All 13 candidates running for Community First NW have been endorsed by the New Westminster and District Labour Council.
In a July 14 press release, Community First stated its mayoral candidate Patrick Johnstone, six councillor candidates and six school board trustee candidates have all been endorsed by the labour council.
“Candidates who share our values and will work to build inclusive, resilient communities with strong public services and good, family sustaining jobs are important to us,” NWDLC secretary-treasurer Janet Andrews said in the press release. “That is why, at our June 22 meeting, delegates were excited to endorse Patrick and the Community First team for council and school board.”
Incumbent councillors Chinu Das, Jaimie McEvoy and Nadine Nakagawa, as well as new candidates Ruby Campbell, Tasha Henderson and Bereket Kebede also got the nod from the labour council. Community First school trustee candidates, including incumbents Dee Beattie, Gurveen Dhaliwal and Maya Russell, and new candidates Marc Andres, Elliott Slinn and Cheryl Sluis were also endorsed by the New Westminster and District Labour Council at a recent meeting of its delegates.
According to Andrews, the labour council held its main endorsement meeting for new candidates on June 22, but it hasn’t finished with its interview process so a list of its endorsements has not yet been posted.
“As we have 14 cities and seven school boards in the region, we are not yet finished with our interview process so nothing is posted yet,” she said in an email to the Record. “All successful candidates to date have been notified and can share our endorsement publicly.”
Andrews said all new candidates and any currently endorsed candidates who are seeking to run for a new position are interviewed. She would not say how many candidates sought the labour council’s endorsement for mayor, councillor and school trustee in New Westminster.
“Unsuccessful candidates are notified, but we do not share this information,” she said.
Andrews explained the “shared values” held by the labour council and the Community First candidates.
“Working people believe in inclusive, resilient communities that are responsive to the needs of people and families,” she said. “Strong public services, good family-sustaining jobs, universal public education, action on reconciliation, affordability, accessibility, housing for all, and addressing climate change through a just transition for impacted workers are just a few of the values we feel make a compassionate society.”
David Black, chair of Community First’s election planning committee, said the group is pleased that its shared values are represented in the labour council’s endorsement.
“The NWDLC is a huge part of New Westminster’s strong and caring community. Working families have made a life here for generations, and union people have built the public services and community organizations that keep us connected and safe,” he said in a news release.
Community First members selected their 2022 civic election candidates at a May 18 nomination meeting.
“The endorsement from the Labour Council is a demonstration of the great work this Council and School Board have done on the issues most important to working people in New Westminster – affordable housing, strong public services, and investment in the livability of our community,” Johnstone said in the news release. “I am glad the DLC is as excited as I am about this team of candidates. They bring varied skills and lived experiences to Council and School Board, and I am looking forward to working with this team to address the challenges ahead.”
When asked about the connection between the NWDLC and Community First, Andrews said Community First’s executive committee includes a labour representative seat, which is currently held by someone who is also an NWDLC delegate.
Asked how the labour council supports candidates in civic election campaigns, beyond an endorsement, Andrews said: “Changes to the B.C. local elections regulations mean we cannot provide any financial or in kind donations. The endorsement is shared with all affiliated union members in New Westminster.”
