NPA OPEN NOMINATIONS MAY NOT BE ENOUGH

Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

NPA OPEN NOMINATIONS MAY NOT BE ENOUGH

With the about-face today, by Mayor Sam Sullivan regarding democratic nominations within the NPA, many political observers and citizens alike are wondering why the Mayor one day favours closed nominations than the next day, states he wants open nominations.

Something is very fishy here and the NPA board has no choice but to address and alleviate questions and concerns members have.

On the one hand, there is a rapidly-losing-popularity Mayor who is determined to win the Mayoral nomination at any cost.

The Mayor has gone before the public to spin his story, stating he came to the conclusion that it was best for the party, to have an open nomination to prevent popular City Councillor, Peter Ladner from running as an independent.

Whoa that is some tall tale Mr. Mayor that you are projecting there. Mr. Ladner has repeatedly stated, from all media accounts I've seen, that he wishes to remain with the NPA, however, he wasn't willing if the ship was heading for the rocks to remain, he wants to steer it away. Can you blame him?

Usually Mr. Mayor when a party is in deep trouble, it's a result of the Leadership and in this case that's you. You must take full responsibility for the difficulties you' and your back-room boys have created.

Even your foolhardy attempt to sully and smear Councillor Ladner, blaming him for your political mistakes will not wash with the members and supporters of the NPA. Trying to shift attention away from your record will not work either and perhaps this is the reason why you now support open nominations since that way, the polling results which show your non-electability will be kept quiet right?

Voters, members and supporters of the NPA are not stupid and everyone is talking about how the NPA is in big trouble. I bet those polls show the NPA quite possibly being wiped off the political map perhaps except Councillor Anton and this is absolutely mind-boggling considering the NPA competition has no vision.

It seems the NPA has only two options left. One is to allow for an open nomination which the board I assume is now allowing, however, an open nomination at this point isn't good enough.

The board has to make those internal polls available to the membership to ensure members have the most relevant and pertinent information available to them in order that they make the smartest choices for what will be in the best interests of the party.

Mr. Mayor, if you truly want what is best for the party, you will not block the membership from reviewing that information and at the end of the day if the outcome of the race isn't personally favourable for you, you can announce, with your head held high, that you did what was best for the party and that selfless act, in the public's mind, will restore a positive image, instead of the negative one it now has regarding your term in office.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

SULLIVAN TURN-A-ROUND-IS IT POLITICS AS USUAL for SAM?

Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

SULLIVAN'S TURN-A-ROUND - IS IT POLITICS AS USUAL for SAM?

Mayor Sam Sullivan, apparently has had a change of heart and now is saying that he supports open nominations. Yet for the last six months and up until today, he has been articulating that he supports the NPA board decision of closed nominations which flew in the face of democratic principles.

Led by Councillor Peter Ladner and former Mayor, Philip Owen, members of the NPA and other supporters were demanding the right to choose their candidates for nominations. For some reason the board had arrived at a decision denying the members this fundamental right which put the board and Mayor Sullivan on a collision course with the members.

Now though, Mayor Sullivan says he supports open nominations and what this means--we'll have to wait and see.

The NPA board, stacked with Sullivan supporters, will need to move quickly to address this major incongruency. This flipper-like move by Mayor Sullivan places them in a difficult situation since it was only late last week that President Matthew Taylor sent out a communique to members, explaining the reasons why they chose to pre-select candidates for nominations.

I bet the board and other NPA Council caucus members who supported the Mayor and his closed-nomination preference must at this time be feeling political heat.

While Mayor Sullivan's motives for his turn-around on democracy are unclear, what citizens will be looking ahead to though is who within the NPA party has their best interests at heart.

The answer I think is clear. Councillor Peter Ladner and former Mayor, Philip Owen, took on this formidable challenge , stood on the members side for NPA democracy and this is a true hallmark of Leadership.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com