Raj Hundal was the only one of six Vision Vancouver, COPE,  and NPA candidates of South Asian descent who was elected in the 2008 Vancouver municipal election.

Under the city's at-large system, candidates with South Asian surnames came last on each of their party's respective slates for city council, park board, and school board.

Hundal, a lawyer, is now the Vision Vancouver  chair of the Vancouver park board, which has given him a pulpit to promote a ward system in the city.

In a September 6 phone interview, Hundal told the Georgia Straight that he's  very committed to a ward system for electing city councillors and school trustees.

"I have met individuals within the [Vision Vancouver]  party and outside of the party," Hundal said. "I'm very open to any suggestions."

He noted that B.C. is one of the few places in Canada where politicians are still elected at-large (on a citywide basis) in big-city municipal elections rather than in neighbourhood constituencies known as wards.

Hundal said that it's hypothetically possible for the city to elect an entire council, school board, and park board from residents of a single address in the West End.

"When we talk about democracy, I think it's important to have people throughout the city of Vancouver elected, and not just from one narrow geographic area," he said.

Hundal noted that the Surrey Civic Coalition, which is the left-wing slate in that municipality, supports a ward system. He said that if either Vancouver, Surrey, Richmond or Burnaby introduces a ward system, it will be a catalyst for changing the method of electing councillors in other Metro Vancouver cities.

"The exact makeup   of a ward system, I think, is open to discussion," Hundal said. "I can say that the system we have right now is not a proper system."

Hundal  said that the Vision Vancouver-controlled park board is making efforts to reach Vancouver's diverse communities.

"I know that we do advertising in the ethnic papers," he said. "I have given an indication to park board staff and our communications department that we need to go out and reach all of the ethnic communities. That not only includes the South Asian and the Chinese, but the Tagalog and other communities that exist in Vancouver."

The board meetings have been held in different communities for quite some time--a practice that was in place during the time the NPA had a majority.

Hundal said that the board's two committees will also meet in different areas of the city. Traditionally, the committees have only met at the board office in Stanley Park.

"We are going to go beyond what the NPA did," Hundal said.