Pollster cites Raymond Louie as a federal Liberal for Vancouver East

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      A pollster’s telephone call has one Downtown Eastside resident wondering if Vision Vancouver councillor Raymond Louie is finally making a jump to the federal Liberals.

      Wendy Pedersen, a well-known housing activist, told the Straight that on December 20 she received a robocall asking who she would vote for in Vancouver East. The name presented for the Liberal Party was Louie’s.

      “I was so happy to hear it confirmed that he actually was a Liberal,” Pedersen said with a laugh. “I immediately pressed the NDP.”

      Louie, deputy mayor and vice chair of Metro Vancouver, was reelected for a fifth term on council on November 15. His past associations with the Liberals include appearing at a 2011 campaign event at Langara College with Michael Ignatieff, then the party’s leader. The same year, Louie endorsed the Liberal MP, Ujjal Dosanjh, for reelection over the NDP candidate, Meena Wong.

      Louie did not respond to requests for an interview by the Straight’s deadline.

      Vancouver East has remained safely in the NDP camp since 1997, when Libby Davies defeated Liberal incumbent Anna Terrana. Davies announced on December 12 that she won’t seek reelection. Vancouver–Mount Pleasant MLA Jenny Kwa, Vancouver-Kensington MLA Mable Elmore, and former COPE city councillor Ellen Woodsworth have since emerged as potential NDP candidates for 2015. The only high-profile personality who has surfaced as a possible contender for the Liberals in Vancouver East is marijuana activist Jodie Emery.

      In the 2011 election for Vancouver East, the Liberals’ Roma Ahi placed third with just 4,382 votes compared to Davies’ 27,794. 

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      Comments

      5 Comments

      jp

      Dec 23, 2014 at 9:52am

      Are there no other ridings in Vancouver

      Nicholas Ellan

      Dec 23, 2014 at 10:46am

      If it comes down to Kwan vs. Louie this riding will be in play.

      Save Vancouver

      Dec 23, 2014 at 9:30pm

      My bet is on the good residents of Vancouver East continuing to throw their votes away on the NDP, which will never be the governing party in Canada.

      BC

      Dec 24, 2014 at 9:17am

      Raymond Louie is a decent man and would be a good catch for the Liberals. He's someone I would vote for.

      mike

      Dec 24, 2014 at 10:49am

      Good news, he would be gone from council, another visionless person but bad news he may hang around with a new group