Another Glaring Example of Theft of Public Assets
Private Interests Take Control of
Vancouver City Council
Private interests have taken control of Vancouver City Council in a glaring example of what is occurring at all levels of government throughout Canada. The current Mayor of Vancouver, Ken Sim, is a wealthy businessman who engineered a coup in the 2022 city council election. Sim is co-owner of a global private health care company called Nurse Next Door. His capture of Vancouver City Hall -- with his gang of co-conspirators called "A Better City (ABC)" -- appears in retrospect quite easy, using his own money and that of rich donors, and social connections within the local ruling elite including the mass media.
Sim and his ABC gang are pushing the city further towards privatization of its functions and public space on the basis of their executive powers. These are not subject to rule of law which is why they are referred to as police powers. A significant aspect of his program is not to deal directly with the multiple social problems plaguing the city including poverty, homelessness and crumbling public infrastructure and people's facilities. Instead, 100 new police officers were hired while those in need are supposed to rely on the charity of rich philanthropists and private enterprise to address symptoms of the underlying problems. This promotes multi-millionaires and private enterprise as leaders and saviours, in opposition to the modern trend towards the people's empowerment and control of the socialized economy and politics.
Sim and his ABC gang seek to use the city's problems to enrich private companies and owners. At the same time, working people are shut out from advancing their views and outlook for democratic renewal and a new pro-social direction and aim for the economy.
Charity appears central to Sim's solution to social issues. He has been seen at public charity events promising to match donors' donations from his own personal wealth. To fix the broken down Stanley Park children's train, Sim made the banal phone gesture to his ear and said he would find a solution with a few calls to his rich friends. He uses the obviously deteriorating public infrastructure and facilities to push his privatization agenda, which of course is what his own private health care company is built on. He presents privatization as an alternative to taxes, a situation he concocts from his self-serving outlook. At the same time, he does not oppose raising city user fees, a form of taxes on public services, which are generally considered illiberal as they mostly apply to all regardless of income.
For example, Sim's ABC controlled city council has pushed through parking fees for people wanting to enjoy Spanish Bank Beach, an area that is almost inaccessible using city mass transit. The long beach and famous banks stretching far out into Burrard Inlet during low tide are situated in Point Grey, which is possibly the wealthiest residential area with the most expensive homes in all of Canada. Here, Sim owns his private residence, a long way -- not in distance but in social and living conditions -- from most working people.
Mayor Sim's privatization agenda includes a proposal to sell naming rights to public facilities and parks and have more private businesses contracted to operate on public land. For example, the Vancouver Aquatic Centre, which is in desperate need of repairs or replacement, would raise money by naming itself the Lululemon Aquatic Centre. To repair or replace the idle outdoor Kitsilano Pool, he proposed private investment to create a public-private business. For the July fireworks spectacular at English Bay Beach, the best viewing area is fenced off throughout July to allow private interests to build stands and sell seats, food and drinks to the few who can afford it during the three-day event. Sim's privatization campaign also includes the public library system.
To extend City Council's control and privatization agenda of common public land and facilities, his ABC group has submitted a resolution to the provincial government to eliminate the Vancouver Park Board. This is despite the objections of the elected Park Board members, the majority of whom were elected on the ABC party ticket, yet who now face extinction. The NDP government has agreed to implement the resolution to disband the Park Board and turn its authority over to City Council but will wait to do this until after the October 19 provincial election.
One of Sim's main initiatives as Mayor is to change zoning regulations to allow big developers to build taller buildings across the city and increase population density. To accomplish this he must overturn City rules that restrict density and prohibit new construction from blocking residents' remaining views of the surrounding mountains and sea. Sim says allowing private developers to fill in "open spaces" and increase density are ways to address the housing and homeless crises and to bring more people to live in the downtown.
In Canada, as is also the case elsewhere, no alternative to densely populated megacities is ever seriously discussed. Big business demands people be crowded together to satisfy the self-serving aim of the rich to glean maximum private profit. They demand that social housing must be built using private construction companies at great expense and that no public enterprise be organized to build, supply and manage housing for the people with the produced value remaining in the public community under the control of the people.
Private interests seizing governments, highlights the necessity for democratic renewal. By establishing a modern political system and constitution people must empower themselves to decide and control all those affairs that affect their lives.
This article was published in
Volume 54
Number 7 - July 2024
Article Link:
https://cpcml.ca/Tmlm2024/Articles/M5400714.HTM
Website: www.cpcml.ca Email: editor@cpcml.ca