Straight Talk

Gregor Robertson's decision to leave Vancouver politics mostly met with warm messages on social media

by Travis Lupick on January 11th, 2018 at 9:27 AM
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      B.C. premier John Horgan was among the first to thank Vancouver mayor Gregor Robertson for the decade he’s spent leading the region’s first city.

      "I have known Gregor Robertson for many years,” Horgan said quoted in a media release. “He was a trusted colleague when we worked together as MLAs in Victoria, and he is a valued partner as we work with local governments to make life better for people.”

      "From transit and transportation, to housing and homelessness, Gregor has been a passionate advocate for people. He can be proud of the work he and council have done to make Vancouver the greenest city in the world.

      Robertson revealed that he would not seek a fourth term running the city in a farewell address he posted on Facebook yesterday (January 10).

      The Vision Vancouver politician had previously said he did intend to run in a civic election scheduled for October but explained he changed his mind after reflecting over the holidays.

      Canada’s prime minister also sent well wishes upon hearing the news.

      “Thanks, @MayorGregor, for your friendship, partnership, and years of service & work for people in Vancouver. Wishing you all the best,” Justin Trudeau wrote on Twitter.

      A number of politicians from across Metro Vancouver took a moment to do the same.

      Kirk LaPointe, who ran with the NPA against Robertson in 2014, joined them.

      On Twitter, reactions to news of Robertson's departure from local politics were mixed. But most negative comments were posted by anonymous accounts while the majority of messages from accounts with full names were positive.

      That said, of course not all messages were as warm that of Robertson's former rival for the mayor’s chair.

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      Travis Lupick

      @tlupick

      In one capacity or another, Travis Lupick has been associated with the newspaper since he was 15 years old. Having joined the Straight's editorial department in 2006, Travis quickly gained a reputation as the office's resident workaholic and hopeless caffeine junkie.

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