On Friday, May 3rd, the Conservative Party of British Columbia announced former Vancouver Park Board Chairperson John Coupar as their candidate in the newly-created riding of Vancouver-Little Mountain, in the upcoming provincial election.
John Coupar announced as BC Conservative Party candidate in the riding of Vancouver-Little Mountain
John Coupar is best known for his role in saving and restoring the iconic and much beloved Bloedel Conservatory atop Queen Elizabeth Park, located at the geographic centre of Vancouver and the Little Mountain riding.
“Public safety is issue number one. Residents deserve to walk down the street without worrying about being assaulted or robbed,” says Coupar. “I know this riding and the people who reside in it. I’ve lived in Olympic Village for over a decade.”
Thanks @VancouverPD for your swift action, by the police presence this morning it appears like the suspect was apprehended near #HingePark #OlympicVillage area in my riding of Little Mountain Vancouver
Public Safety is becoming a major issue in #BCPoli https://t.co/sfdBdBjWea— John Coupar (@JohnCCoupar) September 4, 2024
Upon accepting the Conservative Party of B.C. nomination, John Coupar had this to say about Christine Boyle, his BC NDP opponent in Vancouver-Little Mountain.
“The current NDP candidate, Christine Boyle, has not represented the concerns of this community. She doesn’t even live in the riding. She promoted the ‘defund the police’ movement, and supports reckless policies on illicit drug use. Quite simply, Christine Boyle is out of touch with the concerns of the community. The residents of Vancouver-Little Mountain require a common-sense approach to governance that will restore public safety, make life affordable, and a responsible MLA in the B.C. Legislature who will represent the best interests of the community,” concludes John Coupar.
BC NDP candidate, Vancouver City Councillor Christine Boyle, seeks office in Vancouver-Little Mountain
After a hard fought nomination race, on April 4th of this year, two-term Vancouver City Councillor Christine Boyle secured the British Columbia New Democratic Party nomination in the newly-created riding of Vancouver-Little Mountain.
“It’s an incredible honour to be your BC NDP candidate in Vancouver-Little Mountain in the upcoming B.C. election,” Ms. Boyle posted on the X social media platform upon securing the nomination. “Thank you for your support, for your encouragement and for your passion as together we work towards building a fairer, healthier and more affordable British Columbia for all.”
BC NDP candidate Christine Boyle for Vancouver-Little Mountain, with media after winning nomination
David Eby weighed in when Ms. Boyle secured the Vancouver-Little Mountain nomination.
“As a Vancouver City Councillor, Christine Boyle is a tireless champion for everyday people and the social good,” Eby said.
“I know she’ll bring that same energy and compassion to her work for people as a BC NDP MLA. Christine will be a strong addition to our team, and a great representative for people in Vancouver-Little Mountain and the issues they care about.”
Christine Boyle is a strong advocate for rental, co-op and non-market housing.
Since first being elected to Vancouver City Council in 2018, and re-elected to a second term on Council in 2022, Christine Boyle has only served to strengthen her environmental and climate advocacy bona fides — including, leading the development of Vancouver’s Climate Emergency Action Plan — which, when you consider that BC Conservative party leader John Rustad believes climate change to be a hoax, makes Ms. Boyle’s election to Victoria all that much more important.
Sources within both the BC NDP and the BC Conservative Party tell VanRamblings that Christine Boyle currently enjoys a five-point lead over John Coupar in the race to become the Member of the Legislature representing Vancouver-Little Mountain.
In the interest of full disclosure, as we wrote on social media yesterday, VanRamblings will formally endorse John Coupar in the lead up to British Columbia’s October 19th provincial election, when we will express why we believe it is critical to the interests of B.C. citizens that John Coupar becomes a member of the BC Conservative Party caucus, a goal that could be achieved should the residents of Vancouver-Little Mountain in all their wisdom elect John Coupar to represent them in the British Columbia Legislature over the next four years.
Here’s what we wrote yesterday on social media in support of John Coupar’s candidacy for elected office under the Conservative Party of B.C. banner.
“I am supporting John Coupar, who I’ve know well since 2011, someone I speak and meet with regularly, someone who saw me through my cancer journey, one of the best men I have ever known, a compassionate and caring man of character who doesn’t suffer fools gladly and stands up for the guiding principles that have defined his life of service and contribution, a champion of the gender variant community, and a person of character who I believe it is critical to have sitting in the BC Conservative caucus.
In the case of John Coupar, it is the privilege of my life to count John among my friends.
My endorsement of John is not meant to suggest that Christine Boyle — his NDP opponent — is not a worthy candidate, or that she wouldn’t make a fine member of the British Columbia Legislature.
The above said, my support for the re-election of British Columbia’s New Democratic Party government could not be stronger, as will be evidenced in my writing in the weeks to come.”
Make no mistake, this will be a close election, with either the NDP eking out a win to form government over the next four years, or the Conservative Party of B.C. — with the wind at their back, riding the coattails of popular federal Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre, who is currently polling at 50% support among the B.C. electorate — forming government, from late 2024 through the fall of 2028.
We’ll know the outcome of the provincial election on Saturday, October 19th.
Whoever secures government on the evening of October 19th, VanRamblings implores you to not allow yourself the destructive indulgence of division.
When you awake on a peaceful October 20th morning, those who love you will still love you, and as we head into the holiday season in November and December know that there will be much to be thankful for in all aspects of your life.
Yes, elections are important, and we all — well, at least those diminishing few of us who are engaged in the conditions that impact on our lives, and give a good galldarn about politics, and know how important the role of government is in determining the livability and economic and social viability of our province — will continue on with our lives as we always have, experiencing occasional peripatetic joy, while appreciating the natural beauty of our province, and the love of all those who play a critically important role in the stability and the livability of our lives.
