June is a big month for Vancouver’s civic parties, and all the candidates who are vying for a nomination with One City Vancouver, the Vancouver Non-Partisan Association, the Green Party of Vancouver, Vision Vancouver, COPE, and the good folks who are organizing with TeamJean 2018.
Each of the above named registered Vancouver civic parties will meet in June to select their candidates for City Council, Vancouver School Board, and Vancouver Park Board, with a surfeit of candidates likely to emerge.
Throughout the month of June — and into July, should it become necessary — VanRamblings will report out on the upcoming nomination meetings for each civic party, giving our readers fair notice of each nomination date.
First off the mark in the race to get their nominated candidates chosen is the Vancouver Non-Partisan Association, but not in a conventional sense.
John Coupar, NPA Mayoral nomination candidate introduces himself to party members
This upcoming Sunday, June 3rd, at what is scheduled to be an all-day nominating meeting that will be held at the Hellenic Hall, in the beautiful Arbutus Ridge neighbourhood, the NPA will choose only their party’s 2018 mayoral nominee — a choice between former Cedar Party candidate Glen Chernen; recent Park Board Chair and current Commissioner, the affable John Coupar; and the NPA’s corporate-backed-and-funded candidate for mayor, Ken Sim. The successful mayoral nominee will then set about to choose the team he wishes to run with in the 2018 Vancouver civic election.
Glen Chernen wants to lead the NPA, but says he’s battling ‘forces’ within the party
Democracy, thy name is not the Vancouver Non-Partisan Association.
Vancouver entrepreneur Ken Sim introduces introduces himself to party members
Vancouver Non-Partisan Association Board of Directors President, Gregory Baker — despite our being somewhat snarky above — weighs in kindly with the correct information in respect of the voting for the party’s mayoral nomination, with voting to get underway at 10am, and closing at 8pm.
For the record: members of the NPA, past and present, and their elected contingent represent as a group some of the most compassionate, heartful persons of conscience and integrity we have run across in civic life — we remain grateful every day for their humanity, community spirit, ‘can do’ spirit and attitude, and their commitment to making life better for all of us.
Speeches begin at 6pm, with voting taking place immediately afterwards. Please note the correction above, from 2014 NPA mayoral candidate, Kirk LaPointe, and current NPA Board of Directors President, Gregory Baker.
The three NPA mayoral candidates have reportedly signed up in excess of 3,000 new members, with each candidate hoping and praying their supporters turn up for the vote. That’s unlikely, though — attendees at Sunday’s nomination meeting can reasonably expect many fewer that 1,000 party members to arrive to cast their ballot; it’s just a fact of life.
VanRamblings will be present for the NPA’s mayoral nomination meeting, and will report out online throughout the afternoon, and into the evening.
