Vancouver mayor-elect Kennedy Stewart shows a far less partisan side than his predecessor

    1 of 1 2 of 1

      One of the early tests of Vancouver's incoming mayor was going to be how he treated NPA councillors when it came to appointments.

      In this regard, Kennedy Stewart has demonstrated that he's far less partisan than his predecessor, Gregor Robertson.

      This is reflected in Stewart's decision to recommend that the NPA's Melissa De Genova chair the important standing committee on city finances and services.

      Green councillor Adriane Carr has been recommended to chair the committee on policy and strategic priorities.

      A tripartisan committee chaired by OneCity's Christine Boyle and including the NPA's Rebecca Bligh and the Greens' Michael Wiebe are suggested for a subcommittee recommending nominees to city advisory bodies.

      The City of Vancouver Public Housing Corporation Board will include Stewart, De Genova, Carr, and Boyle, if council accepts the mayor's recommendations.

      De Genova and the NPA's Colleen Hardwick would join Stewart on the Vancouver Civic Development Corporation board.

      Stewart would also be appointed to the Vancouver Economic Commission and be on the board of the Vancouver Art Gallery, along with the NPA's Sarah Kirby-Yung.

      Every member of council with the exception of COPE's Jean Swanson would be given a separate month to serve as deputy mayor on a rotating basis, if council accepts another of Stewart's recommendations.

      The deputy mayor makes $3,111 per month on top of the annual council salary of $83,998 (plus an annual supplement of $3,048).

      Carr has been proposed as deputy mayor in November and in August 2019.

      De Genova would get this position in December, followed by the Greens' Pete Fry, the NPA's Hardwick, the Greens' Michael Wiebe, OneCity's Boyle, and the NPA's Lisa Dominato, Rebecca Bligh, and Kirby-Yung.

      In his later years as mayor, Robertson would only appoint a Vision Vancouver councillor as a year-long deputy mayor. Robertson also ensured that Vision Vancouver councillor Raymond Louie kept the title "acting mayor", along with the $1,131 per month stipend that went with it.

      Stewart has recommended a rotating roster of duty councillors, switching between the Greens, NPA, and OneCity. This position carries additional pay of $3,111 per month served on top of the council pay package.

      In addition, Stewart has recommended that the NPA receive three of Vancouver's seven spots on the Metro Vancouver board.

      If council approves this, De Genova would receive five votes on the regional board, as would Stewart, Carr, and Boyle. Hardwick, Wiebe, and Dominato would each receive four votes.

      Fry, who came second in the council race, has been recommended as an alternate Metro Vancouver director for Stewart, Carr, and Wiebe. 

      Swanson is named as Boyle's alternate; Bligh is Hardwick's alternate; and Kirby-Yung is Dominato's alternate.

      Metro Vancouver directors receive $387 per meeting lasting up to four hours, and $775 per meeting that extends beyond four meetings.

      Metro Vancouver committee chairs are paid an additional $387 per month.

      Meanwhile, Fry has also been recommended as Vancouver's representative on the Union of B.C. Municipalities executive for the next year.

      Stewart also called for Bligh to become the city's representative on the Federation of Canadian Municipalities board until June 4, 2020.

      Boyle would be council's representative on the Vancouver Public Library Board. Fry would be the rep on the Vancouver City Planning Commission. Kirby-Yung would be named to the public art committee.

      Dominato would join the Vancouver Civic Theatres board and become chair of the PNE board; Hardwick would be placed on the Vancouver Heritage Foundation Board.

      Swanson would become a member of the joint council on childcare.

      Wiebe would be the city's representative on the board of EasyPark.

      In sum, it appears as though the big three in the NPA caucus will be De Genova, Hardwick, and Dominato, with Bligh and Kirby-Yung playing lesser roles. COPE's Swanson also isn't being asked to do much apart from serving on a childcare committee and being an alternate for the Metro Vancouver board.

      Given the exclusion of Fry from the Metro Vancouver board and the decision to offer Wiebe only four votes on the regional board, one might even be tempted to conclude that Stewart has thrown more bones to the NPA than to the Greens with his various recommendations.

      Update

      Former COPE council candidate Derrick O'Keefe tweeted the following comment:

      Comments