Home › Press Releases

Press Releases

  • 11:55 am, Nov 18, 2011
    Share

    Robertson says Vancouver faces stark choice, asks voters to support strong, experienced Vision Vancouver team

    (Vancouver) – Mayor Gregor Robertson gathered with fellow Vision Vancouver candidates today to encourage voters heading to the polls Saturday to elect a strong, proven Vision Vancouver team that will focus on Vancouver's real priorities.

    “I'm proud of the positive campaign that Vision Vancouver has run from start to finish, with a talented, diverse, and experienced team of candidates,” said Mayor Robertson. “We have proposed an ambitious agenda to continue working for positive change in this city, by taking on issues like housing and homelessness, safe streets, green leadership, economic vitality, support for the arts, livability, and better transit. After three years of hard work and results, I'm asking Vancouver to elect a strong Vision Vancouver team to keep moving Vancouver forward.”

    Mayor Robertson also expressed concerns about the risk of voting for the NPA.

    Read more...

  • 12:26 pm, Nov 17, 2011
    Share

    NPA shelter opposition shows what's at stake in this election, says Vision

    (Vancouver) - Standing across from one of the new emergency homeless shelters established this term, Vision Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson outlined the sharp policy contrast between the NPA and Vision on homelessness this morning.
     
    "On my first day as Mayor, I set to work on making sure that no one in our city has to sleep outside at night," said Robertson. "Opening new homeless shelters has helped get people into housing and addictions services, and brought a place to sleep and a warm meal to some of our most vulnerable citizens," said Mayor Robertson. 
     
    "The shelters are working - and a vote for Suzanne Anton and the NPA would be a major step backwards on the progress we've made on homelessness."
    Read more...

  • 2:58 pm, Nov 16, 2011
    Share

    NPA's reckless rookies offer up more double-talk on Vancouver school closures

    (Vancouver) – Vision Vancouver School Board candidate Patti Bacchus challenged the NPA's Mike Klassen to come clean today on his previous support for closing Vancouver schools.

    Bacchus, who is the current chair of the Vancouver Board of Education, said Klassen's comments provide a worrisome signal on the NPA's plans for government.

    “Klassen is on the record in favour of closing schools and shutting down the Park Board,” said Bacchus. “To me, these are clear and troubling hints of NPA plans for major city-wide cuts to the crucial public services relied on by Vancouver families. Voting for the NPA is just not worth the risk.”

    Read more...

     

  • 10:09 am, Nov 16, 2011
    Share

    Vision Councillor Raymond Louie challenges any NPA Council candidate to a debate over platform costings

    (Vancouver) – Vision Vancouver Councillor Raymond Louie is offering to debate any NPA Council candidate on the cost comparison of the two party platforms.

    Louie, who has been Chair of the City's Finance Committee for the last three years, guiding the City budgeting process, says it's critical information taxpayers deserve before they cast their ballots.

    Read more...

  • 10:56 am, Nov 15, 2011
    Share

    Anton and the NPA refuse to release costing for expensive platform, out of line with every other political party in Canada

    (Vancouver) – 24 hours after Vision Vancouver provided a detailed cost breakdown of Suzanne Anton and the NPA’s platform, several questions remain as to what the NPA would cut and how new programs would be paid for – and so far, the NPA and Suzanne Anton have refused to release their internal costing document.

    “The fact that Vision had to cost out Suzanne Anton’s platform for her just goes to show how inexperienced the NPA group of candidates is,” says Vision Vancouver council candidate Raymond Louie, who has chaired the city's finance committee for three years. “They don’t have a credible plan for running the city. When you look at the massive spending increases they’re proposing, the NPA will have to do one of two things: make major cuts to core services, or significantly increase taxes.

    “It’s been 24 hours Suzanne, we’re still waiting – how are you going to pay for your platform? The ‘common sense’ thing to do would be to release your costing - just as every other political party in Canada does when running for election.”

    Read more...

  • 10:50 am, Nov 15, 2011
    Share

    Mayor joins Vision & COPE school board candidates to ask if NPA will continue voting to close city schools

    NPA trustees supported school closures, as did NPA council candidate Mike Klassen

    (Vancouver) – Mayor Gregor Robertson was joined by Vision Vancouver and Coalition of Progressive Electors (COPE) school board candidates in challenging Suzanne Anton and the Non-Partisan Association (NPA) to say whether, if elected, they will continue to vote to close city schools.

    “Voters should know that Vancouver Board of Education trustees and candidates from two parties – Vision and COPE – can be trusted to keep local schools open for our kids,” Mayor Robertson said.

    Read more...

     

  • 11:42 am, Nov 14, 2011
    Share

    Runaway spending promises prove Vancouver can't afford the reckless NPA or its inexperienced candidates

    (Vancouver) – After rolling out major campaign platform pieces over the last month, Mayor Gregor Robertson and the Vision Vancouver team released their full platform this morning. In contrast to the NPA's runaway spending promises (such as an unfunded $200 million streetcar which Anton previously opposed), the Vision Vancouver platform is a fully-costed plan to move forward on Vancouver's true priorities.

    “Vancouver can't afford to roll the dice on the divided NPA or its inexperienced rookie candidates,” said Mayor Robertson, after detailing the NPA platform's runaway spending plan. “The choice in this election is between letting the NPA recklessly take us back to the days of division and mismanagement at City Hall, or voting for a strong Vision Vancouver team with a responsible plan to move Vancouver forward.”

    Read more...

  • 7:39 am, Nov 14, 2011
    Share

    Former NPA campaign manager endorses Mayor Gregor Robertson

    (Vancouver) Bob Ransford, the campaign manager for 2008 NPA mayoral candidate Peter Ladner, is supporting Gregor Robertson and Vision Vancouver in this election, citing Vision's track record of steady leadership, in contrast to a disorganized, out-of-touch NPA team.

    "Gregor Robertson and the Vision Vancouver council have provided strong, steady leadership on issues like affordable housing and public transit," said Ransford, a public affairs consultant and Vancouver Sun columnist who speacilizes in urban land-use issues. "Vancouver faces some serious challenges in the coming years, whether it's making smart planning decisions or addressing our affordability crisis, and Gregor Robertson and the Vision Vancouver team are the ones with a plan to meet these challenges head-on."

    Read more...

  • 2:23 pm, Nov 13, 2011
    Share

    Vision Vancouver and COPE say rent bank critical to protecting renters, NPA ignores renters' issues

    (Vancouver) — Vision Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson was joined by fellow Vision and COPE candidates today to reaffirm their support for the creation of a rent bank for renters in crisis.

    "Our commitment to introducing a rent bank is just one of the stark contrasts with an NPA platform that completely ignores renters’ issues," says Robertson. “In a city where more than 50% of our citizens rent, Vision and COPE are the parties that will stand up for renters and push for more rental housing. The NPA has zero credibility on rental housing and have no plan for Vancouver renters. 

    Read more...

  • 12:09 pm, Nov 12, 2011
    Share

    NPA contradictions highlight inexperienced, out-of-touch group of candidates

    With one week to go until the civic election, the NPA's disarray and infighting should make voters think twice about a group of candidates who lack experience or solutions to Vancouver's toughest challenges.
     
    "Suzanne Anton and the NPA can't even keep their campaign together, which should be a red flag for any voter considering them in this election," said Vision councillor Geoff Meggs. "The NPA's group of rookie candidates is already fighting amongst themselves, making wild promises, and contradicting each other.
     
    "This is a negative, out-of-touch group of NPA candidates that isn't ready for prime time."

    Read More...