Jean Swanson is not Judy Graves.
And Judy Graves is not Jean Swanson.
But when matching up the two longtime social justice activists’ years of fighting on behalf of homeless people and calling for more social housing in Vancouver, the two women vying to be the next city councillor share the same passion for improving the lives of the downtrodden.
And it’s that similarity in values that will likely challenge left-of-centre voters when they head to the polls in the Oct. 14 byelection. Graves still has to win a nomination meeting Aug. 27 but is expected to be the candidate for the OneCity Party, whereas Swanson is running as an independent.
How Swanson and Graves will distinguish themselves from each other in their campaigns is a question Swanson expected Tuesday when she announced her candidacy. She made her announcement in front of a crowd of about 50 supporters gathered outside an apartment building at 10th and Main, where tenants are facing eviction and rent hikes.
“I haven’t heard anything from her about helping to build a movement for justice, about opening up city hall for people who are fighting for justice, about really trying to shake things up and deal with inequality and taxing the rich,” said Swanson when asked about Graves. “She’s a nice person, but I think I’ve got stronger policies and my crew here has way stronger policies and they’re going to keep me honest with them.”
Graves responded to Swanson’s comments later in a telephone interview, saying the party will be rolling out its full platform later this month. She said she wasn’t able “to speak for the team right now but I think people will be pleased with what we’re putting forward.”
In an interview last month with the Courier, Graves said OneCity has discussed policy to ensure 20 to 30 per cent of new buildings be rented at one-third of the income of tenants and to create neighbourhood councils to advise on development.
Swanson’s top priorities include convincing the provincial government to give Vancouver the power to implement a four-year rent freeze and work to build more than 2,000 modular housing units — to match the number of homeless people recorded in a homeless count in March — until permanent housing is built. The city also needs to be able to tax mansions more than ordinary houses, and large corporate businesses more than neighbourhood stores, she said.
“It’s not acceptable to me, or most of the young folks who have been pushing me to run, that the average rent in Vancouver — get this — is now more than the total monthly income from a full-time minimum wage job,” said Swanson, who ran unsuccessfully for mayor in 1988 against the NPA’s Gordon Campbell. “It’s not acceptable that if rents keep going up at the current rate, in four years a one-bedroom apartment will be $4,000 a month.”
A five dollar-per month bus pass for low-income people and allowing permanent residents to vote in the next civic election are othe planks of her platform.
Swanson is a former organizer with the now-defunct Downtown Eastside Residents’ Association and a person who has spent long hours energizing various anti-poverty coalitions and groups over the years, including the Carnegie Community Action Project.
That work was recognized last year with the Order of Canada.
Graves is best known as the city’s former homeless advocate, a position she essentially forced the city to create after the information she collected and observations she made about Vancouver’s homeless during her after-work hours walks on the streets.
Graves also once worked at Cordova House with people stricken with personality disorders, depression, schizophrenia and other mental illnesses. When she retired in May 2013, her work, which included criticizing the provincial government, was celebrated by one of the unlikeliest of politicians, then-housing minister Rich Coleman.
“Your work with the homeless and those at risk of homelessness in the Downtown Eastside is unparalleled and has served as an inspiration to many,” Coleman wrote in a note read out at Graves’ retirement party. “Your tireless effort, gentle approach and vast knowledge has given a human face to the issue and changed thousands of lives for the better.”
The Oct. 14 byelection is being held to fill a vacant seat left by Geoff Meggs, who resigned as a Vision Vancouver councillor to accept a position as chief of staff to Premier John Horgan. The city’s three mainstream parties – Vision Vancouver, the NPA and the Green Party — have yet to name a candidate.
Meena Wong, who ran as COPE’s mayoral candidate in the 2014 election, attended Swanson’s launch Tuesday and said she is encouraging COPE members to support Swanson rather than run a candidate. When Swanson ran for mayor in 1988, she ran as the COPE/Civic NDP candidate.
“We’d love for her to run as a COPE candidate, but we want to build a movement here,” said Wong, noting COPE’s nomination meeting is still scheduled for Aug. 29. “We encourage all people who support Jean to come out to that meeting.”
If elected, Swanson promised to retain only $44,000 of a councillor's $85,000 salary. She said she would donate the balance to a group, or groups,"working for justice."
mhowell@vancourier.com
@Howellings
