Lunch with Layton

NDP head honcho Jack Layton is making a stop in Burnaby this week for lunch.

On the day after the 2nd anniversary of the last election Layton is laying out his economic policy in what is likely to be some pre-election positioning.

Moving over

Just to create some discussion do any Burnaby school trustees take a shot at moving down Canada Way to City Hall?

Does TEAM Burnaby try to keep its foothold or does either TEAM trustee try to make the move?

Will the Burnaby Citizens try to move some old faces from the board over to the council in an effort to add to its majority?

There are a mere 43 weeks until we know if anyone can successfully make the transition.

$14B buys you a lot of transit

Premier Gordon Campbell knocked one out of the park with his transit announcement today. In the biggest funding announcement in B.C. history the rapid transit will extend into the Fraser Valley, the Millennium Line will reach UBC, the Tri-Cities will get its Evergreen Line and a variety of upgrades will be made to the transit fleets throughout the province.

Although the already under construction Canada Line was bundled within the other announcements to raise the total figure, this funding program is looking like it could be just what Gordon Campbell wants in a legacy project. If all goes according to plan British Columbians will look back on the transit element of Campbell's greening with praise in the way that Bill Bennett's champions cite the Coquihalla and Expo among his great accomplishments.

For Burnaby there appear to be several positives such as reducing the pressure on traffic along Hastings and the Lougheed from the Tri-Cities in the north half of the city, improvining access to UBC, and increasing access to the south of the Fraser communities. For now let's focus on the positives. Tomorrow everyone can get back to Burnaby's real political passion of fighting over Gateway.

Like HAL from A Space Odyssey

It may be 2008 but it seems like 2001.

City Hall's computer financing scandal is not likely to go away between now and November's civic vote. If an outsider can take the issue and make it their own, Burnaby could see at least one fresh face on council come election time.

The Political Game

Former hockey executive and star goalie turned Liberal minister and leadership contender Ken Dryden is paying Burnaby a visit before the House of Commons resumes later this month. The opposition politician is coming out to B.C. for an event in support of the campaign of Billy Cunningham in Burnaby Douglas. The event is January 15 at the Burnaby Winter Club - no need to bring your own sticks just your money.