Slate politics

New councillors campaigned on opposite election slates
By Roszan Holmen - Saanich News - November 26, 2008

On Dec. 1, Saanich council will welcome two newcomers to the chamber -- both of whom mayor Frank Leonard called the strongest of the new candidates running for the position.
Paul Gerrard and Dean Murdock may be the best of the bunch, in Leonard's eyes, but only one got his endorsement before the campaign.

The Frank Leonard election slate certainly isn't new but it seems to open old wounds with every election.

"He's telling me I'm chopped liver," Coun. Judy Brownoff said during the 2002 campaign of her exclusion from joint advertisements with the mayor.

In 2005, Gerrard ran for council and joined Brownoff in her opposition to the unfair influence of the mayor. In 2008, however, Gerrard appeared in ads alongside Leonard and incumbents Susan Brice, Leif Wergeland and Wayne Hunter. On election night, Gerrard celebrated with the others at the Elk Lake Restaurant. Dean Murdock wasn't invited.

"I was politically naive," Gerrard said of his 2005 position. "This time, I looked at what would it take to win a seat on council ... Realistically, an independent has very little wiggle room to get on council."

Almost all the candidates formed alliances to share expenses, he pointed out.

Murdock confirmed that he and the rest of the candidates divided up the cost of distributing brochures. "Beyond that, there was never an intention to present ourselves as a slate or a party," he said. "I think what we saw with the group that Frank Leonard endorsed was a far more concerted effort to promote the candidates as a slate, perhaps even a quasi-party."

Both Murdock and Gerrard agree, however, that any animosity during campaign time doesn't seem to transfer into council chambers.

"I've noticed the last council was very effective and it did not seem to have the divisive feel of before (the election)," Gerrard said.

Murdock also noticed that what happens on the campaign trail seems to stay on the campaign trail.

"There was a great deal of productivity and informed discussion in that council chamber," said Murdock.

Still, he said he is uncomfortable with "the idea that folks might be gathering in advance of a meeting to discuss how they may vote ... There's certainly a perception that's created by a concerted effort to run together that perhaps something is going on."

"Absolutely not," countered Coun. Susan Brice. Alliances end when the campaign ends, she confirmed.

Gerrard also discounted the notion of an ideological slate on council.

"Anyone who knows my work knows Frank Leonard and I don't agree on everything," he said.

Gerrard and Murdock both campaigned on the need for light rail transit. Both agree there's provincial grant money to be won for the project if the region can work together to present a sound business plan.

Their other priorities differ, with Murdock promoting himself as an environmental candidate and Gerrard as an advocate for affordable housing.