Former BC Liberal deputy premier Christy Clark announced Sep 1, that she will run for Vancouver mayor in this fall’s civic election.
Outgoing mayor, Larry Campbell, who was recently awarded a Senate seat, has presided over the most queer-friendly city council in recent history since he was elected in 2001. Larry Campbell’s staunch ally, Councillor Jim Green, declared his candidacy for mayor Jul 21 under the newly-branded Vision Vancouver banner.
Clark will run as a member of the Non Partisan Association (NPA), a party with ties to BC’s Liberal government and big business. Premier Gordon Campbell was once mayor of Vancouver under the NPA banner.
Clark left the Liberal caucus last year, she said, so she could spend more time with her family. Her resignation came after Gordon Campbell assigned her as the minister of children and family development.
Political analysts across the province called that posting a slap in the face and a career-killer for Clark and suggested that a falling-out with the premier may have been a more likely reason for her departure.
Clark’s husband, Mark Marissen, was prime minister Paul Martin’s campaign manager in BC and her brother, Bruce Clark, was Martin’s chief fundraiser in BC during the last federal Liberal leadership campaign.
“If Larry Campbell had run for mayor I never would have considered this,” Clark told CTV. “I think there’s a vacuum of leadership here and a need for a mayor for the city who brings a positive vision.”
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