PETER LADNER STEERS NPA SHIP BACK TO THE ROCKS

Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

PETER LADNER STEERS NPA SHIP BACK TO THE ROCKS

Councillor Peter Ladner, the Mayoral nominee for the NPA missed an opportunity to right a terrible wrong this past week.

Mr Ladner has just announced he is standing up for the blatantly unfair and undemocratic nomination process which the NPA board had personally customized to deny me the opportunity to run for Park board.

This issue of denying a Sex trade worker who is Transgender the opportunity to seek political office demonstrates that Mr Ladner and the NPA seem to be anti-civil- rights. Please see Charlie Smith's Georgia Straight terrific piece at www.straight.com

It is interesting how Mr Ladner when he challenged Mayor Sam Sullivan for the Mayor's chair stated he wanted to steer the NPA ship away from the rocks, a reference to Mayor Sullivan's questionable leadership.

Now, since assuming the reigns of the NPA ship, Mr Ladner appears to be steering the ship right back toward the rocks.

Make no mistake folks this municipal election will be a test about leadership and civil liberties in this City.

Mr Ladner in trying to undo the NPA's own self-inflicted damage issued a press release yesterday stating it was understandable that I was feeling rejected. Mr Ladner could have done the right thing by offering me an apology for my mistreatment at the hands of board member Doug Leung. He didn't and this demonstrates to me his weak leadership on issues of human rights.

Interestingly, Mr Ladner in the same breath took the opportunity to announce the NPA's newest political candidate who Mr Ladner is playing up as being gay. This is a blatant effort at damage control and voters will not be duped by this opportunistic move.

Actually this crass opportunism will probably backfire on Mr Ladner as it will remind members of the gay community of the old adage "some of my best friends are gay", as politicians and religious leaders wrecked havoc on our lives while torpedoing our civil liberties.

I'll let the citizens though judge whether Peter Ladner's newest team member is council-ready. Whether he has the community experience and connections in order to win a Council seat will be left to the voters of this City to decide. I wish him well.

I do find it amusing that I'm receiving many media calls on this latest addition to the Ladner team which I'm absolutely certain will cause Mr Ladner and his darling media friend over at 24 Hours even more sleepless nights.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com