And the NPA is conducting a Special General Meeting tonight. I wonder if Mayor hopeful Ladner will say about this?

The obvious question, assuming all this is true and will occur:

Will COPE run a full slate of council candidates (and even a mayoral candidate) or will they be in some sort of coalition with this group of independent councillors?

I would also assume that since Tim Stevenson is running provincially, he won't run for council again.

Larry Campbell has been a down to earth, pragmatic and likeable guy who I would categorize to be from the center/ centre/left persuasion.

I could probably also categorize Jim Green and Raymond Louie in the same manner.

COPE, however, has always been viewed as a somewaht left - hard/left organization as evidenced by former Mayor Mike Harcourt's decision to run independently in 1980 (and thereafter) with his group of Civic Independents (with the break-up of the centrist TEAM).

Similarly in 1984, Gordon Campbell took over the reins of the then NPA, which at that time had some hard right baggage, and subsequently moved it to a more small "l" liberal foundation with the support of former TEAM councillors May Brown and Marguerite Ford (which NPA, BTW, has gone astray over the past few elections).

I guess Larry Campbell will be pulling a Mike Harcourt a la 1980, so to speak, and it will be interesting to see the dynamics of the next civic election.

I would agree with your assertions Bob. I've found the split in COPE to be almost predictable. Larry's done an excellent job as mayor, and Green, Louis, Stevenson add some steadiness and good ideas to the centre of the spectrum. Cadman is pretty sensible as well. Beyond that... look out. Because for the most part, they're nuts. And though I was a COPE supporter (now a former Vancouver resident), its my hope that Larry and what's referred to as Diet COPE, do go their own way, away from COPE CLASSIC. Because the only thing classic about COPE CLASSIC has been some of the buffoonery and shenanigans that have taken place.

But there are good people in COPE, as well as the wingnuts, and its my hope that they select more people like Stevenson, Louie, and Green... and less of the Louis, Woodsworth, and Roberts type.

It would be silly for Larry to help COPE at this fundraiser and then to run as an independent.

If he does run as an independent, COPE has to run a Mayoral candidate, the media really only focuses on these candidates and the COPE campaign would be hurt if they didn't run someone.

During the Mayor Harcourt era COPE did not run anyone for mayor.

Jim Green is losing quite a bit of his core of support in the Eastside, so maybe he should be thankful wards were not passed. Campbell is pretty well a shoo-in for re-election either way.
The NPA might even consider not putting forward a mayoral candidate (although unlikely) and work on assembling a super-slate to take control of council.
Once Cope-Classic has been purged from council-- they will be lucky if one gets re-elected-- I expect to see an NPA/Cope-Lite (or maybe soon to be Ind.) run city hall. Pepsi anyone?