Vancouver mayoral candidate funding campaign with marijuana sales

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      He has run twice for Vancouver mayor, and he’s doing it again.

      Mike Hansen, a self-described blue-collar politician, offers a message of hope.

      “I’ve been poor, homeless, alcoholic, drug addicted and in despair,” Hansen writes on his website. “When you manage to overcome life’s obstacles, your life can and will change.”

      The 59-year-old boasts of a solid working-class background: “I’ve been in construction most of my life with episodes of long haul trucking, brokering pension funds, promoting stocks and consulting.”

      The father of three grown sons has a sense of humour: “I call myself a ‘try-athlete’ (tried most sports).”

      Like the incumbent city mayor, Hansen likes to bike, relating that he pedals 40 to 50 kilometres per week.

      He’s not shy about his amorous affairs: “When in a relationship I’m a ‘one women man’ but when I’m single you might find me in the company of a ‘Lady of the evening’, day or night. Don’t be alarmed, as I’m a proponent! I’m a ‘proud, happy and gay heterosexual’.”

      While candidates of established civic parties rely on contributions from developers, unions, and other interests, Hansen discloses that his independent campaign is funded by marijuana sales to people over 18 years old.

      In the 2008 election won by Gregor Robertson, close to 500 people voted for Hansen. That’s quite a jump from the more than 300 votes he got in 2005.

      Comments

      1 Comments

      Arthur Green

      Aug 22, 2014 at 2:30pm

      When looking for my support, he never revealed any of that to me. Actually defining himself as an anti- colonialist.
      When I recommended that he aline himself with a Party, so he could fund raise, he never mentioned that he was a "Liberal".