Politicians score seats for top events before public (The Vancouver Sun, 25 Jan 2010, Page A1)

So in an earlier Vancouver Sun article before we read that BC Provincial Liberal MLAs got free Olympic tickets to go to the Olympic events. The Provincial Libs said it would only be used to accompany approved government business associates! Yeah right!

Now we hear that the feds have 1st class olympic tickets without having to wait in line. Meanwhile our whole family after 3 times trying the Olympic lottery for tons of tickets secured only one nose bleed ticket at a second rate event. Talk about featherbedding!

Are any of our local politicians going and where and how did they get their tickets or are they going with other people's or sponsors tickets? Do ANY of our local politicians get free Olympic tickets or even in my mind worse tickets that they pay for and did not have to enter the lottery for? Or did they get free or preferential tickets and maybe even worse gave it to friends, family or business associates or despicably sell them for unimaginable profits? Who is going to ask this of ALL of our municipal. school board and especially MLAs Rich Coleman, Mary Polak and MP Mark Warawa? If nobody asks its a travesty. Because you all know that if LFP asks them we will never get an answer! Come on guys, get clean and fess up.

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Politicians score seats for top events before public
BY JEFF LEE
The Vancouver Sun
25 Jan 2010

The federal government is using its access to Olympic tickets to give priority to politicians, bureaucrats and others who will get some of the best seats in the house during the Winter Games next month. Of the nearly 1,500 tickets that the government...read more...

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What Grade Does Mayor Green & His 2009 Annual Report Card Deserve?

Rookie Langley Township Mayor Rick Green earlier this evening at the Council meeting presented his long overdue past year's (2009) annual council achievement report card which is normally proudly presented as somewhat of a taxpayer's pre Xmas present listing of ALL the previous year's Township Council achievements. I don't ever remember seeing it used as a personal political platform justification attempt before. This presentation traditionally is presented by each Mayor in early to mid December and never as a short after thought. This time after almost 14 months after first being elected to office and at just 10 minutes long it was also the shortest and most unheralded one that this LFP Editor can ever remember as well. In any event watch it below in it's 10 minute entirety and evaluate it yourself.

Mayor Green's presentation seemed to have some very questionable, curious & glaring exclusions that veteran Councillor Steve Ferguson reminded the Mayor of right after the Mayor's speech which immediately eliciting comments from the Mayor like "I will take that criticism.. Clr. Ferguson.." & "I apologize...". Really? See Councillor Ferguson's 2 minute video comments just below as well and you decide.

Even Cllr. Kim Richter asked about the Mayor's speech to clarify who the Mayor's credited "WE" group was amongst one of his achievements list item that essentially was actually started by some key partisan VALTAC members for a south Fraser rail for the valley group that this rookie Mayor has almost exclusively and agaain questionably hitched his own wagon to in 2009.

This specific supposed achievement is interesting indeed in my opinion, since I don't even believe that it has actually met at all yet, never mind accomplished anything! In fact at least two or three other supposed partners PASSED on adding any representative and specifically one (Translink) even sent a letter to the Mayor asking that all reference to Translink logos be removed in the documentation & slide show that was previously being used by the Mayor and perhaps others. These presentation materials were originally used to get buy in by more community partners. But essentially did these materials perhaps imply inaccurately the full involvement & support of Translink and maybe even perhaps others? Did this perhaps help sell the other so called partners that did sign on? If so it did work somewhat though because even Langley Twnsp. council itself signed up! Needless to say, the jury is certainly still out on this so called Council/Mayor's achievement for quite a spell yet! Remember Translink itself opted out!

LFP has admittedly been absent for far too long. I apologize for this. I must admit that this Editor has been silent mainly because of the unexpected shock and great disappointment at this past year's new council leadership & direction and indeed also as a result of feeling betrayed just as I believe many others including Township taxpayers must & should also feel for very good and similar reasons. Promises simply have not materialized. This disappointing track record of leadership in the first year of this new council has spurred me on again to editorialize. Also recently at least one prominent if not more of the existing councillors public false misrepresentation of another councillor and finally simply because of the continuing and at best political pablum from all other's public opinions have again necessitated this LFP Editor's comeback. Again, my apologies for the absence and I will elaborate on all these issues as well in short time. In the mean time I have restarted the comments section and look forward to yours as well. What letter grade do YOU give the Mayor's 2009 report, the Mayor himself and this Township Council? ---LFP EDITOR---