Looks like the Union has gotten into a panic over nothing as per usual.

George isn't the kind of person to go snooping around at 3 AM in the morning to rummage through personnel files. He's a much higher character and higher class than that.

Given the games that have been played out in the backrooms of city hall, there is probably much for workers to be concerned about.

After all, Sam Sullivan and city hall officials have yet to even clarify who Higgins actually works for.

Higgins may well be a saint for all I know, but until a whole lot is clarified Faoro is performing due dilligence and has every right to be concerned and to act as he has.

Sorry, but if there is a case to be made about paranoia in city hall, I would suggest you send the doctors down to Sam's office and let the union leadership protect it's members.

A question and a comment.

Question

What does the Union have to hide that they are so worried this Higgins fellow might find out about ?

Comment

Either way I still think the day we start injecting strictly political operatives into civic government is a day we are better off without. Thumbs down to Sullivan for a BS move.

I personally could care less about another political staffer, but I have major issues with the fact that Higgins is being paid for out of an account which is not subject to any sort of public disclosure laws. Sullivan keeps dragging COPE and Vision staffers into this, saying that Higgins is the same as them. The difference is they are paid for by their parties - not anonymous donors to a top-secret bank account.

Props to Faoro for poking the Mayor's office in the eye on this one. Longer this stays in the news, the better.

I have lived in BC all my life, with the exception of one year in my early twenties. Yet I am still amazed and am always being shocked as if it were the first time I had seen it, by the intensity of some people's anti-labour phobias. It's like something out of Victorian England, and true enough, BC's major cities were established during the Victorian era, so perhaps that is their founding mythology to which many still cling

Here are the latest samples of this kind of thing:

"Looks like the Union has gotten into a panic over nothing as per usual." This was from Kerris Dale. From super duty labour baiter Kevin Larsen come this: "What does the Union have to hide that they are so worried this Higgins fellow might find out about?"

If Dale would re-read the material above he would see that Mayor Sullivan's own community relations director Anna Lilly said that Faoro's question is a good one. As for Larsen, ... what can any one say? I wonder if Larsen even realizes what he said.

Don't you guys have something better to do on a Friday?

Kid, are you not a total hypocrite whining for transparency and hiding behind an anonymous Blogger identity? If you\'re so concerned about who\'s supporting Sam why don\'t you start by outing yourself?

Gimme a break.

Well there you go Kevin Larsen. You ask a question and then answer it yourself with a comment that indicates you are starting to pay attention.

Keep it up because it's obvious others, like the local union leadership, are also quite concerned about the political stuff that's beginning to ooze out from under Sam's door.

I'll tell you why, Ian - it's because I'm not the Mayor of Vancouver. I wasn't elected to public office and I don't have a private bank account in which anonymous donors can fund my own activities. I don't have any responsibilities to anyone and am not expected to be open, accountable and democratic (point #5 from state of the city).

Show me the passage from the Vancouver Charter that requires me, TGIF, bleeding heart et al to disclose our identities on public eye and I'll gladly do so.

Rest assured that if the tables were turned and the NPA were in the same position as Vision-less Vancouver...I'm sure COPE and Vision-less would be calling for a public inquiry and demanding Sullivan "resign immediately" while the investigation is underway!! Typical socialist double-standard yet again.

Excuse me...I'm not going to sit idly by and get lectured by Vancouver Kid and his Vision-less crew about party finances. Isn't he openly supporting a "government in waiting" that collected $170K from an internet gambling tzar that just got arrested in Malibu, California (read last Wednesday's front page Vancouver Sun. Why doesn't his Vision-less party return the $170K until the FBI investigation is over. Why not give this money to a charity supporting people with drug addiction or battling homelessness?

Furthermore, what's up with Jim Green and Vision Vancouver accepting $170K from a single donor (check this out at www.vancouver.ca). Here are some questions that Vancouver voters deserve an answer for:

1. Has Vision-less Vancouver accepted any additional funds from Mr. Lefebre since the November 2005 civic election?
2. Is Vision-less Vancouver going to declare all of their donors paying off their 2005 campaign debt?
3. Is this the single largest donation in municipal history to a municipal party?
4. Why has Vision-less Vancouver accepted such a significant proportion of their campaign funds from the gambling industry and labour unions?
5. With this record why do Vision-less Vancouver still claim they are a "grassroots" party?

All good questions...I wonder if the "kid" and his Vision-less party will be open to providing the answers to these questions.

Rest assured that if the tables were turned and the NPA were in the same position as Vision-less Vancouver...I'm sure COPE and Vision-less would be calling for a public inquiry and demanding Sullivan "resign immediately" while the investigation is underway!! Typical socialist double-standard yet again.

U. Betcha's post borders on hysteria...if Vision is so Vision-less, my guess is you'd be getting a little less lathered up about party finances, which BTW the NPA is in NO POSITION to throw stones about.

Let's discuss Sean's initial post. The fact of the matter is, the taxpayers of a Vancouver have a right to know how their dollars are being spent, and for their councillors to be accountable to them for expenditures - full stop. FULL STOP. Whether CUPE or Gordon Campbell is asking, this basic fact doesn't change. Hurling a bunch of angry accusations (that ignore this basic fact) doesn't change that basic fact one iota.

But since you started it - the NPA has had a BRUTAL week this week, starting with a bizarre "state of the city" address that says nothing about what they are actually DOING in this city, a scathing province editorial in that vein (reinforcing what we've all read about Sullivan in the NPA in BC Business Magazine and the Globe and Mail - hardly socialist organs, those) and a nasty front page story in the Province (ooh, bad week in the people's paper, NPA) on double-dipping Ken Dobell.

So there.

typical neo-liberal double standard.

Do you not see the irony in complaining about Vision's donors - the only way you can even do that is because they're publicly disclosed.

Lefebre was charged with something that is not a crime in Canada. He has also donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to the Suzuki foundation and the Dalai Lama - where's the cry for them returning the funds? Oh right, they aren't campaigning against Sam Sullivan.

All donations over $50 to Vision, COPE, and the NPA are made public.

The Mayor has a secret bank account that bankrolls his activities, and there is no way anybody can find out who is dumping cash in. Complain about union donations to Vision and COPE all you want, but stop the wet dreams about Sullivan and admit what he's doing is wrong.

"Do you not see the irony in complaining about Vision's donors - the only way you can even do that is because they're publicly disclosed."

You're right...for the first time in municipal history, the donations are disclosed on the web. This happened under Sullivan's watch. Why didn't the previous bunch not post on the city's website their list of contributors? Now that we're talking about it...why hasn't Vision-less paid back COPE for all the campaign debt they left them in 2002? David Cadman is still owed a whack of money by the Vision-less game...that's a fact, read all about it in the Georgia Straight.

"Lefebre was charged with something that is not a crime in Canada."

Oh...so you allegedly undertake a criminal act in a country less than 100 miles south of Vancouver and that suddenly makes your $170K donation squeaky clean. These are weasel words and you know it. Just return the money until after the FBI investigation is over.

"He has also donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to the Suzuki foundation and the Dalai Lama - where's the cry for them returning the funds?"

The Dalai Lama and the Suzuki Foundation weren't poised to take over City Hall during the last campaign and be at the helm of an 800 million operation.

"All donations over $50 to Vision, COPE, and the NPA are made public."

This is proposterous and nothing but more Vision-less spin and hyperbole. Have you not read the Georgia Straight lately? No donations made outside of an election year have to be declared. That's why ALL politicians and political parties are in the same boat. Give Sullivan credit...at least he said all of the donors giving money to his campaign fund will be disclosed. Can't say the same for Vision-less or COPE.

"The Mayor has a secret bank account that bankrolls his activities, and there is no way anybody can find out who is dumping cash in."

Just in case you didn't read it the first time...Sullivan has said he will declare any donations made to his campaign fund...I haven't heard Vision-less indicating they will do the same. Your party should just return the money and you can sleep much better tonight. Denial will only make the problem worse as this little story likely has more legs than a pacific giant octopus.

"Complain about union donations to Vision and COPE all you want"

Speaking of donations...a quick check of the Vancouver city website and you will find the following donors listed to Vision-less in the last campaign.

Remember, they claim to be a little upstart, grassroots municipal party of the people. You be the judge...

SOURCE:

http://vancouver.ca/ctyclerk/election2005/candidates/pdf/financing/electororg/Vision_Vancouver.pdf

Ashford Management - $35K
Canadian Metropolitan Properties $12K
Concord Pacific $50K
Eagle Medallian Fortress Investment $170K
Great Canadian Casino $30K
James Hoggan and Associates $10K
KBK No. 11 Ventures Ltd $17K
Keg Restaurants $20K Macdonald Development Corp $11K
Pequod Sailing Corp $29K
Polygon Development $12K
Condo King aka Bob Rennie $76K
Xiang Enterprises $31K
Various unions (too many to list) $160K

Oh, to be a political blogger in Vancouver. The stories write themselves. It just gets better and better. $7Billion on allegedly laundered gambling money resuting in blurred Vision. Jimbo can't recall the identity of the "mutual friend" who put him together with LeFebvre. My guess? Karma, man. Check it out
http://www.vancourier.com/issues06/034106/news/034106nn2.html
http://gauntlet.ucalgary.ca/story/10916 (priceless photo. Rock on, man) and what all the fuss is about -
https://www.neteller.com/home/index.jsf

Alright, U Betcha. You've taken me to the final round - I'm impressed old man. I really seemed to have pushed some buttons with my comment that I didn't like Sam having a secret bank account. I hope that your blood pressure is doing well - but back to the debate, one last time.

"Lefebre was charged with something that is not a crime in Canada."

"Oh...so you allegedly undertake a criminal act in a country less than 100 miles south of Vancouver and that suddenly makes your $170K donation squeaky clean. These are weasel words and you know it."

Actually, they are not weasel words. It's the truth. I don't know if Lefebre is guilty or not - no one does. But the fact is that what he was charged with is not a crime in Canada. Don't blame me, I don't write the laws. Why don't you phone up Rob Nicholson and get it changed? I'll supply you the two quarters.

"You're right...for the first time in municipal history, the donations are disclosed on the web. This happened under Sullivan's watch."

Sorry old man, wrong. It happened because of a motion brought forward by Tim Louis based on the Berger report that was passed on March 15, 2005:

F. THAT Council request the City Clerk to make the following forms at City Hall more open and accessible to the public by posting to the City's web site and making photocopies available to citizens:

2) Financial Disclosure Forms for Mayor and Council (starting with the 2005 civic election forms and 2006 annual filings)

3) Campaign Financing Disclosure Statements for Mayor, Council and Park Commissioners with names and addresses of individual contributors obscured (starting with the 2005 civic election statements) and that authority be sought to publish the names and addresses of individual contributors on the internet.

hmmmm.

"Give Sullivan credit...at least he said all of the donors giving money to his campaign fund will be disclosed."

Actually, what he said the morning of Wednesday, January 17th on Bill Good was that he would comply with the regulations as set out in the Vancouver Charter. Which as we both know, they do not apply to donations right now. But if you want to take Sullivan's word for it, go ahead.

So....I don't like the fact that people are donating to Sam and I can't find out right now, and you don't like the fact that people are donating to Vision and you can't find out right now. Seems to me that we're both agreed that there needs to be some hard-line campaign finance reform.

Since your hero Sam is such an upstanding citizen, surely he has championed camapign finance reform all his life.... Let's go back to Council on March 15/05, and take a look, shall we:

B. THAT City Council request the Government of British Columbia to amend the Vancouver Charter to require that electoral organizations and candidates report all contributions, regardless of whether the contributions relate to an election expense and regardless of when the contributions are received.
CARRIED
(Councillor Sullivan opposed)

Or how about April 4, 2006 in council when as Mayor, he had the power to follow through on the previous council's support for reform:

1. Request for Report on Election Financing Reform
MOVED by Councillor Cadman –
SECONDED by Councillor Louie

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Council direct the City Manager to report back on the
feasibility of implementing the above cited recommendations made by Mr. Berger;
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Council direct the City Manager to submit such
report to Council prior to January 1, 2007.
Not put
The Mayor ruled the Motion out of order

And with that, I'm done. I need to go have breakfast - an important part of a kid's healthy lifestyle. Keep fit and have fun, U Betcha.

I love the smell of napalm in the morning.....

Very well done kid.