Mayor Sullivan's Response to APC Vandalism

Mayor Sullivan had two messages when responding the ongoing APC intimidation antics.

The Mayor is quoted by CTV news

Mayor Sullivan condemned the group's protest and for "personalizing" the strike against him.

"I can handle personal attacks politically, but when you bring it to my home, and family, and my neighbours, it's way, way over the line," he told CTV British Columbia.

There are two messages here.

First, Mayor Sullivan is correct that such actions are inappropriate. Taking political action to the home of politicians is "way, way over the line."

Second, the Mayor complained that the strike has been "personalized" against him and the APC actions were the inevitable outcome. The second point is a great work of spin.

The Mayor has lacked opportunity to respond to the successful branding of the Vancouver Civic strike as "Sam's Strike." CUPE, COPE and Vision hit a public relations home run.

Now he has it.

Surrounded by garbage and graffiti Mayor Sullivan implied that the APC's criminal actions were the result of referring to the civic dispute as "Sam's Strike." The Mayor is wrong.

The APC are criminals with "Get out of Jail Free" cards provided by Vancouver's Provincial Court judges. APC members require little incentive to intimidate. The Mayor also knows that whatever goes wrong in the city the Mayor will receive the blame which in this case is appropriate given his clumsy attempt at public negotiations.

Mayor Sullivan's attempted counter strike was partially neutralized by CUPE 1004 president Mike Jackson's swift condemnation of the APC. Only partially.

The Ipsos-Reid poll demonstrates that the city is split on this strike. The public's patience will be exhausted if the strike last much beyond labour day.

the news media will have great human interest stories to report:

• no ice for hockey and skating lessons;
• no fields for soccer or field hockey (grass not cut in 5 weeks);
• no pre-schools and daycares;
• no affordable or subsidized before and after school programs for children and youth;
• no pool programs for seniors;
• growing piles of garbage littering back alleys and parking lots;
• continued backlog in wedding licenses, building & development permits.
  

Hopefully negotiators will drop their personal grudge match and start the hard bargaining.