tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18414416890233772982024-03-13T07:14:31.165-07:00Victoria VotesLike municipal politics, only better.Victoria Votes is...http://www.blogger.com/profile/05144548395146732478noreply@blogger.comBlogger92125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1841441689023377298.post-40848777436087757552011-11-23T18:57:00.001-08:002011-11-23T19:04:54.830-08:00<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>THANK YOU!</b></span></div>
<br />
...For making Victoria Votes a success for its second year! We managed to reach about 10,000 individual voters this year, which is over half of the voters in this city. We hope that Victoria Votes has helped you to become more informed about the municipal election, and look forward to our next election together! <br />
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In the meantime, we will be looking for ways to sustain Victoria Votes throughout the Council term, so if you have any suggestions just <a href="mailto:vote.victoria.bc@gmail.com">email us!</a><br />
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Here is the City of Victoria election <a href="http://bchannelnews.tv/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/2011-election-summary.pdf" target="_blank">summary</a>.<br />
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And here is B Channel's final report on the <a href="http://bchannelnews.tv/?p=12886" target="_blank">election</a>.<br />
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And a Monday Magazine article on the <a href="http://mondaymag.com/articles/entry/tradition-shows-slates-dont-bring-in-votes/" target="_blank">election</a>.Victoria Votes is...http://www.blogger.com/profile/05144548395146732478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1841441689023377298.post-65719231252851845982011-11-20T17:19:00.001-08:002011-11-20T17:20:30.968-08:00ResultsClick <a href="http://www.victoria.ca/cityhall/pdfs/2011-election-summary.pdf" target="_blank">here</a> for detailed results!<br />
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The new council is, in order of most votes: Geoff Young, Charlayne Thornton-Joe, Lisa Helps, Ben Isitt, Marianne Alto, Pam Madoff, Shellie Gudgeon, and Chris Coleman.<br />
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More on this later!Victoria Votes is...http://www.blogger.com/profile/05144548395146732478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1841441689023377298.post-90363263528170832612011-11-15T11:43:00.001-08:002011-11-15T11:43:32.037-08:00Marianne Alto Q&AMarianne Alto is running for her first full term on Council after being elected to serve the remainder of Sonya Chandler's term in the 2010 by-election. Alto ran unsuccessfully in '05. She is a business consultant and facilitator - her website is <a href="http://mariannealto.ca/" target="_blank">here</a> and here are her answers to our survey:<br />
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<b>Q: Why are you running and why should I vote for you?</b><br />
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A: I bring people together, find common ground, balance competing interests and get<br />
results. I think those are good skills to have at the city council and CRD tables. Elected just last fall, I’ve already secured city council approval for an integrated plan to help vulnerable residents get the health services they need, and a comprehensive open government initiative that will give easy access to information and bring city hall to TV.<br />
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I’ve scheduled regular Open Door sessions in my liaison neighbourhoods, made planning<br />
decisions that preserve heritage and promote appropriate development, and made Victoria a ‘Blue Community’ to keep water resources public. I’m an activist Councillor and I'll get a lot more done with a three year term.<br />
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<b>Q: What issue is most important to you and why?</b><br />
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A: I’d have to choose 5 issues, because they are inter-related and solving just one still leaves a gap for our residents. And I think they can all be achieved in the next three years:<br />
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1) mitigating the high cost of living in Victoria by facilitating more affordable housing (including co-ops and co-housing), more jobs and decent wages;<br />
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2) continuing to reduce homelessness, particularly for vulnerable people who need housing that comes with supportive social services and integrated health and harm reduction services;<br />
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3) regional planning and delivery of primary services, like transportation, police services and emergency preparedness;<br />
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4) implementing the open government and open date strategies recently endorsed by Council, and<br />
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5) finding new sources of funds so we can continue to deliver high quality municipal services and limit tax increases.<br />
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<b>Q: What's something people don't know about you?</b><br />
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A: I love Canadian football.Victoria Votes is...http://www.blogger.com/profile/05144548395146732478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1841441689023377298.post-63840413268464280762011-11-15T11:35:00.001-08:002011-11-15T11:36:31.009-08:00Conservation Voters of BC Announces EndorsementsThe full list of Conversation Voters of BC endorsements is <a href="http://conservationvoters.ca/bc-municipal-election-2011" target="_blank">here</a>, but here are the names for Victoria:<br />
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<b>Victoria</b><br />
John Luton<br />
Philippe Lucas<br />
Lynn Hunter<br />
Lisa Helps<br />
Ben Isitt<br />
Rose HenryVictoria Votes is...http://www.blogger.com/profile/05144548395146732478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1841441689023377298.post-47547357485177541352011-11-14T09:13:00.001-08:002011-11-14T09:16:20.964-08:00Release form Paul Brown's CampaignSent out this morning:<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Paul Brown’s Vision</b></div>
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If I am elected Mayor of Victoria, my key pledge is to deliver a Council and City Hall that is open, accountable and transparent to the public.<br />
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Here’s what I mean by that:<br />
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· Victoria will have a realistic and public plan for restoring or replacing its crumbling infrastructure, including its sewers, roads and public recreational facilities.<br />
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· Future city budget plans and financial forecasts will share with the public all the assumptions they are based on, not just those that make the numbers look better than they are.<br />
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· When taxpayers are told their rates will increase by only 3.9%, they will not get a tax bill later saying 7%.<br />
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· When city projects are budgeted, that is the amount taxpayers can expect to pay, not double or triple that amount due to a lack of financial controls at City Hall.<br />
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· City Council will devote itself to creating realistic and measurable targets and monitoring results, not micro-managing every issue and project that comes along.<br />
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· City Hall will be seen by the public as a collaborative partner in the development of proposals, plans and initiatives that address the stated objectives of the City Council and the community at large.<br />
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· City Hall staff will be non-partisan, free of political influence and perform to the universal standard of a professional public service.<br />
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· Council and City Hall will operate to a publicly-recognized standard for open government transparency and the timely sharing of information. By default, all information will be made public unless there is a sound and defensible legal reason for not doing so.<br />
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· City Council will not conduct in camera meetings without a legally sound reason. And if Council goes in camera, the specific reason will be shared with the public.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b> Paul Brown’s Action Plan</b></div>
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Here are 13 actions I will take to achieve this result:<br />
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· I will conduct an independent review of the City’s financial affairs and position<br />
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· I will eliminate the City’s Corporate Communications Office<br />
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· I will order a review of the City’s executive, management and administrative functions<br />
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· I will re-examine and re-structure the City’s public advisory committees if necessary<br />
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· I will develop and publish a list of the City’s infrastructure needs and conduct a public consultation to prioritize and build them into the City’s annual budget plans<br />
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· I will order the public disclosure of the financial status of the Johnson Street Bridge replacement and the prioritized list of risks associated with it<br />
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· I will open an immediate discussion with Esquimalt to determine possibility of renewing the Policing Agreement<br />
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· I will open discussions with Oak Bay, Esquimalt and Saanich to determine the feasibility of sharing garbage and organic waste collection services<br />
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· I will request the CRD to consider funding the Johnson Street Bridge replacement on the same basis as the replacement of Craigflower Bridge (92%)<br />
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· I will fund the implementation of the Official Community Plan and the Downtown Core Area Plan<br />
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· I will that Local Area Plans be updated<br />
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· I will order a review and public report on the City’s efforts to mitigate homelessness and the results to dateVictoria Votes is...http://www.blogger.com/profile/05144548395146732478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1841441689023377298.post-22071074780551979972011-11-09T21:56:00.000-08:002011-11-09T21:56:08.260-08:00Er... Where Do I Live?So it occurred to us that there are 13 municipalities and something to the tune of a million candidates running in the Capital Region. This makes it prety hard to figure out who to vote for if you're coming at it for the first time. To help you along, here are:<br />
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A map of all the municipalities <a href="http://www.victoria.ca/common/pdfs/profiles_neigh_maps_crd3.pdf" target="_blank">in the CRD</a> so you can figure out where you live...<br />
<br />
...and for those of you living in Victoria, a map of the <a href="http://www.victoria.ca/common/pdfs/profiles_map_vctra.pdf" target="_blank">city's neighbourhoods</a> so you can get a sense of where your closest polling station might be. <br />
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Finally, if you check out the <a href="http://votevictoriabc.blogspot.com/p/how-to-vote.html" target="_blank">How To Vote</a> page on this website, you'll find a map for each polling station in Victoria. <br />
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That's all for now. If you'd like us to look into something before the election, drop us a line and <a href="mailto:vote.victoria.bc@gmail.com">let us know</a>!Victoria Votes is...http://www.blogger.com/profile/05144548395146732478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1841441689023377298.post-47156819013461768712011-11-08T14:01:00.000-08:002011-11-08T14:02:22.478-08:00Remaining Candidate InterviewsSo far, we have received survey answers from all but four candidates. In lieu of answers to our questions, here are the B Channel interviews for those candidates:<br />
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<a href="http://saulgood.ca/" target="_blank">Saul Anderson</a><br />
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<embed allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" flashvars="&dock=false&file=http%3A%2F%2Fbchannelnews.tv%2Fvideos%2FVote_2011%2FAnderson_Saul_1.mp4&image=http%3A%2F%2Fbchannelnews.tv%2Fvideos%2FVote_2011%2FAnderson_Saul_1.png&plugins=viral-2" height="280" src="http://bchannelnews.tv/wp-content/plugins/flash-video-player/mediaplayer/player.swf" width="400"></embed><br />
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<a href="http://mariannealto.ca/" target="_blank"> Marianne Alto</a><br />
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<embed allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" flashvars="&dock=false&file=http%3A%2F%2Fbchannelnews.tv%2Fvideos%2FVote_2011%2FAlto_Marianne_1.mp4&image=http%3A%2F%2Fbchannelnews.tv%2Fvideos%2FVote_2011%2FAlto_Marianne_1.png&plugins=viral-2" height="280" src="http://bchannelnews.tv/wp-content/plugins/flash-video-player/mediaplayer/player.swf" width="400"></embed><br />
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<a href="http://www.sukhilalli.com/" target="_blank">Sukhi Lalli</a><br />
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<embed allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" flashvars="&dock=false&file=http%3A%2F%2Fbchannelnews.tv%2Fvideos%2FVote_2011%2FLalli_Sukhi_1.mp4&image=http%3A%2F%2Fbchannelnews.tv%2Fvideos%2FVote_2011%2FLalli_Sukhi_1.png&plugins=viral-2" height="280" src="http://bchannelnews.tv/wp-content/plugins/flash-video-player/mediaplayer/player.swf" width="400"></embed><br />
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<a href="http://www.robinkimpton.ca/" target="_blank">Robin Kimpton</a><br />
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<embed src='http://bchannelnews.tv/wp-content/plugins/flash-video-player/mediaplayer/player.swf' height='280' width='400' allowscriptaccess='always' allowfullscreen='true' flashvars="&dock=false&file=http%3A%2F%2Fbchannelnews.tv%2Fvideos%2FVote_2011%2FKimpton_Robin_1.mp4&image=http%3A%2F%2Fbchannelnews.tv%2Fvideos%2FVote_2011%2FKimpton_Robin_1.png&plugins=viral-2"/>Victoria Votes is...http://www.blogger.com/profile/05144548395146732478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1841441689023377298.post-3558426005338348332011-11-07T16:50:00.000-08:002011-11-07T16:50:46.520-08:00Finally Updating That Video PageThat's right! But here's a sneak preview:<br />
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B Channel mayoral interviews are <a href="http://bchannelnews.tv/?p=12190" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://bchannelnews.tv/?p=12436" target="_blank">B Channel has more mayoral candidate interviews</a> - this time on fiscal policy, infrastructure, and poverty. We can't stress enough how awesome B Channel news is, especially on local elections. Despite being a volunteer indie news site they have by far the most comprehensive overview of candidates in Victoria, and being on video just makes it so much easier to browse through.<br />
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<a href="http://bchannelnews.tv/?p=12012" target="_blank">B Channel's council backgrounders</a> are equally fantastic. More council candidate interviews will be posted before the election.Victoria Votes is...http://www.blogger.com/profile/05144548395146732478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1841441689023377298.post-36809501033655334832011-11-06T16:39:00.000-08:002011-11-06T16:39:22.444-08:00Events UpdateHot off the e-press. <br />
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Nov. 8 - Victoria West Community Centre(521 Craigflower Rd) 6:30 to 9 pm<br />
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Nov. 14 - Burnside Community Centre (313 Jutland Rd) 7 to 9 pm<br />
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Nov. 15 Oakdlands Community Centre (#1-2827 Belmont Ave.) 7-9 pmVictoria Votes is...http://www.blogger.com/profile/05144548395146732478noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1841441689023377298.post-60673119488563202612011-11-04T12:15:00.000-07:002011-11-04T12:15:16.787-07:00B Channel Council InterviewsAre <a href="http://bchannelnews.tv/?p=12012">here</a> and we will re-post them here in a little while.Victoria Votes is...http://www.blogger.com/profile/05144548395146732478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1841441689023377298.post-57497562248965624702011-11-04T12:12:00.001-07:002011-11-04T12:12:10.859-07:00Chris Coleman Q&A Plus NewsBefore we get into this, a couple of notes: We have just decided to allow comments, although several stored comments have been deleted because they were pretty offensive. <br />
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Beyond that, there are just about 2 weeks left before the election, so GET READY TO VOTE. Remember you get to vote for eight councillors and one mayor as well as 3 CRD directors (more on this later) and the school board. For this reason, you might want to make a list to take with you to the polling station and really give it some thought rather than just show up and start ticking boxes. Lots of people we've talked to will sit down with other civic-minded friends (or hopefully friends who are new to voting) and discuss who to vote for on November 19th as a group, which makes the selection process less tedious.<br />
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Moving right along... Chris Coleman is running for his fifth term on Victoria Council. Chris received 6102 votes in the last election, or 5.95% of votes cast. His CV includes a number of boards and commitees across a wide spectrum of local issues, so Vic Votes can't really pin down one issue that Chris is all about. His website is <a href="http://www.chriscoleman.ca/" target="_blank">here</a> and here are his survey answers:<br />
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<b>Q: Why are you running and why should I vote for you?</b><br />
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A: I have 12 years experience in the municipal governance model, and have a good track record of working with diverse interests in seeking common solutions<br />
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The skills that I bring to Victoria City Council table are:<br />
- an aptitude for meeting with people & listening to their problems;<br />
- an ability to weigh various (often competing) perspectives; and,<br />
- a desire to find solutions that make our community better & safer for everyone.<br />
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I would like you to support me in being re-elected to Victoria City Council & elected to the CRD Board.<br />
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<b>Q: What issue is most important to you and why?</b><br />
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A: If the noble goal is to continue building a "sustainable", but affordable community for all, then one of the cornerstones has to be a range of housing options. Of particular interest to me are initiatives that address options for:<br />
<br />
1) young families entering the housing market;<br />
2) Seniors, particularly those on fixed incomes; &,<br />
3) homeless citizens.<br />
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<b>Q: What's something people don't know about you?</b><br />
<br />
A: Not many realize that I sit as one of 75 elected members on the Federation of Canadian Municipalities National Board (only 8 members are from BC, and I am the only one from Vancouver Island). We advocate on behalf of all cities & communities with the Federal Government on a range of issues, lobbying for:<br />
<br />
- a national "Housing & Homelessness Strategy",<br />
- a national "Transportation Strategy",<br />
- broad programmes which allow Canadian communities to address the "Infrastructure Deficit",<br />
- the municipal interest in the nation's "Immigration Policy",<br />
- the role of cities & towns play in "Climate Change Adaptation".<br />
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Of this work I am very proud.Victoria Votes is...http://www.blogger.com/profile/05144548395146732478noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1841441689023377298.post-46999542499776580512011-11-03T15:44:00.000-07:002011-11-03T15:44:30.358-07:00Jon Valentine Q&AJon Valentine is running for Victoria Council. He ran in '08 and got 257 votes, or 0.25% of votes cast. Not much else to say, here's his <a href="http://votevalentinevictoria.shawwebspace.ca/" target="_blank">website</a> and his survey answers:<br />
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<b>Q: Why are you running and why should I vote for you?</b><br />
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A: Ran for Victoria City Council in 2008, and have been fortunate to meet people from all walks of life related to the political scene. The momentum seemed to be there, and a good number of people thought it great that I was running again. I do this for them, and for my sense of wanting to do something nice, big, and significant, that is for a greater good. As part of this, I intended to work for practically nothing, by donating most of my city councilpersons salary back to the community, via local projects and such.<br />
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<b>Q: What issue is most important to you and why?</b><br />
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A: Housing/Homelessness. We have to invest in people first, before anything else happens.<br />
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<b>Q: What's something people don't know about you?</b><br />
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A: A Hollywood legend once put it that "a little mystery goes a long way". So I suggest going to my <a href="http://votevalentinevictoria.shawwebspace.ca/" target="_blank">website</a> (as well as the "Jon Valentine" <a href="http://www.facebook.com/#%21/pages/Jon-Valentine/295985250414644" target="_blank">Facebook Page</a>), for more info.Victoria Votes is...http://www.blogger.com/profile/05144548395146732478noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1841441689023377298.post-24206988925738659592011-11-02T12:51:00.000-07:002011-11-02T13:01:26.206-07:00Oh Look, NewsFirst of all, Focus magazine has two articles about the election - one from <a href="http://focusonline.ca/?q=node/284" target="_blank">Gene Miller</a> about the election as a whole, and one from Aaren Madden <a href="http://focusonline.ca/?q=node/286" target="_blank">endorsing Geoff Young</a>.<br />
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The Time Colonist finally has an election page up <a href="http://www.timescolonist.com/news/election2011/victoria.html"target="_blank">here.</a><br />
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Finally, B Channel News is <a href="http://bchannelnews.tv/" target="_blank">amazing</a>. They have posted the first of many, many video interviews to come over the next few weeks. The first run is an introduction to mayoral candidates, but will be followed by a series of interviews with each council candidate as well as a second round of follow-up mayoral interviews. <br />
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These interviews are probably the best way to get to know this year's candidates. B Channel asks all the right questions, and video allows you to get a sense of each candidate's personality.<br />
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So here goes:<br />
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<embed allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" flashvars="&dock=false&file=http%3A%2F%2Fbchannelnews.tv%2Fvideos%2FVote_2011%2FFortin_Dean_1.mp4&image=http%3A%2F%2Fbchannelnews.tv%2Fvideos%2FVote_2011%2FFortin_Dean_1.png&plugins=viral-2" height="280" src="http://bchannelnews.tv/wp-content/plugins/flash-video-player/mediaplayer/player.swf" width="400"></embed><br />
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<embed allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" flashvars="&dock=false&file=http%3A%2F%2Fbchannelnews.tv%2Fvideos%2FVote_2011%2FFilipovic_Steve_1.mp4&image=http%3A%2F%2Fbchannelnews.tv%2Fvideos%2FVote_2011%2FFilipovic_Steve_1.png&plugins=viral-2" height="280" src="http://bchannelnews.tv/wp-content/plugins/flash-video-player/mediaplayer/player.swf" width="400"></embed><br />
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<embed allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" flashvars="&dock=false&file=http%3A%2F%2Fbchannelnews.tv%2Fvideos%2FVote_2011%2FBrown_Paul_1.mp4&image=http%3A%2F%2Fbchannelnews.tv%2Fvideos%2FVote_2011%2FBrown_Paul_1.png&plugins=viral-2" height="280" src="http://bchannelnews.tv/wp-content/plugins/flash-video-player/mediaplayer/player.swf" width="400"></embed>Victoria Votes is...http://www.blogger.com/profile/05144548395146732478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1841441689023377298.post-21811099945865051392011-11-02T09:50:00.000-07:002011-11-02T09:50:29.157-07:00Geoff Young Q&AGeoff Young is running for re-election to Victoria Council. According to Victoria Vision, Geoff is Victoria's longest-serving councillor, with 23 years in office. He has been an advocate for alternative transportation, sound financial management, and environmental protection. His website is <a href="http://www.geoffyoung.ca/" target="_blank">here</a> and here are his survey answers:<br />
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<b>Q: Why are you running and why should I vote for you?</b><br />
<br />
A: The city needs experience and a balanced approach to ensure our city remains inviting and affordable for young people, families, seniors and business. I bring an understanding of the wide range of issues that affect the city and the region through my experience at council, the CRD (the last three years as chair) and the community, and through my professional training as an economist.<br />
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<b>Q: What issue is most important to you and why?</b><br />
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A: Addressing climate change is our most important long term priority.<br />
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Our best way of reducing greenhouse gas emissions is through good regional planning - I support rapid transit systems, density in the downtown, and walkable communities, but regional planning to reduce energy consumption and preserve the environment would be easier if everyone paid the true cost of travel, particularly road travel.<br />
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A carbon tax on a global scale would also mean more demand for local food as the price of distant-sourced food rose to reflect transportation costs. We must not sacrifice the benefits of compact communities to guarantee local food supplies, but we can have some land that does double duty, providing open space and recreation as well as food.<br />
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<b>Q: What's something people don't know about you?</b><br />
<br />
A: It is my views and how I have voted on the issues of concern to you that I hope will determine your vote. Have a look at my website, which is full of my thoughts on many topics, or give me a call, if you are curious.Victoria Votes is...http://www.blogger.com/profile/05144548395146732478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1841441689023377298.post-55521735606486601362011-11-01T14:40:00.000-07:002011-11-01T14:40:45.720-07:00New StuffFirst of all, the Saanich Civic League isn't a Victoria thing, but you should <a href="http://www.saanichcivicleague.ca/index.html" target="_blank">check them out.</a><br />
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Moving right along, the Victoria Chambe of Commerce has asked business-related questions to all of the candidates in the CRD, including Victoria. <a href="http://victoriachamber.ca/elections/municipal" target="_blank">That's here.</a><br />
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We've also finally found some dates for all candidates meetings, which are:<br />
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TODAY! (Tuesday) Nov 1st 6pm James Bay Community School<br />
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Monday Nov 7th 7pm Fernwood Community Assoc 1923 Fernwood Road – Mayoral candidates only<br />
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Wednesday, November 9 at 7 pm. All-candidates meeting on housing and poverty at First Metropolitan Church on Pandora. <br />
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Enjoy! - VVVictoria Votes is...http://www.blogger.com/profile/05144548395146732478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1841441689023377298.post-72863760174979631352011-11-01T14:32:00.000-07:002011-11-01T14:32:25.548-07:00Charlayne Thornton-Joe Q&ACharlayne Thornton-Joe is running for her third term on Victoria Council. She is the highest polling elected representative in the city, having garnered more votes in the last election than even either of the mayoral candidates (9887, or 9.64% of votes cast). Her record on Council seems to focus on the issues of homelessness and economic development - her website is <a href="http://www.charlayne.ca/" target="_blank">here</a> and here are her survey answers:<br />
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<b>Q: Why are you running and why should I vote for you?</b><br />
<br />
A: I am running for the same reasons that inspired me the first time that I ran, I want to make a difference and I want to be able to serve the community to the best of my abilities. I have been involved with many non-profits and I wanted to see how I could become even more involved. You should vote for me because I am compassionate, a hard worker, and am a team player. I work with others to try to find solutions to issues in our community.<br />
<br />
<b>Q: What issue is most important to you and why?</b><br />
<br />
A: Unfortunately, there are so many issues that we deal with every day, and I try to put what the citizens say is the most important to them to the top of my list as well. I have put a lot of my energy to the issue of homelessness, mental illness and addiction....and because of the complexity of the issue of homelessness, it has also included poverty and cost of living issues. Anyone that knows me, knows I am also passionate about animals, so I have also tried to be a voice for them as well! Why am I involved with these issues? I don't like to see suffering of any kind, so I work to try to solve human suffering and abuse of animals.<br />
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<b>Q: What's something people don't know about you?</b><br />
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A: Hmmmmm, my life is pretty much an open book so it is hard to think what is unknown.....when I was 8, I got to go on stage with Diana Ross and the Supremes at Caesar's Palace!Victoria Votes is...http://www.blogger.com/profile/05144548395146732478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1841441689023377298.post-70822922440774929512011-10-31T10:04:00.000-07:002011-10-31T10:04:33.189-07:00Pamela Madoff Q & APamela Madoff is running for re-election to Victoria City Council. Madoff is one of Victoria's longest-serving council members and is running for her seventh term having served a total of 18 years on council. She is known for her work in heritage and the arts in Victoria. Near as we can tell she does not have a website, but here are her survey answers:<br />
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<b>Q: Why are you running and why should I vote for you?</b><br />
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A: Having served on Council for the past 6 terms I hope that I have a reputation as a principled and well-informed decision maker. With a background as a community activist I welcome community input and look for ways to accommodate consultation in a meaningful way.<br />
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<b>Q: What issue is most important to you and why?</b><br />
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A: We seem to be living in a particularly complicated period in history. So many issues are inter-related. If I must identify one issue it would be that of sustainability - sustainability in all things.<br />
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Q: What's something people don't know about you?</b><br />
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A: Probably that in spite of being seen as a regulator in my role as a member of Victoria City Council that I often find the greatest joy and satisfaction in the unplanned: spontaneous community initiatives - even pre-flash mobs- that remind us all that the energy and creativity of the community is the heartbeat of the city. A favourite gardening book: 'A Gentle Pleas for Chaos' espouses that in 'controlled disorder lies the essence of beauty'.Victoria Votes is...http://www.blogger.com/profile/05144548395146732478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1841441689023377298.post-27296689047371890812011-10-30T17:32:00.000-07:002011-10-30T17:32:15.971-07:00Lynn Hunter Q&ALynn Hunter is running for a second term on Victoria City Council. Prior to serving on Council, she was elected for one term as MP (NDP) for Saanich-Gulf Islands. She is part of the unofficial Dean Team slate. She does not have a website, but here are her answers to our questions:<br />
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<b>Q: Why are you running and why should I vote for you?</b><br />
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A:I am running because I believe that although much was accomplished over the past 3 years, there is still much to do. I feel that my record of being elected and working at both the federal and the civic level of government provides valuable experience on how to get things done and also the importance of focusing on agreed upon priorities and working as part of a team.<br />
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<b>Q: What issue is most important to you and why?</b><br />
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A: Affordable housing remains the most important issue to tackle. Lack of affordability hurts not only those who are struggling in sub standard living arrangements but it also affects the whole local economy because people are deterred from bringing their talents and skills to work here because of the high cost of housing.<br />
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<b>Q: What's something people don't know about you?</b><br />
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A:I am a twin. My sister and I have had very different lives but she has helped me enormously in appreciating the consequences of life's choices.Victoria Votes is...http://www.blogger.com/profile/05144548395146732478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1841441689023377298.post-4167472095667460412011-10-29T12:06:00.000-07:002011-10-29T12:06:26.571-07:00So this mayoral debate happened a few days ago in James Bay. If you didn't make it, here's some video!<br />
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Steve Filipovic Intro:<br />
<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/31283010?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" width="400" height="225" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen allowFullScreen></iframe><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/31283010">Steve Filipovic (Intro) All Candidates Debate-Oct 28, James Bay</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user5656712">Orcacedarbough</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p><br />
Dean Fortin Intro:<br />
<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/31280851?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" width="400" height="225" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen allowFullScreen></iframe><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/31280851">Dean Fortin (Intro) All Candidates Debate-October 28, James Bay</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/themartlet">Martlet</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p><br />
Paul Brown Intro:<br />
<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/31281069?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" width="400" height="225" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen allowFullScreen></iframe><br />
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Filipovic Closing Comments:<br />
<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/31276274?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" width="400" height="225" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen allowFullScreen></iframe><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/31276274">Steve Filipovic All Candidates Debates-Oct 28, James Bay</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/themartlet">Martlet</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p><br />
Fortin Closing Comments:<br />
<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/31277779?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" width="400" height="225" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen allowFullScreen></iframe><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/31277779">Dean Fortin All Candidates Debates-Oct 28, James Bay</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/themartlet">Martlet</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p><br />
Brown Closing Comments:<br />
<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/31277131?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" width="400" height="225" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen allowFullScreen></iframe><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/31277131">Paul Brown All Candidates Debates-Oct 28, James Bay</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/themartlet">Martlet</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>Victoria Votes is...http://www.blogger.com/profile/05144548395146732478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1841441689023377298.post-68530230368151999192011-10-28T20:34:00.000-07:002011-10-28T20:34:57.285-07:00Dean Fortin Answers Our QuestionsDean Fortin is running for re-election as Mayor of Victoria. Fortin won against Rob Reid in the 2008 election, and served on Council for two terms (6 years) prior to becoming Mayor. He is running alongside the Dean Team, an unofficial slate consisting of (far as we can tell) Pam Madoff, Lynn Hunter, John Luton, and Marianne Alto. Prior to 2008 Fortin also served as Executive Director of the Burnside Gorge Communtiy Centre. His website is <a href="http://deanfortin.ca/" target="_blank">here</a> and here are his answers to our questions:<br />
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<b>Q: Why are you running and why should I vote for you?</b><br />
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A: My name is Dean Fortin, and I am running for re-election as Mayor of Victoria. In the last three years we have accomplished so much, and I want to continue to build on that momentum and continue to support a vibrant, welcoming and sustainable city.<br />
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From housing and homelessness, alternative transportation and economic development – for the last three years, along with my team of councillors, I have been diligently working on the priorities set by our residents. And we have made great strides in many keys areas, proving our ability to work with residents, identify challenges, and make decisions on important projects. I am prepared to tackle the tough challenges ahead in a way that balances the financial and social needs of residents.<br />
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I have learned so much and we’ve made significant progress over the last three years. I want to continue to put that knowledge and commitment to work for the people of this community. I have been honoured to serve as Mayor – it is a privilege I am hoping to be granted again.<br />
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<b>Q: What issue is most important to you and why?</b><br />
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A: There are many competing interests and needs in our community. Whether it is the need for more supportive and affordable housing, public transportation, more parks, or ageing infrastructure – there is no shortage of projects and programs that will enhance our city for benefit of everyone. But how we pay for these important projects is a big question. That is why I believe economic development is a key issue right now.<br />
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We have developed a comprehensive Economic Development Strategy, with the help of community leaders from all sectors of our economy, which maps out how to grow investment in our community. It is a strategy that focuses on growing our tax base – bringing household sustaining jobs to our community, increased residential and commercial growth in the core, and innovation that secures Victoria place as a leader in sustainable growth. This is how we will pay for important projects including sewage treatment, LRT, and affordable housing.<br />
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Growing our economy in a smart and sustainable way will ensure we can continue to invest in our community and the programs and services that make Victoria a great place to call home – for everyone.<br />
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<b>Q: What's something people don't know about you?</b><br />
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A: I have coached basketball for many years. Currently I have the great pleasure of coaching my daughter’s team, the U-11 girls’ basketball night league. I love working with youth, and believe sports is a fantastic venue to get kids active and working together.Victoria Votes is...http://www.blogger.com/profile/05144548395146732478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1841441689023377298.post-63637805418532842242011-10-27T14:31:00.001-07:002011-10-27T14:31:31.724-07:00John Luton Answers Our QuestionsJohn Luton is running for re-election to Victoria City Council. He hasserved 1 term so far, and was elected with 6002 votes, or 5.85% of votes cast. John has been a very active advocate for cycling and alternative transportation in the region for a number of years. His website is <a href="http://www.johnluton.ca/index.html" target="_blank">here</a> and here are his answers to our infamous questions:<br />
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<b>Why are you running and why should I vote for you?</b><br />
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I’ve got a good record on council, helping to champion our efforts to create housing diversity, tackle homelessness and provide affordable housing. I will continue to work on that agenda.<br />
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I’ve provided leadership on creating a diverse and sustainable transportation system that offers people more choices and will continue to champion cycling, walking and public transit.<br />
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I have worked to protect and enhance our greenspaces and parks and will continue to work on sustaining a green city, positive evolution of our parks system, more investment in our greenways to support community livability and promote active transportation, tending of our urban forest, and a better boulevard program to convert public space to more productive uses.<br />
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I have worked hard on council to take on our infrastructure deficit and will continue to push to repair or replace our public assets to ensure the services our citizens rely on will be there for them when they are needed.<br />
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We haven’t finished that work, and that’s why I am running again.<br />
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<b>What is the most important issue to you and why?</b><br />
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Housing is the priority of the community and we must respond to the priorities of our citizens. Continuing to work on housing issues and tackling street homelessness must be at the top of council’s list for the next term and I can bring new ideas on land use and transportation planning that can provide real solutions to some of the challenges of providing more and better housing so that people who work in Victoria can also live in Victoria.<br />
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I can also bring some unique ideas to that agenda, promoting car-free and car-light housing options to bring the cost of housing down and give more people better options for housing and transportation.<br />
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<b>What is something that people don’t know about you?</b><br />
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I do have a driver’s license and can be seen, on rare occasions, behind the wheel of my wife’s car.Victoria Votes is...http://www.blogger.com/profile/05144548395146732478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1841441689023377298.post-67477866155085350242011-10-24T22:06:00.000-07:002011-10-24T22:06:34.181-07:00Ben Isitt Answers Our QuestionsBen Isitt is running for Victoria City Council. Ben is a professor at UVIC and a long-time local and general political activist - he has run for Mayor in Victoria twice, most recently garnering 7298 votes, or 43% of votes cast. His website is <a href="http://isitt.ca/vote/">here</a> and here are his answers to our questions:<br />
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<b>Q: Why are you running and why should I vote for you?</b></div>
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A: I am running for City Councillor and CRD Director to make Victoria and the Capital Region a fair, safe and green place for everyone. This includes helping the people most in need of help -- including those who are homeless and managing addictions -- while working on proactive policies to improve the quality of life, such as opening a year-round public market downtown, keeping tax increases below the rate of inflation and completing a greenways network for cycling and walking.<br />
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<b>Q: What issue is most important to you and why?</b></div>
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A: Homelessness and the gap between rich and poor. As long as people in our affluent society lack adequate shelter, building affordable housing and narrowing the income gap must remain top priorities.</div>
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Q: What's something people don't know about you?</b></div>
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A: I have travelled to more than 50 countries for work and pleasure, experiencing a diversity of cultures and cities large and small. I think we can make Victoria and the CRD better by following "best practices," learning from innovative policies that have been successfully implemented elsewhere to address social, environmental and economic challenges.</div>
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<br /></div>Victoria Votes is...http://www.blogger.com/profile/05144548395146732478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1841441689023377298.post-30518819903206266332011-10-24T00:02:00.000-07:002011-10-24T09:59:35.857-07:00TC Candidate InfoJust found these on the Times Colonist website, which is impossible to navigate so you can thank us later. Not sure where these came from or whether there are more to come, but you'll know as soo as we do... <a href="http://www.timescolonist.com/business/topic.html?t=City&q=Victoria+%28British+Columbia%29">source</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.timescolonist.com/business/Lisa+Helps/5594572/story.html" target="_blank">Lisa Helps</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.timescolonist.com/business/Linda+McGrew/5575670/story.html" target="_blank">Linda McGrew</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.timescolonist.com/business/Paul+Brown/5575492/story.html" target="_blank">Paul Brown</a>Victoria Votes is...http://www.blogger.com/profile/05144548395146732478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1841441689023377298.post-30710675723580313152011-10-23T21:00:00.000-07:002011-10-24T22:06:44.891-07:00News UpdateArticle about Lisa Helps in the Globe and Mail is <a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/british-columbia/quirky-moniker-helps-political-novice-in-name-recognition-challenge/article2210961/" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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Got any other news links we should post? <a href="mailto:vote.victoria.bc@gmail.com">Email us.</a>Victoria Votes is...http://www.blogger.com/profile/05144548395146732478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1841441689023377298.post-67574151887964000862011-10-22T16:21:00.000-07:002011-10-24T22:06:54.072-07:00VLC EndorsementsThe Victoria Labour Council has released its endorsements for candidates throughout the CRD <a href="http://victorialabour.ca/wp3/" target="_blank">here</a>, and here are the names for Victoria: <br />
<b></b><br />
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<i><b>Mayor</b></i><br />
Dean Fortin<br />
<i><b>Council</b></i><br />
Marianne Alto<br />
Lisa Helps<br />
Lynn Hunter<br />
Ben Isitt<br />
Philippe Lucas<br />
John Luton<br />
Pam MadoffVictoria Votes is...http://www.blogger.com/profile/05144548395146732478noreply@blogger.com0