Letter to The Record, (RE: Voice should be up front March 22, 2008)

I appreciate Vince McFadyen's views on government and politics in our city and I would like to answer the questions he posed to Voice New Westminster surrounding transparency: Who paid for the most recent Voice ad? As previously stated in the Record, our ads are paid for by Voice New Westminster through our ten dollar membership fee and a 2007 fundraiser held at Clancey's pub. In addition, we will be holding a fundraiser at Taverna Greka April 6^th to raise money for the upcoming election.

Mr. McFayden wishes to know the names of our candidates for the election; Voice will hold our nomination meeting September 22, 2008. The candidates will be selected in an open process by our members, and of course, new members are welcome.

We also have previously encouraged the labour council endorsed candidates to comply with the same level of transparency: Will Councillors Cote, Harper, and Williams – if they haven't already – supply the public with the value of their Burnaby campaign office, the salary of their campaign manager, and the value of the phones at the Burnaby office from the last election? Will the self- proclaimed choice of labour Mayor Wright do the same?

Our candidates will be elected in an open process this September, but what about the labour council endorsed candidates? My understanding is that they are selected by a committee and are required to sign a document of some kind as a condition of endorsement. Who is the committee, are they residents of New Westminster, and what does the document entail?

Under stricter new provincial legislation municipal slates must declare themselves and their financial dealings during the upcoming election: Voice New Westminster is setting an example of transparency and openness by supplying this information in advance. We are declaring who we are, how we select candidates, and how we raise money. Will others do the same?

Steve McClurg