With the May 9 provincial election looming, we've compiled a list of all the nominees in Vancouver’s 11 ridings who have declared their intentions to run for public office. Candidates have until April 18 to finalize their paperwork with Elections B.C. and this list will be updated to reflect those changes.
Vancouver-Fairview
Incumbent: George Heyman (NDP)
2017 candidates:
- NDP – GEORGE HEYMAN: Heyman is the NDP’s environment critic and a past executive director of the Sierra Club, a long-standing environmental advocacy group. A life-long Vancouver resident, Heyman was a three-term president of the BC Government and Service Employees’ Union and a former board member with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, the Columbia Institute and the Workers’ Compensation Board.
- LIBERAL – GABE GARFINKEL: Garfinkel owns a health-care communications consulting company and previously worked as Premier Christy Clark’s director of stakeholder relations. His platform’s talking points include diversifying the economy and housing affordability.
- GREEN PARTY – LOUISE BOUTIN: Boutin works as a realtor on Vancouver’s West Side and comes from a 20-year background in computer sciences. She ran as a Green candidate in the 2011 federal election in Vancouver-Kingsway, along with a run for school board trustee in the 2011 municipal election.
- YOUR POLITICAL PARTY OF B.C. — JOEY DOYLE: Doyle’s political volunteerism has spanned the federal Conservatives and Liberals, the NDP and Vision Vancouver. Born in Calgary, Doyle is currently a second-year law student at UBC.
2013 vote split:
Heyman — 12,649 votes or 47per cent
Margaret MacDiarmid (Liberal) — 11,298 or 42 per cent
Matthew Pedley (Green Party) — 2,785 or 10 per cent
Vancouver-False Creek
Incumbent: Sam Sullivan (Liberals)
2017 candidates:
- LIBERAL – SAM SULLIVAN: Sullivan served as a Vancouver city councillor from 1993 to 2005 and in the mayor’s chair from 2006 to 2009. He narrowly beat former two-term Vancouver-Burrard MLA Lorne Mayencourt to represent the riding after incumbent Liberal MLA Mary McNeil chose not to run again. He serves as vice chair of the Rick Hansen Institute and is a member of the Order of Canada.
- NDP - MORGANE OGER: Oger chairs the Trans Alliance Society and is a member of the city’s LGBTQ2+ Advisory Committee. She previously chaired the Vancouver District Parent Advisory Council. A UBC grad in engineering, Oger works in the IT sector. If elected, Oger will become the first openly transgender MLA in B.C. history.
- GREEN PARTY – BRADLEY SHENDE: An instructor of new media at BCIT, Schende is political rookie. Outside of his work at BCIT, he’s also a filmmaker, consultant and entrepreneur who helped co-found CRED (Conversations for Responsible Economic Development), a non-profit devoted to “responsible economic development.”
- YOUR POLITICAL PARTY – JAMES FILIPPELLI: Filippelli is the founder and president of Your Political Party, whose platform calls for more transparency and accountability in government. He ran in Port Moody ridings in the 2005 and 2009 elections and in Vancouver-False Creek in 2013.
2013 vote split:
Sullivan — 11,228 or 52 per cent
Matt Toner (NDP) — 7,981 or 37 per cent
Daniel Tseghay (Green Party) 1,928 or nine per cent
Other: two per cent
Vancouver-Fraserview
Incumbent: Suzanne Anton (Liberals)
2017 candidates:
- LIBERALS – SUZANNE ANTON: An NPA councillor from 2005 to 2011, Anton is the provincial Minister of Justice and Attorney General. She ran unsuccessfully against Mayor Gregor Robertson in the 2011 civic election, and was a park board commissioner from 2002 to 2005. Prior to political life, Anton worked as a lawyer and math teacher.
- NDP — GEORGE CHOW: A two-term Vision Vancouver councillor, Chow ran for the Vancouver-Langara seat eventually won by Liberal Moira Stillwell in 2013. He’s an advisor to the Vancouver Chinatown Merchants Association and a past board member with the Vancouver Public Library and SUCCESS.
- GREEN PARTY — ERIC KOLOTYLUK: Kolotyluk holds a master’s degree in science and has worked for the U.S. Department of Defense and at UBC’s Department of Astronomy. His fields of expertise lie in IT, software development and communications.
- YOUR POLITICAL PARTY – HARPREET BAWJA: As is the case with all YPP candidates, Bawja runs on a platform whereby if elected, he pledges to hold town hall meetings every three months, make government finances more transparent and return 15 per cent of his annual salary to constituents.
2013 vote split:
Anton — 10,118 or 47 per cent
Gabriel Yu (NDP) — 9,648 or 45 per cent
Stuart Mackinnon (Green Party) 1,230 or six per cent
Other: three per cent
Vancouver-Hastings
Incumbent: Shane Simpson (NDP)
2017 candidates:
- NDP – SHANE SIMPSON: Simpson’s lock on Vancouver-Hastings started in 2005, and he’s held the seat ever since. He’s the NDP’s critic for economic development, jobs, labour and skills and has lived in the riding since 1971. Simpson is a recipient of the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal and has an extensive background in public policy planning and economic development.
- GREEN PARTY – DAVID WONG: Wong works as an architect and an urban ecologist and his Vancouver lineage dates back 130 years. The Vancouver Sun named him as one of B.C.'s "100 influential Chinese-Canadians" in 2006. Wong also authored a graphic novel called Escape to Gold Mountain in 2012, which chronicled racism and the early Chinese North American experience.
- LIBERALS – JANE SPITZ: Spitz was acclaimed as the Liberal candidate, and is currently in the fifth year of her political science studies at UBC. Spitz is the past president of the UBC Conservatives campus club and previously served on the Ubyssey newspaper’s board of directors.
2013 vote split:
Simpson — 12,782 or 60 per cent
Fatima Siddiqui (Liberals) — 5,936 or 28 per cent
Brennan Wauters (Green Party) — 2,386 or 11 per cent
Other: two per cent
Vancouver-Kensington
Incumbent: Mable Elmore (NDP)
2017 candidates:
- NDP – MABLE ELMORE: Elmore has held the East Vancouver seat since 2009 and is the NDP’s critic for temporary foreign workers and immigration. Elmore worked as a bus driver for a decade and sought the federal NPD seat in Vancouver East, but lost to Jenny Kwan in 2015.
- GREEN PARTY — SIMON REAR: A political neophyte, Rear won the party nomination in early March. His educational background is rooted in law, philosophy and the humanities. Rear has worked alongside First Nations communities to promote voting, research and event planning.
- LIBERALS – KIM CHAN LOGAN: Logan works in government relations for Telus and was once a senior advisor with the Ministry of Health. A Vancouver Technical School and UBC grad, Chan’s family has lived in East Van for more than a century. She’s also a past board member with the Minerva Foundation for B.C. Women, the Justice Institute, the Business Council of B.C. and the College of Dental Hygienists.
2013 vote split:
Elmore — 10,687 or 51 per cent
Gabby Kalaw (Liberals) — 7,965 or 38 per cent
Chris Fjell (Green Party) — 1,578 or eight per cent
Other: three per cent
Vancouver-Kingsway
Incumbent: Adrian Dix (NDP)
2017 candidates:
- NDP — ADRIAN DIX: Dix has dominated the seat since 2005 and was the leader of the Official Opposition from 2011 to 2014. He’s currently the NDP’s critic for BC Hydro and served as chief of staff for Premier Glen Clark from 1996 to 1999, a position he left after admitting falsifying documents to protect Clark from conflict-of-interest charges. Born and raised in Vancouver, Dix studied political science at UBC.
- LIBERAL — TRANG NGUYEN: Nguyen worked as a federal citizenship judge from 2013 to 2016 and spent two decades as an interpreter in the B.C. courts system prior to that. She’s also worked in community journalism at Channel M TV, Omni TV and Lac Viet Radio. A graduate of SFU’s criminology program, Trang was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012.
- GREEN PARTY — ELLISA CALDER: Calder works in the IT sector for Habanero Consulting Group, a Vancouver-based tech firm. Before IT, Calder was employed in the field of human resources and worked at the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
2013 vote split:
Dix — 10,409 or 57 per cent
Gurjit Dhillon (Liberals) — 6,600 or 36 per cent
Gregory Dale Esau (Green Party) — 1,327 or seven per cent
Vancouver-Langara
Incumbent: Moira Stilwell (Liberals, not running for re-election)
2017 candidates:
- LIBERAL — MICHAEL LEE: Lee is a life-long Vancouverite and works as a business lawyer. A political newcomer, Lee sits on the board of the YMCA of Greater Vancouver Foundation and is a past chair of Arts Umbrella and UBC’s alumni board.
- NDP — JAMES WANG: Burnaby city councillor James Wang announced his provincial aspirations last September. A former school trustee in Burnaby, Wang has a master’s degree in business administration. He works as a senior advisor with the commerce group Canada Export Centre.
- GREEN PARTY — JANET FRASER: Fraser was among the nine Vancouver School Board trustees ousted by Education Minister Mike Bernier in October 2016. Fraser was born in the U.K. and has lived in the riding for 15 years. A mother of three, Fraser has worked as a research chemist and a project manager.
- YOUR POLITICAL PARTY – SURINDER TREHAN: As is the case with all YPP candidates, Trehan runs on a platform whereby if elected, he pledges to hold town hall meetings every three months, make government finances more transparent and return 15 per cent of his annual salary to constituents.
2013 vote split:
Stilwell — 10,234 or 53 per cent
George Chow (NDP) — 7,447 or 38 per cent
Regan-Heng Zhang (Green Party) — 1,055 or five per cent
Other: four per cent
Vancouver-Mount Pleasant
Incumbent: Melanie Mark (NDP)
2017 candidates:
- NDP — MELANIE MARK: Mark won the seat in a 2016 byelection after Jenny Kwan left the seat to pursue federal politics. Mark is the first Indigenous woman to serve as an MLA, and is the NDP’s critic for children and family development. Mark has a degree in political science and a diploma in criminology.
- LIBERAL — CONNY LIN: Lin won the party nomination in January and works for Fit Brains, a Vancouver-based tech company. Lin is also vice president of the Canadian Mental Health Association. She’s worked in the field of addictions for more than a decade as a researcher and neuroscientist.
- GREEN PARTY — JERRY KROLL: A tech entrepreneur with 40 marathons to his credit, Kroll is listed by the Greens as a private pilot, Formula race car driver, Toastmaster and a member of Mensa.
2016 byelection voting split:
Mark — 5,353 or 61 per cent
Pete Fry (Green Party) 2,325 or 26 per cent
Gavin Dew (Liberals) 994 or 11 per cent
Other: one per cent
Vancouver-Point Grey
Incumbent: David Eby (NDP)
2017 candidates:
- NDP — DAVID EBY: A human rights activist, lawyer and former executive director of the B.C. Civil Liberties Association, Eby shocked the political landscape by defeating Premier Christy Clark in 2013. Eby is the NDP’s critic for TransLink, housing and liquor policy, B.C. Housing, B.C. Lottery Corporation, B.C. Pavilion Corporation, Destination B.C. and the Liquor Distribution Branch.
- LIBERAL — JAMES LOMBARDI: Lombardi heads established a Vancouver start-up called Minded Projects, which focuses on social justice and non-profits. He previously worked in business development with the Free the Children movement, the international charity behind WE Day events for youth. Lombardi has a master’s degree in international relations and global finance and a bachelor’s degree in political science.
- GREEN PARTY — AMANDA KONKIN: Konkin comes from the arts world and was one of the producers of the world’s first transgender sitcom, The Switch.She has a bachelor of arts degree in theatre and political science and a master’s degree in theatre studies from UBC. Her work has appeared on Shaw TV and at the Vancouver Fringe Festival.
- YOUR POLITICAL PARTY — DAVID STALL: Stall is listed by his party as a political science researcher studying conflict prevention at UBC, as well as a freelance artist.
2013 vote split:
Eby — 11,499 or 48 per cent
Christy Clark (Liberals) — 10,436 or 43 per cent
Françoise Raunet (Green Party) — 1,636 or seven per cent
Other: two per cent
Vancouver-Quilchena
Incumbent: Andrew Wilkinson (Liberals)
2017 candidates:
- LIBERALS — ANDREW WILKINSON: Wilkinson is the Liberals’ Minister of Advanced Education and previously served as the Minister of Technology, Innovation and Citizens’ Services. Prior to being elected he worked both as a lawyer and a doctor. He’s a past president of the B.C. Civil Liberties Association and B.C. Liberal Party.
- NDP — MADELINE LALONDE: Lalonde was acclaimed as the NDP candidate in February and works as an IT recruiter with S.i. Systems. She’s been working and volunteering with the provincial NDP since 2013 and graduated from UBC with a bachelor’s degree in sociology in 2016.
- GREEN PARTY — MICHAEL BARKUSKY: Barkusky’s work experience would suggest he’s a numbers man, as his professional background includes stints in accounting, economics and financial management. Barkusky has owned his public accounting and consulting practice for more than two decades and has his degree in economics.
2013 vote split:
Wilkinson — 14,496 or 64 per cent
Nicholas Scapillatti (NDP) — 5,705 or 25 per cent
Damian Kettlewell (Green Party) — 1,426 or seven per cent
Other: three per cent
Vancouver-West End
Incumbent: Spencer Chandra Herbert (NDP)
2017 candidates:
- NDP — SPENCER CHANDRA HERBERT: The West End riding been an NDP go-to for close to a decade. Chandra Herbert has been re-elected consistently since 2008 and is now the NDP’s critic for tourism, arts, culture, TV and film. Chandra Herbert was born and raised in Vancouver and was a park board commissioner from 2005 to 2008.
- GREEN PARTY — JAMES MARSHALL: Marshall has worked for a decade in the video game and film industries as an artist, animator and technical artist. He’s also an avid musician and alumni of the world champion Simon Fraser University Pipe Band.
- LIBERALS — NIGEL ELLIOTT: Elliott previously held a number of government jobs in Victoria and is now employed as an independent public affairs consultant. He holds a bachelor of arts degree in political science and a certificate in graphic design from BCIT.
2013 vote split:
Chandra Herbert — 10,755 or 57 per cent
Scott Harrison (Liberal) — 5,349 or 28 per cent
Jodie Emery (Green Party) — 2,156 or 11 per cent
Other: four per cent
