Vancouver Greens refuse to back anyone for mayor

    1 of 1 2 of 1

      Not sure who to vote for Vancouver mayor?

      Good luck asking the Greens. They’re not interested in the mayoral race.

      For the Green Party of Vancouver, it’s all about who gets elected to council.

      “Our desire is to get a council that is more diverse and representative,” Green council candidate Pete Fry told the Straight in a phone interview.

      According to the graphics designer and web developer, he’d like to see councillors from Vision Vancouver, Non-Partisan Association, Coalition of Progressive Electors, and the Greens.

      “That would be my ideal,” Fry said.

      People who ask Fry on the campaign trail about who they should pick for mayor aren’t going to get much.

      “I’m not sure that I would advise them to vote for anybody as mayor,” he said. “I would just advise that they vote for three Greens to ensure that we have voice of conscience on council.”

      Fry want to see a council that is not dominated by a single party.

      “That’s the kind of spirit that will bring collaboration and makes for a better system,” he said.

      Fry is running alongside Cleta Brown and incumbent councillor Adriane Carr. Fry's mother is Liberal MP Hedy Fry; Brown's mother was former NDP MLA Rosemary Brown.

      Last June, the Greens unanimously decided at a special general meeting not to run a mayoral candidate and not to endorse anyone for the position.

      In a media statement issued at that time, party chair Jacquie Miller said: “Councillor Carr is the Greens’ natural choice for Mayor, but we all know she is not running for Mayor in 2014.”

      Although Carr won’t say who she will vote for mayor in this year’s November civic election, the lone Green councillor indicated that she’s looking for a particular “style”.

      “One that emphasizes collaboration, and that is willing to work with a team of people,” Carr explained. “Not a majority so-called government and minority so-called opposition members. We’re not a parliament. We are a city council elected as equals, and I think that the city would be way better off if all of us contributed, discussions happen, information was shared well in advance of decisions, and the ideas put forward by the public incorporated into those decisions.”

      According to Carr, mayor Gregor Robertson of Vision “can do better” in this regard.

      As for NPA mayoral candidate Kirk LaPointe, Carr noted that she has met the former media manager only once.

      “He’s an unknown to me,” Carr said about LaPointe. “I’m following what he’s saying. He’s saying some good things about wanting to collaborate more with the public and have a more collaborative style. But I have not seen him in action.”

      Comments

      9 Comments

      Boris Moris

      Aug 25, 2014 at 12:32pm

      "“He’s an unknown to me,” Carr said about LaPointe."

      An unknown? Really?

      The fact this guy was at the editorial helm of the BC Liberal's and Harper government's erstwhile PR organ, the Vancouver Sun, from 2003-2010 should tell you all you need to know about this guy.
      Carr's twittering is reminiscent of Elizabeth May saying last year that she had no idea Mike Duffy was a Con before Harper greased him into his senate seat.

      Green leadership: Clueless and keeping Cons in power for close to 3 decades.

      John S

      Aug 25, 2014 at 3:13pm

      It makes perfect sense not to back a mayoral candidate. Since no party with a mayoral candidate is running a complete slate, the Greens can make a case for the remaining votes on Council, Park Board and the VSB. It's strategic.

      Ned

      Aug 25, 2014 at 3:15pm

      Boris you are a tiresome troll.

      Boris Moris

      Aug 25, 2014 at 4:19pm

      Ned, I can feel your pain from here.

      Ouch. Must hurt just to stay in denial, 99% of the time, about the fact the Green leadership: a) don't have a clue about what they're doing but love the perks...or b) the leaders might have a quiet deal with the Cons.

      It's not a complicated or confusing concept. Stay committed as a political entity with the resulting vote splitting ONLY harmful to the left of center and the center left. The membership needn't have a clue about backroom deals. Not a clue. That should be the true Canadian Green motto.

      I wonder what Euro Greens would think if they knew Canadian Greens were all about (ultimately) propping up resource extractor funded right wing politicos.

      Christine

      Aug 26, 2014 at 12:06am

      The Green Party is where entitled burnout children of entitled mainstream politicians go to run for office. Sad.

      wooden knee

      Aug 26, 2014 at 2:39am

      I'm so tired of the Green's and their political ignorance. So instead of actually taking a stand for a progressive mayor, they prefer to be political whores and go for any votes to get elected. Not going right or left they instead play all sides of the fence.
      Seriously, this party is not green, just desperate for power.

      stratyos

      Aug 26, 2014 at 12:12pm

      I think it's great that the Greens are not endorsing any mayoral candidate. After all, the Greens have said that they don't like developer-funded parties, and both of the big-name mayoral candidates we have now are from such developer-funded parties. They've also declined to do electoral cooperation with other parties, so I just see them as being consistent.

      MD

      Aug 26, 2014 at 12:13pm

      If Carr doesn't have a read on LaPointe after her time in Vancouver politics, she is far more out of touch with reality than I have ever given her credit for

      stratyos

      Aug 26, 2014 at 12:14pm

      Also, Gregor Robertson is a "progressive mayor"? Uh... maybe only in terms of bike lanes.