MEDIA RELEASE: NSV supports Vancouver City Council motion on municipal elections reforms, but with conditions
Download: MEDIA RELEASE_NSV on Jan 31 Council motion on municipal elections (30-Jan-2012)web
(Vancouver, January 30, 2012) Neighbourhoods for a Sustainable Vancouver today wrote Mayor and Council, offering general support for, but also requesting amendments to, a Motion by Councillor Andrea Reimer for the regular council meeting at 9:30 am on January 31.
The NSV letter supports several points in the Motion, which features limits on political contributions, a ban on union and corporate donations, a ban on foreign contributions, and more. Meanwhile, NSV requests that text be re-inserted to oppose the right for corporations to vote in local elections, and requests more stringent disclosure requirements immediately preceding and during election campaigns, and controls over third-party advertising and in-kind donations.
The full text of NSV’s letter is available for download (NSV to Council-Election Finance Reform Motion B3 Jan.31-2012). NSV’s input to Council is based on five years of neighbourhood-based networking and advocacy in Vancouver, and most recently the experience of having run five candidates in the 2011 civic election.
Letters on other Council deliberations this week will also be sent to Mayor and Council and posted online, as follows:
For Regular Council Meeting (Jan. 31), based on its declared Principles, NSV is supporting:
- Motion B2 – Request to Metro Vancouver Regarding Broadcasting of Meetings (NSV to Council- Metro Motion B2- Jan 31-2012)
- Motion B4 – Allow Safe Tying Up of Leashed Dogs (NSV to Council- Dog Motion B4-Jan 31-2012)
For the Public Hearing (Jan. 30), based on its declared Principles, NSV is opposing:
- CD-1 Rezoning: 228-246 East Broadway and 180 Kingsway (NSV to Council-Rize referal to public hearing- Jan31-2012)
- CD-1 Rezoning: 2298 Galt Street (NSV to Council- Galt St Public Hearing- Jan.30-2012)
