as long as the left, and middle groups are at odds, the NPA wins.

Maybe they're looking for a favour from the last election? We didn't put anyone up against Jim, give us Fred.

With Sam and the NPA sitting on the center left, there is no "right". Time for one to develop, with COPE and Vision likely running all full slate next time, vote splitting is not an issue.

"With Sam and the NPA sitting on the center left, there is no "right". Time for one to develop, with COPE and Vision likely running all full slate next time, vote splitting is not an issue."

What the hell do we need something on the right for?

Vancouver needs good govenment and that's what counts. The NPA has the centre left to centre right covered and that's what counts.

What Vancouver needs, girls, is really good government, and it hasn't had it since Gordon Campbell left 12th and Cambie. (Philip Owen was good too, but stayed too long).

Substantive initiatives and workable policy. That's what Vanocuverites were hoping for. But alas, it's not there.

Your aged, divisive monikers of 'right' versus 'left' are evidence of your (previously identified) inability to comprehend that what we would all be better off with would be right versus wrong.

Finally someone who knows what they are talking about. Thanx Alex. Nice to know you're still watching.

"Finally someone who knows what they are talking about. Thanx Alex. Nice to know you're still watching."

and seeing that Alex still wants to be known as someone important and still around.

Still sucking up to Gordon Campbell too we see.

Msut have been that guitar serenade with the plaid shirt that got to Alex.

Wonder if Alex has a shrine made up of a big picture of Gordon with a long candle at the left and right of the picture.

Gordon was good as Mayor, but not the absolute best there has been.

There are others who know what they are talking about. As in

"Alex if nesesary, but not nessesarily Alex."

I expect Vision Vancouver to run a full-plate of candidates next election. COPE is merely trying to plot an alliance that will save their incumbent David Cadman. COPE School Trustees have been wanting to get out of the party for a long time, and I expect them to jump ship in about 18 months.

Seeing that BC NDP/fed NDP has abandoned COPE ideologue, I would suggest David Cadman start being so naive and star thinking how you can get Adrian Carr elected, at least then David would have 10% chance of getting elected.

Did anyone read Kevin Potvin's article in the Courier this week (www.vancourier.com). He is spot on. Nobody from COPE should join those Vision-less folks. They don't have any principles. Their donor list is identical to the NPA's.

Vision-less is NOT democratic. They have no principles. They are willing to take money from big developers and gambling tycoons. Their only goal is to get into power.

I agree with Potvin that the NPA and Vision-less will split the right vote and COPE will be in the drivers seat. I think COPE has to worry about a Vision-less/NPA coalition...that's the real threat.

As for Tsakumis and his love for Gordon Campbell as Mayor...all I can say is get your head out of the last century. Larry Campbell (despite what he did to COPE), was a great Mayor...that was until he split our party in two and took a Senate appointment. The only hope for COPE and getting Sullivan out of the Mayor's chair is for our party to keep as FAR AWAY from Vision-less as possible.

"Seeing that BC NDP/fed NDP has abandoned COPE ideologue, I would suggest David Cadman start being so naive and star thinking how you can get Adrian Carr elected, at least then David would have 10% chance of getting elected. "

Adrian Carr? Elected? Surely you jest, FHK.

BTW: Gung Haggis Fat Choy!

Vince Vancouver has some serious problems. If you do not like Alex that's acceptable. Trying to pretend that his opinions do not count is just envy. He calls a spade a spade which is more than I can say for you and Papa who have personal agendas. Tell us something intelligent for once. Alex always does that.

David Cadman should really stop being so naive and start thinking how he can get Carr elected.

I disagree that Vision Vancouver will split the centre right votes, they have positioned themselves as the anti-establishment faction on the council and it will only attract left-wing voters. If the strategic voting thing takes place in 2009, I suspect David Cadman may actually lose the next election as incumbency really does not do much good in an at-large election..

If an alliance between COPE and VV is formed, COPE will suffer the same fate as TEAM did with NPA. COPE simply does not have the popular/financial support of VV to gain back the seats it once had merely 3 years ago. I would suggest forming an alliance with Vancouver Greens and introduce a common slate of candidates both parties support to combat the NDP-led VV and BCLib/Con.-led NPA. David Cadman, now alone on the council, really does not have much chance of survival in 2009 because it is becoming apparent that VV is ready to completely wipe COPE out of Vancouver. (Seriously, which party do you think the three COPE school trustees really want to be affiliated with?)

So Kerris, the point for Cadman to campaign on Adrian’s Carr behalf is not to get Carr elected, but to realign with the Greens and move back to the left so David Cadman can regroup. Otherwise, it wont be long before Joyce McPhail and Jenny Kwan take over COPE as they have always wanted to do since VV was formed. Joyce can also secure her 2009 mayoral nomination with this deal. So are we going to have a “centrist” left wing civic party that would actually nominate Condo King to run for the mayor, or are we going to have a big-tent left-wing party that may give Joyce the Joker the right to challenge Uncle Sam. I suppose it will be all up to David Cadman.

Re agt's comment stating that my use of right vs left is too simple. Well, I'm writing for those like you. You ... know ... the kind of guy who walks up to someone he has never met and asks them about their commitment to "family value issues". You did that to me at the NPA SGM that passed constitutional amendments to stop non Vancouver people from joining the NPA to stack nomination meetings. I just thought you were just another godsquader.

All your anti-right bile is quite hypocritical in the social conservative sense. You're only pissed off because your big move to becoming "really, really important" was stopped in your Paul Lalli nomination campaign. Your own Socon base turned on you.

Your anti Mayor Sam campaign is quite the same, you and your buddy put him there and then turned on him when you didn't (again) become really really important. Seems to be a pattern.

So don't try to mask your lack of knowledge by claiming you know anything about the multidimensional aspect of politics by trying make the wiseass standard comment of the failed 1st year polisci student on how the simplistic nature of the left/right terms are.

Awaiting your loud off topic rant.

Actually, I'm glad you have identified yourself, I guess...sorry though, you have me mistaken for someone else.

Firstly, I am NOT a soCon. I have NEVER suggested that the government (or anyone else) can legislate what a woman can do with her body--period. And I did not support the recent vote on ss marriage. I would have voted with MacKay and the other progressives. And as for your insane contention that I approached anyone and "talked family values issues", I just don't know what to say...never happened. But, I note, it isn't the first or last time you have said such things on this blog. My views on soCons are well known--they destroyed the Progressive Conservative party and the only hope the PM and the current brand have in returning power is to veer strongly left from where they sit. Why do you think they will support Sam's nutbar drug strategy?

Secondly, the Lalli campaign got screwed by the soCons in the Valley and in Ottawa--period. The whole world knws that. They blasted the guy out of the water for absolutely no reason. Brilliant. What I weuld or would not have done there is irrelevant to that. I was simply standing up for a first-class guy who I thought would make a better choice than Nina. Nice try, again.

Thirdly, I left Sam, not the other way around. He received some very good advice from me and others who have left him but who's opinion are not public--yet. You wanted me to take a spot doing what exactly? And all for the pleasure of taking a 4/5ths cut in pay. Breathe buddy, it's good for ya.

Finally, I let others judge my importance. So you are one of those who feels I am not important.

GOOD! I'd hate to be supported by a moron.

What you consider a "rant" an entire legion of others considers straight talk.

So long Mr. Pringle. See if you can't crumble this badly next time. I was always an Old Dutch/Ruffles man myself anyway.

The anti-Tsakumis bitching is really a turn off. If you can keep up with A.G. you can at least offer something that makes some sense. You just know he's going to mop the floor with you anyway.
I bet G. Pringle has a nervous twitch to anyone who expresses themselves with honesty. How could you group Alex as a social conservative? You obviously have never met the man.

looks like another carcass. way to go big al.

"I disagree that Vision Vancouver will split the centre right votes, they have positioned themselves as the anti-establishment faction on the council and it will only attract left-wing voters."

I think FHK must be on another planet. If he thinks that Vision-less Vancouver will appeal to us on the left he has something coming. Wasn't Vision-less Vancouver councillor George Chow the same guy social conservatives like Tsakumis were courting to run in the next federal election??...now that's really appealing to the "left".

Didn't Vision-less Vancouver Councillor Tim Stevenson say Sullivan's "revolutionary" harm reduction treatment plan to help addicts was "dangerous". That's a real compassionate "left" response if I've ever heard one.

If you check out the Vision-less financial disclosures from the last campaign, it's a who's who of the development, gambling and corporate community. Not a typical "left" support base. Over the last year, this municipal party has tried to be everything to everyone...that's why I call them Vision-less! At least with COPE voters know what their getting. Principled ideology.

FHK's posting is simply someone scrambling to re-position Vision-less as a party with principles. As a proud COPE supporter, I think Tim Louis is on the right track to invite Vision (at least Deal and Louie) to join COPE and leave the Vision-less party for those opportunistic policians who want nothing more than to gain power.

It is apparent that VV never had a principle/vision to start with, the only reason VV people left COPE was because of Mr. Campbell who was appointed by 50%NPA-backed Martin to become a liberal senator. No, I would never support a party whose founding "principle" was based on betrayal.

However, with already 3 city counselors on the council, what is the likelihood to have three of them going back to work UNDER David Cadman. You should realize by now that the only "credible", no sarcasm intended, opposition on the council is from VV, and David Cadman's opinion has become irrelevant.

Papa Arratsis, I dont doubt that you are a faithful follower of David Cadman, but if you gusy are naive enough to believe that Louie and Deal will abandon the powerful NDP (thanks to Stevenson) that continues to fund their party to join rootless COPE, then you are in for a big surprise. Even Chow is not jumping into NPA to head committees, what's Deal and Louie's chance of going back to a party that has become irrelevant and will remain irrelevant in the future.

Sure, alliance will sound nice, but it will just gurantee opening a channel for your three school trustees to go into VV. It is obvious that VV never had the intention to ask for a meeting, I just hope you guys will be able to take it lightly.

Papa Arrested Development,

I don't know how many times it needs to be repeated on this blog or in any of my columns: I am not now, nor have I ever been, a social conservative (and I certainly never "courted" George chow for anything.

I defend the right of any person to have any opinion that is not malicious or offensive. Being a social conservative is neither and I defend their right to speak with passion as much as I defend your right to being an obliviot.

I guess unless you and Vinny bullshit, you have nothing to say.

Pretty pathetic.