Re: Unions dominate NDP candidate roster

Adam T · Post by **Adam T** » Dec 12th, 2014, 9:25 am

An old thread in the provincial election archive. Obviously it's academic now, but I did want to correct an error in the post.
The post said:
"No more than 10 NDP candidates appear to be involved in business ventures. It is difficult to see how a Dix cabinet would be able to assign any credible business intellect to industrial or economic portfolios."

Actually, around half of the NDP candidates and MLAs have/had business experience:

MLAs
Business Owners
1.Robin Austin, Skeena, Former owner Camille's Restaurant in Victoria
2.Doug Donaldson,Stikine, Small Ecotourism Business Owner, Former Director Bulkley Valley Credit Union
3.Scott Fraser, Alberni-Pacific Rim, Bed and Breakfast Owner
4.John Horgan, Juan de Fuca, Management Consulting Firm Principal (IdeaWorks)
5.Maurine Karagianis, Esquamalt-Royal Roads, former Retail Clothing Store Owner also a Non Profit Housing Development and Management Consultant and former Importer/Exporter
6.Doug Routley, Nanaimo-North Cowichan, Retail and Wholesale Bicycle Company Owner
7.Bill Routley, Cowichan Valley, former Home Decoration Firm Owner
8.Claire Trevena, North Island, former Communications Firm Managing Partner, Self Employed Communications Consultant, also a former CBC Newsworld International Executive (although I suppose that is a Crown Corporation)

Self Employed
MLAs
9.Katrine Conroy, Kootenay West, Cattle Rancher
10.Gary Holman, Saanich North and the Islands, Economics Consultant and firm owner
11.Len Krog, Nanaimo, Family and Estate Lawyer and Firm Owner, former President Mid Island Consumer Services Co-Op
12.Lana Popham, Saanich South, Owner Barking Dog Vineyard
13.Bruce Ralston, Surrey-Whalley, Lawyer and firm owner, former Chair Van City Credit Union
14.Selina Robinson, Coquitlam-Maillardville, Family Therapist and firm owner

Co-ops
15.Shane Simpson, Vancouver-Hastings, Former Vice Chair Isadoras Co-operative Restaurant

So, almost half of the 34 NDP MLAs have either been business owners or self employed.

Defeated candidates
16.Mike Nuyens, Kelowna-Lake Country, former Excavation Company Owner (15 employees)
17.Steve Gunner, Shuswap, President North Okanagan Poultry Processing Inc, Organic Poultry Farmer, Former President Armstrong Regional Co-op
18.Harry Lali, Fraser Nicola, (defeated MLA), Small Environmental Technology Export Company Partner, former Sporting Goods Store Co-Owner
19.Kassandra Dyke, Comox Valley, Former Owner Oceanside English Academy (ESL school) (under a different business name)
20.Matt Toner, Vancouver-False Creek, CEO Zeros 2 Heroes Media
21.Gabriel Yiu, Vancouver-Fraserview, Owner Gabriel and Angela Flower Shops (3 locations)
22.Nicholas Scapillati, Vancouver-Quilchena, former Home Decoration Firm Owner
23.Nic Slater, Delta South, former small business owner in Whistler
24.Joe Trasolini, Port Moody-Coquitlam (defeated MLA) , Contracting Firm Owner
25.Jim Hanson, North Vancouver-Seymour, Personal Injury Law Firm Senior Partner
26.Harry Kooner, Surrey-Cloverdale, former Security Company Owner
27.Amrik Mahil, Surrey-Panorama, President Blacktop and Checker Cabs
28.Avtar Bains, Surrey-Tynehead, owner of a Ricky's Restaurant franchise
29.Lakhvinder Jhaj, Abbotsford South, former Owner of a Grocery Store and 2 Convenience Stores in Penticton
30.Shane Dyson, Fort Langley-Aldergrove, former Retail Musical Instruments Store Owner in Vancouver and former Jazz Record Label Owner Communications Consultant and Firm Owner (Face to Face Communications)

Self Employed
31.Bobby Deepak, Prince George-MacKenzie, Labour Lawyer and Owner North Labour Law Corp
32.Sherry Ogasawara, Prince George-Valemount, Fitness and Nutritutional Consultant and firm Owner (So Fit Company)
33.Duncan Barnett, Cariboo North, Rancher
34.Richard Cannings, Penticton, Biology Consultant and firm Owner
35.Kathy Kendall, Family Law Lawyer and firm Owner
36.Scott Stewart, Richmond-Steveston, Advanced Driver Education Consultant and firm Owner
37.Ana Santos, West Vancouver-Sea to Sky, Freelance Translator

Executives and former Executives
38.Jessica Van der Veen, Oak Bay-Gordon Head, former Gastown Actor's Studio Director of Part Time Studies
39.Barry Avis, Parksville-Qualicum, Former Technology Company Plant Operations Manager
40.Frank Yunrong Huang, Richmond Centre, former Global Chinese Press Editor in Chief

40 is a lot more than 10.

flamingfingers · Post by **flamingfingers** » Dec 12th, 2014, 12:05 pm

^^How very interesting! Thank you for getting this information and sharing it with us, Adam T. and welcome to Castanet!

Rwede · Post by **Rwede** » Dec 12th, 2014, 2:17 pm

40/85 have had jobs. The rest were union brass? Yippee, let's throw a party to celebrate.

maryjane48 · Post by **maryjane48** » Dec 12th, 2014, 2:20 pm

Rwede wrote:40/85 have had jobs. The rest were union brass? Yippee, let's throw a party to celebrate.

well lets see 2 tailing spills under clarks watch hmmmmmmmm , letting km bore holes where ever they like , hmmmmmmmm , im starting to think bc environment cant handle another term of the clark bunch, unless of course you like a toxic suop to go play in

Hassel99 · Post by **Hassel99** » Dec 12th, 2014, 2:29 pm

*removed*

maryjane48 · Post by **maryjane48** » Dec 12th, 2014, 2:37 pm

*removed*

Hassel99 · Post by **Hassel99** » Dec 12th, 2014, 2:46 pm

lakevixen wrote: maybe instead of wondering what the ndp might or should have done , you should focus on what the current govt, is not doing, as in letting mines spill and no consequences

There are massive consequences...what are you talking about? Sure no one is swinging from a rope but if you don't think there are consequences to the mine spills you are off your rocker.

Imperial Metals has cost of $67mm relating the spill, this could increase as more environmental reports have come in.
Imperial Metals Stock has fallen from $17 this summer to $8 today. The company has lost over half its value with $74mm outstanding shares that is a market capitalization drop of $659mm.

So far this spill has cost this company over $700,000,000, and you say there are no consequences...

Adam T · Post by **Adam T** » Dec 12th, 2014, 3:03 pm

Hassel99 wrote:Just like the NDP to be 18 months late with useful information.

Perhaps rebutting fallacy during in the election period instead of a year and half later may be a more rewarding strategy.

1.I am not with the NDP. I was doing some research on past provincial election candidate who ran in the municipal election and I stumbled on the original post. Since I quickly read over the bios of the NDP candidates while doing that, I was aware that far more than 10 candidates had at least some business experience.
2.I agree with your basic point though, I am surprised the B.C NDP didnt rebut this, the Yukon NDP website, for instance, touted the fact that 12 of their 18 candidates in the 2011 territorial election were present or former small businesspeople.

There were other problems with the original post as well. At least a couple of the candidates mentioned had not been affilated with a union for 20 or 30 years and one candidate, pharmacist Elizabeth Roseneau in Maple Ridge was merely a member of the HSA. I am sure it would come as a shock to any provincial Liberal candidate whose work made them a member of a union to be considered a 'union activist' or something like that.

Rwede · Post by **Rwede** » Dec 12th, 2014, 3:13 pm

*removed*

maple leaf · Post by **maple leaf** » Dec 12th, 2014, 6:10 pm

A well rounded group that would have been able to relate to all walks of life,weather they work in a union are business owners or self employed or legal minded.Experience from all facets in everyday life is a good thing.