The Wright Stuff
Much speculation has been made in the comments section of various posts about Burnaby-New Westminster Liberal candidate Mary Pynenburg's endorsements' page on her website. A quote once attributed to Wayne Wright, Mayor of New Westminster, is now being credited to New West city councilor Bob Osterman.
In 2004, Pynenburg was endorsed by Mayor Wright with the quote, "I believe Paul Martin will be good for our community and that Mary is the best person to represent us on his team. I hope the entire community will unite behind her." The same quote is not attributed to Councilor Osterman.
In 2002, when Wright first sought the Mayor's office, his opponent incumbent Helen Sparkes had Pynenburg, then New Westminster's city planner, on her campaign team. Wright narrowly defeated Sparkes after a heated contest yet still endorsed Pynenburg, who later left City Hall at the peak of her earning power.
In 2005, Casey Cook tried to move up to the Mayor's chair but failed to defeat Wayne Wright. Cook's campaign team also had Pynenburg on board. Maybe that was the last straw for Wright, as in 2006, his endorsement is missing from Pynenburg's campaign website.
Pynenburg, who has been featured in Royal City Record articles for potential conflict of interest and e-mail ethics, has not commented publicly on the lone change to her endorsements' page from 2004 to 2006.
In 2004, Pynenburg was endorsed by Mayor Wright with the quote, "I believe Paul Martin will be good for our community and that Mary is the best person to represent us on his team. I hope the entire community will unite behind her." The same quote is not attributed to Councilor Osterman.
In 2002, when Wright first sought the Mayor's office, his opponent incumbent Helen Sparkes had Pynenburg, then New Westminster's city planner, on her campaign team. Wright narrowly defeated Sparkes after a heated contest yet still endorsed Pynenburg, who later left City Hall at the peak of her earning power.
In 2005, Casey Cook tried to move up to the Mayor's chair but failed to defeat Wayne Wright. Cook's campaign team also had Pynenburg on board. Maybe that was the last straw for Wright, as in 2006, his endorsement is missing from Pynenburg's campaign website.
Pynenburg, who has been featured in Royal City Record articles for potential conflict of interest and e-mail ethics, has not commented publicly on the lone change to her endorsements' page from 2004 to 2006.
posted by Robert Burnaby at 5:13 PM
19 Comments:
It doesn't hurt her that TEAM Burnaby is fully on board with her and Billy Cunningham too. She sure knows how to bring in the losers.
Good evening Robert,
Some of your ideas (stories) are informative and some comments are at least valid.
The previous comment, however, is just off-the-wall-goofy. Obviously the writer never stepped foot in TEAM's campaign office or even talked to anyone who did. Mary P was nowhere to be seen. In fact she was happily ensconced with a gentleman named Gurdev Dillon and his efforts to elect as many BCA members as possible. Mary will get her support from that side of the fence, which seems to be the Liberal strategy in any case. I haven't heard that anyone at TEAM feels they owe her anything.
The writer obviously does not know about the failed attempt by a TEAM councillor to get the nomination in Burnaby New West last time. It was bitter and Mary won.
I heard Mark Dalton was in the TEAM office several times though- stuffing envelopes and just trying to be helpful.
Let me get this straight. Mary P trying to steal votes and snuggle up to the NDP and the South Asian community. Mark Dalton doing much the same to the Liberals at TEAM.
Peter Julian probably had a strategy as well, but someone else will have to drop that dime.
Even though she didn't help because she was too busy losing in New West does not mean that the people behind TEAM Burnaby didn't send their volunteers and paid workers her way.
Okay hotshot, name even one of these stormtroopers from TEAM who would work for someone like Mary P.
Next time you might try talking about something you know something about.
The TEAM Burnaby paid phoners might be a start.
It doesn't hurt that she's spending her $200,000 or so that she got when she resigned (a nice golden handshake for quitting) on her campaign.
$200,000 on a campaign is way too much. A good campaign can be put together ofor $75,000 and much of that should be from donors not from her golden handshake.
Once a campaign goes beyond the $80,000 level it means that some people are getting paid way too much or too many people are getting paid.
Too many people? That may just be the case.
Greg Wilson is one too many
Ok.. first let me say I'm not defending MP here, cause frankly you can't defend someone who, well let's leave that one alone. I do want to address the issue however of campaign financing.
This is supposedly a political blog. So I gather most people are astute on campaigns, and therefore should be aware of the fact that there are limits on campaign spending as well as donating. So accusing anyone of spending anywhere near 6 figures on a campaign is a little off base.
Otherwise, please continue the slagging of Mary, it's fun to read.
I cannot for the life of me, understand how Mary Pynenburg is getting any support from anywhere sane. Taking a quote from your old website attributed to one person, and running the same quote with another name on it?????
Big Time BUSH LEAGUE politics. Then again, perhaps Con. Osterman couldn't come up with anything really nice to say about the ex city employee. Afterall, its not like it was an amicable divorce between the city and Ms. Pynenburg.
Has anyone noticed that Gary Begin has not renewed his endorsement of her this time around? Has she run out of heavy hitters to slide into a previous quote by him?
What's the story behind Pynenburg's departure from city hall anyway?
She used her city email address and other resources in her bid for the federal Liberal nomination last year. It was reported in the Royal City Record. It was a very stupid thing to do.
Usually candidates for council and mayor solicit developer support, not candidates for MP. MPs can't offer developers much in return really. So its not very subtle when a city planner asks developers to contribute to a campaign for MP. She's pretty much saying.. "Hey, look at me. I'm the director of planning. See? I'm emailing you from city hall. And I'm short of money."
"It appears to cross the line into an area of unethical behaviour." --Prof. Norman Ruff
I'm curious what the payout was when she left city hall. Numbers I've heard have been in the $200,000 range. That's not bad for quitting your job.
It was probably a clause in the contract, since she was a civil servant. Such high payouts except for CEO's usually do not exist for line employees.
She didn't actually quit on her own. It was probably more like:
"If you say you quit, we'll give you the payout. Otherwise you're fired and no payout.
Either way, you're out the door"
She's such a crook. She'd fit right in with the Liberals in Ottawa.
She's also naive, so that too would make her qualify for the Ottawa Liberals.
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