WE HAVE LET UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOUR BECOME ACCEPTABLE IN
VANCOUVER

Almost one year ago, I was elected Mayor of Vancouver and I asked
citizens this question: "What kind of city do you want the world to
find when they arrive in 2010?"

Over the past 12 months, I have heard you loud and clear. You want a
city you can be proud of.

I grew up on the east side of Vancouver. Today, I live downtown, and
I'm often out enjoying my neighbourhood and talking to residents and
businesses.

I hear the same concerns echoed over and over again: People tell me
they want streets that are clean and free from aggressive and
disorderly behaviour.

They want all levels of government to work harder to address our
troubling social issues, such as homelessness, drug addiction and
mental illness. And they want to see an end to the open drug market
on our city streets.

The problem is we have let unacceptable behaviour become acceptable
in Vancouver, and that has to change.

Despite the heroic efforts of our front-line police officers,
Vancouver has a serious problem with public disorder and property crime.

It's taking a daily toll on all of us -- and by ignoring it, we're
hurting those who need our help the most.

I believe the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2010 are a
once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to bring the provincial and federal
governments to the table to help us improve our city.

So how do we tackle the problem?

Earlier this week, Coun. Kim Capri and I launched a new initiative
called Project Civil City. It was developed with feedback from
citizens, community organizations, police, businesses and health professionals.

On Dec. 14, I will be urging city council to adopt Project Civil City
so we can immediately begin restoring public order.

The first step is to set goals.

In politics, it's risky to set targets. But the fact is that what
gets measured gets done, and I'm willing to put my political career
on the line.

I am recommending to city council that we adopt the following goals:

- - Eliminate homelessness, with at least a 50-per-cent reduction by 2010.

- - Eliminate the open drug market on Vancouver's streets, with at
least a 50-per-cent reduction by 2010.

- - Eliminate the incidence of aggressive panhandling, with at least a
50-per-cent reduction by 2010.

- - Increase the level of satisfaction with the city's approach to
public nuisance and annoyance complaints by five per cent by 2010.

Meeting these targets won't be easy. But we must do it.

We must work as a community to make Vancouver a more civil city.

We can use the Olympic and Paralympic Games as a catalyst to create a
real and lasting legacy for our city and region.

But let's be clear: This isn't something we should do for the
visitors who arrive in 2010. We should do it for ourselves.

Mayor Sam Sullivan can be reached through his website: www.mayorsamsullivan.ca