(The following article is from the November 16-30, 2008, issue of People's Voice, Canada's leading communist newspaper. Articles can be reprinted free if the source is credited. Subscription rates in Canada: $25/year, or $12 low income rate; for U.S. readers - $25 US per year; other overseas readers - $25 US or $35 CDN per year. Send to: People's Voice, c/o PV Business Manager, 133 Herkimer St., Unit 502, Hamilton, ON, L8P 2H3.)

By Kimball Cariou

Many voters in Vancouver are going to the polls for the third time in one month: the federal election, two provincial byelections which resulted in NDP victories on Oct. 29, and the Nov. 15 civic elections which take place across British Columbia. Combine this with the heavily-covered US presidential race, and many people here feel "electioned out."

     But the Vancouver race was heating up as this issue of People's Voice went to the printer before voting day. The latest controversy revolves around a $100 million loan to the company constructing the Olympic athlete's village in southeast False Creek, which will be turned into market condos and a small social housing component after the 2010 Winter Games.

     The city authorised the loan from its reserves, during a secret in-camera meeting. Apparently under heavy pressure, councillors voted unanimously to approve the loan, which city staff claims is guaranteed to be covered. But the decline in Vancouver housing sales and real estate values, linked to the world-wide financial crisis, have led many observers to question the decision.

     Given the long history of Olympic cost over-runs, there was great scepticism when the deal was reported. For example, spending on security for the 2010 Games has skyrocketed from the original estimate of $175 million - widely seen as off the mark from the beginning - to the $1 billion range.

     There is also considerable dismay that huge chunks of city resources are being invested without informing the shareholders - the citizens of Vancouver. Most of the anger has been directed at the governing NPA, and its de facto leader, mayoralty candidate Peter Ladner, who for some mysterious reason seems to be the only outgoing council member with full access to details of the decision. It remains to be seen whether the uproar will hurt the NPA's re-election chances on Nov. 15, but early indications are that the episode has reinforced the pro-business party's image as opposed to public scrutiny of the city's affairs.

     Transportation and housing remained the big campaign issues as the vote drew near. Vision Vancouver mayoralty candidate Gregor Robertson has hammered at the NPA's poor record on the homelessness crisis, and its refusal to work for creative solutions to the woeful state of public transit.

     Meanwhile, the Coalition of Progressive Electors, the left-labour party in Vancouver politics, found a dramatic way to publicize one of its key transit policies. COPE rented a double-decker tour bus during the final week of the campaign, hiring unionized bus drivers to take the vehicle on a circular route around the downtown core. Passengers got free rides, bringing attention to COPE's campaign for a no-fare downtown bus loop to help ease the area's traffic problems.

     The NPA is also facing trouble at the school board level, where its weak stable of candidates has floundered at public forums, unable to provide any coherent platform or even to understand some questions from the audience. The NPA skipped the final school board all-candidate meeting completely on Nov. 6, leaving the field to the COPE and Vision team of candidates.

     See our next issue for a round-up of the municipal results.