Dorothy Bell: Lamenting the end of the independent candidate in the City of North Vancouver

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      If you asked my opinion why North Vancouver City council appears so very dysfunctional, you would get a very simple answer. The party system is alive and well in North Van City and that system breeds divisiveness.

      Party system you say? There are no parties—well, no one except Unite North Van mayoralty candidate George Pringle has declared a true political party, but there are very clear lines drawn in the sand by Mayor Darrell Mussatto and Councillor Craig Keating. As New Democrats you would think that their team would be made up of union or NDP supporters. It’s not.

      Team Keating-Mussatto (Team KM) has selected candidates that they feel will win a particular segment of the population. Their goal is to have seven pairs of boots on the ground to rally their own particular audiences. Linda Buchanan was elected last time and has been a perfect yes-woman for that team, supporting every overdevelopment placed before council. She has voiced support in the past for the sale of school lands.

      And because that team’s only goal is to get elected, they really haven’t screened their candidates well. Witness contender Iani Makris, who has a propensity to use vulgar profanity—the C-word—that Wikipedia calls a “term of abuse” against women. Mussatto says he supports Makris as he does with all first-time candidates. Not likely. I am a first-time city council candidate and Team KM is not supporting me!

      Team KM has selected a businesswoman who lives in the District and says “her heart is in the district”. Holly Back has always represented or run in the District. Doesn’t the City have good candidates? I think we need to have representation that lives here and whose heart is in the City. Someone who will fight for City school lands instead of promoting the sale of them to developers.

      Team KM’s Matt Clark was selected primarily because Clark will be confused with Rod Clark—a long-term councillor with an extensive background. Cute play, Team KM.

      What does this team have in common? Well they all believe that it is ethical to take developers’ money during the election. They all put out their hands for that dirty money. They all support Mussatto’s vision of more density, more density, and more density. Traffic? (What traffic?) Parking? (Tsk tsk. You own a car...) Growth? (One percent a year...) Come on, tell the truth.

      So Team KM is forcing true independents to form an alliance. They are pushing us to join forces.

      The last great mayor of the City, Jack Loucks, brought diverse views to the table to ensure that the best decisions were made for the community. He made everyone—all councilors at the table—feel welcome to express their views. He didn’t support slates or municipal parties. Mussatto always has.

      From the get-go Mussatto has had teams and slates. Because of the new election rules he is hiding the slate. Gone are the big ads of Mussatto’s picks but rest assured that behind the scenes in the dark backrooms of the campaign, there are people working to get seven people elected. Even a phone bank for our tiny city.

      So I lament. Gone are the days of a council that respects and supports one another. Gone. The only goal for the current mayor and Team KM is to have a well-oiled and financed team; one unified pro-developer vote. Kick off every dissenting vote or alternate point of view.

      Pity.

      Comments

      2 Comments

      Kari Morass

      Oct 28, 2014 at 10:49am

      What a joke you people are. Why don't you talk about all the good these people have done. What one thing have you done to change this world?
      You should be ashamed of your hate is this what it takes to get yourself to council. Well I'm sure you'll take this post down, cause I don't think truth runs in your blood.
      May the hate leave your blood before voting day.

      Chris C

      Mar 15, 2015 at 9:43pm

      Hate? Dorothy has it 100% Bang on accurate. She describes precisely what is going on in the City of North Van(and elsewhere) With the all too predictable result of the elections, I can only be even more glad that I have started an escape plan. Cannot handle the corruption here any longer.