The Burnaby Board of Trade (BBOT) has changed its policy on who is allowed to participate in all-candidates meet-and-greets.
On March 16, Elias Ishak, the independent candidate for Burnaby-Deer Lake, contacted the NOW claiming he was being excluded from a BBOT event on April 24 where attendees could mingle with candidates in each of Burnaby’s four provincial ridings.
After contacting the board of trade, the NOW was told Ishak did not receive an invite because he did not meet the organization’s policy.
To be invited, the policy (at that time) required that candidates represent a political party currently represented in the legislature, with at least one member holding a seat at the time of the invitation; be an independent candidate who has at least five per cent of the popular vote in at least one publicly available opinion poll conducted in one of the Burnaby ridings within three months of the all-candidates event; or any candidates representing political parties which have at least five per cent of the overall popular vote in at least one publicly available opinion poll conducted within three months of the all-candidates event.
Paul Holden, the BBOT’s president and CEO, said the organization keeps the criteria quite broad in order to get “a broad range of people in the room.” He said staff were not trying to exclude anyone.
But Ishak argued as an independent, meeting the five per cent threshold would mean taking money out of his own pocket and paying for a poll.
Rick McGowan, Green candidate for Burnaby-Deer Lake, voiced his support for Ishak on social media.
“Elections should be about the free exchange of ideas. My independent opponent, Elias Ishak is being excluded from the Burnaby Board of Trade’s all-candidate meet-and-greet,” McGowan wrote in a post on Facebook. “Elias got over 5,000 votes when he ran for school board. You can contact Cory, manager of policy and events ... and let him know that Elias deserves to be heard.”
A few days later, Holden told the NOW the BBOT had revised its policy for the April 24 meet-and-greet and invitations to participate will be sent to all registered candidates in Burnaby’s four ridings.
Ishak, who’s on the registration list, said he was happy with the BBOT’s revision.
“I’m happy that I will have the opportunity to speak to business owners in Burnaby. My family is very business-oriented, and I think that my platform is more pro-business than the NDP or Liberals,” he said, also thanking McGowan for his support.
The all-candidates event is on from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Firefighters Banquet Hall, 6515 Bonsor Ave. It’s free and open to everyone, including businesses and residents.
Who’s running for office?
Riding: Burnaby-Deer Lake
Seat held by: Kathy Corrigan (NDP; retiring)
Who’s running: Anne Kang (NDP); Karen Wang (Liberal); Rick McGowan (Green); Elias Ishak (Independent)
Riding: Burnaby-Edmonds
Seat held by: Raj Chouhan (NDP)
Who’s running: Raj Chouhan (NDP); Valentine Wu (Green); Garrison Duke (Liberal)
Riding: Burnaby-Lougheed
Seat held by: Jane Shin (NDP; returning to a teaching career)
Who’s running: Katrina Chen (NDP); Steve Darling (Liberal); Joe Keithley (Green)
Riding: Burnaby North
Seat held by: Richard Lee (Liberal)
Who’s running: Richard Lee (Liberal); Janet Routledge (NDP); Peter Hallschmid (Green)
