All of you civic-politics junkies who were wondering what to do with your Saturday morning this weekend, your troubles are over.
Michael Geller, with Gordon Price and Bob Ransford, has organized a morning of panels to discuss and debate Vancouver politics of the past year, as we approach the one-year anniversary of the civic election. It will be at SFU’s Wosk Centre for Dialogue, the lower level.
I highly recommend that all of you come in disguise, i.e. wearing the pseudonym of another poster than yourself. That ought to really mess with people’s heads. I will be present refereeing the pig-wrassling forum, um, media debate, I mean.
Here’s the full news release from Michael et al.
THAT WAS THE YEAR THAT WAS:
A LOOK BACK AT THE YEAR IN VANCOUVER MUNICIPAL POLITICS…
AND A LOOK FORWARD
SATURDAY NOVEMBER 14, 20009 marks the one year anniversary of the last election day in Vancouver; a day that resulted in a significant change in the political landscape and leadership of our city. The purpose of this event is to mark this anniversary with a review of the highlights of the past year in Vancouver municipal politics, particularly in terms of the accomplishments of Council and staff in the areas of housing, planning and development; fiscal management and economic development; and leadership.
The following is a draft program comprising 3 sessions, each just over one hour in length, with no formal break. It is suggested that there be 4 panelists and a moderator for each session and that the format include very brief presentations, followed by a question and answer dialogue amongst the moderator and panelists, followed by at least 15 minutes of questions from the floor.
While some of the participants have past ties to the NPA, others do not. It is proposed that this not be a highly-charged partisan event. Rather, the intention is to celebrate the one year anniversary of the election, take a look at what has been happening, and engage in substantive discussions on key issues to hopefully identify strategies and actions for the coming year.
While some of the participants have been confirmed, others are suggestions only and have not yet been confirmed (TBC).
8:00 Coffee and Muffins
8:30 WELCOME, Bob Ransford, Moderator
8:45 to 9:55 Presentation and Panel Discussion: How the city is changing
Moderator (invited by not confirmed) Panelists: Gordon Price, Michael Geller, Jim Green. Topics to include HEAT shelters, Olympic Village, laneway housing, bicycle lanes on Burrard Bridge, the rental housing incentives, the homelessness initiatives, the CBD policy changes, the view/capacity study, and the Cambie Street planning process, and more.
10:00 to 11:10 Panel Discussion: Balancing the books and creating a green economy
Moderator: Peter Ladner (confirmed). John Tylee, representative of Vancouver Economic Development Commission (confirmed); representative of ThinkCity (James Fletcher confirmed) and representative of Greenest city task force; Topics to include balancing the books and improving Vancouver’s economic prospects through a green economy.
11:15 to 12:25 Media Panel: The view from the Pundits
Moderator: Frances Bula (confirmed) Panelists: Mike Klassen (confirmed), Monte Paulson (confirmed), Jonathan Ross, Miro Cernetig. Topics to include highlights of the past year, key accomplishments and outlook for the coming year.
12:25 to 12:30 Wrap up Ransford
Venue: Wosk Centre for Dialogue –Lower Level
Admission by donation
25 responses so far ↓
1 Urbanismo // Nov 12, 2009 at 9:06 am
. . . thu blind leading thu wilfully blind . . .
2 Urbanismo // Nov 12, 2009 at 9:15 am
. . . correction . . .
. . . thu wilfully blind leading thu obdurate blind . . .
3 Joe Just Joe // Nov 12, 2009 at 10:53 am
I might attend but then again I might not.
Is there only coffee and muffins? Does one have to bring their own juice?
4 Urbanismo // Nov 12, 2009 at 11:13 am
Trust me . . . coffee muffins and lotas lard . . .
The only people attending the meeting will be local politicos looking for the main chance, hallistas for brownie points and naiveté’s who wouldn’t know a scam if they saw moon lit Kilimanjaro thru their fundamental aperture . . .
5 Joe Just Joe // Nov 12, 2009 at 11:39 am
So then I will see you there.
6 Urbanismo // Nov 12, 2009 at 11:45 am
No . . . I will not be there because I do not fit any of the above categories . . . You’re a smart guy JJJ . . . you should know that!
7 gmgw // Nov 12, 2009 at 12:06 pm
In accordance with Frances’s suggested guidelines, I will be there, wearing jungle fatigues, a Che-style beret, a couple of cartidge belts,and a T-shirt reading “Mort a la Voiture”. I will be packing a replica AK-47 and shouting a lot. I will, of course, be answering to the name of “Darcy McGee”.
gmgw
8 Urbanismo // Nov 12, 2009 at 12:46 pm
Essai, maintenez-les vivants, assez longtemps, pour souffrir les consquences!
9 Hoarse Whisperer // Nov 12, 2009 at 1:32 pm
I will be attending as well. I dare you to pick me out, gmgw, since you got it so wrong the first time!
10 Híppos Purrós // Nov 12, 2009 at 1:46 pm
Frances, admittedly off topic – but I was wondering whether you’d care to remark on the G&M’s recently announced ‘JournalismDreamContest’ – am I just being cynical, or is CTVglobe so ‘strapped’ that they’ve decided to ‘crowd-source’ their YVR 2010Olympic coverage….
http://tinyurl.com/ygeqq6n
11 Urbanismo // Nov 12, 2009 at 2:39 pm
Oooooooo ha! “I dare you to pick me out . . .”
Flirting is much more fun than “Balancing the books and creating a green economy”
Ha, “When I was young and easy under the apple bow the night above the dingle starry . . . and famous among foxes and pheasants I was prince of the apple towns. . . ”
. . . and so goes this wonderful little town . . .
12 Frothingham // Nov 12, 2009 at 2:51 pm
I will be there as Michael Geller. .. .the REAL Michael Geller
13 Frothingham // Nov 12, 2009 at 2:52 pm
PS … it looks like a very interesting forum.
14 Lewis N. Villegas // Nov 12, 2009 at 3:17 pm
Frances, I loved your suggestion of wearing name tags with someone else’s “blog” handle. I’m post-flu right now, so I’m a dark horse for Saturday. But if I were coming I would be wearing the “Michael Geller” tag.
15 Otis Krayola // Nov 12, 2009 at 3:23 pm
Let’s all go claiming to be Michael Geller.
16 gmgw // Nov 12, 2009 at 3:58 pm
C’mon, Hoarse, I wasn’t the only one.
gmgw
17 gmgw // Nov 12, 2009 at 4:00 pm
Otis K rayola brightly suggested:
“Let’s all go claiming to be Michael Geller.”
I sense a “Spartacus” moment coming on…
gmgw
18 Frances Bula // Nov 12, 2009 at 10:27 pm
Okay, but everyone claiming to be “Michael Geller” has to be indefatigably charming to everyone, no matter how obnoxious a person may be, and to invite everyone over to his alleged Michael Geller house afterwards for bagels and to deliver thoughts in complete essays.
Those are the rules. Plus don’t forget the snappy dressing.
19 A.G.T. // Nov 13, 2009 at 6:57 am
I am not Alex, but Im getting myself ready to become Alex at this event. Geez, I am way to young to get as angry as I need to be. Any tips?
-Uncle Alex
20 A. G. Tsakumis // Nov 13, 2009 at 6:00 pm
A.G.T. You, along with many others, confuse anger for passion. But I cannot expect too much more from many here…
I won’t be there as I’m busy with my children. But here are some real tips.
Care. Care about the fact that there are people still dying in the street while fools who float through this blog and others pretend that art gallery openings and laneway housing are prime events and accomplishments.
Cry. Cry privately that a property manager who was your friend couldn’t get into rehab for about the fiftieth time, and hung himself three weeks ago in the closest of a room in an SRO on the DTES, where many of the Mayors backers, povertarians and grief pimps alike, feed off the needy and the sick.
Ache. Ache for a city that is consumed by lazy media and complicit big business people, that couldn”t give a flying fuck about the little guy; that any idiot would dare suggest that Vision Vancouver have delivered anything close to being able to appropriately address the problems that plague us.
I could go on.
Wear a very nicely tailored suit, with signature brown suede shoes, tortoise shell glasses. slick the hair, which should gently cascade over your collar and pop a cigar behind your puff. Helps later, when you’re driving home, laughing at the theatre of the absurd that you just participated in.
21 Stephanie // Nov 13, 2009 at 9:21 pm
I’m really sorry about your friend, Alex. That’s terrible.
22 Otis Krayola // Nov 13, 2009 at 10:32 pm
Well, I’m going to have to give it a miss (with regrets). I’ve been struggling with the Creeping Cruds (not H1N1, and not quite a pneumonia) and, while I’m on the mend, I’ve managed to infect my wonderful, and innocent, spouse. I didn’t deserve it and she certainly doesn’t.
Chicken soup and backrub duty calls. Plus, I haven’t seen to my brown suede shoes.
23 Hoarse Whisperer // Nov 13, 2009 at 10:33 pm
Ditto, Alex. Condolences.
24 Joe Just Joe // Nov 14, 2009 at 11:51 am
Sorry wasn’t able to attend, after a busy week, I decided it would be best to spend some time at home this morning, but I’ll post news about Rennies 2nd opening.
25 Bill Lee // Nov 14, 2009 at 6:49 pm
I’m surprised that Madame Bula of this political salon didn’t liveblog the proceedings, though she was chair of the last panel (where was lunch?) as the CBC Ottawa bureau is doing these days with parliamentary and Supreme Court hearings using the free coveritlive.com software on Friday.
The Friday Execrable Courier correspondent said that this Robespierrean hearing was organized by Michael Geller, though many speakers couldn’t confirm participation. Eh?
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