'This is BS': breaking down the verbal brawl in Vancouver's council chambers

Go to any city hall in the country, and there's a fine line between people of differing viewpoints trying to pass effective policyand all-outpartisan warfare.

That line was obliterated at Vancouver's last full council meeting of 2017.

Fists pounding on desks, people rising every two minutes to defend their personal integrityand a spirited face-to-face argument between two councillorsas the cameras were rolling.

Oh yeahand a last-minute hike to property tax increases: from 3.9 per cent to 4.24 per cent.

It's a sign, 10 months before the next municipal election, that we're in political silly season: where Vancouver politicians will spend plenty oftime framing ballot box questionsand less time working together.

Approving the tax without consultation

But let's take a look at how we got to that argument between Vision Coun. Raymond Louie and NPA Coun. George Affleck.

Louie was answering questions from reporters about the extra tax increase, which works out to around $10 for the average homeowner for a variety of initiatives.

He said it couldn't have been included in the original budget, because staff didn't know whether council would approve policies on housing and preserving Chinatown when drafting it.

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"This is the role of council, to make adjustments up or down if we agree or disagree with the initiatives brought forward by staff."

Reporters told Louie he couldn't remember a time that a councillor from the governing party brought forward a tax increase on the same day the budget was approved.

"It's been done on a regular basis. A regular basis," argued Louie.

However, city staff were unable to provide a previous example. In a followup email, Louie cited attempts by opposition members to cut or add spending on the day of the budget which, coming from opposition members, were either defeated or referred to committee.

Process vs. policy?

So was this politics? A cynical, last minute addition to force NPA councillorsto either endorsenew taxes or vote against funding for affordable housing and Chinatown?

"I don't think cynicism is the appropriate description of what has happened," said Louie.

"There are people, perhaps, not happy with a tax increasefor surebut there's also many people who will be very happy we're taking action to the words we've spoken about, rather than what we've seen with opposition councillorssaying they support it but actually taking no action."

Which is when Affleck, who had been glowering behind Louie for much of the interview, said, "this is complete BS," and jumped into the interview.

Campaign video for both sides

It's rarely a good look to interrupt somebody else's interview, berate the subject for a minuteand then leave the room,as Affleck did.

But he never has to answer to voters again: choosing not to run for re-election.His haranguing of Louie was less a debateand more of a cathartic release.

"It'sall about election 2018, and that's all you guys care about is staying in office. And you know what?It's time for you to go ... you're running this city into the ground, and people can't afford to live here, and that's 100 per cent Vision's fault."

Louie's response, however, as Affleckturned and left, will also be applauded by Vision Vancouver supporters.

"You don't care about Chinese discrimination.You don't care about housing.You don't care about permit times.You don't care about social grants."

Both Vision and NPAsupporters can look at the exchange and see a winning argument in next year's election.

Ordinary Vancouver residents might look at it and see why so many get turned off by politics.