Does the NPA really believe this stuff or is it just good politics? Either way it goes to the issue of trust.
The NPA has been attempting to frame traffic calming measures and safety upgrades in Kitsilano all summer as a wedge issue against the Mayor and Council. The synopsis of their message is “the Mayor and Council don’t listen and they are creating a private road for uber-rich along West Point Grey”.
In a television interviews on the traffic diversion in Kits with the CBC, has Councillor Affleck gone over the line of clean political rhetoric by unfairly maligning and personally attacking the Mayor? It is ridiculous to think that the Mayor and Council make decisions on some sort of hidden agenda. The work that is being done in Kits has been planned for years by different City Departments. Moreover, it is insulting for an elected official of the City of Vancouver to malign the office of the Mayor and Council with such a ridiculous claim.
Listen to NPA Councillor George Affleck in his own words on the traffic diversion measure on West Point Grey on Jan 20, 2014 on the first Monday after the traffic calming. You can view the video clip here: CBC
NPA Cl: Well today you can see we have several people here who are concerned, as is the NPA about closing Point Grey Road. We feel this a road for all Vancouverites and it is unfortunate that Vision rammed this through and decided to close this and keep this for their personal supporters. I believe.
Reporter: Do you believe that is the motivation for closing this road?
NPA Cl. I don’t think that it is a surprise, not a surprise, that we have several of their biggest funders living along here. And the Mayor himself is just three houses up here. I think that this is very interesting to say the least.
Reporter: So who is it that suffers from this closure?
NPA Cl: The people who suffer from this are all of Vancouver. This is not only about, this is not about bikes, this is about access. This is about the beauty of this street. This is also a concern of mine, which is the access of emergency vehicles and transit. These are the other issues that we have about closing off a main arterial in the city.
Reporter: And what is (inaudible)?
NPA Cl: Really this is to draw attention to the fact this is closed and is closed permanently and we want to get a sense of what the people of this city want. And as you can see today we have a lot of people out and a lot of honking, a lot people saying “open this back up”.
Reporter: And what will you do if you are voted back into the majority in the next municipal election?
NPA Cl: Well our plan is to absolutely look into reopening of this street. There was another alternative plan that was presented to us as a council that we could have gone for that included a one-way street that is one alternative. There are many others. There is a better way to do this and that is what we will do.
Reporter: Why would anyone one of these other alternatives been taken up, why (inaudible)
NPA Cl: Well for the hundreds of people who showed up a council to say: “don’t close this street”, Vision Vancouver simply rammed this through. The Mayor of this city who lives a block a way said, “No, I want a private street for a few of my friends” and for himself and ah that is why they closed the street.
Reporter: Is there anything you want to add?
NPA Cl: No, I hope we can make some impact here. Maybe Vision Vancouver will start listening to the people of this city and if not we will see you at November 15 at the election time.