EVEN MORE VAN-KINGSWAY NDP STUFF

Underbelly News
Downtown Eastside


EVEN MORE VAN-KINGSWAY NDP STUFF

Hi Friends!

I can't believe how the NDP wavers from its integrity. Please see the posts below. You judge whether the NDP has disembarked from its once firmly held moral ground position - Jamie Lee.

To Members of the Provincial Executive
Attention: President Fox cc: BC NDP Provincial Council,Vancouver Kingsway NDP Members,NDP Members

The Provincial Executive took over the credentials and balloting committees of the December 5th Kingsway nomination meeting, thus violating Article 9.1 of the BC NDP constitution. The Provincial Executive also decided that no memberof the local executive would be allowed to be part of either committee. There was lack of privacy in voting, lack of door control and multiple voting at the December 5, 2004 nomination meeting. Members who had the right to vote were turned away. The local (2004) executive demanded a new nominating convention. The Provincial Executive has now replied that it will investigate these matters.

The Provincial Executive cannot investigate itself. In the interests of justice and democracy, and to forestall any perception of bias, the 2004 Vancouver Kingsway executive expects the Provincial Executive to agree that our complaint must be heard by an independent body, mutually agreed to by the relevant parties. Additional evidence on the irregularities will be presented to that independent investigatory body only, once both parties agree on the composition of this independent body. We remind the Provincial Executive that there is an election in five months, and that Provincial Executive must act quickly and, in the interestsof the party, fairly. We believe that the Provincial Executive made a mistake in taking over the Kingsway nomination meeting, and that it then made a further mistake by running the meeting in a way that allowed for serious irregularities to take place. Recognizing that this was the case will go a long way towards resolving this dispute. In the alternative, allowing for this complaint to be dealt with fairly and transparently will give our community the reassurance necessary to heal some of the hurt that has been caused.

Sincerely, The 2004 Vancouver Kingsway Executive:

Arlene Schimmelpfennig, President, 604-219-9243, arlene9999@shaw.ca Isabel Lopez, Vice-President,604-324-4484, godoylopez@shaw.ca Andrew Adler, Membership Secretary,604-224-1249, adler@math.ubc.ca Sylvia Dodd, Treasurer, 604-255-6776, hwdodd@telus.net Victor Finberg, Provincial Council Alternate,vfinberg@sfu.ca Michele Todd, Fundraising Convenor,604-299-7994, mictodd@telus.net Alvin Lau, Committee Chair,604-432-1081, senateveto@hotmail.com Sharon Hager, Committee Chair,604-435-7373, hager@vcn.bc.ca This letter has been endorsed by candidates to the nomination Shavinder Parmar,604-435-4849, shav@hotmail.com Roberto Rous, 604-438-9535, robertlrous@yahoo.ca Alicia Barsallo,604-879-3246, alicia@aliciabarsallo.net



On Thu, 16 Dec 2004, Joanne Banfield wrote: Dear Kingsway Executive members, I have received your complaint dated December 12th concerning the nomination meeting in Vancouver Kingsway. Please be advised that since the complaint addresses specific concerns related to the nomination convention, this complaint will be processed pursuant to Article 9.07 of the BC NDP Constitution and it will be treated with due diligence. To assist in the process, I would ask that you submit to me by December 31st all relevant information that you believe supports your complaint.

Upon receipt of your information, the complaint process will be undertaken. You will be contacted to schedule a meeting time in early January to review the specifics of your complaint and you will be afforded the opportunity to make direct representation to the Provincial Executive as per Article 9.07.

On behalf of the Provincial Executive, I would encourage you, out of respect for the privacy rights of individuals identified in your complaint and for the constitutional process, to refrain from public comment on this complaint while the processes under the Constitution of the BC NDP are being applied.

Please be assured that your complaint will be handled in accordance with the Constitution of the BC NDP. Sincerely,

Jeff Fox
President
BCNDP
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