Nearly a month since Vancouver's Coalition of Progressive Electors (COPE) were evicted from City Hall (but for Allan Wong's single school board seat) in the November 19 elections, many on the Left are grappling with COPE's loss.

There are many things money can buy and, to no one's great surprise, one of them is an election.

Caption: Artists at Red Gate held an eviction art sale after the city closed their artist-run space -- saying the landlord would not cooperate with upgrades. Photo by David P. Ball 

Three more hours to vote if you haven't yet. Polls close at 8 p.m.

I post this so late in the day because what I want to talk about goes well beyond this election -- well beyond what box you check at the polls, or whether Gregor or Suzanne become our next mayor.

This has been one of the most intense and heart-rending weeks of my writing life, and proof that Vancouver's upcoming election has turned into what I can only describe as exhausting, dramatic and completely uncertain, after being initially predicted as a sleeper.

It is one thing to know that politicians lie. As the old joke has it: "How do you know a politician is lying? His/her lips are moving."

Innately, we all know that many politicians do, and do so much of the time. It is quite another thing to watch one do it to your face. Case in point, Mayor Gregor Robertson's sickening performance at a press conference on the side of the Art Gallery on Hornby Street on Saturday night. Roberston earned his spot in that special place in hell reserved for lying politicians as he placed the blame for the death of the young homeless woman at Occupy Vancouver (OV) on the protest camp itself.

Monday's mayoral debate on homelessness and affordable housing was a heated fight -- not between the two candidates, but between the City and its residents. Mayor Gregor Robertson and mayoral candidate Suzanne Anton were supposed to face off and debate the issues, but the real debate was with the people of Vancouver.

Ashlie Gough, only 23 years old, passed away Nov. 5, 2011 during a weekend visit to Vancouver from Victoria. Ashlie passed before her time, and there is nothing more upsetting, more infuriating, than people passing before their time. This lost future has registered public attention because the overdose occurred at a political protest camp -- Occupy Vancouver. In some ways, this tragedy was a chance accident in a unique situation. But it is also true that overdoses are far more common in Vancouver than anyone would hope, and than many would prefer to acknowledge.

This past few weeks' election surprise saw Occupy Vancouver -– now in its third week, with a growing tent village settling in for the wetter months –- coming to dominate the city's campaign trail.

Stuffed toy lobster and Guy Fawkes masks in hand.