B.C. Finance Minister Carole Taylor will not seek re-election in 2009, Premier Gordon Campbell has confirmed.Carole Taylor has served as the MLA for Vancouver-Langara and as the provincial finance minister since the May 2005 B.C. election. (CBC)
Speaking from Hong Kong, Campbell told CBC News on Friday morning that Taylor revealed her decision to him before he left on his 12-day Asian trade mission on Monday.
Campbell would not comment on rumours Taylor was leaving to run for mayor in Vancouver, a position both he and Taylor's husband, Art Philips, have held. Full Story
What do you think? Should Carole Taylor run for mayor of Vancouver?
Comments: (44)
Ms Corporate Taylor would not be ideal for the Mayor of Vancouver by a long shot, but I would even vote for a crack addict rather than vote for Sullivan. If Carole has the power to oust that obnoxious man from the mayor's seat, I hope she runs.
And to the man who feels the rich 'deserve' to stay rich because of 'all their hard work'-- oh please, how arrogant can you be? Do you think the rest of the folks don't work hard? Being wealthy and working hard do not go hand in hand, so come off your high horse.
Posted December 5, 2007 06:58 AM
Why not; after all, she did quite a good job last time she was mayor.
What? You don't think Art Phillips ever ran anything, do you?
Posted December 4, 2007 07:43 PM
I am sick and tired of people complaining about Carole Taylor's apparent favouring of the wealthy. High income earners contribute the most to society in terms of tax revenue and job creation. Why shouldn't they be rewarded for all their hard work? Canada should in fact opt for a flat tax system similar to the UK. We should encourage high-income earners to make more money and spur the economy. Carole did a good job in energizing business owners and it is disappointing to see her resign.
Posted December 4, 2007 11:10 AM
Let's not jump on the 'anyone but Sam' bandwagon before we remember what Ms. Taylor has done lately.
Ms. Taylor has crafted budgets that have directly and indirectly left countless homeless. While tax cuts have handed money to the most advantaged of our city and province, B.C. has the highest rate of child poverty in the country. Funding for transit has been displaced for senseless highway expansion.
I'm not certain how the myth of Ms. Taylor as a 'moderate' got started but let's be realistic. If she were to take the helm of our city we can expect:
- lack of any action on homelessness
- continued underfunding of transit
- tax breaks for business owners
- continued Balkanization of our city into enclaves for the rich, alleyways for the poor and the 'burbs for the rest
- tax increases for homeowners (see above)
- fancy/costly bridges to get 'those people' back into their jobs in town each day
There are alternatives to our present Mayor and Council. Ms. Taylor is no alternative!
Posted December 4, 2007 10:33 AM
Carole Taylor is a statesperson and a leader. What this country needs to progressive leadership beyond party politics and special interests.
Carole Taylor could serve the country well as Premier or Prime Minister. It is time a statesperson represented Canada.
Joel Berman
Posted December 3, 2007 07:21 PM
I am not sure whether she would make a great mayor for Vancouver. Her discomfort with Question Period may be a sign that she would buckle under pressure. As for Carole as PM, as some have suggested, she may be smart and photogenic, but she is no Margaret Thatcher.
Posted December 3, 2007 05:38 PM
I hate to in any way detract from the reputation of a person who is clearly destined for sainthood. I have to, however, point out that she has belonged to a government that has overseen the bottom scraping drive to the highest rate child poverty in the country. Nothing good can come from electing someone who has no understanding of that difficult and life changing situation.
Posted December 3, 2007 04:57 PM
Why would she bother? Bow out of provincial politics for the pickette fence madness of municipal haggling? Unless, of course, the federal Liberals pull it off and that rare alignment of the planets permits the legislative creation of the amalgamated city state (see Toronto). Mayor of Vancouver? So-so. Mayor of Greater Metro Vancouver? Now we're talkin'...
Posted December 3, 2007 02:25 PM
Yes! Carole Tayler should run for Mayor of Vancouver. Even though I can not vote in that City, because of its stature, I am impacted by the mayoralty choice. I am so tired of being embarrassed by politicians. Please, run Carole, run so that you can be elected and we all can be proud.
Posted December 3, 2007 10:51 AM
NO! I don't see why the mayor's job will attract Carole Taylor. Having held the positions that she had, at all levels of government, I couldn't imagine Carole would give up the Finance Ministers job to be a mayor. She's more like PM material. Perhaps the second woman to take that job after Kim Campbell?
Posted December 3, 2007 06:54 AM
I wouldn't vote for an ex BC liberal if they were the only candidate on earth. God save us from the Capitalists!!!!!!!!
Posted December 2, 2007 06:01 PM
I would definately vote for her.....Some one should call the SPCA because theres a ***FOX*** on the loose!!!!
Posted December 2, 2007 09:25 AM
Would it be too cynical to suggest the obvious advantages that would exist for the provincial liberals having Ms Taylor in the Mayor's chair for the 2010 Olympics? And I'd also say a term or two in Vancouver trumps an Ottawa winter until the federal liberals get back into power... sometime in what, 2015 maybe?
Posted December 2, 2007 12:46 AM
Anything but Sullivan. He's the most useless mayor ever.
Posted December 2, 2007 12:11 AM
I lived in Vancouver when Ms Taylor was on council. She and I have different political beliefs but I always thought she was a rare politician who spoke her mind and had some integrity to back up her ideas.
When she joined the bullies in Victoria, I thought she had finally succumbed to power at any cost. She has done surprisingly well at holding a moderating influence on Gord and his pack of thugs.
In other words, Carol Taylor was the least stinky Socred, er, BC Liberal sitting in the legislature.
I think she would do well at finding some common ground in the always fractious Vancouver council.
Posted December 1, 2007 11:08 AM
She's going to run for the federal Liberals in Emmerson's riding.
Posted December 1, 2007 09:20 AM
I hope that she will run. She has that ability to steer a pragmatic course, and that is what Vancouver so sorely needs after the ideological intransigence that we have experienced.
Posted December 1, 2007 07:21 AM
Carole Taylor is a true British Columbia citizen and seems to have the best interests of the people at heart throughout her public service. At one time earlier in her life she looked destined to be bigger than Barbara Frum but something changed and she set off in another direction. Yes, she should run for mayor. She'd probably win hands down and that is probably a good thing.
Posted December 1, 2007 01:42 AM
We definitely need another option to Sullivan and what the left will run. It won't matter much who's mayor if Vancouver continues to elect the Commies
Posted November 30, 2007 10:39 PM
The real travesty about today's announcement is that the WRONG Carole announce that she would not be running again in 2009.
C. Taylor, the competent, did - C. James, the incompetent, didn't.
If Carole Taylor decides to take a run at the mayor's chair, it's hers!
Posted November 30, 2007 06:41 PM
I would take her - even being the Neo-Con Mistress of the Universe that she is - over Sam any day of the week, and from a hard core leftie, that's saying something. Just please don't make us suffer through another term of Sam-speak. It isn't that I'm a big Carol fan - I would take any one of Quatchi, Sumi or Miga over him as leader of our once-great city, anyone would be better than him. At least Carol won't masquerade as a socially concerned, compassionate leader, all the while tearing the hearts out of the poor and homeless and ruining the environment.
Posted November 30, 2007 04:26 PM
Over 3 years ago I got out of East Vancouver and we bought in Whalley. Ever since, the people who run Vancouver have given us so many reasons to be thankful we did! Should Carole run? For the sake of Vancouver, I sure hope so! One only has to compare her way of negotiating with the public sector to Sam's stance during the recent strike to see why. Would I move back if Carole Taylor was mayor? No, I think our current Mayor is as good as it gets, and for the most part, I like the direction she's trying to take us in.
Posted November 30, 2007 04:06 PM
Yes. Carole is much nicer looking than Sam.
Posted November 30, 2007 03:21 PM
Carole Taylor for mayor of Vancouver? Hardly. Vancouver is one of the very few places in the province that is not dominated by neo-conservative clap-trap. What does she actually have to offer the city? Taylor running for mayor seems to be more a matter of what can Vancouver do for Carole Taylor rather than the reverse. It would be best for everyone if she were to remain on the Campbell ship.
Posted November 30, 2007 02:52 PM
Hmmm... 16 comments... I guess no one cares.
Posted November 30, 2007 02:20 PM
The province will lose a great Finance Minister....but the prospect of you running for Mayor of our city makes it almost worthwhile.
Carole, I urge you to seriously consider running for Mayor. What a great mayor you would be!!! The city needs a good, strong intelligent mayor. You fit the bill!!
Posted November 30, 2007 02:15 PM
No. Not unless she has had some radical change in values. As Finance Minister for the provincial Liberal party, she represents corporatism and consequently exploitation of both labour and environment. It's hard to say who is in it for themselves and who is just in-denial, but I value real leadership from someone with power who speaks clearly with a competent and dissenting voice. I haven't heard this from her.
Posted November 30, 2007 02:03 PM
this "queen bee" is a quitter! she didn't like people when they disagreed with her when she was on city council nor did she like playing second fiddle to gordon "control freak" campbell. she also did a terrible job as head of the cbc. it's all about her all the time!
Posted November 30, 2007 01:55 PM
Should she run? That's her choice. Should she win? I hope not. As finance minister, most had hopes for a realignment of the right wing adjenda to a more caring form of governance that actually reflects the will of the people. But she couldn't rise above Campbells dogma and was ultimately controlled by her master's adjenda. She seems to lack the backbone to actually lead and would be a poor choice as mayor, or for that matter, as premier. Better that she skulks away, takes a position with a corporation that she has helped to make richer at the cost of the poor, and is never to be hear from again.
Posted November 30, 2007 01:28 PM
If she isn't going to run for the Premier's position, then the second most important position in political BC, the mayoralty of Vancouver, should be hers.She is so much smarter and more articulate than either of the bozos who hold those two positions now.
There are those who would like to paint Ms.Taylor as "right wing", "pro-development", yada, yada. Knee-jerk "label makers" who have not bothered to do their objective research.
Posted November 30, 2007 01:12 PM
I'd love to see a good 4-way race for the Mayoralty. People would finally get some choice and be able to vote for the mayor they want, not the guy - and it's always guys - who has a chance of beating the mayor we can't stand.
Posted November 30, 2007 12:53 PM
Once in a very long time we are treated to a politician who has the credability and guts to make a spectactular leader. So much more then we have seen since Mike Harcourt. If Gordon Cambell had any consideration for the voters he would resign with a strong edorsement for her to replace him.
Good luck to her, she will be sadly missed.
RG
Posted November 30, 2007 12:53 PM
Good afternoon:
I believe that Ms. Taylor should try for the mayor position. She has already proven herself as a good politician and she deserves a chance to be Mayor of Vancouver.
She knows the city and its issues well...
Michele Raviva
Posted November 30, 2007 12:42 PM
Absolutely. She would be able to continue demonstrating her competance while waiting for the liberals to implode due to the coming downturn in the economy. Sitting out the next term when the governing NDP will be unable to correct the present course and then return as leader of the liberals to govern again. Good strategy to get out of the crosshairs.
Posted November 30, 2007 12:38 PM
Yes. Mayor then Premier. Vancouver deserves far better than it has gotten in the mayor's office in many years. My friends in the States used to talk about the people, the mountains, the 'liveability'. Now they talk about drugs and crime. Everyone in Vancouver from the people who desperately need help in the downtown eastside to the tourists just passing through our great city deserve better.
Posted November 30, 2007 12:29 PM
With all the nonsense she created as finance minister I think she should be looking for work managing a ladies shoe store.
Posted November 30, 2007 12:24 PM
Sure - she would make a great mayor of Vancouver! Get her out of the Campbell camp - she is much more capable and intelligent than Campbell and Sullivan and it would be a crowning finish for her public service career! And she has her able husband Art by her side - she doesnt need the NPA - she can do it alone!
TTFN- Ed.
Posted November 30, 2007 11:58 AM
No. No. No. The last thing this city needs is a "Liberal" running it. I can just picture Vancouver becoming some kinda of junior training ground for poorly researched "Liberal" schemes... like privatized everything.
Posted November 30, 2007 11:43 AM
I would've preferred for her to run for Leader of the BC Liberal Party and, ultimately, become Premier. She would've given the party and government a social conscience and moved it to the political centre. Sadly, Mr. Campbell's notorious "mean-streak", where he publicly dressed down Health Minister George Abbott who disagreed with him on a policy and in which Ms. Taylor was said to be unhappy with how Mr. Abbott was treated, and his own ego to run for a third-term are preventing that. Ms. Taylor is no "spring Chicken" and her clock is ticking. She can't afford to wait another five years, at a minimum, as she would be 67 or 68 years old.
Ultimately though, since that's not possible, I hope she does run for Mayor of the City of Vancouver on the Non-Partisan Association banner. That would require a potentially rough political fight with Sam Sullivan, should he choose to seek another term. If he doesn't run, I think she'll definitely go after she delivers her 2008 budget and perhaps fall economic update. If he does, she may still run but could take a pass and serve out her term as MLA and Finance Minister.
Nonetheless, this is a big blow to Mr. Campbell and whatever he says, she will be missed and could hurt his re-election chances. She's largely credited with softening his image. That could take away any edge they had against the B.C. NDP and allow Carole James to become our next Premier. Another cabinet minister that frequently looks unhappy is Wally Oppal. I wouldn't be surprised to see him not seek re-election well, in addition to the pending retirement of Rick Thorpe.
Cheers,
Doug
Posted November 30, 2007 11:39 AM
I would rather see her go for Premier rather than Mayor, that way I could vote for her also. Why keep a good thing only in Vancouver? Ms Taylor is the smartest, most articulate politician we have and she has class too. Good luck Ms Taylor, whatever your choice is.
Posted November 30, 2007 10:52 AM
Absolutely she should! She is smart, articulate, poised and has both business and political acumen. She can make decisions and she can get things done. I say start the campaign!
Posted November 30, 2007 10:09 AM
Whatever for? There's already one right-of-centre pro-delevoper candidate in Sam Sullivan. Two right wing candidates would just cancel one another's support.
Posted November 30, 2007 09:59 AM
No, she shouldn't be just the mayor of Vancouver. She should be the next premier. She can do more good for more people at the provincial or federal level. We need more people like her who are not just career politicians running governments.
Posted November 30, 2007 09:58 AM
Once BC MLA's have had 2 terms in office they get the "GOLDEN PENSION." You will find most MLA's only volunteer to leave after they have qualified for this. A ridiculous short period of time for a pension. As for Mayor Taylor, I find her to be too right wing and dispassionate to be an effective mayor for Vancouver which has always been a free thinking liberal city.
Posted November 30, 2007 09:58 AM