Things definitely heated up in the Vancouver election last week, starting with the debate at Christ Church cathedral Sunday where the NPA’s Kirk LaPointe got Mayor Gregor Robertson on the ropes over what exactly was promised (or not) to one of Vision’s union donors. The NPA was thrilled to play the video all week of the mayor looking and acting like he’d been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. (Told you guys the karma thing was going to come around.)
Vision hit back later in the week with a radio ad jabbing at one of LaPointe’s weak spots. (Story here.)
And I just want you to remember one thing, kids. If Vision decides to do a radio or Facebook or TV ad on some negative thing about their opponent(s), it’s because that negative thing is showing up in the message, surveys, focus groups and other public-transmission devices the party uses to stay hyper-attuned to the fluctuations of groupthink.
So when they went out with this radio ad earlier in the week, a pretend conversation among two women complaining about a guy who doesn’t even pay taxes in the city being in the running to decide on what taxes Vancouverites will pay, you can bet they are replaying a common theme they heard.
We smart people here on this blog may discount the residency thing. but we don’t think like regular people.
Then, next dust-up: whether the Vancouver school board, headed by Visionista Patti Bacchus, is right or wrong to disallow a Chevron-sponsored program in the district that would allow teachers to apply for money for classroom materials.
I have to say, I stay out of school board stuff these days (five years on the beat in the late ’80s, early ’90s was enough for me), and so I find myself in the same position as any average civics watcher in this one, with no special knowledge.
It’s been a wild game of ping-pong all week, with Bacchus and the mayor sounding like the last defenders of corporate-free classrooms, while their critics are posting pictures of the mayor standing in front of giant Bell logos for some corporate-sponsored event. Every time I go on Twitter, I find myself swayed to one side and then another. Sure glad I’m not so lost on other issues.
This is the most complete story I’ve seen on the issue. But funny how it popped up briefly last March, again in May, then disappeared from view until now. You’ve got to love elections.