News and Views

Vancouver Civic Non-Partisan Association Coun. Peter Ladner has accused his council rivals of trying to shovel city advertising dollars toward XTRA! West , a Vancouver gay and lesbian biweekly newspaper.

Ladner made the accusation after council's planning and environment committee voted on March 25 to ask staff to report back on amending the city's advertising policy. Coalition of Progressive Electors Coun. Ellen Woodsworth's motion asked that the policy place "special emphasis in papers that serve Vancouver's minority communities".

"So some councillors have some friends in one publication," Ladner told the Georgia Straight . "They turn the city upside down to do a review of advertising policy so their friends can get more ads, which seems to be what's going on here."

Woodsworth, a lesbian, introduced her motion after XTRA! West publisher Rick Smith and managing editor Gareth Kirkby complained in person to the committee that the paper wasn't getting its fair share of city advertising business.

Before the 2002 civic election, XTRA! West featured Woodsworth, then­COPE council candidate Tim Stevenson, and then­COPE mayoral candidate Larry Campbell on the cover above the headline: "A queer's dream team?"

According to an October 2002 telephone survey by Ipsos-Reid, approximately 67,000 out of the region's 1.4 million residents between the ages of 16 and 64 identify themselves as members of the gay and lesbian community. Of those, 34,000 read the Georgia Straight ; 25,000 read XTRA! West .

Smith complained to the committee that Vancouver is losing out on tapping into "huge pools of talent" by not placing a sufficient number of ads in XTRA! West .

"When our readers see a city ad inviting them to volunteer, apply for funding, attend an open house, nominate a hero, or otherwise participate in the political life of the city, they do not think the ad is speaking to them unless they see it in their gay and lesbian media," Smith claimed. "I dare say the same applies to other minority communities, particularly those that have been traditionally oppressed."

Paul Heraty, the city's communications coordinator, told the committee that ads are placed in consultation with the department that wishes to advertise.

"We do it using three main criteria: target audience, budget, and deadlines," Heraty said. "Where an audience has a multicultural component to it, we will seek out a high-circulation community paper to reach that audience. For example, we will use Ming Pao and Sing Tao and World Journal to hit Chinese populations."

A staff report stated that the city advertises primarily in weekly and daily papers because their deadlines more easily meet the needs of city departments. City clerk Syd Baxter told the committee that the city also advertises in XTRA! West .

Smith, however, objected to not getting city ads in the last year concerning liquor-licensing hearings, appointments to the peace and justice committee, celebration grants, substance-misuse prevention, community information advice, and heritage awards.

"Perhaps old habits die hard and staff have not fully digested the multicultural reality of Vancouver," Smith said.

Stevenson, a gay United Church minister, told the committee that he asked staff to look into this issue a few months ago.

"Gay people do read the Sun , the Province ; they do read the Straight ," Stevenson said. "But when they read it in their own community paper, they feel it is directed to them, so they are being invited as a gay or lesbian or bisexual or a transgendered person to be involved in the life of the city in whatever particular way is being advertised. I think that needs to override some of the concerns that I hear the staff suggesting."

Shortly before the election, Kirkby endorsed Woodsworth's candidacy for council, describing her as a "real gem" who would shake up city hall. Kirkby also endorsed Stevenson, describing him as "wonderfully outspoken against the use of city rules to enforce outdated moral values".

As for Mayor Campbell, Kirkby wrote: "Easiest voting choice I've ever faced....He'll tackle the toughest problems, involve neighbourhoods directly, play hard-ball to get genuine community policing. Smart man. Big heart. Knows how city hall really works."

Kirkby did not endorse Ladner.

Ladner, vice-president of Business in Vancouver Media Group, said he left the room during the committee's discussion on the advertising policy because he felt he was in a conflict of interest.

"If I had known it was an opportunity to make sales presentations, I would have had one of our people out there too," Ladner commented. "Everybody can make the case that they should get more ads."