Did the CNV vote to ban all GMO food?

If one reads the twitter traffic; 

Arzeena Hamir ‏@arzeena10 Jun

City of North Vancouver votes unanimously to become a #GMO-free zone! http://ht.ly/lUfFN  Congrats!!!

The anti GMO food activists think so and in their article use that supposed success for further fund-raising.

Moved by Councillor Keating, seconded by Councillor Bell
THAT the planting and growing of genetically modified crops, trees, and 
plants be banned in the City of North Vancouver;

1.  I doubt there are any GMO crops in North Van. Or any crops really, aside from small plots run by residents.  Of course, this is a resolution not a bylaw. If during the building of one of the monster houses springing up across the City, a tree is cut down and has to replaced, who would know if it contained any GMO? We don't enforce actual bylaws on secondary suites so this resolution is nothing more than words on paper intended to con activists.

AND THAT the City call upon the Federal and Provincial governments to 
implement a regime of mandatory labelling of all genetically modified 
organisms (GMO’s) for sale in BC and Canada;

AND THAT the City call upon the Federal and Provincial governments to 
impose a moratorium on bringing further GMO’s to market for sale until a 
regime of independent and transparent scientific assessment and GMO 
management is introduced;

2. Many groups and individuals have "called" for mandatory labelling and moratorium.  The senior governments have refused and there is no reason to believe that either has changed their minds.

AND THAT staff be directed to investigate the opportunities to ban the sale 
of GMO crops, meat, fish, poultry and seeds in the City of North Vancouver;

3.  When the staff report comes out and the attention has gone away, we will be told it is impossible or impractical to ban GMO foods and nothing will happen. As I said into point two, even if passed, it is impossible to enforce.  Is the City to go into every grocery store and determine if there is any GM material in any of their food? Unlabelled food? If some was found, do you think the City would be fining Safeway?  How much would the resulting lawsuit cost us?

AND THAT this resolution be circulated to the Premier, Prime Minister, all 
North Shore MLA’s and MP’s, FCM, and UBCM municipalities.

4. Same as 2.

I will update this blog when the report comes out.

NOTE: We are still waiting for this report.

More happens in chambers when Council is away

City Council Meeting 10 June 2013

Lot's of pomp and circumstance but was there anything done?

First, while Council was in their back room, I was asked by a member of VOICES "Why are you attacking Rod Clark?"  I responded "I put my blog post up and then he withdrew his statements so I'm not actively pursuing sanctions against him now."

Then I was asked what the "second reason not to vote for Rod Clark" comment was on my Facebook page.  That comment was on the NSN article on Clark changing his vote and firmly stated principles on the secondary suites in duplexes issue.  That issue was so fundamental to Clark's stated principles it earned him what I consider Strike Two.  His first strike was accepting union donations to his campaign in 2008.  He makes an issue about Mussatto taking developer and union donations and being in a conflict of interest.  Again, the question of principles arise.  In addition, his protege candidate Amanda Nichol, an city employee was a CUPE 386 (the city hall union) member funded by the city hall union. Probably she pursued this on Clark's advice.  Amanda tweeted heavily that Mussatto and his Party were in a conflict of interest but when the money that would put her in the same conflict was offered to her, she took it - conflict be damned.

Hypocrite or a lack of principles?  No difference to me unlike others who will still vote Clark.  I have to believe a candidate's promises to vote for him or her. I did say that I would still vote for Pam Bookham and was told "but she is not running." Sad news indeed but until nominations are closed it may not happen.

The third strike was his statements.  3 strikes and you lost my vote. Amanda never had it, I saw the growth junkie inner Mussatto in her. 

It's a moot point really, as obviously after forming a municipal party, Unite North Vancouver, I will be only voting for our candidates and pro-amalgamation candidates that are endorsed by the Board of Directors if they decide to.  In about 15 months we will know if we will be running a Mayor candidate or not and if not if we will endorse a candidate.  Unless Mussatto does a 180 on amalgamation, I feel pretty safe to predict we won't be endorsing him.

On to Council, Voices did a presentation on City Shaping stating it was a rigged game and asking four direct question (I will add when  video is up) A motion was to tie the approval of the report to receiving answers to these questions was passed.  But what usually happens is questions that are poised on the record on video are answered by email out of the light of public view.  It should at least be included in the agenda so the answers are public.

The tale of Metro Vancouver's Regional Growth Plan becomes a little clearer as Council annouced that "stakeholders" mostly non-North Van groups will be asked their opion of the Housing Action Plan by 28 June, even if you were not asked you should send Council your thoughts on this by the deadline. Check out the doc on the agenda, item 25.

A public hearing has been added to the discussion of dramatic changes to the bylaw that dictates restrictions to building size.  Item 28's attachments show the details.

The issue of striking yet another committee, the Low Level Road and Port Area Community Liaison Committee came back.  It morphed into a debate of having one expanded committee striking a temporary committee to monitor the Low Level Road expansion.

The project will be over in the spring of 2015 and the term of reference make it clear that any issues under Federal or Provincial jurisdiction are not in the committee's jurisdiction.  So the only result of forming this extra committee would be a lot of sound and fury signifying nothing.

It's far better to amend the current committee to have a citizen chair and have a project oversight role added to its terms.

Naomi wins!! Final count results

Much has been written by NDP apologists on why they did not win their heavily predicted victory in the BC election and locally why Craig Keating lost to Naomi Yamamoto.  The turnout was down, the Green Party stole the NDP votes or the NDP vote stayed home.

As the final count shows, this is all nonsense.

In 2009

10,323 BC Libs

7,789   NDP

1791    GP

862      CP

232      RP

20,994 Total

In 2013

11,060 BC Libs

9,872   NDP

2,257   GP

833      CP

156      Libertarian

77        BCP

71        Communist

23,326 Total

Voter turnout was up 2,362.  Naomi increased 737 and Craig by 2083.  Janice Harris who was the NDP 2009 candidate dropped Craig total of 2005 by about 1000 but still he got over 1100 more votes than last time.

The Green Party vote comes from both sides and Ryan increased 466 votes in an election where resource development was the big issue.  If there was no Green candidate, most would have stayed home having no trust in a union party that despite their promises, would go for the high paying union jobs.

The Conservatives actually went down in votes, more if you count Ron and Reform Party vote and the Libertarian and BC Party vote.   Craig did lose the 71 Communist Party votes, I wonder if Ron Sostad kept his promise to vote for Craig held when he was faced with a real Communist candidate.

If the NDP can't win an election like this in NVL, it's all over here for them.   Craig should think long and hard that all the people he packed into the City into rich condos he and his Vision North Van Party had built, didn't vote for him.  He created his own defeat.

Agrarian Socialist idea proves unworkable in CNV

http://www.nsnews.com/news/Black+bear+enjoys+backyard+chicken+smorgasbord/8446331/story.html

Mayor Mussatto is mad that Vancouver Mayor Robertson is being called Mayor Moonbeam when Mussatto has more flakey ideas than him.  Do you remember Mussatto's plan to put a bike escalator on the slope on Chesterfield starting on Esplanade?

One of the Mayor and his party Vision North Vancouver's initiatives is to approve chicken coops in the City.  I should say allow not approve as the City is unaware of how many have been built or if they meet the required standards. Like secondary suites, there is no registration or inspection to verify if bylaws are being obeyed. 

This agrarian socialist idea has had its predictable outcome as a bear has feasted on chickens around the 300 or 400 block of East 2nd St.  That is very far into the city and whether or not the chickens were in a stronger coop, residents were put in danger by a bear attracted from the nearby wilderness by the scent of these chickens.  When a bear has becomes accustomed to the urban areas, it returns and usually ends up being put down.

Backyard chicken coops were opposed by Tony Webb of Bear Watch and by local conservation authorities.  Hopefully, the next North Shore News story won't be an attack on a resident or one their pets or a bear being shot dead on the streets of North Van.

Passing a bylaw without the City doing its due diligence is foolhardy and a dereliction of responsibility.