Coalition of Progressive Electors
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The Coalition of Progressive Electors (COPE) is a municipal political party in the Canadian city of Vancouver, British Columbia.
COPE was formed in 1968, when a number of community groups and social justice organizations joined with the city's Labour Council to organize more effectively against the Non-Partisan Association -- a centre-right political party that had traditionally dominated civic politics Vancouver. Frank Kennedy of the Vancouver & District Labour Council and Harry Rankin, an outspoken lawyer and city councillor, were key figures in shaping the coalition, along with activists from the BC New Democratic Party. COPE is generally guided by social-democratic principles, and has a long history of championing issues like improving public transit, expanding neighbourhood democracy, and investing in affordable housing.
Civic elections are held every three years in Vancouver, and COPE's membership nominates a slate of candidates to run for the offices of Mayor, City Councillor, School Board Trustee, and Parks Commissioner. COPE has a history of endorsing community-minded independents, and often fields less candidates than are required to fill all elected positions. This practice created an alliance between COPE councillors, independent councillors, and progressive mayor Mike Harcourt in the 1980s.
In 2002, an unprecedented surge in voter turnout elected the first COPE mayor and board majorities in Vancouver's history. Every candidate running under COPE's banner was elected:
- Named link: Vancouver City Clerk's Office - Mayor and Councillors (http://vancouver.ca/ctyclerk/councilmembers.htm)
(2002 to 2005) Mayor Larry Campbell, Dr. Fred Bass, David Cadman, Jim Green, Raymond Louie, Tim Louis, Anne Roberts, Tim Stevenson and Ellen Woodsworth. (COPE candidates elected to 8 of 10 positions)
- Named link: Vancouver School Board - Trustees (http://www.vsb.bc.ca/districtinfo/trustees.htm)
(2002 to 2005) Allen Blakey, Jane Bouey, Noel Herron, Angela Kenyon, Adrienne Montani, Kevin Millsip, and Allan Wong. (COPE candidates elected to 7 of 9 positions)
- Named link: Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation - Commissioners (http://www.vancouver.ca/parks/board/commissioners.htm)
(2002 to 2005) Heather Deal, Lyndsay Poaps, Eva Riccius, Anita Romaniuk, and Loretta Woodcock. (COPE candidates elected to 5 of 7 positions)
Mayor Larry Campbell, a former police officer and a chief coroner, successfully delivered on a central campaign promise in 2003 -- opening North America's first safe-injection site for intravenous drug users, in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. However, by late-2004, there were growing signs of disunity between the COPE mayor and some COPE councillors. Campbell formed an independent caucus along with several of his COPE colleagues (although they all remained as members of the party). The other COPE councillors remained in the original COPE caucus.
See also
External links
- Coalition of Progressive Electors (http://www.cope.bc.ca)