NPA Mayoral candidate Suzanne Anton’s declared opposition to the Greenest City Action Plan council report isn’t just another flip-flop, it’s the latest sign of the out of touch, right-wing politics of the NPA, says Vision Vancouver.
“First it was the bike lanes, then the casino, now Suzanne Anton has flip-flopped on the environment,” said Vision Vancouver executive director Ian Baillie. “She’s supported it every single time in the past. Why is she flip-flopping on something as important as Vancouver’s environment?
“What this shows is that under Suzanne Anton, the NPA is becoming more and more conservative and extreme. The NPA is turning into Vancouver’s version of the tea party: no to everything, no ideas, and anti-environment.”
The Greenest City Action Plan involved more than 35,000 citizen participants, and more than 130 organizations took part on external advisory committees.
The plan, which Suzanne Anton calls “wacky,” includes strategies such as:
- Develop business hubs that support Vancouver companies and help build international economic linkages
- Increase energy efficiency of buildings to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
- Develop a pedestrian safety action plan to make streets safer for pedestrians
- Work with the Province to build rapid transit along the Broadway Corridor
- Collect compost on a weekly basis to reduce garbage going to landfill
- Build 2-3 new parks in Vancouver neighbourhoods that are underserved by green space
“It’s unfortunate to see Suzanne Anton and the NPA oppose the strategies in this plan,” said Baillie. “You would think that making streets safer for pedestrians, or building new parks for families and children, would be something that even the most right-wing politician could support. Apparently not.”
Councillor Anton has voted in support of the Greenest City Action Plan on four separate occasions, including:
May 5, 2009: http://vancouver.ca/ctyclerk/cclerk/20090505/documents/regu20090505min.pdf
October 20, 2009: http://vancouver.ca/ctyclerk/cclerk/20091020/documents/regu20091020min.pdf
February 4, 2010: http://vancouver.ca/ctyclerk/cclerk/20100204/documents/penv20100204min.pdf
January 20, 2011:
http://vancouver.ca/ctyclerk/cclerk/20110120/documents/penv20110120min.pdf
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