Don't ya just love their name - the non partisan association.
This NPA is as right wing as they come, and is just another arm of the right-wing BC Liberals.
NPA nominates former B.C. Liberal government staffer Hector Bremner as candidate for council by-election
https://www.straight.com/news/961391/npa-nominates-former-bc-liberal-gov...
This election will change nothing but whatever.
Analysis: Hector Bremner is the man to beat in Vancouver's upcoming council by-election
NPA: Hector Bremner (3:2)
Normally, the NPA wouldn't have a chance by running a former aide to Rich Coleman in a town full of latte-loving cyclists. But this time, the left is fragmented, ruling Vision Vancouver is running an unknown 21-year-old, and the B.C. Liberals are out for blood after losing control of the legislature.
Bremner's focus on increasing the supply of housing will sit well with the development industry. This means there will be lots of money flowing into the NPA campaign to elect him.
He also showed good organizational ability in signing up lots of members in his campaign to win the nomination. This demonstrates that he's already proven himself to be a decent retail politician.
Bremner has also been mentored by right-wing political backroom boy extraordinaire Norman Stowe at the Pace Group. And Bremner's wife Virginia and his kids' Philippine ancestry will help him win votes in Vancouver's growing community of Filipino Canadians. All of this makes him the favourite, notwithstanding the battered NPA brand.
https://www.straight.com/news/961531/analysis-hector-bremner-man-beat-va...
Vancouver mayor would welcome Amazon's $5-billion headquarters
http://vancouversun.com/business/commercial-real-estate/toronto-among-th...
Green party will run three candidates in Vancouver school board election
http://vancouversun.com/news/politics/green-party-will-run-three-candida...
Finally!
B.C. realtors to be banned from dual agency as part of rule changes
B.C. real estate agents will be generally banned from acting as dual agents for both buyers and sellers under tough new rules drafted by the Office of the Superintendent of Real Estate
http://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/b-c-realtors-to-be-banned-from-d...
Yikes!
What the Hec? NPA on the verge of recycling Coleman and Clark protégé Bremner
Bob Mackin
NPA HOPEFUL HECTOR BREMNER (LEFT) WAS A STEELHEAD LNG LOBBYIST IN 2016 WHEN HE HOSTED HIS EX-BOSS, LNG MINISTER RICH COLEMAN (TWITTER)
Instead of taking steps toward sweeping the clunky, vegetable-oiled machine that is Vision Vancouver out of office for good, the opposition NPA is paving the way for Gregor Robertson’s party to control 12th and Cambie into the fall of 2022.
The liberal-conservative party with the monogrammed grape logo meets tonight at the Italian Cultural Centre to nominate a candidate for the by-election caused when Vision Coun. Geoff Meggs skedaddled to a $195,000-a-year job as NDP Premier John Horgan’s chief of staff.
An uninspiring trio is vying for the nod: ex-School Board trustee Penny Noble, former Cedar Party leader Glen Chernen and Hector Bremner, a failed 2013 BC Liberal candidate from New Westminster. The race is Bremner’s to win, but not because of any policy magic. Bremner has a team that can stack nomination votes and raise money faster and better than anyone in this race, and maybe even in the province. It is not known how much is in Bremner’s kitty, but his crew went on a membership spree in and around the Ross Street Sikh Temple. A typical strategy employed provincially and federally to much controversy.
Bremner is vice-president at veteran BC Liberal backroomer Norman Stowe’s Pace Group and has Mark Marissen and Mike Wilson in his backroom. Marissen is the ex-husband of ex-Premier Christy Clark and was on the inner-circle of the party’s disastrous 2017 campaign. Wilson is the former business partner of veteran BC Liberal and Vision message maker Don Millar at the FD Element advertising agency, which scored several no-bid contracts from Robertson’s office and set-up a pro-Vision blog called Civic Scene.
Bremner parlayed his 2013 election loss into lucrative fart-catching gigs, first with International Trade Minister Teresa Wat until fall 2014, and then with Rich Coleman, the Deputy Premier, LNG and housing minister, until he joined Stowe’s shop in early 2015. Bremner almost immediately signed-up as a lobbyist for Steelhead LNG, the Vancouver Island natural gas play that includes Geoff Plant on its board and had startup help from a pre-BC Hydro Jessica McDonald. Bremner exploited the one-year cooling-off loophole for public servants by not naming his former boss, Coleman, as a target. Instead, he told the Office of the Registrar of Lobbyists that the only cabinet minister he would try communicating with would be Finance Minister Mike de Jong.
Somehow, Bremner failed to tell the Office of the Registrar of Lobbyists about his jobs as executive assistant to cabinet ministers. Former public office holders, including political staffers like Bremner, are required to do so. theBreaker confirmed Aug. 29 with the ORL that deputy registrar Jay Fedorak took the first steps toward an investigation. It could end with a fine.
The low-hanging fruit for Vision to retain the seat Meggs vacated, or for the Greens to win it, gets lower and juicier. Bremner’s wife, Virginia, was paid to answer Christy Clark’s office phone for six years. She organized a June 2016 event in New Westminster attended by Coleman.
Anti-Clark Clique sentiment was alive on May 9 and it could play a key role on Oct. 14.
Even though Vancouver skies appear to be quite smoky, air quality remains "moderate"
https://www.straight.com/blogra/959636/even-though-vancouver-skies-appea...
Why is Vision Vancouver appointing as opposed to holding contested nomination meetings meetings both for the Council as well as the School Board positions?
https://www.straight.com/news/958296/vision-vancouver-appoints-five-cand...
Oh, my. Trouble in right-wing land.
Definitely not setting a good example, and he wants to be in a position of power. Let's hope NOT!
Vision calls NPA candidate Hector Bremner a NIMBY and questions commitment to housing solutions
The Non-Partisan Association (NPA) candidate for an October by-election has tried to frame himself as the answer to Vancouver’s housing crisis. Hector Bremner has said what the city needs to do is increase supply, significantly and immediately. But a video has surfaced that casts some doubt on his personal commitment to that plan.
“Not all development is equal, and not all of it divine,” Bremner said speaking before council in opposition to a large residential development proposed for the intersection of Burrard and Nelson streets in the downtown core.
The video was recorded barely more than a month ago, on July 25.
“We run the unnecessary risk of damaging an important neighborhood of our city for generations,” Bremner continued, adding that if council approved the building’s construction, it would “unfairly impact existing residents’ quality of life.”
The development in question would bring an additional 331 market-rate housing units plus 61 supportive-housing units to the area, which is already densely populated with residential towers.
The mayor’s Vision Vancouver party sent the video to journalists today (September 13) with a media release that paints Bremner as a NIMBY resident who only wants to add to Vancouver’s housing supply if it’s not in the neighbourhood where he lives.
“NPA council candidate Hector Bremner: he wants more housing supply and he wants it quickly,” Vision’s release reads. “Unless it is across the street from where he lives, in which case, we don't need it and we should do a traffic study instead.”
https://www.straight.com/news/964096/vision-calls-npa-candidate-hector-b...
Former MP Libby Davies endorses Jean Swanson in Vancouver council by-election
https://www.straight.com/news/964061/former-mp-libby-davies-endorses-jea...
Vote Bremner if you want Christy Clark running things from the sidelines. Yikes!
The Burrard Street Journal
Bingo!
Tax avoidance is behind Metro's disconnect between housing, ...
After census figures this week revealed alarming gaps between housing costs and average incomes in Metro Vancouver, a veteran real-estate analyst blames the disparity in part on tax avoidance.
http://vancouversun.com/opinion/columnists/douglas-todd-tax-avoidance-is...
We have foreign military ships in Vancouver Harbour today, maybe from Japan - what's going on?
Richmond, B.C., opts for persuasion over bylaws in campaign against non-English signs
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/richmond-language-sign-po...
Clowns, balloon artists twisted up over proposed balloon ban in Vancouver parks
Vancouver Park Board is considering a motion tonight to ban 'harmful' ballons from parks, community centres
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/vancouver-parks-balloons-...
My kind of candidate - she is on to something here and she has my vote I heard Jean being attacked unmercifully on CKNW today for wanting to tax the rich
I mean how dare she suggest something like having a progressive property tax system
But why not I say, why fucking not!!!
This is an absolutely brilliant way of levelling the playing field so every Canadian can have a home if they want one
https://www.straight.com/news/970506/council-candidate-jean-swanson-marc...
I mean how dare she suggest something like having a progressive property tax systemBut why not I say, why fucking not!!!
Property taxes are ostensibly to pay for municipal services like garbage collection and local police and fire services.
I already have no special reason to believe that someone whose home is worth twice what mine is worth also uses 2x the garbage collection, 2x the services of the police and 2x the services of the fire department. But now they should pay even more, solely because IF THEY SOLD IT their house would (probably) sell for more??
I think that any time a tax is levied on a home's ESTIMATED value, it should only be levied when that home is sold. That's literally the only time we can really know what it's true value is, and more importantly the only time that homeowner has some sudden extra cash.
The greed factor is alive and well and because there are zero controls on housing prices Vancouver will no longer be a place for the middle class let alone the working poor to live
https://beuta.theglobeandmail.com/real-estate/vancouver/vancouvers-risin...
I want to vote for a political party that is going to put a cap on the profits for basic necessities such as housing, food, and helathcare. Where are the consumers represented anywhere is this vast country called Canada anyways!
New rentals in Metro Vancouver a long time coming
After decades of few apartments built in Lower Mainland, a rental recovery will take time
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/purpose-built-rentals-pri...
This is nuts!
Explore this depressing interactive map to see exactly where you can't afford to a buy a home in Vancouver
https://www.straight.com/blogra/971066/explore-depressing-interactive-ma...
Byelection candidate wants $174-million 'mansion tax' to fund housing for poor
Vancouver council candidate Jean Swanson proposed a "mansion tax" Saturday outside Chip Wilson's $75.8-million home
Quite the representation Canadian consumers are receiving from our collective governments in Canada, eh!
Vancouver developer pre-sells condos for “cheaper than in Canada” in Hong Kong, boasts of “pricing ordinary Canadians out of the housing market”
https://thinkpol.ca/2017/09/23/vancouver-developer-pre-sells-condos-for-...
VIDEO: Designing the Rental Housing Renaissance
Watch our tour through Canada’s rental history and see how to build into the future.
https://thetyee.ca/News/2017/09/25/Rental-Housing-Renaissance-Video/
David Chudnovsky: OneCity council candidate Judy Graves will stand up for tenants and neighbourhoods
https://www.straight.com/news/971931/david-chudnovsky-onecity-council-ca...
Metro Vancouver water: Report offers ideas on user fees, meters, conservation
http://theprovince.com/news/local-news/embargoed-report-makes-recommenda...
When the culprits are caught, ship them up to the Arctic for a couple of years to work with trail-making there.
North Shore Rescue warns someone is stealing trail markers and signs, putting hikers at risk
https://www.straight.com/news/972031/north-shore-rescue-warns-someone-st...
If the author is so concerned about integrity why doesn't he self-identify himself as a right-Wing former NPA candidate who prefers no election financing rules so that those with the most money can usually buy election results
http://www.vancourier.com/opinion/activist-organizations-more-concerning...
Every year some perish.
Not for novices, and even experienced hikers need to be cautious on the North Shore mountains
https://www.straight.com/news/973041/one-rock-climber-dies-another-injur...
A citizen's guide to the Vancouver school board election
Use your vote wisely folks—with low turnout each vote counts more than ever.
And keep in mind this great quote from OneCity VSB candidate Erica Jaaf: “Politics is how we choose to take care of each other.”
https://www.straight.com/news/977381/patti-bacchus-citizens-guide-vancou...
Why a council by-election poses a serious threat to Gregor Robertson and Vision Vancouver
https://www.straight.com/news/977731/why-council-election-poses-serious-...
With the left wing vote split four ways, I think Bremner is going to win.
We should have gotten rid of FPTP.
With the left wing vote split four ways, I think Bremner is going to win.
We should have gotten rid of FPTP.
Agreed.
Either get rid of the drugs or shut the Olympics down
Crowded Field on Left Could Hand Wins to NPA Saturday
Voice, Greens, COPE, One City set to split vote, giving NPA edge in school board, council races.
https://thetyee.ca/Opinion/2017/10/10/Crowded-Field-Wins-NPA/
Crowded Field on Left Could Hand Wins to NPA Saturday
Voice, Greens, COPE, One City set to split vote, giving NPA edge in school board, council races.
https://thetyee.ca/Opinion/2017/10/10/Crowded-Field-Wins-NPA/
Go figure. Bill Tieleman doesn't like how FPTP works but he's the biggest supporter of FPTP in BC?!?
Vision and NPA by-election candidates leave a lot to be desired
http://thebreaker.news/miscellany/candidates-leave-a-lot-to-be-desired/
Hear audio from the explosive meeting that led to the Vancouver School Board firing
My hunch is that Fry will win tomorrow's by-election.
Pete Fry: Voting Vision is more of the same and voting NPA could block key budget votes
https://www.straight.com/news/980971/pete-fry-voting-vision-more-same-an...
My hunch is that Fry will win tomorrow's by-election.
Pete Fry: Voting Vision is more of the same and voting NPA could block key budget votes
https://www.straight.com/news/980971/pete-fry-voting-vision-more-same-an...
With the left splitting the vote it would be very impressive if Fry, Swanson, or Graves managed to win but I think low voter turnout and votes from the west side will favour Bremner.
