Et tu Brute is a Latin phrase meaning “and you, Brutus?“, “even you, Brutus?” or “you too, Brutus?“, purportedly the last words of the Roman dictator Julius Caesar to his friend Marcus Brutus at the moment of his assassination. The quotation is widely used to signify the utmost unexpected betrayal by a person, such as a friend.
The choice to have Vancouver Vision Councillor Geoff Meggs to be incoming Premier Horgan’s chief of staff is a massive mistake and will cause an election by fall.
Geoff Meggs has played fast and lose with the truth concerning LRT and the proposed $3 billion Broadway SkyTrain Subway and he is unsuitable for any post within the NDP.
It is sad to see that the NDP have learned nothing about transit and remembered nothing about transit and still see it as a massive pork barrel for which to play.
The NDP are now firmly in the pocket of land developers, speculators AND SNC Lavalin, who happen to own the engineering patents for the proprietary ART railway (SkyTrain), with Meggs appointment.
The next election, spring of 2018, with the NDP losing badly, mainly by Megg’s questionable ethics!
Could it not get worse for BC taxpayers and transit customers.
Memo for Carole James: Meggs knows very little about Metro Vancouver, except how to enrich land speculators and land developers. You should have retired.
Vancouver Councillor Geoff Meggs to be John Horganai??i??s chief of staff
Geoff Meggs is a three-term Vancouver city councillor.
Three-term Vancouver City Councillor Geoff Meggs has resigned in order to take a job as Premier-designate John Horganai??i??s chief of staff.
Meggs was first elected to city council in 2008.
ai???WhenAi?? the [premier-designate] calls you and says Iai??i??d like you to work on the agenda that I ran on which included making B.C. more affordable, improving the province in so many ways ai??i?? itai??i??s very hard to say no,ai??? Meggs said of the transition.
MLA Carol James, who speaks for the transition team, said the former councillorai??i??s intimate knowledge of Metro Vancouver was a key asset.
ai???Having that mix is critical, no question.ai???
In the wake of the announcement, Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson issued a statement, thanking Meggs for his time on council.
ai???We have been fortunate to have Geoff Meggs on City Council over the last nine years, where he has been an effective and thoughtful City Councillor, demonstrating strong leadership on issues like affordable housing and transit,ai??? Robertson wrote, calling Meggs ai???immensely qualifiedai??? to serve as Horganai??i??s chief of staff.
It wonai??i??t be Meggsai??i?? first time inside the premierai??i??s office. He previously served as communications director in the office of former NDP Premier Glen Clark.
He has also served as executive director to the BC Federation of Labour.
The BC NDP made the announcement Tuesday, also revealing to other hires to key positions in Horganai??i??s inner circle.
NDP campaign director Bob Dewar, who had served as Horganai??i??s chief of staff in opposition, will stay on as special advisor to the premier.
And Don Wright willAi??serve as Deputy Minister of Executive Council, Cabinet Secretary, and Head of the Public Service, replacing Kim Henderson who has been let go.
Wright was BCIT president until he left to be Deputy Minister to Adrian Dix in 2013. When the NDP lost that election, he moved on to become CEO of Central One Credit union, a position he will resign on Friday.
Byelection imminent
A spokesperson for the Vancouver Mayorsai??i?? office said Meggsai??i?? exit will trigger a byelection for his council seat.
His departure will also leave big shoes to fill on council, said city hall watcher Mike Klassen, who notedAi??Meggs was often the spokesperson for Vision Vancouver when the mayor wasnai??i??t available.
ai???You know, the joke about Geoff was that he was the guy who would always do the media when there was bad news.ai???
Klassen added that Meggs was also the person who started the discussion about the removal of the viaducts.
ai???I think we remember Mayor Robertson asking for funding for that and it seems to me quite possible that the province will kick in for some of the removing of those viaducts that will cost a lot of money.ai???
But NPA Councillor and former colleague George Affleck says he doesnai??i??t expect having Meggs in the premierai??i??s office will change the cityai??i??s relationship with Victoria.
ai???Iai??i??m not sure if he would be allowed to have preferential treatment given to Vancouver, heai??i??s going to have a lot of things on his plate,ai??? Affleck said.
Despite Meggsai??i?? departure, Vision Vancouver will retain its majority on Vancouverai??i??s city council.
-With files from Liza Yuzda and Janet Brown
Ai??Ai??2017Ai??Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
By Simon Little Digital Reporter Ai??CKNW
