As a chilly morning sun warmed the 1 and 99 per cent alike in downtown Vancouver Thursday, there was little amid the motley collection of drying tents at Occupy Vancouver to indicate they had become a municipal election issue. About 40 people straggled about, after another soggy night in Lotus Land.
But their signs continued to blare defiance. "Capitalism Is Insane," read one, not to mention "B.C. Hydro has been castrated and turned into a cheap prostitute for greedy America." I particularly enjoyed: "The News is not The Truth."
But what began in sunshine and great hopes two weeks ago, is starting to erode a bit at the edges. While tent numbers are up, some earlier supporters have walked away, unhappy with the lack of structure, accountability and focus, plus a somewhat harder edge to the protest. "It's so focused on the physical occupation, rather than issues," said one withdrawee.
But oh, that election next month. Despite the fact the site remains clean and less an actual problem than an irritant, reporters on the election trail are asking about nothing else.
Early on, Mayor Gregor Robertson praised protesters for being "constructive and peaceful." Now, he warns, the encampment must end. How that might happen is left unsaid, although the mayor has wisely rejected the Oakland police solution of late-night tear gas and force.
The complexity of the issue has not deterred the NPA challenger, Suzanne Anton. After first saying she would not force a tent removal, Ms. Anton vowed this week, if elected, to give the tent people seven days to clear out. She will order city staff to work with them during that time "to end the structures on that space."
The critical question of what to do if protesters refuse entreaties to leave is conveniently dismissed as "hypothetical." During a visit to The Globe and Mail, Ms. Anton was asked point blank – yes or no – whether she would send in police to force an end to Occupy Vancouver.
She replied: "It's extremely unlikely that's what I would choose to do ... I am confident that this can be worked out peacefully." Funny, that's what the mayor says, too.
Expect the bobbing and weaving to continue both inside and outside Occupy Vancouver. It's politics, folks.
******
And now, moose news. It was not turkey, but a big, bouncing, beautiful moose this past Thanksgiving for the MLA from downtown Victoria, Carole James. Out huntin' with husband Al Gerow up by Burns Lake, Ms. James spied the unmistakable quadruped on yonder hill, nudged Al and pointed. One powerful, perfect shot from Mr. Gerow, down went the moose, his Thanksgiving ruined. It was Ms. James's first moose kill, and she can now answer the all-Canadian question: What do you do with a dead moose?
"We cut it up, we gutted it and we skinned it." She told your squeamish correspondent, whose biggest kill to date is a Beijing cockroach that ... er, never mind. "We hung the fat in the trees, we wrapped it in a tarp, then we towed it through the bush to our truck. It took from 10 in the morning to 6.30 at night."
This was old hat for Mr. Gerow, elected chief of the Ts'il Kaz Koh band, who bags a big Bullwinkle every year, distributing most of the meat to reserve elders and families. But it was all new for Ms. James. "There was less blood than I expected," she was relieved to note.
Of course, Ms. James is no stranger to bloodletting, at least of the political kind. Not so long ago, she witnessed copious amounts of corpuscles, much of it her own, shed in the backrooms of the NDP caucus, as 13 dissident MLAs sought to end to her leadership of the party.
This was a happier experience. "I felt very proud to be part of something that meant so much to my husband," she said. "I can't wait for all that moose jerky."
****
Sad to note the fading into the municipal sunset of my favourite Keremeos despot, Walter. Or, as the local paper put it: "Despot announces decision not to run in November election".
Walter "Benign" Despot has presided over the tranquil, Okanagan beauty spot, close by the lovely Similkameen River, for three terms. Now, he's stepping down as mayor to tackle his bucket list.
"It's time to tend the garden, stay at home and hassle my wife a bit," he joked. "If you're looking for a cheap consultant, I'm available."
Already, some are taking advantage of the imminent demise of Mayor Despot's firm rule. Just this month, police were called to quiet a rowdy council candidate, Occupy Keremeos threatened to set up in a local park, and, worst of all, there's been an outbreak of pumpkin vandalism.
It's not true, though, that Mayor Despot has asked for trials of those responsible for smashing pumpkins to be televised.