As I pointed out in a previous post, Vision Vancouver mayoral candidate Gregor Robertson would be making a big mistake if he didn't show sufficient respect to the runnerup, Coun. Raymond Louie.

Robertson appears to have heard the message. Yesterday, he announced that Louie would be his top policy adviser and that Louie would chair the Vision Vancouver caucus.

"Together, Raymond and I have helped to build Vision into the largest, most inclusive party in Vancouver," Robertson said in a July 4 news release. "He has brought an enormous diversity of support from across the city to Vision. I believe strongly that everyone's voices should be heard, and with Raymond and I working together as a team, we can continue to reach out to all sectors of Vancouver."

Robertson said he has asked Louie to recommend actions to increase the supply of affordable housing and to protect tenants.

Those who were miffed by  the treatment of Louie's  supporters at a June 15 nomination meeting might see this as  a good start.

For them, the next step  might  be to ensure that Louie chairs the city services and budgets committee if Robertson becomes mayor and Vision has a majority on council.

Former mayors Gordon Campbell and Philip Owen gave this position to then-councillor George Puil. Prior to that, it was held by legendary COPE councillor Harry Rankin.

The current chair is Coun.  Peter Ladner, though that wasn't enough of a sop from Mayor Sam Sullivan to prevent Ladner from launching a coup from within.

But the really important issue will be who gets to run on the Vision Vancouver slate  of council candidates  in the November election.

Already, one of Louie's top supporters, Coun. George Chow, is making noises about not running for reelection, according to a story in this week's Georgia Straight.  

This could severely undermine Vision's ability to attract support from first-generation Cantonese-speaking immigrants, who respect Chow's straight talk on everything from city finances to housing.

If Vision Vancouver doesn't make room for people from different backgrounds -- and instead fills the slate with cappucino-swilling Kitsilano types who spend their  leisure time attending seminars on Cortes Island -- then  Robertson could still end up blowing this election.

The Vision Vancouver  news release suggested otherwise by saying that Robertson and Louie will work as a team to reach out to all sectors of the city. But what happens if party members disagree at a nomination meeting, and choose a slate of council candidates who won't fit this mould?

Meanwhile, Ladner is helping broaden his appeal by learning a smattering of Punjabi. Ladner attended the Dragon Boat Festival, unlike Robertson. Ladner also  talks tough on crime, which plays well in some ethnic media. And in civic politics, all of these measures count for something on election day.