By Mel Lehan

Since January 6, I’ve been knocking on doors daily in Point Grey and have talked with thousands of voters in our riding. I’ve learned many things from this exchange. People care! They want to see homelessness ended; they’re worried about the environment and climate change; they’re concerned about the economy; they want their children to have accessible and affordable childcare, good K-12 schooling, and affordable postsecondary education; they talk about quality and timely healthcare, not only for themselves, but for all people.

I’ve also heard them tell me in great numbers that they want positive ideas and solutions from politicians. They want to know what the NDP and I will be doing to help to solve these problems.

In response, I tell them about myself and discuss the community work I’ve done, and then I talk about what we will do on these and other issues when we form government.

Point Grey is my community. I was raised here and went to General Gordon Elementary, Kitsilano High, and UBC. I played baseball from Little League to Connie Mack (even pitched a no-hitter in high school), went to Cubs, swam at Kits pool and played in the UBC forest. Barbara and I raised our three children here.

I have spent my life building community and promoting sustainability A few of the projects I’m involved in are: started the Kitsilano Farmers Market to bring healthy local food to our community; founded St. James Community Square to have a neighbourhood gathering space for the arts and recreation; organized to help save the UBC Farm; cofounded Mid-Main Community Health Centre; helped to preserve the Point Grey foreshore; and working on the Tatlow Creek daylighting project. Together with my neighbours, I have built from scratch many nonprofit businesses and community organizations. As an MLA, I will continue to work with my constituents on these types of activities.

An issue that is important to me and that I have been actively involved in is the struggle to end homelessness and to create affordable housing. I am the Kitsilano organizer for the Citywide Housing Coalition and have been involved with them in helping to organize many initiatives and actions to move forward an agenda that creates affordable housing. I have raised money to help set up both the Downtown Eastside Centre for the Arts and the Downtown Eastside Music Theatre Society by bringing both an opera and a play on homelessness to our West Side community. We have been holding Housing STANDS on homelessness to educate the public about this tragic situation in our province and to hasten its end. Finally, I was involved in this year’s homeless count. What I have learned through all these activities has compelled me to seek provincial office to work to end homelessness—not only in Point Grey but throughout our province.

There are a number of policies that best illustrate the difference between Gordon Campbell and myself. For example, the wild salmon. We will put a moratorium on open-cage fish farms. He refuses to do this, thereby putting in serious jeopardy our West Coast icon. The NDP had a provincial housing program, which Premier Campbell immediately cancelled. We will bring it back and ensure that affordable housing will be built. Campbell lifted the NDP’s postsecondary tuition freeze, which allowed many more people to be able to attain higher education. We will restore this tuition freeze.

He has refused to raise the minimum wage for eight years, yet he gives his top deputies raises of up to 43 percent. We know our priorities. We will end the $6 training wage, raise the minimum wage to $10, and we will roll back these outrageous salary increases.

I love my neighbourhood, my city, and my province. I have fought long and hard to improve the environmental, social, and economic health of all three. I believe that voters in Point Grey want to build a positive future for our community and for our planet. Like the four founders of Greenpeace who recently endorsed my candidacy, they know I will not let them down.

Mel Lehan is the B.C. NDP candidate in Vancouver-Point Grey.