The condolences, the stories and the remembrances continue to pour in for Jim Green, whose battle with cancer ended peacefully at his home Tuesday morning.
As a reporter, I interviewed Green many times since I first met him more than a decade ago. This morning, I dug up some quotespublished and unpublishedthat I recorded over the years.
Here are just a few.
On the pace of running for mayor in 2005: I sleep really well, actually. Im kind of different than other people. I kind of like pressure and stress. I kind of get off on it. Im always really busy, so this isnt much different. Its a different busy but its not much different than my normal life.
On the NPAs mayoral candidate Sam Sullivan in 2005: I dont dislike Sam, at all. As a person and his personal accomplishmentsovercoming the things that he has and his contribution to the disabled communityI respect him for that. But I think politically he is looking in a rearview mirror.
On his style of leadership, if elected mayor: Im going to be the kinder and gentler Larry Campbell.
On his mixed-race lineage: After my dad died, my mother lived with a black man for the last 15 years of her life in South Carolina. I saw my granddad on her side once when he was dying of skin cancer from working in the fields. And I saw my granddad on my dads side only once before he died. As far as I know, he came from New York and was probably Jewish.
On public safety: Jane Jacobs is one of my heroes and Ive had the opportunity to meet her in Toronto many times. She wrote that the bedrock of a successful city is that a person must feel personally safe and secure on the street, and if you dont do that, youre looking for a multiplicity of problems.
On why he was never portrayed on the CBC television drama Da Vincis Inquest: They couldnt get Robert Redford to play me. I know hes not as tall as me but hes pretty good looking.
On his time as a taxi driver and how the experience helped him in life: If I do get to be mayor, Im going to pass a bylaw that says you can only run for mayor if you drive a taxi for a year at night. Then youll know the city.
On referring to former police chief Jamie Graham on several occasions as Jamie Brown: One thing that Ive had all my life is a problem with names. I know one year I was introducing my daughter-in-law in front of about 500 people and I forgot her name and that was pretty embarrassing. I also said one time, cops on parole instead of cops on patrol.
On coming to Vancouver from the United States: I was welcomed with open arms in this city. I was given opportunities like I could have never had anywhere else. And where else would you want to live but in Vancouver, British Columbia.
On Vancouver: I really and truly love this city, and I love the people here.
Twitter: @Howellings
