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Breaking news: Robertson pays fine

November 5th, 2008 · 11 Comments

And now, bringing to a close one of the weirder episodes of this election campaign, this just in:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media release

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

ROBERTSON HAS PAID SKYTRAIN FINE

VANCOUVER – Vision Vancouver mayoral candidate Gregor Robertson said today that he has paid in full a $173 fine he received after mistakenly travelling two zones on SkyTrain last year with a one-zone ticket, a fine which he has always said he would pay.

“I’ve paid the full amount of the fine, and as a result will not be appearing in a hearing,” said Robertson. “As a mayoral candidate, and I hope as Mayor, I have better ways to raise these issues. Under these circumstances, it was a mistake to challenge the fine in this way, and I apologize for this mistake and take full responsibility for it.”

“My original point in planning to dispute this fine was to raise the issue in a hearing. It was never an attempt to avoid paying or to reduce the amount of the fine,” Robertson said.  “Contrary to what has been incorrectly reported, I did not forget to pay the fine. I submitted the necessary paperwork at the time – approximately 17 months ago – to take the ticket to a hearing, and the notice only arrived a few weeks ago.”

“Nevertheless, the mistake was my own, and I have paid the full amount of the fine.”

“This issue has become an unfortunate distraction from the real issues in this campaign. This matter is now resolved, and I look forward to focusing on the important issues of homelessness, crime, and the lack of affordable housing in Vancouver.”

Categories: 2008 Vancouver Civic Election

  • Wagatoast

    Now what are we supposed to do – talk about issues?

    Oh well, guess it’s back to how Peter Ladner has a weak record on council and voted against the homeless action plan.

    Your serve, wagamuffin

  • Wayne

    I figured Gregor would settle up and I think he’s done the right thing. I’m disappointed with a lot of petty comments on this in the press. The ‘holier than thou’ crowd seemed to come out of the woodwork. He paid for a ticket. Are we to assume he is just so cheap he figured he’d stiff Translink for a buck? The system is so screwed up it’s just pathetic. Why, for example, does it cost the same to go from Patterson Station to Joyce Station as it does to go from Columbia Station to Waterfront Station?
    Sometimes I use a monthly pass, sometimes I use tickets. I’ve absent-mindedly walked on to Skytrain before I realized I hadn’t stamped a ticket. Luckily for me there were no gun toting ticket checkers on duty.

  • Finally caved

    So now it’s okay because he caved contritely after several days of the public bagging on him? The fare isn’t the issue – his attitude is. This part of a pattern of poor judgement, and of having to make nice after he screws up.

  • Wagamuffin

    Wagatoast, I’d really like to talk about the issue of character—or lack thereof. I guess “sorry” is the hardest word, isn’t it Wagatoast?

    I know I am inspired to think that a grown man could not do what what every schoolchild in the region is able to do every day on SkyTrain–press the correct screen t get a “2 zone” fare.

    Or, if he truly could not do the math, what we could look forward to as he deals with a $900 million annual budget. “Whoops! I guess I must have left $300 million in my other pocket”…

    Or perhaps he thought he had paid enough for his fare . Which inspires me to plan my own anarchic action—I find Happy Planet juice rather overpriced. I think I shall pay a dollar less for it the next time. I’m sure my local Caper’s will be delighted to cut me such a deal.

    In the name of support of the lowly kiwi everywhere, I encourage the rest of the population to do the same! Vivre le kiwi libre!

    As for records on homelessness, pray, tell me where I can dial up and find Gregor’s while he was in the provincial governemnt and served an MLA for Fairview? Oh, look—he voted against every initiative forwarded by the province. And not a boo in Hansard about homelessness. Well, there’s someone who’s ready to deal with all levels of government.

    What a consensus builder. Somewhere, Adrian Dix laughs his arse off…

  • jf

    It’s nice to see that the partisans never stop. The NPAers will condemn, the Visionites will excuse, and the rest, well they don’t really care. Almost everyone I have talked to has a story of not paying or under-paying at one time or another out of forgetfulness or exhaustion. None of them were caught, but all agreed that $173 for a $1 slip was excessive. The only poor judgement I have seen is the cold-hearted, holy-than thou attitude of the complainers. Who was it who once said “Let him who is without sin cast the first stone”…a pretty good lesson regardless of where you are coming from.

  • A. G. Tsakumis

    I’m sorry to do this Frances…I will refrain from littering your blog with anymore sensible comments, but judging from the aggregate of the comments on this Gregor Skytrain isue, I’m compelled.

    For the umpteenth time…the issue of the unpaid ticket is not worth the paper (or screen, or whatever) it’s reported on. The real issue, clearly, is Gregor’s response, which was to either show that a) he fundamentally misunderstands the sheer folly of his “protest”, or, that; b) he concocted a fairy tale to cover for the ticket.

    Either way, that’s not good enough. It shows a shallow, at best, handle of a doctrine of fairness which should be, frankly, automatic.

    I shall now, once more, retreat to my cave.

    Many thx.

  • AMD

    A.G. T, in a rather strange moment for me, I find myself in agreement with you. This could have been a library book not returned, unpaid income taxes, or a jawalking ticket – the infraction is irrelevant. I’m concerned with the response, which, to me is most revealing. At best, it was a showed naivety. At worst, it reflected an instinct for political opportunism. Either way, the response (not the infraction) showed bad judgement.

  • Ideologue Cabin

    If my good friends in the NPA want to have a judgment throwdown, bring it on.

    Ladner: voted for Project Civil City

    Ladner: voted against investigating Ken Dobell on conflict of interest (great foresight there)

    Ladner: voted against investigating Sam Sullivan for trademarking EcoDensity (surely the king of all bad judgment calls!)

    Ladner: voted against VPD requests

    By the way, still waiting for a “new” idea from Ladner and Co in this campaign. and no, the staff report on Burrard Bridge doesn’t count.

  • TM

    I think maybe Gregor’s about to get a gift from the City – let’s hope he doesn’t blow it.

    http://www.bcandbeyond.wordpress.com

  • Chris

    This is such a non issue. Who hasn’t accidentally ridden transit with the wrong fare before? I have at least once or twice. At least this shows Gregor rides public transit. When’s the last time Ladner took the bus?

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