That Was Then......

BunsOfSteel
WillOfCast-OffIronVille

A lot of folks, myself included, were impressed when right-sided Vancouver councillor Peter Ladner had the guts to vote with both the Lites and the Classics on a progressive decision that could help give the people of the city a leg up on the once all-mighty SUV invasion.

And we were all the more impressed because Ladner's decision was sure to raise the ire of a certain mythical group of Backroom Boys that run the Developers' CashCow Coalition Party with an iron fist.

Not to mention the NPA.

Here was Charlie Smith's take on the issue on July 21st:

"An NPA elder statesman has suggested that Peter Ladner might have hurt his mayoral chances with his recent vote concerning the Burrard Bridge. Ladner, a commuter cyclist, voted with th COPE members of council to set aside two outside traffic lanes on the bridge next year for cyclists on a minimum six month trial. NPA Coun. (and fellow potential mayoral candidate) Sam Sullivan was the only member of council who voted against the initiative."


Well, apparently, the BBD-CCCP goons have since gotten to Mr. Ladner.

And while they left no visible marks, speculation is rampant that the goonsquad did pin the misguided cyclist down and whisper four little words into his ear.

Because the July vote was then, and this is the August now, as reported by the no-longer-so-Giant98:

"The NPA's Peter Ladner initially voted in favour of taking away two lanes on the bridge from motorists and giving them over to cyclists for a six month trial period beginning next April.

Now Ladner has changed his mind and is withdrawing his support for the initiative.

He says the experiment is being interpreted as a power grab for cyclists and he says as a result tension is mounting."

And those four words that caused Mr. Ladner's spine to turn to jello as he feebly tossed his principles out the window?

Well, only his panniers know for sure, but rumour has it that they were actually a two and two combination.......

"Nancy Chiavario"

and

"Philip Owen."

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Note: All similarities between the mythical/satirical BBD-CCCP goonsquad and any heretofore unmentioned real life NPA bagmen are purely coincidental, not to mention unintentionally intentional.

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