Regarding Tung Chan for Mayor

Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC


REGARDING TUNG CHAN for MAYOR
Up To Geller and Anton to Reshape NPA


While former Vancouver Councilor Tung Chan may be a nice man, if he decides to run for Mayor he will not gain much traction in the West End. He has no profile there and if the NPA is to make any comeback, they need to soften their image to appeal to more moderate voters. They can't win municipal government without carrying the West End and no offense to Sean Bickerton who is also a really nice guy but he alone as a member of the gay community isn't enough to entice West Enders.

Seems to me that we may start to see emerge more municipal parties and even prominent Independents getting elected as I think Vancouver hasn't exactly embraced the two current party system in Vancouver.

Look for COPE to strike out on its own since it has now tired of playing the poor cousin to Vision. But they will not run a Mayoral candidate if it is Mayor Gregor Robertson against Tung Chan, the NPA can expect to remain sitting out in the wilderness.

A more interesting match-up for the NPA would be either Michael Geller or Suzanne Anton up against Gregor Robertson and I think many centre left voters who traditionally vote COPE and who are turned off by Vision could easily vote Mr Geller or Ms Anton and this would ensure somewhat of an NPA comeback. Especially if COPE only runs three or four candidates for Council. But they could never vote Tung Chan and as stated earlier the sizable gay community will not embrace Tung Chan.

Plus right-wing Conservatives back-room NPA types need to stay out of the election or the NPA will once again be doomed.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com