It was a wonderful evening at the 10th Anniversary celebration dinner for the Chinese Canadian Military Museum. I attended the dinner with my friends Stuart Mackinnon and George Jung.  We sat with Chinese American WW2 veterans from Seattle.  Peggy Lee-Wong, one of the first Chinese-Canadian women to serve in WW2, also sat with us.
Read my article about the dinner event created last year to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of Canadian Citizenship
Chinese Canadian Veterans dinner May 12 - celebrating 60th anniversary of Canadian Citizenship

Vancouver Parks Board candidate Stuart Mackinnon blends multiculturalism with Green Party environmental issues.

Stuart Mackinnon is active.  He speaks out on issues. He attends Parks board meetings. He has been a thorn in the NPA side, to make sure they follow proper democratic process.

The first time I met Stuart, it was through his blog Better Parks.  He was writing about naming the proposed "Selkirk Park" at 72nd St.  Whether it became Obasan Park or David Suzuki Park, Stuart wanted and helped to make it more of a democratic process.  Stuart has fought against the privatizing of parks, such as against the imposition of high priced restaurants at Kitsilano Beach and English Bay.

Stuart is a teacher at Killarney Secondary School.  He teaches special needs.  He was vice-president of his Vancouver Teachers Federation Local 392.1, of the BCTF.  Stuart is amazing.  Last year he took a group of teachers to China, where he delivered a key note talk about Norman Bethune as an organizer for the "Follow Dr. Norman Bethune to China Committee."

Stuart Mackinnon with COPE school board candidate Bill Bargeman.  Stuart was vice-president with Bill's presidency for Vancouver Teachers' Federation local 39.2 BCTF - photo Todd Wong

Stuart is passionate about what he believes in.  He joined our dragon boat team last year, loved the intercultural process and the fitness opportunities it presented - then almost immediately asked how to create a junior dragon boat team for Killarney high school students, then guided them to a silver medal in their first year of competition.  That's Stuart - a man of action, while thinking how to be a team builder, and ensure that every person is included and feels empowered. 

And along the way, he realized more the importance of Vancouver's False Creek's waterways and parks as important to our recreational activities.  And he saw first hand the pollution that threatened this important recreational jewel, when unacceptable "accidents dumped raw sewage into False Creek".  Stuart Mackinnon thinks big picture.  Stuart Mackinnon thinks long range.  Stuart Mackinnon thinks community and environment first.

Stuart is Scottish - of Scottish descent.  I am of Chinese descent.    Vancouver has a large Chinese population.  Vancouver has a large multicultural population.  He participates actively on our Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team.  He understands multiculturalism. This is what we need for our city and for our community centres.  Stuart is president of the Canada China Education Association

Stuart Mackinnon with Charlie Wu of the Taiwanese Cultural Festival (Stuart LOVES the Taiwanese dragon boats), and City Councilor Raymond Louie and son - photo Todd Wong

It's important to have a Green candidate on the slate.  It's important to have a diversity of ideas - and especially to represent our environment.  Our environment isn't just about trees and grass, it is also about our culture and our history.  I believe that Stuart Mackinnon will be honorable in supporting these values.  Stuart genuinely cares about our environment and is a past president of  SPEC (the Society Promoting Environmental Conservation) and past chair for Vancouver Green Party.

During the Vancouve civic strike, Stuart supported CUPE 15, 1004 and 391 and our issues.  He knows the importance that hard working and loyal city workers can make.  He knows that we put our hearts and souls into the pride of our jobs.  Stuart Mackinnon will listen.  He will be inclusive,  He will be supportive of city workers, but more important, he will be empowering.  I believe in Stuart.  He will be honourable.

Stuart with Constance Barnes (Vision Parks board candidate) and Andrea Reimer (Vision city council candidate) sitting: Julie, Marion and Todd Wong from the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team - photo T.Wong 

Check out Stuart Mackinnon's website: www.betterparks.ca

Vision Vancouver shows off it's connections with Vancouver's cultural diversity: Sikh, Taiwanese, First Nations, Chinese pioneers, and even Scottish!

Vancouver & District Labour Council endorses progressive candidates for Nov 15 civic elections in Vancouver, Richmond and North Vancouver.

Vancouver community leaders: Todd Wong (CUPE 391), Bill Saunders (VDLC president), George Chow (Vancouver City Councilor and Ben West (Green Party Chair) - photo Todd Wong

It was my first meeting as a delegate for CUPE 391, Vancouver Library Workers, who recently joined the Vancouver & District Labour Council.  The meetings are held at the Vancouver Maritime Labour Centre, which I first visited as a guest speaker for a human rights themed meeting for the VDLC a few years ago, while I was active on the Save Kogawa House campaign.  This time, I was sworn in as a delegate along with fellow CUPE 391 library worker Lily Gee.  I am on the CUPE 391 executive as a member at large.

It was an exciting evening as many of the local politicians came to be introduced, and to speak to the labour council which includes and affiliates with 106 unions and union locals including CUPE, CAW, Hospital Employees Union , BCGEU, BC Nurses, Public Service Alliance, Communications, Energy and Paperworkers' Union, Telecommunications Workers' Union, United Fishermen and Allied Workers' Union + many more.  It is a union of unions.

On my arrival I chatted with North Vancouver Mayor Darrell Mussatto, who I had recently seen only a week before at our 30 year Carson Graham High School Reunion.  He introduced me to his fellow North Van City councilors Sam Schecter and Craig Keating as well as candidate Cheryl Leia.  Darrell is running for re-election and will be acclaimed as he is unopposed, but still he was there to accept endorsement from the V&DLC.

I checked in with V&DLC president Bill Saunders, whom I first met when he was an organizer of the "Anniversaries of Change" program which recognized the 1907 Chinatown Riot by Anti-Asian labourers.  Bill was a big supporter of the CUPE 391 Vancouver Library Workers strike action, and when he visited our picket line at the Word on the Street Festival, he sang along to "O Solo Mio" as I played my accordion.

North Vancouver contingent: Craig Keating (North Vancouver City councilor), Cheryl Leia (NVC councilor candidate), Darrell Mussatto (NVC Mayor), Sam Schechter (NVC councilor). - photo Todd Wong

Soon many of the Vancouver candidates for council, parks board and school board arrived.  I have gotten to know many of them over the past years through my community work for Joy Kogawa House, Asian Canadian Writers's Workshop and Chinese Head Tax campaign.  As well, many of them like to attend my Gung Haggis Fat Choy Robbie Burns Chinese New Year Dinner event.  It is always good to see Ellen Woodsworth, Heather Deal, Raymond Louie and David Cadman who gave great assistance and support for the Save Kogawa House campaign.  Andrea Reimer, Kerry Jang and Aaron Jasper are also wonderful people that I really enjoyed getting to know, and was pleased to give them endorsements for the nomination candidacy for the Vision Vancouver nomination elections.

It was an exciting meeting because the Vision/COPE/Green slate for Vancouver civic election was to be introduced and endorsed.  The meeting started and Vancouver candidates were introduced first.  City council, school board and parks board candidates were introduced respectively by party.

George Chow spoke for the Vision councilors and David Cadman spoke for the COPE councilors.  Both emphasized how difficult negotiations for the three civic unions had been under the NPA dominated Vancouver city council.  David Cadman spoke how the unions were not treated fairly when the GVRD Labour Relations Bureau walked away from negotiations.  Both he and Chow promised that both Vision and COPE sought to build better relations with their civic employees.  This was a theme that was also echoed later by North Vancouver City Mayor Darrell Mussatto and councilor Craig Keating, when they shared that North Vancouver City had avoided strikes by working with their unions in respect and fairness for bargaining.

Sharon Gregson spoke for Vision School Board candidates and Bill Bargeman represented COPE candidates.  For Parks Board, Aaron Jasper spoke for Vision and Loretta Woodcock spoke for COPE.    Both Jasper and Woodcock gave very impassioned talks that emphasized the importance of the Vancouver civic workers, as well as paying attention to Vancouver's cultural diversity.

Stuart Mackinnon, Parks Board candidate for the Green Party was unable to attend, and had asked me to represent him as we are friends.  I spoke about Stuart's activism in attending Parks Board meetings and his citizen involvement in parks issues such as the democratic naming of future parks and his criticism of park privatization such as the concession stands and Watermark Restaurant.  I shared that Stuart was a union brother, as a school teacher at Killarney Secondary School, and as a former vice-president of CUPE 392 of the BC Teachers Federation.  Afterwards, I was complimented on giving Stuart such as strong introduction and endorsement.

Vancouver candidates: Kerry Jang (city council candidate), Ellen Woodsworth (city council candidate), Anita Romaniuk (Parks Board candidate) - photo Todd Wong

The Vision / COPE / Green Vancouver city council slate has an amazing amount of cultural diversity.  George Chow, Kerry Jang and Raymond Louie have Chinese ancestry and Kashmir Dhaliwal is South Asian. Tim Stevenson is gay, Ellen Woodsworth is lesbian and Raymond Louie's wife has Scottish ancestry... as does Heather Deal.  I have also managed to get kilts on Deal, Louie, and Stevenson, but only tartan sashes so far on George Chow and Ellen Woodsworth.  David Cadman has been involved nationally and internationlly with the United Nations Association.  All the councilor candidates including Geoff Meggs and Andrea Reimer attended the 2008 Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner with the exception of Kashmir Dhaliwal.

The Vancouver School Board slate includes Ken Clement - of Ktunaxa First Nations, Alvin Singh - South Asian ancestry, and Allan Wong - Chinese ancestry.  I first met Al Blakey, Jane Bouey and Allan Wong when I did a Vancouver Asian Heritage Month Society presentation for the Vancouver School Board back in 2002.  I have also since met Sharon Gregson, Alvin Singh and Bill Bargeman.

The Vancouver Parks Board slate is very ethnic-culture cool!  Constance Barnes is Afro-Canadian, the daughter of Emery Barnes - former speaker of the BC Legislature, and she is operations manager for the Dr. Sun Yat Sen Classical Chinese Gardens.  Raj Hundal is Sikh, and last night explained to me some of the traditions that I didn't know. Aaron Jasper's wife is South Asian, and they both were volunteers at the 2008 Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner.  Stuart Mackinnon has spent more time in China than I have, but he didn't own a kilt until after he joined the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team.  I've also met Loretta Woodcock and Anita Romaniuk over the years.  Sarah Blyth tracked me down for our introductions at this year's Taiwanese Cultural Festival and I hope to get this skateboarder onto a dragon boat sometime soon.

Here is the list of endorsed candidates by the Vancouver & District Labour Council for Vancouver, Richmond and North Vancouver:

Vancouver City Mayor             
Gregor Robertson                       Vision

Vancouver City Council            
George Chow                             Vision
Heather Deal                              Vison
Kashmir Dhaliwal                       Vision
Kerry Jang                                 Vision
Raymond Louie                          Vision
Geoff Meggs                              Vision
Andrea Reimer                           Vision
Tim Stevenson                            Vision
David Cadman                            COPE
Ellen Woodsworth                      COPE

Vancouver City Parks Board    
Constance Barnes                       Vision
Sara Blyth                                   Vision
Raj Hundal                                  Vision
Aaron Jasper                               Vision
Anita  Romaniuk                          COPE
Loretta Woodcock                      COPE
Stuart Mackinnon                         Green
                                                  
Vancouver City School Board   
Patti Bacchus                                Vision
Ken Clement                                Vision
Sharon Gregson                            Vision
Mike Lombardi                             Vision
Al Blakey                                      COPE
Allan Wong                                   COPE
Jane Bouey                                   COPE
Bill Bargeman                                COPE
Alvin Singh                                    COPE

North Vancouver City Mayor   
Darrell Mussatto

North Vancouver City Council  
Craig Keating
Sam Schechter
Kelly Neilson
Rod Clark
Mary Trentadue
Cheryl Leia

North Vancouver District Council   
Robin Hicks
John Fair
Roger Bassam
David Magee
 
North Vancouver School Board  
 - North Vancouver City                      
Lynda Buchaman
Chris Dorais
Susan Skinner
- North Vancouver District                 
Chief Ian Campbell
Cindy Gerlach
Franci Stratton
Jane Thornthwaite

Richmond City Council            
Harold Steves   (RCA)
Linda Barnes     (RCA)
David Reay       (RCA)
Sue Halsey Brandt  (RITE)
Evalina Halsey Brandt  (IND)

Richmond City School Board   
Rod Belleza  (RITE)

Over the past two years, I have seen Don Davies mature from a shy potential candidate when I first met him at one of Meena Wong's dim sum lunches. Don has become a more assertive - yet still humble and hardworking victorious winner. Genuinely concerned about others, he is a thoughtful quiet man with the heart of a lion. "There was nobody in that room more surprised than me," Don shared with me after his victory party, when I drove him back to his car at the house where he had been watching the early election returns.   more »

There is an "Anybody But Conservative" mood in BC this week. The Tyee has published it's story: Tyee's Strategic Voters' Guide: A riding-by-riding look at pros and cons of voting 'anyone but Harper' in BC, and the Georgia Straight has printed The Straight slate to stop Stephen Harper. First of all, I hate negative campaign advertising. All I have been getting from Conservative ads are why the other guys are not vote worthy, without the Conservatives saying why they are vote worthy.   more »