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Mayor chooses West End advisory committee

October 8th, 2010 · 6 Comments

Someone not chosen to participate in Mayor Gregor Robertson’s West End advisory committee — the consultation process he has come up with to try to deal with the fracas in the West End over several new towers proposed under Vision Vancouver’s initiative to promote rental housing — has sent on this list of who has been chosen. All info welcome on the backgrounds of the nominees welcome.

 I know that Tiko Kerr, an artist and one-time Vision supporter, has been working with West End Neighbours, the group that has been leading the opposition to the towers.

 Jim Deva, who runs Little Sisters books, has been a Vision supporter and generally a more moderate voice in the fracas. Cherie Payne is a one-time candidate for the Non-Partisan Association.

Ms. Christine Ackermann
Mr. Tony Clark
Ms. Marlann Cooper
Mr. Jim Deva
Ms. Michelle Fortin
Mr. Rob Hines
Ms. Lena Hozaima
Mr. Peter Jackman
Mr. Tiko Kerr
Mr. Dean Malone
Ms. Cherie Payne
Ms. Carol Reardon

Categories: Uncategorized

  • Terry

    Christine Ackermann is a director of the West End Residents Association and helped found the Renters at Risk group. Carol Reardon is a former member of the Board of Variance. Both have been active in the West End community for several years.

  • Joseph Jones

    The exclusion of Randy Helten makes the West End Advisory Committee a joke before it ever meets.

  • More Vision BS

    I concur. Sounds like Randy is being singes out and punished—as a Vision suppporter>

    Jim Deva–a moderate? You’re kidding, right?

  • ThinkOutsideABox

    Sorry but I didn’t say that the Hornby bike lanes were going to be a complete and total…

    Oh shit, wrong thread? Sorry about that. 🙂

    Okay, the mayor’s West End advisory committee. It appears there was a deliberate balance being attempted in the selection of members by Andrea and Tim which create favourable optics, i.e. half of the committee are gay, half of the committee are women. Diversity bliss right there.

    It also appears the selection is weighted towards people who already sit on committees or boards in other organizations, or have a public profile to some degree.

    In council on “hacks” day, Andrea indicated the composition of members being sought in the ‘terms of reference’ was to reflect the demographic diversity in the West End because there’s no end to the parade of 40 to 65 year olds visiting city hall; but it’s a real challenge to create diversity on committees… I guess, so long as you ignore the people you chose for the committee who actively seek out and already sit on a multitude of boards or committees, eh Andrea?

    Terms of reference composition for the committee as follows:

    – single resident households, 40 years of age and under
    – families of young children
    – new immigrants and refugees
    – seniors
    – local business owners who live in the neighbourhood
    – LGBTQ community
    – 80+% of West End residents are identified as renter would be taken into account.

    The above based on 2006 census statistics. Does that mean 9.6 people on the committee are renters? Like maybe one of them spends .4 of the time some place else?

    Can’t miss that Jim Deva is the local business owner, as is Dean Malone. Dean has actually stated publicly that he’s in favour of the 1401 Comox rezoning. I wonder if he still feels that way after Westbank/Peterson took away the token amount of time-limited SAFER units?

    No matter anyway because according to Gregor’s spokesperson Kevin Quinlan, the committee will not be discussing 1401 Comox.

    I’m not clear on who “reflects” the family with young children, who the new immigrant/refugees are, or the seniors, but I guess there should’ve been 4 people with families to properly reflect the demographic, as well as 4 immigrants and 2 seniors. Marlann Cooper with the West End Seniors Network is a good person to have, and I guess Dean’s business catering to gay seniors might have been a nod in that direction.

    Carol Reardon was also a previous West End Residents Association director… which is funny that WERA gets so much focus and attention politically considering it represents an association of what, 5 residents? Namely it’s 5 directors? Do they even do the AGM thing?

    WERA president Brent Granby has even stated, “We don’t speak for the West End.”

    At least 2 on the committee have signed the WEN “No rezoning without a comprehensive plan” petition. And some on the committee are good friends with West End resident and Vision Parks Board Chair Aaron Jasper and his wife, who for those that don’t know by now, is also a director of WERA.

    Lena Hozaima also sits on the board for the West End Community Centre and she’s a wonderful Canadian.

    I had heard a call was made by one of the two councillors to someone they wanted to be on the committee but it doesn’t appear they were chosen. For that matter, not sure if they even applied. Rob Hines, coordinator for the Green Party made the cut.

    I do wonder if we will get to see what criteria were applied in the selection of committee members. Fundamental things, like was everyone’s address verified as primary residence in the West End? I’m going to guess, umm, no, but unlike Jonathan Ross’ slimy, disgraceful publicizing of where Randy Helten’s various family live, don’t care to know personal details of committee members that they don’t already expose.

    And what happens when a committee member resigns? Do they get replaced with their “stereotype” replicant? Which by the way, who knew a word could rile up a semantic disturbance in both Jonathan Ross AND the mayor’s office? Such a coincidence.

    Also let’s not forget, Tim Stevenson said on “hacks” day in council that it would really be a shame and a loss if Randy wasn’t on the committee.

    Well shed a tear, he applied and wasn’t picked. Shameful; Councillor Stevenson?

    And for whatever any of this has to do with an interim measure to a planning process for the West End for the time being, I haven’t got a f__king clue right here cubed.

  • Babaloo

    Get on with it.
    Seems you could pick the 12 Apostles for the advisory committee and those folks wouldn’t be happy.

  • Victor

    Thinkingoutsideabox…..you have outdone yourself with your humor while hitting the nail (s) on the head.

    What a mockery this Vision gang makes of public process.

    Guess if when creating a so called public committee, enough of your appointed members are your pals, there is no one there willing to stand up and say..”the Emperor wears no clothes”