The polls may have closed on Burnaby’s 2014 election, but Burnaby First is already looking ahead at the next four years.
While mayoral candidate Daren Hancott couldn’t guarantee that he would be leading the opposition in the next election, he noted in his speech that the BFC has created a strong base for the future of Burnaby.
“I want to rebuild our group because, even though I think we represent a large chunk of the population, I don’t think it’s large enough,” he told the NOW. “More diversity, more youth, more women, maybe more broad experience.”
Hancott also said he wants to instill leadership among the BFC’s other candidates and build “bench strength” – a sports term for a quality lineup – for future iterations of the coalition.
“If I’m lucky enough to do it again and the group wants me, I’d like to have three people behind me who could be great mayors as well. That way, people can see succession planning at work.”
The BFC’s candidates garnered more votes than 2011’s TEAM Burnaby, narrowing the gap between the support for incumbent Mayor Derek Corrigan and the other mayoral candidates. Hancott partly credited the increased turnout to the BFC’s campaigning over the last seven months.
“I think each city deserves a choice,” he said. “I hope that we will be seen as a credible group of people that’s going to build and give people choice.”
But while he and many other BFC candidates are anxious to close that gap even more in 2018, others are more apprehensive to committing to another run at politics.
Matthew Hartney, an accountant who has worked with all levels of government, said he would have to consider running again at a later time so as not to conflict with his job.
“I’ve got to be cautious,” he said. “I made a decision to do it at this point in time – I don’t want that to harm or hinder my work as a professional.”
Many members of the BFC’s 2014 council slate previously ran under different banners: Charter Lau and Helen Ward were members of Parents’ Voice, and Ray Power was a candidate with TEAM Burnaby. Nick Kvenich previously ran as an independent.
