Election Recap and Next Steps

Posted: Nov 30, 2011

Election Recap and Next Steps: A message from NPA President John Moonen and 2011 NPA Campaign Chair PeterArmstrong

Vancouver, Sunday, November 25, 2011

One week ago, 77,000 Vancouver voters elected Gregor Robertson to run City Hall for the next three years. On behalf of the NPA, we would like to congratulate Mayor Robertson and all the elected candidates who will serve Vancouver in the years ahead.

Over the past week, our NPA Team has been assessing the election results and looking forward.

Vancouver voters can be assured that the NPA is ready to fulfill the role you have asked us to take in municipal affairs over the next three years. Our newly elected and expanded Caucus will be a constructive and professional team that will work to serve the many communities in our city and present an effective alternative to Vision Vancouver.

Last Saturday, more than 58,000 Vancouverites responded to Suzanne Anton and the NPA's call for a common sense, taxpayers' first agenda. And while we came up short against the Vision election-day machine, Suzanne increased the NPA's result by close to 10,000 votes compared to the last election in 2008.

In addition to expanding the NPA voter base, her leadership and tireless campaigning also helped the NPA come close to doubling the size of our Caucus. With our increased strength at City Council, Park and School Board, the NPA will be in a better position to hold Vision Vancouver more accountable for the decisions they make about how your tax dollars are spent at all levels of the civic administration.

And, with the resounding defeat of Vancouver's other long-standing civic party (Coalition of Progressive Electors), it is now more important than ever that the NPA rise to the challenge of ensuring Gregor Robertson and Vision Vancouver do not abuse the trust voters have placed in them.

With the NPA candidates that voters elected on Saturday and Suzanne Anton's ongoing mentorship, I know we are up to the task.

Our new and expanded NPA team features a great mix of business experience and community service.

At City Hall, Elizabeth Ball is an experienced City Councillor with a strong track record of promoting open government and a non-partisan civil service. She will also be a tireless advocate for arts, culture and tourism.

George Affleck will bring the much-needed perspective of a successful small-business owner to the new City Council. He will be an accessible voice for neighbourhoods and will work to reduce the red-tape burden at City Hall that has been choking the pace of housing supply and job creation in Vancouver over the past three years.

At the Park Board, the NPA elected two tireless advocates for an independent Board. John Coupar is a community leader that helped save the Bloedel Conservatory and Melissa de Genova will bring the concerns of young families to the table, along with a strong track record of neighbourhood activism for seniors and youth.

And at the School Board, Vancouver voters have chosen three very experienced and thoughtful NPA trustees in Ken Denike, Sophia Woo and Fraser Ballantyne. Together, they will ensure that integrity and common sense are governing vital decisions that affect Vancouver families instead of politics and personal ambition.

Last Saturday night, Suzanne Anton received more votes than any NPA Mayoral candidate in the history of our city except for Sam Sullivan in 2005. Under Anton's leadership, the NPA is much stronger now than it was six months ago when Suzanne decided to run for Mayor against insurmountable odds and a Vision Vancouver team that had a two and a half year head start.

The NPA owes it to our next Mayoral candidate to ensure he or she does not start from that far behind again in 2014.

The NPA - and all Vancouverites - also owe Anton a debt of gratitude for her years of service and leading a campaign that ensures the NPA remains as a strong voice for many more years to come on behalf of taxpayers that value fiscal responsibility, sustainable development, world-class recreation facilities and social and economic prosperity for all.

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