The Hook

North Vancouver City and District have rejected some left-wing candidates for council and school board.

In the City race, Sam Schecter won 2,525 votes but lost his council seat to Bob Fearnley by 46 votes. Also elected to City Council were Pam Bookham, Rod Clark (endorsed by North Van City’s CUPE local despite past friction with the union), Guy Heywood, Craig Keating, and Mary Trentadue.

In the City race for North Vancouver School Board, Chris Dorais lost his seat, no doubt due to his impaired-driving charge. Winners were Linda Buchanan, Susan Skinner, and Mary Tasi. Mayor Darrell Mussatto won by acclamation.

Voter turnout in the City was 5,550 out of 31,346 eligible voters, for a turnout rate of 17.6 per cent.

In North Vancouver District, turnout was 16.7 per cent: 9,973 ballots out of 59,673 eligible voters. Most of the winners were familiar faces: Robin Hicks, Lisa Muri, Mike Little, Doug MacKay-Dunn, Alan Nixon, and Roger Bassam. John Fair and David McKee, who had support from local unions and NDP associations, trailed badly. Incumbent mayor Richard Walton was returned by acclamation.

Two labour-supported candidates led the race for school board, however. Jane Thornthwaite was first among the winners with 6,257 votes, followed by Franci Stratton with 4,889. The two other winners have memorable names: Holly Back and Barry Forward. Forward runs the North Vancouver Politics blog.