David Cadman

David understands and cares deeply about the quality of life in our city, and he has taken the time to really learn what is going on. He knows how the present system operates, who benefits from it and who pulls the strings.

The following is part of a conversation the editors of Common Ground had with David Cadman.

Common Ground What is the jurisdication of a municipal government?

David Cadman Land use is the biggest function. Deciding how land can be used affects neighbourhoods. It affects the way in which we integrate our commercial, residential, retail and industrial areas. Cities are also responsible for garbage pick-up, water delivery and sewage collection.

C.G. Who's responsible for sewage treatment?

D.C. In the Vancouver area it’s the GVRD. There are 22 municipalities in the Greater Vancouver Regional District. Around the province every other municipality is part of a regional district as well. Regional services vary from place to place, but here they are regional parks, sewage treatment, air quality monitoring and permitting, water treatment and bulk water supply.

Within the GVRE is a separate but integrated body - TransLink - which is responsible for public transit. So voters elect a municipal council which then chooses its representation to the GVRD, which then chooses its representation to TransLink. So, effectively, who you choose for council, though it will never ever be discussed, will affect the perspective you have at the regional level on transit.

C.G. Why do you say it will never be discussed?

D.C. When I tried to raise regional issues in the last election, the NPA said, "Oh, no. You're running for municipal council. We're not discussing regional issues in this election." I said, "Well, where do we discuss it then?" They said, "We discuss that at the Regional District Board." I asked, "Where do the citizens get a chance to make a determination on who stands for what?" "Oh, well, they would have to attend regional meetings to understand that."

Well, the regional meetings aren't televised on cable and by the time the notices come out it's too late to go and speak on a particular issue.

C.G. The agenda is already set?
D.C. Not only the agenda, but there's a cut-off date to be able to speak, which is a week before, and the agenda doesn't come out until after that cut-off date has been passed. So, we have this bizarre situation in which many more of our functions now are regional. We're sharing more responsibilities with our fellow municipalities.

C.G. And becoming less and less able to participate.
D.C. Right. So, we COPE candidates are saying there should be direct election of GVRD directors, and there should be direct election of TransLink directors. Did you know that Vancouver taxpayers pay for sewage treatment at Annacis Island, which serves most of the municipalities south of the Fraser River.

C.G. Primary treatment?
D.C. Secondary. We pay for secondary treatment at Lulu Island which covers
Richmond. But we in Vancouver have primary treatment at Iona. So all of our sewage is primarily treated, though we're paying for secondary treatment of Annacis and Lulu Island.

They've just adopted a fifty year plan. Fifty years from now we will have treated sewage in Vancouver and we will have rectified what's called the ‘combined sewer overflows.’ Until then, when you flush your toilet it goes into a pipe; if it's raining and water is going into the storm sewer, then that pipe overflows. Each year three billion litres of raw, untreated sewage flows into False Creek, the Port of Vancouver and the north arm of the Fraser River.But what's most important about this election is that for many, many years the so-called Non-Partisan Association, which is supported by a coterie of business interests, has had a monopoly of power in the City of Vancouver.

C.G. For how long?
D.C. About sixty years on and off. There was a time in the '70's when a TEAM, led by Art Phillips, overthrew that monopoly. There was a brief period when Mike Harcourt was mayor with a COPE/NDP majority. But really, since Gordon Campbell came in as mayor there's been a lock, to the point where in 1990 there was only one non-NPA councillor and in 1993 there was only one non-NPA school board trustee.

But now, for the first time in many years, we have the chance to break through and elect a diverse council that will listen to and work with the citizens to make Vancouver the best city we can. Last time we elected two councillors - Fred Bass and Tim Louis. We elected three schoolboard trustees and one Green parks board commissioner. This time it's possible to elect a progressive majority at all three levels. I think people are getting tired of the NPA and the way they run this city.

The NPA is the only party now which is opposed to a ward system and they are because that works for them.

C.G. Wasn't there a decision that there would be a ward system?
D.C. There were three referendums. Two of them passed and at the time the provincial government said you have to get 60 percent, that 59 wasn't good enough. So, they refused it. Now that's changed and council can implement a ward system itself, but because the NPA has had a monopoly they've had no interest in doing that.

C.G. What are the benefits of a ward system?
D.C. Voters elect someone from their community to represent their neighbourhood. They are your voice on council. If there are problems in your neighbourhood you'd talk to that person. You would have a diversity of candidates from all around the city, unlike now with an overwhelming majority of elected candidates coming from the west side of town.

C.G. How much representation does the downtown eastside have?
D.C. There's nobody from the downtown eastside on council.

C.G. Is there a disproportionate representation for the wealthy versus the poor?
D.C. Of course. Shaughnessy is well represented. A ward system would ensure there are people from each community on council speaking up for their interests.

About 27 to 31 percent of the people vote in Vancouver's civicelection. In some other municipal jurisdictions it's even lower. With the present at-large system they go in and find 57 candidates on a ballot to choose ten from. I think it's even been as high as 110 candidates. Peoples' eyes just gloss over. So, now the NPA puts out massive advertising and you go in and think that sounds familiar so you vote for them, but the overwhelming majority of the population don't even bother to go out and vote.

C.G. A ward system would be simpler for the voter.
D.C. Of course, because you'd have a smaller number of people on the ballot for each ward.

For more information about COPE visit www.cope.bc.ca or call (604) 255-0400. For Green information, www.vangreens.org or (604) 684-5535.