Why I'm NOT Voting for Walter Gray

[sbeecher10]

1. He lost a human rights tribunal. Should be enough said right there. But to add just in case- he made comments about how gay people should not be proud and he did not want the 'lifestyle' to be encouraged for youth. He also spent $40,000 of taxpayer money on the trial and we, as a community, became recognized internationally for his actions. Even now, he states he would remove proclamations as mayor because he does not want to be 'forced to discriminate' (which I have to comment- are you serious???).

2. After losing to Shepherd in 2005 he told the media he guessed 'pink, frilly curtains' would be up in city hall now. How could anyone not be offended by this statement?

3. He encouraged Milroy to come here for the Lawson Landing project, which led to a lawsuit against the city regarding the Simpson's covenant, and subsequently led to the CD-21- a proposal which offered about a dozen 30+ storey highrises within a few block radius along the waterfront of downtown. And even now, after it failed to pass (thankfully), and the community has moved on with more long-term, sustainable planning for the ENTIRE downtown, he says he would bring it back.

4. He refused to answer a question asked by Mayor Shepherd at the forum this past Wednesday about recent changes in the OCP and how he would implement them because 'he was not going to be mayor in 20 years'- that is how much foresight (and care) the man has for the future of this community.

5. He is a bully. He has done nothing but attack the current Mayor and council; offering very little (if any?) of his own thoughts or vision for the future of this community.

6. He lies. He tells people at one of the initial forums he would not bring CD-21 back and a few days later- he stands up at a forum and says he plans on bringing it back.

The start of my list...

[grammafreddy]

Your list of reasons not to vote for Gray mirrors my own. Great post! Thanks.

[Atmos]

I thought, at first, you were exaggerating what Walter Gray said regarding Gays and Lesbians so I looked it up.

In 1997, Gray refused to proclaim Gay and Lesbian Pride Day as requested by the Okanagan Rainbow Coalition, and instead pro-claimed simply Gay and Lesbian Day. The tribunal found he discriminated on the basis of sexual orientation, which is against the B.C. Human Rights Code, even though tribunal chairwoman Carol Roberts agreed that, for Gray to sign the proclamation would have been against his own personal convictions.

"I care about these people but I don't agree with their lifestyle," he said, adding that he based his decision on Christian principles rather than religions reasons. "The human rights commission is out of control and that comment goes well beyond this issue," he said. "This is moral extortion where I am being told my values are not important."

For the mayor and the community to openly endorse the gay and lesbian movement would send a wrong signal to youth, Gray said. "I am very worried we are actually advertising the practices associated with gays and lesbians as kind of acceptable and cool and we shouldn't be doing that."

[fluffy]

"This is moral extortion where I am being told my values are not important."

I don't think anyone told you your values are not important, I think they told you your values are a few decades out of date. Of course that's not to imply that such values are important.

[econovan64]

7. During his rein the Hells Angels set up shop and practically took over Kelowna. More out of town businessmen Gray has attracted!

[Mastercraft69]

He wouldnt get my vote if he was the only one running!!!

[John500]

Gray was mayor during boom times. He has not addressed how he will run the city now that he boom times are over. Any development that came to cityhall during his reign, he voted in favor of. Walter does not understand that a city like Kelowna has to be represented in all its facets of its citizens and not the development community only. Any development is not always good development. His stance on Cedar Creek is also one of those examples. I also have to chuckle about his signs that say "Leadership" So what is his program besides being only negative on current Mayor and Council? Is that leadership? I also think the Fourchange group must have done some talking with him to get him to run. Frost previous radio station owner, Gray same. And they did not talk? Of course fourchange does not endorses a candidate for mayor. But we all know that Walter is their man. They really think the electorate is that stupid? For Kelowna's sake, stay with Sharon. My experience with her is that she has always time to sit down with the common person and listen and follow up if need be. Will Gray's office have an open door policy? Will Gray represent all people of Kelowna, including gay and lesbians?

[EdCase]

There's this great myth going around that Gray understands business and will get our economy going again. That's pure nonsense and below is part of a comment I made on another thread:

First, as a member of Kelowna's business community I was appalled by his lack of understanding and empathy for economic development is this city. He was mayor during an unprecedented boom in real estate speculation which masked the underlying problem - declining high value jobs - in our local economy. For many years we have spent under half the amount per capita on economic development compared to places like Chilliwack and Abbotsford. Before I hear the cry, "Government doesn't create job, business does", absolutely but when you look at areas like Ottawa, Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo, Boston and Silicon Valley you see a very integrated approach to economic development between governments, business, colleges and the community. As a member of the business community, Walter should have understood this - he was certainly told - but his focus remained on real estate speculation and the McJob economy.

He isn't pro-business; he's pro ad hoc development and small-time commercial ventures that provide nothing in the way of careers and growth for our younger people. His talk about leadership is just that, talk: he has shown no indication of a way forward for Kelowna other than to rekindle the past real-estate boom. Those days are gone; we are in very changed economic times that will require innovative initiatives for economic development. Gray is not the man for the job.

[FunkyBunch]

I agree. I will not vote Walter Gray.
It's easy to say "We need leadership, and I'm the one to do it" but when all that he's done is saying "Current council has none" +Negative+negative+negative that doesn't inspire me with confidence that he has leadership.

To me, leadership is making the hard choices and convincing people those choices had to be made. Doing what's best instead of what's easy. Right now, he is just doing what's easy.

[Takin it easy !]

I am not voting for Walter because Walter has not represented the majority of Kelowna citizens in the past and I have no reason to believe he will in the future.
The CD21 fiasco is a prime example of where his intent is and too let him back in as Mayor is almost like writing a blank cheque for the old boys club (FourChange) and gang to amass more wealth at the expense of you and I .
Its an exclusive club and it appears to me that the real deals are not made in council chambers.
I will not for one moment support Mr Gray and ForChange because fairness is not what they are about.

[holdin]

Ok everybody all join in "the old Gray mare-or ain't what he used to be"
'ain't what he used to be"
"the old Gray mar-or ain't what he used to be"
"..........

[EdCase]

Ok everybody all join in "the old Gray mare-or ain't what he used to be"
'ain't what he used to be"
"the old Gray mar-or ain't what he used to be"
"..........

The problem is that he is precisely just what he used to be and that's not what we need.

[koivu11]

personally i support sustainability over profiteering . i will not vote for gray .

[Charlie]

Here's a letter I wrote in November, 2005 to The Courier, The Capital News and Castanet:

"I find it hard to swallow Walter Gray's statement that growth in Kelowna is going as, "prescribed in the Official Community Plan." This after he has consistently cast the tie-breaking vote in favour of the Vintage Landing project which would allow the leap-frog development of a massive (the largest development ever proposed in city of Kelowna) resort on land which the OCP designates as future urban reserve twenty years into the future. This land is probably the last remaining wilderness in the city. He (along with four other councillors) has even voted against the advice of the city planning department. Incidentally, Lake Country has approved a very similar development about two miles north of VL.

It is very clear that most planning in this valley is currently being driven by developers with little regard for the wishes of the existing communities. City council has opened the floodgates by encouraging developers to disregard the OCP and zoning by-laws. There is very little, if any, consideration for the environment (including fish, wildlife and clear water), water supply or the lifestyles of current residents.

Yes, Mr. Gray, it is definitely time for change. Maybe this is why there are so many candidates in this election. Oh, and yes, I am a NIMBY. I (and many others) don't want two huge, billion-dollar developments with large marinas, high-rise buildings, traffic problems, bright lights, noise, pollution, etc. destroying one of the quietest, most peaceful areas of Okanagan Lake."

We can't forget the way things were when WG was the mayor. I strongly supported Sharon at that time and nothing has changed.

[pacificcapital]

All you haters in here, have so much time to do posts. Unbelievable you set up an anti hate group rather than a support group.
Your so threatened, by a business minded Mayor. Most of the Gray supporters have jobs and are too busy to be in here. Look at any real polls that cant be manipulated and Grays in the lead. It will be a tight race no doubt but I sure hope we don't have a dysfunctional council this time around. There's so many Sharon supporters in here only because her Website encourages it. So don't get over confident.

Gray is the right person for Kelowna right now. Walk around downtown and tell me the job Sharon and her Council has done in the last few terms. She was recently quoted saying downtown is just fine! you kidding me? How is it fine> to me it sounds like she is okay with not moving forward. She was okay with getting a big fat pay raise.

Gray is NOT anti Gay he has Gay friends. Would you rather have a Mayor that is willing to sign any proclamation that comes across her desk. Sharon signed a Pro abortion proclamation and then signed ant abortion proclamation. Wow that's making a stand! So he doesn't want to waste time with proclamations, I would rather him focus on the major issues.

There is real business concerns here folks, like how can we get the economy stimulated. I know its not by turning away business like the current Council does. I know a few business people that have been turned away by current Council. I am not talking development either. One was for a Solar panel Company, I know the Company well. It would have generated 200 plus jobs in town. Now there in the USA because current Council was not willing to do a few tax breaks. That is the wrong message! We should be open for business. What happened to all the green Councilors on that one?

Did you know Walter was instrumental lobbying to get the new bridge in Kelowna, and also Prospera Place. Did a ton for RCMP and homeless issues. There is more crime and a bigger homeless issue now after the last few terms. Downtown looks like the ghetto. Its horrible and not a place for families.

Vote Gray! Come on you haters, I am ready for you.