A tale of two Greens

BY JOSEPH PLANTA

Wednesday, 30 November 2005

VANCOUVER - It must be important when even non-politically minded people I come across have an opinion about the local story involving the two Greens, Jim and James.

To say civic politics is boring is not to know of the palaver following the mayoralty election loss of the Vision Vancouver candidate Jim Green to the NPA's Sam Sullivan. There happened to be a candidate in the race named James Green, an independent with a bit of a sorted past that the local media has spent much attention on. It seems he's got a slew of debtors, thus it doesn't make sense that he funded a slick campaign that included a bus.

There are intimations that his candidacy was put up by the NPA or Sullivan himself, so as to act as a spoiler in the race. Alphabetically James Green is on top of Jim Green, thus many a voter could have been confused. The margin by which Sullivan bested Jim Green is roughly the amount of votes that James Green got.

Who knows if those votes marked for James Green were meant for Jim Green. To say that voters were confused would be a little silly considering Jim Green's name had the name of his party, Vision Vancouver, next to it. As well, one could make the specious case that some of Jim's votes were meant for James.

The past few months have been filled with many stories about James Green and his candidacy. It was a novelty at first, and then political observers realised that he could actually be a spoiler. Compared to the other independent candidates this early attention served him well, getting his name and mug in the paper and elsewhere. Maybe that's the reason why he got as many votes as he did. Perhaps Vancouver voters were unsatisfied with the two major candidates, that they decided to reward the farce for its entertainment value and voted for the other Jim Green, James.

Nonetheless, it's clear that it can't be easy for Jim Green. He came so close to winning, and it's of no comfort that he may have lost because of the mistake of a number of voters. I didn't vote for him, but I know this loss must not feel all too great. It is perhaps a remarkable coincidence that this year, year of years, the name thing mattered. He coulda been mayor if only his name was different.

Calls for a re-vote are unnecessary because many knew of the difference between the Greens, and if they didn't and they made a mistake, maybe they shouldn't vote next time, and rather read a newspaper once in a while.

Does this stain the incoming mayor Sam Sullivan? No, not if as he claims, he or his party had nothing to do with Green's candidacy. There have been allegations that Sullivan intervened on James Green's behalf on an issue of Green's campaign office, which as it happens, was located in the same complex as his own. Sullivan made a call to the building managers when he found out Green was thrown out of the building. If there's something more to it, then maybe Sullivan ought to worry, but frankly he's got other more pressing things to concern himself with.

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Vancouver Police Chief Jamie Graham announced that the RCMP has been asked to review the actions of Sullivan, who admitted earlier in the campaign that he had given money to drug addicts to buy drugs, as well that friends of his who were addicts were permitted to consume such drugs in the back of his van. This was a bit of an issue in the campaign, but it quickly died when Sullivan admitted it and apparently apologised to his base. Why the review now? Perhaps it's political, which the chief denies. Or perhaps it's because as the mayor, Sullivan would be sitting as chair of the police board. How would that be, that the chair of the police board would have committed a crime in the past? Just when they say politics in this city is dull. . .

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Now, I ought to report that I've dined on the serving crow I'm compelled to order, following my less than stellar picks prior to the Vancouver vote. Even though I'm not saddled with the embarrassment of having voted for a loser for mayor, I did note in this space that even though I'd vote for Sullivan, I thought Jim Green was going to win big. Well, he didn't and I am rightfully chastened and rebuked.

My council picks didn't pan out too well either. I was really sorry to see Fred Bass out of office. He's a thoroughly decent man. I only voted for four of the ten councillors elected, and I was surprised I didn't vote for Elizabeth Ball, who did end up getting elected. She's a real champion of the arts, and someone who I'd have voted for but didn't.

But we're in the midst of a federal election campaign, so onward and downward.

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An archive of Joseph Planta's previous columns can be found by clicking HERE.