I did not plan or intend to run for city council—or any public office. I am an artist; that is my educational background and training but, like so many people, I am simply sick and tired with the absence of transparency and lack of accountability from our public officials.

When Capilano University arbitrarily closed the studio art and other programs, it became obvious that, not only was this not a decision based upon actual economics, but that the very individuals who had been entrusted to safeguard the university and its programs, were in fact actively culpable for the demise and closures. Further, they proceeded in pursuit of a private agenda—with public funds—without the slightest intent to respect or adhere to regulations, the University Act, or even rule of law. We see this scenario repeated all too frequently at every level of government, with public officials, elected and appointed—engaging in secrecy and resisting both public input and any accountability, even when this is required by law. It should not be necessary for the public to file freedom of information requests of government officials. It should not be necessary for citizens to turn to litigation as their only recourse when government officials refuse to listen to the people; it should not be necessary for us to constantly demand government is acting responsibly and within the law; and it should not be necessary for us to repeatedly be forced to demand proper transparency and accountability, but sadly, it has become necessary.

Nowhere is this more evident than in the slip-shod approach to accountability and disregard for transparency demonstrated by our current elected mayor and council. Rather than conducting city business and reflecting the will of the people of Vancouver with open, responsive government, the mayor and council have instead embarked upon a private agenda, one that appears to be of benefit to but a few individuals—curiously, Vision Vancouver’s financial backers—with little, if any, regard for the majority of Vancouverites. Time after time the people of Vancouver have found themselves forced to pursue legal action in order to have the mayor and council listen; time upon time, the people of Vancouver have had to resort to filing freedom of information requests to ascertain the truth of what the mayor and council were actually doing. This is unacceptable. Nor is it acceptable for our mayor and council to demonstrate not merely indifference, but open hostility toward citizen involvement in government. The nature of the relationship between the public and our elected officials is supposed to be based upon representation, rather than disrespect; why then have we reached the point where 17 lawsuits have been launched by citizen groups and associations? Why then have we found ourselves obligated to file dozens of freedom of information requests simply in order to uncover the truth? Why are the mayor and council’s attitude toward the people of Vancouver invariably adversarial when concerns or complaints are brought before them? Clearly, it is time for change. The mayor and council have failed to properly represent the will of the people of Vancouver. This failure must be acknowledged by all the members of council.

I am running for COPE not only because I admire and believe in COPE’s “people first” philosophy, but because COPE is—and always has been—the one party unafraid to speak up for the average citizen, their concerns, their needs! COPE accepts no money from developers or corporate interests, so our policies are not designed to please the few but rather, to serve the many. COPE is democratic to the core: candidates are not “selected” by an executive, but are nominated and their candidacy voted upon by the membership; our policies are likewise the result of suggestions and motions advanced by members; there is no one person designated as “leader”, but rather each and every member’s voice is recognized, acknowledged, and incorporated into the final decision which is always put to democratic vote.

There are a number of actions we will take to improve this situation: first and foremost, COPE will make affordable housing an actual priority, rather than a mere election item; the COPE city council will, for example, assume the role of the developer instead of depending upon for-profit corporations to meet criteria for low-income housing; COPE will explore zoning for affordable housing; local rent-controls; the city will enforce the laws and by-laws already in place to force landlords and owners of rental properties to adhere to the health standards that are currently law. There is no excuse for Vision’s failure to enforce health and safety regulations for housing in Vancouver—one such example of this failure is their abandonment of the SROs, when bylaws giving them the power to enforce and prosecute owners for not complying to safety standards have existed since 1956!

COPE candidates represent an actual cross-section of our society and city: average citizens seeking a betterment of conditions for the average person, instead of rewarding financial supporters with preferential treatment. I am extremely proud and honoured to be a COPE candidate and to stand with my fellow candidates as we seek to replace the old politics of secrecy and special-interest—so aptly demonstrated by the current mayor and council—with what the public really wants, needs, and expects from their elected representatives: honesty, transparency, and accountability. This is why I am running for city council for COPE. On election day, give some thought to what you expect from your elected officials and then choose the candidates and party that best meets your criteria. To see change, we must vote for change. Our platform is to address Vancouver’s affordable housing crisis by creating a housing authority, as has been done in Stockholm, Vienna, and other cities around the world in order to maintain adequate rental housing for its citizens in an artificially-inflated real estate market. The required “living wage” for someone in Vancouver is in excess of $20 an hour (according to the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives), so the current minimum wage of $10.25 an hour is barely half of what people need. This is why we are advancing an increase in the minimum wage to $15 an hour, so that working people might somehow have the means to survive in North America’s most expensive city. We are advocating a tax on residential properties used as “vacation” homes for wealthy non-residents and a further tax on luxury homes. We have a transit plan that will result in free transit by 2030!

COPE is the one party actively engaged in changing the climate at city hall and opening up government to the people it is designed and intended to represent. On election day, make your vote count for something better: bring democracy back to the people, vote COPE for a fundamental change in Vancouver.