Peter Ladner wins mayoral nomination
Two-term Vancouver councillor replaces Mayor Sam Sullivan in the Non-Partisan Association
  
Frances Bula
Vancouver Sun
Sunday, June 08, 2008

VANCOUVER - Vancouver's mayor has been deposed by challenger Peter Ladner.

After six hours of voting that appeared to be evenly split, Ladner, a two-term councillor, managed to squeak past the incumbent mayor to win the mayoral nomination of the city's ruling party, the Non-Partisan Association.

The nomination contest was held at the Marriott Pinnacle Hotel at 1128 Hastings Street.

Any NPA member was eligible to vote as long as they live in Vancouver or own property in the city.

Party members were also be asked to nominate candidates for city council, park commissioner, and
school board chair.

About 1,000 peopled had turned out by midday to vote in Vancouver's contentious civic-party vote.


Ladner beats Sullivan in major upset vote
Updated: Sun Jun. 08 2008 19:00:45

ctvbc.ca

Challenger Peter Ladner has unseated incumbent Sam Sullivan and won the NPA's endorsement to run for mayor in November's civic election.

Members of Sullivan's party, the Non-Partisan Association, cast ballots today in a crucial vote that decided between the mayor and his challenger, a two-term councillor.

"I'm feeling a mix of shock and elation and a bit of grief," Ladner told CTV News shortly after the vote was announced.

"It's not easy to do this and have a contest because someone has to lose," he said.

But it was a razor-thin margin of 1066 votes for Sullivan to 986 votes for Ladner, raising the spectre that the party will be deeply divided by the win.

But Ladner said he wasn't worried about facing a divided party.

"If you remember this room three years ago, when Sam (Sullivan) defeated (former NPA mayoral candidate) Christy Clark, people were saying that the divisions were huge. But we went on to a majority. That's my goal to do it again," he said.

Political observers say the very fact the race happened is bad news, showing a party to be split and vulnerable.

"Regardless of who's going to win it's going to be very divided," said CTV's political blogger, Alex Tsakumis, before the votes were counted. "If Peter's people win, Sam's people will bolt. If Sam's people win, Peter's people will bolt."

Related: Read more about the race with ctvbc.ca's political blog, Front and Centre

But NPA Councillor Kim Capri told CTV News before the votes were counted that the party would be unified.


"Definitely it's been a tough ride to get us to this place, but I really feel confident that on Monday you're going to see a united NPA team," she said.

Sparks flew in divisive campaign

Sparks flew during the campaign, much as they did during the two candidates' debates last week, where Ladner said that he was the one that could carry the NPA to victory in the municipal election in November.

"That's why I'm running...The NPA can't win under Sam's leadership," Ladner declared last week.

The mayor's support comes from his tight hold on his constituents, who he "intimidates" so they will remain loyal, said Ladner.

"They don't want to be seen to be offside with [Mr. Sullivan], who's known to be vindictive at times," he said.

But the mayor blasted Ladner, saying that the two-term councillor had received no endorsements from anyone else at city hall.

"Councillor Ladner has no one," he said. "Every single NPA councillor who sits with (him and me) at the caucus table every week, who knows our style, has endorsed me, and said that I am the one to lead them into the next election."

Whoever wins November's election will be mayor in Vancouver when the city welcomes the world for the Olympics.

Rival party Vision Vancouver will select its mayoral candidate next Sunday. Provincial MLA Gregor Robertson, Councillor Raymond Louie and Park Board Commissioner Allan De Genova have all thrown their hats into the ring.

Councillor David Cadman of the Coalition of Progressive Electors has also expressed interest in running.

I've always wondered.  What's a party system doing in civic elections anyway?

Quoted from TommyD

I've always wondered.  What's a party system doing in civic elections anyway?

The same thing it does in other levels of government.

-OR60-

Sullivan was a lame duck mayor before Sunday.   A complete disaster.

So when does the transition of power happen?   Does Ladner become Mayor in November or sooner?

Quoted from clearskies

So when does the transition of power happen?   Does Ladner become Mayor in November or sooner?

doesn't he still need to be voted in by the people?  Sullivan could still run and keep his job.

Just cuz he won a brand name, doesn't make him a mayor.

Quoted from Flamethrower

doesn't he still need to be voted in by the people?  Sullivan could still run and keep his job.

Just cuz he won a brand name, doesn't make him a mayor.

What happened on Sunday was the vote on which nominee can run as the NPA candidate for mayor on November 15th.  Yes, theoretically, Sullivan could run as an independent to hang on to his job.  But he probably feared splitting the centre-right vote had he done so.

Thus my point.  Heck, I could run for Mayor in Vancouver if I wanted.

Quoted from TommyD

Thus my point.  Heck, I could run for Mayor in Vancouver if I wanted.

I'd rather see you run as the new chairman for the CRTC and mandate the return of local radio to small town Canada (ie: Hope)  

Quoted from CRS

I'd rather see you run as the new chairman for the CRTC and mandate the return of local radio to small town Canada (ie: Hope)  

My "office" is hot enough as it is thanks.