By Eli Zbar

Many Vancouverites continue to consider who to trust with their votes this election. With few incumbents, trust is a key feature of an electable candidate. I am asking you to trust Ken Charko with one of your 10 votes for city council. Let me introduce you to Ken.

Ken Charko has a reputation built on trust; a reputation that includes significant entrepreneurial success and decades of community leadership. Tens of thousands of Vancouverites have trusted Ken as the operator of the iconic Dunbar Theatre for more than 20 years.

I first met Ken Charko in 2011 when I volunteered for his NPA campaign. In 2011, he was short of victory by only a handful of votes. During this campaign, I immediately recognized Ken as a serious candidate, willing to put in the hours and do what it takes to win. Vancouver city council needs Ken’s work ethic and goal-oriented attitude. Ken is guided by facts and experience, not ideology. He is principled but willing to have his mind changed. Finally, as a self-made entrepreneur, Ken is not beholden to a single special interest group.

It’s 2018 and I am still volunteering on his campaign. Throughout the countless debates, forums, and events, Ken’s ideas and personality have appealed to people from across the political spectrum. The appeal is easily explained—shared values. People relate to those who share their core values and who embody the kind of person they want running City Hall. Ken’s speaks of continuing his decades of fighting to save arts and cultural institutions from demolition, including the Dunbar and Hollywood theatres. He questions why Vancouver is the only big city in North America that doesn’t have ride-sharing apps like Uber and Lyft. He calls for innovative solutions to housing and homelessness, rather than continuing the failed strategies of previous administrations.

People relate to these ideas because they are common sense, but few candidates have Ken’s courage, and freedom from lobbyists, to push for them.  

I ask you to trust Ken Charko with one of your 10 votes for city council because if elected, he will fight to:

1. save at least $200,000,000 of your money by keeping the viaducts;
2. repeal the recent mass rezoning of Vancouver and bring the rezoning process to the community through local planning offices, instead of forcing the community to come to city hall;
3. perform a forensic review and opinion of the budget within the first three months;
4. lobby the provincial government to legalize ride-sharing apps;
5. bolster subsidized housing for those at risk of becoming homeless;
6. and clean up all the dirty needles and keep parks, streets, and boulevards clear.  

Ken understands the difference between cost and value, leading him to innovative and holistic solutions. Solutions like removing 30 percent of the seats in the Dunbar Theatre to make sure each guest has a great experience for their hard-earned dollar.

Ken has a formidable track record, having won the Chamber of Commerce Business of the Year award and a nomination for the Mayor’s Environmental Innovator of the Year. He’s served as the vice president of the B.C. Motion Picture Association and is producing a short film which will be submitted to TIFF. He’s also a seven years director and current president of the Riley Park Hillcrest Community Association.

Finally, let me address why Ken is not running with the NPA. It is for one simple reason—respect for democracy. This year, the entire NPA slate for city council, park board, and school board were appointed by a closed room of monied elite, some of whom are privileged to share Gregor Robertson’s self-made luxury private playground on Point Grey Road. The NPA’s backroom antics have driven away many other candidates in this election, including Wai, Glen, Erin, and Hector. Clearly, something is broken in the NPA and both Ken and Vancouver are better off without them. That said, Ken would work productively with all his fellow elected councillors, regardless of party affiliation.

Trustworthy. Principled. Goal-oriented. This is a rare and potent combination for a politician. Please trust Ken Charko with one of your 10 votes for Vancouver city council.