By Mary Frances Hill

It takes blind faith to ask a psychic to predict the future. But the past — well, that just takes clear vision.

Take last year, when we at WE asked four local psychics what lay ahead for 2006, and got an earful. According to one psychic, we were to now have a Liberal government; Stephen Harper would be decimated, even relegated from the corridors of power into political oblivion. China would be ravaged by some type of weather disaster. Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt would break up, Jennifer Aniston would marry, and Katie Holmes would come to her senses, breaking up with Tom Cruise and bunking with her folks. California would be rocked by an earthquake measuring seven on the Richter scale, and the Stanley Cup would find its home in Vancouver.

Today, we know that Brangelina regularly show off their growing brood, TomKat enjoyed recent nuptials, and the Canucks are wondering what the heck happened to this trophy they were promised. California, last we checked, is present and accounted for.

No one, however, predicted Vancouver’s own wacky climate late in the year. No comment on the relentlessness of the Iraq war either.

Psychic Tamara Hawk, who participated in last year’s predictions, says many clairvoyants consider foreseeing general events to be an imprecise art compared to personal, one-on-one readings. “When doing general predictions of things to come on a global scale for a certain year, we interpret what we see to the best of our ability,” she says. “If it’s just a feeling or a picture [we get], it can be a little tricky.”

In other words: Hey, they’re only human. So WE holds fast to faith and soldiers forward with the law of averages: the more predictions you ask for, the more likely something’s gotta hit the mark.

To that end, we contacted four active, professional psychics who practice their clairvoyant skills on the less intuitive among us. Cassandra MacLeane, a high-profile radio and TV regular (returning from last year’s Predictions feature), engaged clients for many years out of Robson’s now defunct Russian Tea Room. She’s joined by fellow repeat participant, Chilliwack-based Tamara Hawk; West Vancouver psychic Vanessa Parry; and Christophir Regan, a co-partner of Aquarian Crystal Connections, who enjoyed an 11-year run as regulars on CKNW’s Rafe Mair Show. They all looked into their proverbial crystal ball and saw 2007 like this:

Done, kaput, outta the mayor’s chair. So says Regan, who offers the most startling prediction for Mayor Sam Sullivan’s second year. Some dramatic switch will occur in the collective mindset of the NPA, which will lead to Sullivan’s ouster and his replacement, possibly by an Asian councillor.

Others see a gentler future for Canada’s famed quadriplegic mayor. “In late spring, Sam will take a bit of a break, step back a bit,” says Hawk. “He will need some time to regenerate himself.” Parry, on the other hand, sees a strong year ahead for the mayor.

Those fed up with all the cost overruns of the 2010 Olympic Games will see little relief in the next year. That’s the one unanimous prediction among all the seers. And no one should expect any miraculous changes in the real-estate market that could make it easier for middle-class folks to buy a home. Costs will continue to rise and then taper off mid-year, says Parry. Hawk sees a slow-down next autumn: “Late summer through November will be a better time for people to buy.”

Expect the same wacky weather around the world, though nothing as extreme as the tragedies of Hurricane Katrina or the Boxing Day tsunami. If anything, it’ll be South America that sees the worst damage, says Hawk. In B.C. we’ll be seeing more rain and more amplified climate changes, says Regan, who also suggests Vancouverites may feel the aftershocks of Seattle earthquake rumblings, though with little damage. Parry predicts an earthquake close to the Sunshine Coast.

Stephen Harper will prove himself a strong leader, say Hawk and MacLeane, though MacLeane doesn’t see much strength in him emotionally; he’s got some inner turmoil brewing beneath that steely Conservative gaze, she says. Parry predicts a little scandal brewing: “There will be a lot of buzz around Harper. There is more going on than what we are currently aware of... [When] the pieces of the puzzle are put together, there will be talk of a federal election being called.”

Tony Blair’s not too well, according to MacLeane. This is an emotional time for the British PM, as he’ll be retiring — but something’s amiss with him, marriage or mood-wise, she says.

Hawk’s getting a similar vibe: “There will be some upheavals in the U.K.; it’s not coming in as a death, but it’s very significant.”

Regan sees Bush gradually pulling out of Iraq in the next two years: “80 per cent of [American] troops will be out of Iraq by mid-2008, and the United Nations will be playing a big role.”

That, according to Vanessa Parry, is what we’re headed for, as Madonna, God forbid, steps back so her younger, trashier media manipulator can take the spotlight yet again. “Madonna will be stepping out of the limelight and Britney will be stepping in,” Parry says. Can’t wait.

Regan points to George Clooney as the big tabloid news-maker of the year. He’ll finally find a soul mate, as will Renee Zellwegger (though it’s not likely they’ll settle with each other). Lindsay Lohan, on the other hand, is a lost soul who’ll go through a series of men in 2007, none of whom will be “the one,” according to Parry and Hawk.

MacLeane opts out of celebrity forecasts. “I don’t care if Lindsay Lohan finds true love and I don’t care about Madonna,” she says.

MacLeane, who takes birth dates into serious consideration with her readings, says Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo is about to experience a career high. Parry and Hawk both see the Canucks picking up from an early slump, making it well into the playoffs, but falling short.

As for football, B.C. Lions fans shouldn’t get too comfortable with the Grey Cup. The Lions lose it in 2007. Says Parry: “I see black jerseys — the Ottawa Renegades will win [the Grey Cup] this coming year.”