Vancouver
The woman everyone expected to be Vancouver's next mayor has declined
the job. True, provincial Finance Minister Carole Taylor had never even announced that she was running for the position - not officially, anyway. But her decision last week that she would not run for City Hall nevertheless came as a blow to her legion of supporters.
A simple announcement two months ago that the high-flying former beauty queen and broadcaster was dropping out of provincial politics sparked rumours she was gunning for Mayor Sam Sullivan's job. She wouldn't confirm or deny, and her comments at the time that she was focused on delivering the provincial budget on February 19 only fuelled speculation.
It quickly became clear that Ms Taylor was thinking seriously of entering the race. In a dig at Mr Sullivan, she said she was aware of a 'great dissatisfaction for one reason or another' because so many different groups and people were urging her to run.
Ms Taylor certainly has the pedigree. She is married to Art Phillips, himself a former mayor of Vancouver and the political mentor of a subsequent mayor, Gordon Campbell. Mr Campbell went on to become Ms Taylor's boss as British Columbia's premier.
Before all the hype about the mayoralty, there had been talk that Ms Taylor was interested in the premier's job. But Mr Campbell made clear that he intends to stay on until the Winter Olympics in 2010.