Vision now in 'position of strength'

Enough with the chicken coops, Gregor, get back to business.

That's the message from political scientists, who say Vancouver's green mayor has earned the right to stay the course - but caution he should pay more attention to real-world economic issues.

"Vision can now deal from a position of strength," said veteran University of Victoria political scientist Norman Ruff.

"He's got a more-than-comfortable majority, but I think voters want to see him get to work on some real bread-andbutter economic issues."

Robertson will have seven Vision councillors playing his tune, with two NPA councillors on his right and a Green councillor on his left.

"I believe that's 14 campaigns she's run, and the first time she's been elected," University of B.C. political science professor Michael Byers said of Green Party veteran Adriane Carr, who squeaked into the final council spot at the final polling station.

"She's got great name recognition. "If anyone was going to get elected as an independent, it was her."

Ruff said Occupy Vancouver made lots of headlines, but he credits Robertson with adapting his message during the daily Occupy attacks from NPA challenger Suzanne Anton.

"We were preoccupied with Occupy, and the NPA became obsessed with it, but I don't think the electorate was as interested," said Ruff.

Robertson made a strategic Occupy move - getting an enforcement order - before the election. But the potential bombshell - a violent showdown with protesters - won't happen until this week.

Byers credits Robertson's changing perspective on Occupy with defusing the NPA attacks.

"I think from a political perspective Gregor played the Occupy timing quite cleverly," said Byers.

"Ideologically, I think he supported Occupy.

"But he was getting beaten up on a daily basis, so he moved to the middle.

"That's good politics."

While the NPA painted Robertson as fixated on bike lanes and chicken coops, Byers believes the public was more concerned with making sure someone collects the garbage.

"The bike lanes and the chicken coops are the things that attract attention, but people are voting for good government," he said.

"They might not like the bike lanes, but it's only when you get something like [former mayor Sam Sullivan's] garbage strike that people want to vote you out."

Robertson won't have things as easy as last term - the NPA's Elizabeth Ball and George Affleck will be watching if he moves too far left, and, contrarily, Carr will be watching if he moves too far right.

"Adriane Carr will act as a conscience for Gregor if he starts to stray away from his green initiatives," said Ruff.