Friday, April 03, 2009


Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC


This Sunday, April 5, 2009, there appears to be another show-down at the Coalition of Progressive Electors (COPE) annual general meeting.

A new slate calling itself COPE 12 is running for all 12 spots on the COPE executive.

COPE stalwart Tim Louis again is part of a mini-slate comprising four people. Respected Leader Terry Martin is also part of the Keep it COPE slate. They are up against COPE 12.

This inner conflict within COPE continues to play out.

Why party people affiliated with the New Vision/New Democratic Party are out to prevent Tim Louis from serving on the executive of COPE must be answered. Of course why Mr Louis even wants to continue with a group who clearly are painting him as some sort of enemy of COPE is really troubling.

Tim Louis served for 12 years on Council - six as City Councillor and another six on Park board.

In the last election COPE forces loyal to the civic New Vision Party prevented Mr Louis from winning a nomination. These same forces, the New NDP COPE then signed on to a formal alliance with the New Vision Party

Now Mr Louis is back to battle these same forces again. While it is admirable that Tim Louis isn't backing away from those who seem out to destroy him, at some point, he must come to the realization that supporters of his are tiring of attending meetings which are rife with conflict.

Mr Louis clearly has a significant support base in COPE but unfortunately it has not been enough to compete against the other slate which is closely aligned with the provincial and federal New Democratic Party.

If Mr Louis wants his political star to continue to shine he must come to the realization that he has support in Vancouver which isn't tied to the New Democratic/New Vision Party. He must move beyond allowing himself to be drawn into these unproductive political squabbles and instead rally his supporters to embark on initiating a new civic entity which is free of provincial or federal mainstream party interferences.

Why Mr Louis who clearly has broad support in the City doesn't move forward with focused leadership presenting a clear alternative to voters which is free of provincial or federal party affiliation is perplexing.

Mr Louis' longtime hero, the late godfather of COPE, the beloved Harry Rankin, if he were alive today would say why keep fighting these treacherous buggers.

In fact in 1993, the New Democratic Party ran a slate for the COPE executive against one that COPE founder Mr Rankin headed and sadly the Rankin slate lost to the Libby Davies led NDP faction. Mr Rankin retired. The result of that NDP takeover was an almost complete wipe-out for the NEW-NDP-COPE at the polls on election day. Libby Davies lost the Mayoral race to Philip Owen and the New-NDP-COPE elected only one Councillor, Jenny Kwan.

Ms Davies and Ms Kwan this time around are supporters of the COPE 12slate headed by NDP MLA David Chudnovksy who is not seeking provincial re-election on May 12.

It's time for Tim Louis to gather his supporters and move on. There is no doubt that this City will continue to embrace Mr Louis' politics regardless of whether he is part of COPE or not.

Why remain with a municipal group which clearly has it strings pulled by treacherous provincial and federal NDP types.

Clearly, keeping it COPE died long ago.

Jamie Lee Hamilton