What to make of the raucous municipal election season, now behind us?
I take some satisfaction that many election scenarios were previewed in this space.
In recent months, I wrote about the spectre of a city council dominated by women, the eradication of Vision Vancouver, the influence of “dark money” thanks to new legislation and how Derek Corrigan’s disgraceful demovictions in Burnaby would hound Kennedy Stewart’s campaign.
If I am left with one overarching impression from this election — it is that despite claims to the contrary, the NPA’s political brand is the only one that matters on the centre-right.
To use a few pop culture references, the NPA is like the creature from Alien getting blasted through the airlock into deep space, but still able to clamber back into the craft.
Just like when the Grinch stole the Christmas trimmings, you can deny the NPA millions in corporate donations through legislation, but NPA voters still arrived at the polls in big numbers, likely humming “Fahoo Fores Dahoo Dores” while marking their ballots.
Several pointed out the population is declining in the NPA’s traditional West Side enclaves. Yet they can still get five seats on council and raise a ton of money through individual contributions.
By comparison, just look at the charred embers of all the also-ran elector organizations and independent candidates, whose cumulative percentage of popular vote barely eked into the double digits.
The only thing those fringe campaigns succeeded in doing is ensuring Kennedy Stewart won and labour unions remain in control of city hall.
Yet despite their staying power, the NPA has itself to blame for snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. This is their fourth loss in a row, and the third dominated behind the scenes by people whose forte is not politics.
Thanks to the NPA’s incompetence, what should have been an easy win turned into an embarrassing series of gaffes, and strategic blunders by its board of directors.
Notwithstanding his likeability, Ken Sim was always going to struggle as the NPA’s torch bearer. He had built up no public profile before the campaign, and had no experience in civic politics.
Instead of holding an open nomination meeting, the NPA board opted to appoint the other candidates. The decision to reject someone such as Rob McDowell, in spite of his long service behind the scenes, was particularly egregious.
By rebuffing popular two-term councillor George Affleck, the NPA campaign continued to hobble itself with many of its voter base. Many small “l” liberals such as former councillor Peter Ladner, and former and current Liberal MPs Stephen Owen and Joyce Murray threw their support behind independent candidate Shauna Sylvester.
During the campaign, the NPA fell into the trap of not knowing what it stood for. It took the bait on bike lanes and rapid transit and could barely take positions on these and other critical issues.
It had no plan to inspire voters about Vancouver’s future. The NPA’s basement suite housing promise never made sense.
Behind the scenes, the NPA could not even come up with a campaign team structure right up to the Labour Day weekend. Even then, many top team members had never worked on, nor knew how to run a winning election campaign.
If it were not for the NPA brand and some candidate name recognition, it is almost lucky that they elected anyone at all.
It is time for that organization to do some housecleaning and elect board members whose goal is not to meddle in politics but stand up for the city.
Other takeaways from the Vancouver election is the resurgence of COPE, and the establishment of the Vancouver Greens as a political tour de force.
COPE now have footholds on council, park board and school board. This is something you could never have dreamt after they were swept aside by voters back in 2011.
The Green’s massive electoral success on council, school and park board puts them firmly on top in Vancouver politics today. It will only be a matter of time before we become more familiar with Adriane Carr’s seatmates Pete Fry and Michael Wiebe on council.
Congratulations to all of you who were elected. You have a lot of work ahead of you.
mike@mikeklassen.net
