Dozens of Would-Be Candidates Flock to Gregor Robertson's Vision Vancouver Slate

From 24 Hours --

A mob of aspiring politicians has stampeded to Vancouver's newest political party, each hoping to stake a claim aboard the coat tails of mayoral candidate Gregor Robertson.

Twenty-eight would-be city councillors, parks board commissioners and school board trustees have declared candidacies within Vision Vancouver. An unprecedented 14 of those are competing to run for city council. And two more prospective councillors - incumbent George Chow and Sikh community leader Kashmir Singh Dhaliwal - could announce within days.

"I'm thinking about it," Dhaliwal told The Tyee. "Call me Friday."

In addition to being a widely respected moderate, Dhaliwal leads the executive committee of the Khalsa Diwan Society, an historic Punjabi organization that operates the large Ross Sikh Temple in South Vancouver and routinely attracts more than 100,000 people to its annual Vaisakhi Day parade.

"Frankly, this nomination race will be much more complicated than the election itself," said Andrea Reimer, a two-term Green school trustee now seeking a council seat within Vision.

By comparison, at least 17 Vancouverites have declared candidacies or been nominated within the centre-right Non-Partisan Association - including UniverCity developer Michael Geller and former madam Jamie Lee Hamilton. And 16 candidates have declared for the Council of Progressive Electors, including four of the 40-year-old party's five incumbents as well as community activist Meena Wong, a former understudy to then-Toronto councillor Olivia Chow.