With a Burnaby councillor and a Burnaby school trustee headed to Victoria, byelections for their seats on city council and the school board could open a window onto the all-Burnaby Citizens Association council and board, say city hall watchers.
While uncertainty still reigns about the overall outcome of the Tuesday’s provincial election, it’s clear Coun. Anne Kang and school board trustee Katrina Chen are headed to the B.C. legislature as NDP MLAs for Burnaby-Deer Lake and Burnaby-Lougheed, respectively.
Only provincial cabinet ministers are actually barred from holding office in other areas, according to Burnaby school district secretary-treasurer Russell Horswill, but Chen is unlikely to remain an active member of the board.
“I don’t think it’s her intention to have both jobs,” Horswill told the NOW Wednesday, “but we have not received anything formal from her.”
Chen has a number of other options, according to Horswill.
She could resign, triggering a byelection, or take an unpaid leave of absence until Jan. 1, 2018, at which time a byelection would no longer be required under the Local Government Act.
The second option would save the cost of a byelection but deprive the board of a trustee until the next municipal election in October 2018. City staff wouldn’t comment on the situation, and calls on the subject to Mayor Derek Corrigan were not returned by press time, but the same legislation applies to municipal councils.
Former civic candidate and Metrotown Residents Association founder Rick McGowan, who ran unsuccessfully in Burnaby-Deer Lake for the B.C. Greens in Tuesday’s election, said a byelection could open up city hall, especially ahead of decisions like the approval of the Metrotown development plan update, which is expected in June.
“I’m still committed to fighting the Metrotown update, and having a voice on council would be helpful,” McGowan told the NOW. “Being in the room when they’re in their in camera meetings would be somewhat helpful to understand what happens, because no one knows. It’s a big secret. I don’t know if one councillor can change anything, but we have to have better information coming out of city hall.”
A byelection might be the best shot for a non-BCA candidate to win a seat on council or the school board, according to McGowan, and local Greens will get together to discuss the potential vacancies.
“It’s a good opportunity for somebody who’s not part of the BCA to get elected,” he said.
Chen told the NOW she will be going back to the board for discussions before deciding her next move.
“We really haven’t talked about the details yet,” she said.
Kang expressed similar sentiments.
“At this point, I haven’t thought about it yet,” she said. “It’s really too early to talk about that. I will talk to mayor and council to see what happens. But in the meantime, I will continue with my duties until a decision has been made.”
When asked whether it would be better for the board to pay for a byelection or to operate with one fewer trustee, Chen said she would do what she felt was best for the board and school district.
“Again, it’s based on the best interest of the board, but we have a very strong board,” she said. “We work really well together, the trustees, the management. We have a great relationship with each one of us, so I have every confidence that our board will continue to do good work.”
