Fassbender Chairs TransLink's Mayors' Council
Congratulations to Dianne Watts, who stepped aside as the chair of TransLink's mayors' council yesterday. By my recollection, she's the first chair of that type of group NOT to be turfed in an election (where have you gone, George Puil and Doug McCallum?) or by legislation (Malcolm Brodie).
While rumours swirl that Dianne stepped out to plan a run at the BC Liberal leadership, I hear from people very close to her personally and politically that she has no such plans. She really is focused on turning Surrey's city centre around (I know, I know, some of you hardened hacks will probably think me naive for taking her at her word, but her actions back up her statement).
I do find it funny that people say things like, "She took the chair to pave the way for a leadership bid," when she was elected TransLink chair, and then turn around and say the same thing when she leaves the post. It reminds me of the Chris Gardner situation, where people said he was hired at the City of Surrey to help her on her leadership bid, and when he left, people claimed it was so he could (wait for it) help her on her leadership bid. You can't have it both ways.
Anyway, Langley City Mayor Peter Fassbender, who has been a close ally of Dianne's on the transit file, was elected the new chair--despite a vocal beating from Burnaby Mayor Derek Corrigan.
My main complaint about the Mayors' Council is that they grossly misread Premier Gordon Campbell by pushing for the carbon tax to be used for transit. This strategy, which apparently came from Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson, was doomed to fail: the carbon tax, and its revenue neutrality, was Campbell's baby and part of the legacy he wants to leave (whenever that happens). He was never going to do anything to tinker with that. I'm surprised Gregor, as a former NDP MLA, didn't recognize that.
While rumours swirl that Dianne stepped out to plan a run at the BC Liberal leadership, I hear from people very close to her personally and politically that she has no such plans. She really is focused on turning Surrey's city centre around (I know, I know, some of you hardened hacks will probably think me naive for taking her at her word, but her actions back up her statement).
I do find it funny that people say things like, "She took the chair to pave the way for a leadership bid," when she was elected TransLink chair, and then turn around and say the same thing when she leaves the post. It reminds me of the Chris Gardner situation, where people said he was hired at the City of Surrey to help her on her leadership bid, and when he left, people claimed it was so he could (wait for it) help her on her leadership bid. You can't have it both ways.
Anyway, Langley City Mayor Peter Fassbender, who has been a close ally of Dianne's on the transit file, was elected the new chair--despite a vocal beating from Burnaby Mayor Derek Corrigan.
My main complaint about the Mayors' Council is that they grossly misread Premier Gordon Campbell by pushing for the carbon tax to be used for transit. This strategy, which apparently came from Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson, was doomed to fail: the carbon tax, and its revenue neutrality, was Campbell's baby and part of the legacy he wants to leave (whenever that happens). He was never going to do anything to tinker with that. I'm surprised Gregor, as a former NDP MLA, didn't recognize that.
posted by Jordan Bateman @ 1:25 PM
