Agreed.

Unfortunately, however, Bobby McFerrin is not in the running on Saturday.

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And while I’m certainly no expert, I didn’t think the fuss was about whether it’s OK to discuss sensitive issues in camera. I thought it was about whether the decision to OK a $100 million loan was properly informed, and/or about a leak that’s got people worrying that the widely predicted “Olympic hangover” could be far worse than expected.

Sam didn’t address either question and I’m not sure how two ex mayors who were not privy to those in camera discussions could do that for him.

The totally patronizing pre-election mantra of Canadian politicians seems to be “Don’t worry, trust us, be happy.”

Yeah, right!

Not to go all fact-checker or anything on you, but how, exactly, did Vision act as the ‘architect of the Millenium deal’ given that the deal was first recommended to Council by City Staff in April of 2006 which occurred after the original 1:1:1 market/affordable/subsidized proposal that was designed by the previous Vision Council had already been trashed by the Sullivan/Ladner/Anton et al. NPA Council earlier that year?

Am I missing something in that chronology?

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Lo and behold, CBC says good old Larry owns two units in the development but Larry doesn’t want to talk about that. Just unbelievable.

I voted advanced and I know there are a couple of money questions on the ballot. Taxpayers can decide whether they want to authorize council to spend up to X dollars on various projects. If taxpayers have to authorize these projects how is it that council can enter into negotiations to the tune of $100.000.000.00 and tell us it is none of our business? And that we can just trust them. The more secretive they are the more worried I am that this will end badly for the taxpayer.

I despise the Olympics too.

S.165.2 (1) gives council some discretion.

S.165.2 (2) gives the council no discretion (it would appear that the Millenium discussions would very well fall into this category.

Meetings that may or must be closed to the public

165.2 (1) A part of a Council meeting may be closed to the public if the subject matter being considered relates to or is one or more of the following:

(d) the security of the property of the city;

(e) the acquisition, disposition or expropriation of land or improvements, if the Council considers that disclosure could reasonably be expected to harm the interests of the city;

(k) negotiations and related discussions respecting the proposed provision of an activity, work or facility that are at their preliminary stages and that, in the view of the Council, could reasonably be expected to harm the interests of the city if they were held in public;

(2) A part of a Council meeting must be closed to the public if the subject matter being considered relates to one or more of the following:

(b) the consideration of information received and held in confidence relating to negotiations between the city and ….a third party;

Perhaps if people want more openness at City Hall, they really should be lobbying the provincial government to change the Vancouver Charter.

He has injected himself again, knowing full well that the NPA will be decimated on Saturday, but wanting to ensure, too, that Pistol Pete’s shooter is empty.

Sam is wily enough to know how unpopular he is, but he still comes out on this issue, with the knowledge that it has almost sank Peter (almost entirely unfairly); ot he’s too stupid to know that reminding voters of his ( even remote) connection to Peter will send them to the ballot box not just wanting to vote for Gregor, but have his baby too (and that’s just the men)–either way, what a fool.

Obervations:

1) It is impossible to predict how this project will end up. Sam’s crystal ball needs a polish and somene that can actually read it properly…

2) The notion that everything is bright and cheery, against the backdrop of a global economic crisis that threatens the United States with a second financial tsunami in as many months, is as asinine as anything I’ve ever heard from Sam. Saying it’s the case without one stitch of tangible proof is the raising of blowing smoke from a science to an art. In fact, if you graphed the events as they have unfolded from the beginning, and followed the trend, the whole thing would be in Palinesque territory: Indecipherable babble followed by harsh reality, the best intentions notwithstanding.

3) The project should have NEVER gone to Millennium. Both Peter Wall and Terry Hui had bigger pockets and greater experience at building this type of site. So, the comment about how the very best interests of taxpayers was paramount to staff, is utter horse shit. Wall and Concord have billions in assets. Millennium has not–ever.

4) The city had no business getting into the speculation game…when Millennium couldn’t write a cheque for the whole deal, that should have sent alarm bells ringing to the point of cracking. No money no honey, honey. A $30 million cheque on a deal that large isn’t enough. In fact, you wouldn’t take that in any kind of economy, because the current scenario should have been blueskyed as on of the potential default positions!!! Wh at the city was watching for this Sam?!

5) What assets do Millennium have that we can fall back on? This whole thing will come down to selling the remaining condos at a market price that will not return for at least three years. Most of their more profitable projects are either cellared or stalled. Nice.

So, who will end up holding the bag for all this…

The same people who were screwed senseless for the last three years of fantasy initiatives, failed policy and pretense…

YOU.

Vision’s well-funded smear campaign has worked, but, it will ultimately be to the detriment of Vancouver voters. Buyer’s Remorse, here we come.