Vancouver – On Thursday September 24th, Councillor Suzanne Anton will be speaking to an audience of urban planners about EcoDensity at the Congrès de l’Ordre des urbanistes du Québec being held in Sherbrooke, Quebec. Invited to be the keynote speaker at the conference, she will discuss two years of NPA political effort and challenges to implement EcoDensity with three public policy pillars: environmental sustainability, liveability, and affordability.
Councillor Anton says “national recognition of EcoDensity is very satisfying and I hope that its core principles and policies will interest cities across Canada.”
EcoDensity places environmental considerations at the forefront of all land use issues. EcoDensity continues to be extremely influential in Vancouver policy with the recent rezonings allowing laneway housing and lock-off suites within suites.
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