The New Westminster and District Labour Council expects to endorse a full slate of candidates for New Westminster’s city council and school board.
Prior to each civic election, the labour council endorses candidates vying for mayor, councillor and school trustee in 14 communities in the region. In the last election, the organization endorsed one mayoral, six councillor and five trustee candidates in New Westminster.
“For New Westminster, it is our intention to endorse full slates for both,” said Janet Andrews, secretary-treasurer of New Westminster and District Labour Council.
In June, the labour council selected some of the local candidates it will be endorsing in the Oct. 20 municipal election. It will be voting on the remaining candidates to be endorsed this week.
“We have 14 member municipalities in our region. You can imagine it’s a lot to get through,” Andrews said of the endorsement process. “We did a vote in June on June 27.”
Although the labour council will inform candidates whether they’re being endorsed at the conclusion of its internal process, Andrews said it won’t be releasing the information publicly until nominations close on Sept. 15. She said there have been cases where people may change their minds and the labour council doesn’t want to be left with an inaccurate list of candidates.
Candidates, however, are permitted to say whether they’ve received the NWDLC’s endorsements. To date, incumbent mayor Jonathan Cote, incumbent councillors Patrick Johnstone and Mary Trentadue and first-time candidate Chinu Das have confirmed to the Record that they’ve been endorsed by the New Westminster and District Labour Council.
In the 2014 civic election, labour council-endorsed candidates in New Westminster swept city hall, taking all six councillor positions and the mayor’s seat, as well as five of seven spots on the school board.
People who want an endorsement from the New Westminster and District Labour Council must complete an application and go through an in-person interview. A recommendation then goes to the labour council’s delegates, representing a variety of unions in the region, who vote on the candidates.
Andrews said the New Westminster District and Labour Council endorses people it thinks are going to be really strong representatives, are progressive, share its values and will build a strong community.
“We feel very strongly the people we endorse share our values for one thing, which is important to our members and our organizations, our affiliates, and we think they will do a really great job for New Westminster and the community and the people there,” she said.
