Paul Houle: An impressive showing for Independent COPE

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      Members of the COPE executive board who are seen as favouring a close alliance with Vision Vancouver were dealt a setback at the organization’s annual general meeting on Sunday (February 19). Their control of the executive dropped from all to only seven of the 12 positions on the board.

      The “Independent COPE” group gained five positions on the board and even those seats won by the COPE-Vision “coalitionists”—as I will call them here—were often won by only narrow to razor-thin margins.

      While the pro-Vision coalition slate ran only nine candidates for 12 positions—leaving three up for grabs—Independent COPE was able to take all those three plus chipping away another two.

      The meeting got off to a rocky start when an apparent 69 brand-new or renewed members of COPE showed up close to the meeting start time. With members of COPE streaming into the hall, the executive decided to hold a quick conclave to approve all the new memberships.

      COPE member (and lawyer) Gail Davidson charged to the microphone at the very start of the event to challenge this apparent effort at meeting packing by the outgoing executive. Davidson also alleged later that four Independent COPE supporters were subsequently excluded from the meeting for apparently arriving too late.

      As a former member of the COPE executive, I have to say that the actions of the outgoing executive in approving these 69 new members was singularly lacking in transparency.

      The COPE constitution and bylaws do not enforce a mandatory minimum advance sign-up period for new members who wish to vote at a general meeting—unlike a nomination meeting’s 45 days (e.g., no new members signed up in the 45 days prior to the nomination meeting). However, the executive must approve all new members—and in this lies much of the problem.

      During my seven years on the board, new members were generally approved the night before or the morning of the meeting, but not after members were already walking into the meeting hall. When these approvals did happen the night before or morning of, there was usually a broad understanding by all sides in an electoral contest that all of the eligible new memberships would be approved at the same time—fairly and squarely.

      I am afraid that quickly approving 69 new memberships in the course of only a couple of minutes raises serious questions about due process and whether there was an appropriate level of scrutiny to make sure all new members were eligible—and I mean eligible according to the dictates of the constitution and bylaws—not eligible according to the need of one side to win at all costs.

      Of course, it also appears that Independent COPE might have won even more or all of the positions on the board if it wasn’t for this group of 69 who floated in at the last moment.

      After this opening debacle, the membership passed a motion asking that the organization review the criteria for membership sign-ups prior to the next general meeting—kind of like locking the barn door after the horse has already escaped and run far away.

      Despite being swamped at the last minute by this group of 69, who appeared to be mostly supporting the pro-Vision coalition side, Independent COPE got its message out.

      The voting started off with a razor-thin contest when Tim Louis of Independent COPE came within four votes of defeating R.J. Aquino for the position of external chair (Aquino 145, Louis 141). The other table officer votes went as follows:

      • Internal chair: Serena Talbot 144, Connie Hubbs (Independent COPE) 122

      • Recording secretary: Donalda Greenwell-Baker 133, Gretchen Dulmage (Independent COPE) 105

      • Corresponding secretary: Kim Hearty (Independent COPE) 122, Brent Granby 119

      • Treasurer: Aaron Eddie 111, Paul Houle (Independent COPE) 110

      • Fundraiser: David Chudnovsky 123, Raymond Tomlin (Independent COPE) 96

      • Membership: Kate Van Meer-Mass 109, Sean Antrim (Independent COPE) 97

      Independent COPE took four of the five member-at-large positions: Ifny Lachance (171), Anita Romaniuk (157), Wilson Munoz (121), and Tristan Markle (110). The remaining spot was claimed by Richard Marquez (125), who ran with the COPE-Vision “coalitionist” group, although many of Marquez’s comments during his acceptance speech seemed to echo those of Independent COPE, especially in regard to developer control of city hall.

      Not successful for member-at-large spots were: Jane Bouey (109), Brent Granby (104), and Tim Louis (100). Louis had dropped down to run for a member-at-large opening after not being successful for external chair. His defeat for a member-at-large position was surprising given his strong showing in the external chair balloting.

      However, it appears that about 100 people left the meeting in the approximately four hours it took to finally get to the member-at-large balloting. It could have been that many of the people who left may have been supporters of Louis. As well, many may not have realized that he was going to seek a member-at-large position after losing at external chair.

      So, this significant gain by Independent COPE will put us in a better position to point out the folly of COPE’s subservient alliance with Vision Vancouver. Vision has become the new pro-developer party, with the NPA relegated for now to a “junior” developer party position.

      Independent COPE needs to work within and without COPE to support the average residents of this city and to bring COPE back to its rightful place of being the real defender of the “99 percent”. Vision is busy defending the big developers in the city. COPE must be the advocate for those who cannot afford to buy overpriced condos in Canada’s most expensive city.

      Independent COPE can help to galvanize the organization again to become the real opposition and real alternative at city hall, park board, and school board.

      Paul Houle is a supporter of Independent COPE and has been a member of COPE for 26 years. He lost by one vote in the race for the treasurer’s position at Sunday’s AGM.

      Comments

      19 Comments

      James G

      Feb 21, 2012 at 2:19pm

      This City owes a debt of gratitude for the efforts of Tim Louis, Gail Davidson, the candidates for change and to yourself, Paul Houle. I wonder how many supporters such as myself have been in and out of the organization over the years but then retreated into other obligations and personal life? You have stayed in and fought hard and thank you for that.

      City Observer

      Feb 21, 2012 at 4:13pm

      In fact, there were 5 late-arriving members (apparent supporters of the COPE Independents) who attempted to register as new members, once it was determined that the outgoing COPE Executive was allowing a last-minute member sign up, in the half-hour period after the scheduled meeting 2pm start time.

      Where the group of 69 (one has to presume Vision appeaser group) 'late arriver group' had there membership applications accepted, the 5 others (the COPE Independent friendly group) were turned away, and told they couldn't sign up.

      All things being equal, had the 5 late-arriving 'potential' members in support of the COPE Independent group had their membership applications accepted, both Paul Houle and Tim Louis likely would have been elected to the 2012-2013 COPE Executive, giving the COPE Independent group 7 seats on the Executive, and the residents of Vancouver an opposition voice to the 'way too cozy with developers' Council currently in power at City Hall.

      Sweet Baby Jesus

      Feb 21, 2012 at 5:09pm

      That's a wonderful comment. Cope is in need of what our city and globe badly lack: courage, compassion and principle. Mad respect and big props to Gail Davidson, Tim Louis and Paul Houle. They've been loyal to Cope's principles even when Cope was not. Respect

      COPE Independents

      Feb 21, 2012 at 7:40pm

      I like the sound of Houle's 'COPE Independents'. COPE Independents should begin to act on their own. While the COPE/Vision Marriage crowd continues to have way too much power within COPE (thanks to their dirty tricks as detailed above) the COPE Independents need to start to act consciously as group, apart from the COPE/Vision crowd. Independent action by the Independents. Don't subordinate yourselves to the people who want to subordinate COPE to Vision.

      Thugs

      Feb 21, 2012 at 10:56pm

      You're proud to have the support of MAWO?

      small matters

      Feb 22, 2012 at 10:30am

      I saw several folks who worked as paid staff for Vision Vancouver in attendance casting ballots for the David Chudnovsky led coalition group. You want to tell me that their primary concern is the well being of Cope? Don't sidetrack us "Thugs". Support for Independent Cope runs deep.

      Connie Hubbs

      Feb 22, 2012 at 10:44am

      As in most organizations, there are two opposing sides but as well as third group that longs for cooperation, civility and both of the sides working together. Many from that group attended the meeting I believe and while the process of the meeting would have been especially frustrating for them, they will be pleased to see a much broader range of views represented in this new executive. It was too bad that a positive event (high meeting attendance and many new sign ups) was confounded with the very poor process that occurred in those membership approvals. This had the unintended consequence of making those new and renewing members feel less than welcome.
      The new executive should move to make the rules super clear to all as an early priority.

      Thugs

      Feb 22, 2012 at 11:40am

      I don't whether there were or weren't Vision staff voting, as I didn't see (or, I suppose, don't know) them. I do know that Ivan Drury's recounting of his time in MAWO (http://ivandrury.wordpress.com/2008/02/01/public-letter-on-ivan-drurys-r...) shows a group of people that do very bad things, and if the Independent COPE group solicited their support it says much about the content of their character.

      small matters

      Feb 22, 2012 at 12:17pm

      Yet Ivan supported an Indepdedent Cope. You're badly stretching credibility here. Ryan Sudds among others who attended were employed as staff by Vision Vancouver. Period. Full stop. They never show up to Cope stuff except to cast ballots at these type events. Was David recruiting among Vison supporters? How loyal to Cope can you be if your primary alliance is to another cvic level partyb Two can play your game "Thugs". Give it a rest man.

      small matters

      Feb 22, 2012 at 12:20pm

      Also can we move forward without crazed divisive and highly unrelevant potshots? Cope needs to become relevant again for the health of our city and communities, not the least those citizens marginalized by. a growing wealth and power divide. The aptly named "Thugs" leads us astray.