At least three incumbent councillors are hoping to run under the Community First New Westminster banner for the 2022 civic election.
Coun. Nadine Nakagawa has joined councillors Chinu Das and Jaimie McEvoy in announcing plans to seek a nomination with Community First, a newly formed left-leaning political party.
“I am seeking re-election in October because I want to keep working on the most pressing issues that are facing our community, which are the climate crisis and the housing crisis," Nakagawa said in a May 17 video post on social media. "It’s been an incredibly tough time, obviously for the community, but also personally."
Still, Nakagawa said she's proud of the work council has been able to do as a team.
"We have approved a lot of rental and affordable housing. We have created a public engagement department. And of course, in 2019, we declared a climate crisis, which resulted in the Seven Bold Steps," she said. "There is lots more work to do. So I look forward to connecting with you over the next couple of months to have a fun and inclusive campaign and hearing what matters most to members of our community and crating the caring and compassionate community that we all want to live in.
Community First is holding its nomination meeting on Wednesday, May 18
"I love this city and I have been privileged to serve this community as a councillor,” Das said in a news release. “We have done a lot of good work in very challenging times. We pivoted to support the extraordinary circumstances created by the pandemic and yet continued to provide leadership in many areas such as housing, capital projects and climate change."
Das, who was first elected to council in 2018, said she’s proud of the work achieved during her time on council, and knows there is more to be done.
"I am committed to serving New Westminster and I want to continue the work we have started,” she said.
McEvoy, who has served on council for the past 13 years, is also seeking a nomination from Community First New Westminster.
In announcing his plans on social media, McEvoy said he’s proud to have contributed to the city’s work on affordable housing, environment and climate change, and managing the pandemic.
"I believe in a compassionate city that is there for everyone: having more rental built in the city since the 1970s, the təməsew̓txʷ aquatic centre opening next year, the planting of thousands of new trees,” he said. “We need to come out of the pandemic continuing to build and renew this wonderful little city that we love."
If elected to a fifth term on council, McEvoy plans to focus on accessibility and disability issues; while he has suffered from hearing loss since childhood, he said he was recently diagnosed with severe hearing loss.
“Ninety per cent of this job is about listening, and I want to continue to serve the community,” he said in his announcement. “Many people with disabilities are in the same boat, requiring accommodations to contribute. I want to focus on building a more inclusive community.”
Last week, Coun. Patrick Johnstone announced he would be seeking the mayoral nomination from Community First.
The Community First New Westminster electoral organization held its founding annual general meeting on April 28. It’s holding its nomination meeting on May 18, at which time it will endorse the candidates it will support in the Oct. 15 civic election.
Cheryl Greenhalgh, chair of the Community First, said the board met on Saturday to finalize the details of the nomination meeting and to approve a report from its candidate search committee. On Wednesday night, the party’s members will meet and consider the committee’s report and the results of the vote will be released on Thursday.
Greenhalgh would not say who or how many candidates the board approved at its May 14 meeting.
The Record has reached out to councillors Chuck Puchmayr and Mary Trentadue to see if they plan to seek re-election in the Oct. 15 civic election, but has not heard back. More to come.
