Geoff Meggs to seek B.C. NDP nomination in Vancouver-Fairview
Vancouver city councillor Geoff Meggs has confirmed he will seek a B.C. NDP nomination in the riding of Vancouver-Fairview.
The councillor said he decided to throw his hat in the provincial ring based on the support he was getting offered in the constituency.
“I’ve spent my whole life in the riding,” he told the Straight by phone this morning. “I know a lot about the people and the issues there."
Rumours had long been circulating that Meggs was considering running provincially.
The councillor’s bid for the nomination was made public by Green city councillor Adriane Carr through a post on Twitter Thursday (June 7) evening.
“Geoff Meggs just told me that he’s filed to run for BC NDP in Vancouver-Fairview. Congrats!” she tweeted.
Meggs said he wasn't planning on doing a major announcement about his provincial bid. He filed his papers to seek the candidacy "a couple of days ago", he said.
The councillor will be running against another prominent candidate, former B.C. Government and Service Employees' Union president George Heyman. The NDP nomination meeting in Vancouver-Fairview will be held on October 21. The constituency is currently represented by B.C. Liberal cabinet minister Margaret MacDiarmid.
Among the issues Meggs said he’d like to see more provincial action on in the riding are investments in rapid transit along the Broadway corridor, support for the cluster of public health institutions in the riding, and the provision of affordable housing options.
“l’d really like to see the province step up to provide a range of cheaper housing options,” he said.
Meggs said his city councillor position will continue to take priority as he campaigns for the NDP nomination.
“I’ve always been a full-time councillor, and that’s not going to change,” he said.
He added that he met with his Vision Vancouver colleagues and with the mayor in recent days, who was “very sympathetic and understanding” of his decision. Meggs was reelected to a second term on council in November 2011.
Another Vision Vancouver official, Constance Barnes, recently announced her plans to seek a provincial nomination with the B.C. NDP. Barnes stepped down as chair of the Vancouver Park Board, but will remain a park board commissioner as she seeks a nomination in the riding of Vancouver-False Creek.
Comments
3 Comments
Urban_Citizen
Jun 8, 2012 at 12:23pm
I'm unclear as to what Geoff Meggs is referring to as "affordable housing options" - Vancouver City Council is approving rental projects as "affordable housing" with waivers of standard municipal charges and unit rents of over $2000 per month...are these the types of "affordable housing options" Mr. Meggs would like to pursue at the provincial level?
Andrew
Jun 8, 2012 at 12:58pm
Meggs was already picketed at the NDP's Fairview AGM at Hillcrest Community Centre back on April 22nd. He's likely to be picketed again and again if he really decides to run for the nomination. Does the NDP really want to nominate a friend of developers and big money interests to run as a candidate?
babalu
Jun 8, 2012 at 1:09pm
Perhaps Urban Citizen should blame the federal and provincial governments for lack of senior government housing programs, especially in regards to lack of housing for poor and low-income people. To make housing affordable for some requires a subsidy of sorts; by waiving some 'municipal fees', reducing parking requirements and other like measures, the city is in effect subsidizing the rents in some rental buildings. What would the rents be like otherwise?
At least Vision tried. Rabid NIMBY West End condo owners, half-baked advocates, NPA snipers and old COPE rear garders make strange bedfellows.