Click here to visit the mobile version of winnipegfreepress.com

Winnipeg Free Press > Local > NDP to field council candidates

Local

Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

NDP to field council candidates

Veteran Coun. Harvey Smith facing challenge from within party

By: Bartley Kives

11/12/2009 1:00 AM | Comments: 14

Keith Bellamy says he'll seek NDP nomination in Daniel McIntyre ward.

CAPHIL.HOSSACK@FREEPRESS.MB.CA Enlarge Image

Keith Bellamy says he'll seek NDP nomination in Daniel McIntyre ward.

Manitoba New Democrats plan to nominate candidates in Winnipeg's next civic election, formalizing a process that's been informal in the past.

Senior NDP officials say the party may hold nomination meetings in Winnipeg wards where more than one party member wants to run for office in the 2010 general election.

Related Items

  1. Polls

In March, the party amended its constitution to change the way politicians in some Manitoba municipalities are endorsed by the NDP. The move allows candidates to seek support from community groups that are not tied to the party.

A meeting was slated to be held Thursday night to work out the details of the nomination process, said Ellen Olfert, the party's regional vice-president for Winnipeg.

"We've always had the opportunity to endorse council candidates," she said. "The party has historically focused on provincial elections and federal elections and stayed out of municipal elections."

The NDP has always been involved in civic politics, albeit in an informal way, said Lorraine Sigurdson, president of Manitoba's NDP.

While party politics have no official role at city council, most sitting members have affiliations to one of the province's three major parties. Five have formal ties to the NDP: Couns. Jenny Gerbasi (Fort Rouge), Lillian Thomas (Elmwood), Dan Vandal (St. Boniface), Harvey Smith (Daniel McIntyre) and Russ Wyatt (Transcona).

At least one NDP member has already declared his intention to wrest the party nomination away from a sitting city councillor. Keith Bellamy, a constituency assistant for Winnipeg Centre MP Pat Martin, is seeking the NDP nomination for the Daniel McIntyre seat occupied by Smith.

Bellamy, who ran River Heights Coun. John Orlikow's successful byelection campaign in March, is backed by former Manitoba NDP secretary Wayne Copeland, former MLA Becky Barrett and the campaign managers behind Sharon Blady and Erin Selby's respective provincial election victories in Kirkfield Park and Southdale in 2007.

"Harvey has worked for many, many years in service to this community. But it's time for someone with more energy and a stronger voice," Bellamy said.

Smith reacted to Bellamy's declaration with nonchalance. "There's always someone coming after you and I accept that," said the council veteran. "I'm sure I'll get the nomination."

Because political parties have no formal standing at the civic level, there is nothing preventing the loser of a nomination process from running for city council. But left-of-centre candidates have avoided running against each other.

In this year's River Heights byelection, left-leaning Liberal Paul Hesse declined to run to allow Orlikow a better chance of defeating nominal Conservative Geoff Currier.

Winnipeg Mayor Sam Katz, meanwhile, said he's happy to see the NDP formalize its involvement with municipal politics.

"Good for them for doing it and telling the world they're doing it," said Katz, who has described council's unofficial opposition -- Gerbasi, Thomas, Vandal, Smith, Wyatt and often Orlikow -- as an NDP bloc.

"I've said many times: Party politics should not exist at city hall. But it does," said the mayor. "They (the NDP) no longer have to live the lie."

Katz also accused the NDP government of meddling in civic politics by introducing campaign-finance reforms that ban both union and corporate donations.

"By eliminating corporate donations, they now make it more difficult for people who are right of centre," said the mayor. "It won't affect me, but people should give them credit for being a lot smarter than they thought they were."

bartley.kives@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition December 11, 2009 B1

  • Rate this Rate This Star Icon
  • This article has not yet been rated.

    • We want you to tell us what you think of our articles. If the story moves you, compels you to act or tells you something you didn’t know, mark it high. If you thought it was well written, do the same. If it doesn’t meet your standards, mark it accordingly.

    You can also register and/or login to the site and join the conversation by leaving a comment.

    Rate it yourself by rolling over the stars and clicking when you reach your desired rating. We want you to tell us what you think of our articles. If the story moves you, compels you to act or tells you something you didn’t know, mark it high.

14 Commentscomment icon

Um.. Mayor Katz, wasn't your campaign manager for your first election the notorious Hugh McFadyen himself, leader of the Provincial Conservative Party? Isn't your devoted 'yes-man' Jeff Browaty a former staffer of former Provincial Conservative Leader Stuart Murray?

Maybe before you say that party politics shouldn't exist at city hall you should look at yourself and many of your devoted EPC members. Because acting like you have no ties with any political party is hypocritical.

Secondly, get your facts right about councillors. Orlikow has ties to the Liberal party, rather than to the NDP. Just because a councillor votes against what you want a few times doesn't mean he or she is NDP.

Daniel Mac needs change! Keith Bellamy=Pat Martin=Postive Change=Big ???.

Wow, I'm impressed. Finally someone on the left has had courage enough to speak about the orange elephant in the room! Harvey is way past his best-before date.

@ ST. B GUY

So you'd rather have private and/or anonymous donations from the leaders of corporations or unions who now don't have to declare it publicly???

"If we had better control over who donated money we may not have the doubts about so many deals that the city has made with companies that have supported Mr. Katz."

...or doubts if Gerbasi, Vandal, Smith and Thomas really have their consituents' best interest in mind.

"Katz also accused the NDP government of meddling in civic politics by introducing campaign-finance reforms that ban both union and corporate donations".

This is a policy of both the Federal and the Provincial governments, why should it not be a policy for the city. If city councillors were able to win re-election on their record alone they would have past the policy themselves. But those that have not earned by deeds try by spending large amounts to compensate for their weaknesses. Those elected whether city, Federal, or Provincial all need to be able to do without it appearing that they may owe favours to financial supporters. If we had better control over who donated money we may not have the doubts about so many deals that the city has made with companies that have supported Mr. Katz.

The Tories are strongly tied to the right wing City Councillors. Of course provincial and federal political people are going to care about municipal politics as well. This is natural, and behaving like the NDP or any other party are "meddling" is to misunderstand what politics is entirely. The NDP, the Liberals and the Tories work for their own mandate at every level. The NDP have just decided to be overt about it.

Harvey Smith is ready to retire. He is ineffectual and this community needs someone who will revitalize the community while supporting the needs of its unique demography and respect and promote the cultural diversity. This is a great neighbourhood! Let's give it a strong voice. Keith Bellamy has been around here for a long time doing great work, he deserves a chance to make real change.

I remember working for this guy when I participated in the Society for Mb. with disabilities 24hour relay - it was such a great event and so well planned and run - I am sure it was all because of this guy. Really good to see that he has continued to be actively involved with people and politically where he can make a real difference! He was a vivid advocate when I worked with him and believe with his forward thinking he would be the best guy for Daniel Mac - From what I know about the area, it's time for a change, the area needs a change, the constituency members need change and am sure change would come if the people of Daniel Mac decided to vote differently by bringing in Mr. Bellamy and not Harvey Smith - here is the people's opportunity for change and believe he will deliver. I wish him all the best in Daniel Mac - he is the right guy!

@JB, we lefties are glad you left as well. If you don't want to stay to make your province a better place then you've made your choice.

Isn't that the same guy who used to run the MS Bike Tour? I was one of his volunteers and he was so great to work for.

It's so nice to see someone like him in the running for city council. We need more community-minded elected officials like him!

View all Comments

The comment period for this story has ended.

letters

Make text: Larger | Smaller

Special coverage

Our Communities

Poll

Should the province spend $3.1 million to keep Greyhound inter-city bus service in Manitoba?

View Results

View Related Story