Video: Inauguration Day—a poem on the 2014 Vancouver election

Inauguration Day

This week, there's going to be a lot of talk

About Vancouver's civic democracy

Swearing-in ceremonies will be held

To celebrate so much hypocrisy

But who among those who succeeded

Will tell the truth about those defeated?

Will they admit this was another race

When nonwhite candidates endured disgrace?

Here's the truth that few will report

Anglo names get the most voters' support

White faces and name recognition

Count most with the older generation

Chinese surnames help some people win

But Philippine names, they go to the dustbin

South Asian surnames almost always lose

Leaving Indian candidates with a long-lasting bruise

Africans and First Nations can be doctors and teachers

Latinos and Ismailis can be accountants and preachers

But if they seek election to govern our city

They'll learn that the outcome is invariably shitty

For council, this was the voters' decision

No matter if the person was NPA or Vision

The same is true for the Greens and COPE

Most people of colour simply had no hope

In the recent elections for school and park board

Even ethnic-sounding white names were gored.

Forget about wards—there's no political will

The winners always see this as a very bitter pill

So let's celebrate Vancouver's democracy

That no one dares call white supremacy

Premier Christy Clark can amend election laws

But she's never taken notice of all of the flaws

The lesson is clear from the recent election

Only the Supreme Court can provide a correction

The charter guarantees no racial discrimination

It was passed in 1982 to improve our nation

The charter also upholds our democratic rights

So why won't any lawyers take up these fights?

This is the first rap I've ever attempted

Please forgive me if it's horribly presented

But I've tried other methods to get this across

But my articles had zero effect on the boss

Gregor Robertson has a chance to address this injustice

History will be kind to him, he's just got to trust us.

Electoral reform will erase the public's view

That Vision Vancouver only listens to the few

We don't need to have a $5-million vote

To reinforce racism—and this you can quote