Will Voice merit a voter’s choice?

Expectant parents understand: names are important.
Reaching that crucial decision—Boris or Yosemite? Esmerelda or Manna?—of what to name that new bundle of joy can be a daunting task.
A friend of mine is expecting his first child in September. This tall, blond, white guy and his wife are thinking Arturo or Geronimo. Who am I to say?
New West’s mayor is lucky. Wayne Wright. Not only does he have an easy election slogan, the corny “Make the Wright Choice,” but his name is reminiscent of “wainwright” and the Royal City is always in search of a decent wagon maker.
As for political slates, their names are often boosterish in tone, like the new Surrey First across the river or Vision Vancouver next door. But better that than the bland (and erroneous) Non Partisan Association in that city, or the sad-sack COPE, whose slogan might as well be “COPE: We’ll muddle through.”
Until recently, New West was without a slate of its own on the municipal scene, though many say the labour-endorsed group on council (three) and school board (four) are a de facto slate.
But in January last year, the city got an official one: Voice New Westminster, its founding board of directors a healthy mix of has-beens, coulda beens, and possibly, shoulda beens from a broad range of political stripes.
As names go, Voice has a nice ring to it. But can the Royal City dance to it?
Better still, is Voice worth listening to?
In its first 15 months, the group has proven itself a consistent and articulate critic.
In 2007, Voice pointed out how staffing costs at Sixth and Royal outstrips many of its neighbours, as a percentage of the annual budget. It criticized the dysfunction in the planning department that (arguably) led to an exodus of staff. (Thankfully, an issue now resolved)
And it took shots at the school board, too, taking the extreme step of calling upon the province to appoint a special advisor to oversee the operations of the school district in order to restore public trust and confidence. Voice cited three strikes in their argument for bringing someone new to the plate: the asbestos exposure issue at NWSS, the fumbling approach to replace the high school and the pathetic record of the business company.
And back at city hall, Voice marched on, critical of what it calls the city’s “development-by-variance” approach, a jab at council’s tendency to grant approvals for variances so significant they effectively amount to a rezoning.
Voice is a politically-savvy bunch. What else would you expect when you have a former long-time councillor and mayoral candidate (Casey Cook), a former ministerial assistant in Victoria and unsuccessful candidate at three levels (Steve McClurg) and a crew of residents association presidents and PAC chairs?
In raising issues, they’ve also started targeting individual councillors they hope to pick off at the polls Nov. 15.
Coun. Jonathan Cote got spanked by the group for sending a memo to Moody Park area residents voicing his dismay about the decision to send the outdoor pool project back to the drawing board.
And to hear it from Voice, Coun. Bill Harper (another labour endorsed councillor) is the guy who wants to put a dirty waste-to-energy plant in Sapperton backyards, and park the garbage trucks in people’s driveways.
As a new slate in town, Voice is a welcome addition.
Operating as the unofficial opposition to current council and school board, they’ve given strength to many legitimate concerns about how this town is run.
For too long, critics like Christopher Bell and Kelvin Chao have been largely on their own, and lone voices, when they speak alone for too long, tend to ring shrill for lack of support.
Whether Voice candidates win any seats at the table this fall—well, that’s another question.
As far as names go, Voice has a good one. The group has said a lot in its first 15 months.
But saying what’s wrong is one thing.
Making it right is another.
This fall their platform should be judged with the same rigour they’ve given to the decisions of the politicians they hope to replace.

By Chris Bryan - New Westminster News Leader - May 14, 2008