Yesterday two former mayors came to the aid of the current mayor by stating that the $100 million loan is not an issue that taxpayers should be worried about. This got me thinking, are everyday taxpayers equipped with handling a situation such as this? Would they be able to comprehend the legal and financial jargon that is in the contracts? The fact is the civic election is days away and people need to focus on the real issue at hand, homelessness. Here is what the candidates will do to fight this.
Gregor’s stance as stated on votevision.ca
For the past three years on council, Vision Vancouver has pushed for progressive, long-term solutions to our city’s homelessness and affordable housing problems. Our councillors opposed the NPA cuts to affordable housing in SE False Creek, spoke up when the federal government failed to provide any new funding for housing, and championed policies to spark new housing and protect current tenants. Gregor Robertson and Vision Vancouver have the ideas and determination to end homelessness and develop more affordable housing in Vancouver.
Our Record
- Vision introduced a motion to put a moratorium on converting single-room occupancy hotels, which provide shelter for some of our city’s most vulnerable.
- Vision called for restoring an NPA budget cut of $100,000 from the city’s Homeless Action Plan.
- Vision called for city staff to immediately identify a city-owned site to open as a temporary shelter during the winter.
- Vision moved a motion for SRO rooms to be inspected twice a year to make sure they are meeting health and safety standards.
- Vision strongly opposed the NPA’s cuts of middle and low-income housing from the Southeast False Creek Olympic Village site.
- Vision was a vocal supporter of the city’s moratorium on converting rental units to stratas.
- Vision stood up for renters by calling on the Province to grant the right of first refusal on rent increases, as well as to re-open a Residential Tenancy Office in Vancouver
- Vision pushed for an emergency meeting with the federal and provincial governments, as well as housing stakeholders, to work towards fulfilling the Olympic housing legacies
Peter Ladner’s responds to Visions track record by stating the following (from a recent post by Mr. Ladner on npavancouver.ca):
The NPA’s record on homelessness is stronger than Vision/COPE’s
Whenever it has come to taking action on homelessness, all the NPA councillors have consistently voted in favour of new social housing. Vision Vancouver, conversely, was the first party in living memory to vote against approving supportive housing in a Vancouver neighbourhood (at 49th and Fraser).
However you slice the numbers, we’re making significant progress. The 3,800 units now in process are more than six times the social housing initiated or completed between 2002-2005 when COPE/Vision was running council and regularly attacking the provincial government. Gregor Robertson says he wants to go back to these days, with an “edgy” approach to negotiations, citing “friction” as a positive force.
Gregor Robertson voted against homelessness solutions
Gregor Robertson says he is running for mayor because he cares deeply about homelessness.
When Gregor was an MLA, he voted against the Province’s quadrupling of their housing budget, which is helping Vancouver to build 3,800 new social housing units. He voted against funding to purchase 17 single room occupancy buildings that the city is now partnering with the province to develop. He voted against significant investments in emergency shelter funding that more than doubled capacity and enabled shelters to stay open 24/7. He voted against opening the Willingdon facility in Burnaby for people with concurrent mental health and addiction issues.
He never once contacted Housing Minister Rich Coleman about homelessness.
Gregor Roberson has no record on homelessness.
Whatever your political stance…it’s up to you to decide. Go Vote on Nov. 15, 2008!
photo credit: The Vancouverite
VancityBuzz.com
Follow Channels and Categories