Patrick Condon has ended his run for the Mayor’s job in Vancouver, due to a health issue.
An important announcement from ‘Patrick Condon For Mayor’ here: https://t.co/WAT6oE0Th3
— Patrick Condon (@pmcondon2) July 13, 2018
To quote Mr. Condon:
About a month ago, I announced my intention to seek COPE’s mayoral candidacy at the August 19th nomination meeting.
I felt that my background in academic research, especially my hands-on experience in my work with other jurisdictions on affordable housing projects and in affordable and efficient public transit systems, was a very good fit with a party whose 50-year history for seeking a just and sustainable city, closely mirrored my own values. The last few weeks of working with our committed volunteers, team members, and a terrific and dedicated slate of council candidates, Jean Swanson, Anne Roberts, and Derrick O’Keefe, have been an incredible and rewarding experience for me.
However, today I regretfully announce that I am leaving the race, effective immediately. On Tuesday, I was hospitalized with a stroke while visiting the United States. I have been advised by doctors that I need to concentrate my efforts fully on recovery.
Therefore, because I’m not able to dedicate my full capability to the party as it readies itself for the upcoming election, I must end my nomination campaign as a mayoral candidate for COPE. It is my hope that voters support the Council, School Board, and Parks Board candidates under the banners of COPE and Green party in the general election on October 20th.
More than ever, Vancouver needs a real change of civic leadership to address the pressing issues that face our city. Vancouver needs real affordable housing for the most vulnerable, for working people and for young people and seniors —clearly, they are amongst the forgotten when it comes to our current crop of politicians. A renewed effort to enable a true City Plan with neighbourhood collaboration will help accomplish these objectives, while providing surety for both citizens and developers. We need far better ways for our City Hall to work in partnership with citizens as we promote healthy neighbourhoods and vibrant communities. The market cannot solve the housing crisis. We need a huge rethinking, and the development of at least 50% non-market housing should be called for in this election. We CAN do better. We MUST do better.
I look forward to making a full recovery. I am determined to keep speaking out and will lend support to see that these objectives become reality in the city of Vancouver.
Finally, I’d like to acknowledge and thank all the wonderful volunteers, advisors, and supporters who have believed in what I have stood up for, for decades—a Vancouver that is just, fair, and affordable for all its citizens.
Sad news for Patrick and the City. My best wishes to Patrick for a speedy recovery. His eloquent words above ring true to many who care and understand the political issues Vancouver is facing today. I hope his ideas will be championed by other candidates and become a reality after 15 October.
That’s a shame. Out of all the parties running I feel COPE would be the most fearless in unwinding the housing market crisis that Vision presided over. They’ve never been afraid to take on developers, I don’t get that sense from any other mayoral candidate.
I’ve changed my mind. Given Patrick’s leadership, I was thinking of supporting some COPE candidates. However, given Derrick O’Keefe’s as well as other COPEites comments that amount to declaring a class war, I will be looking elsewhere, as I’m sure, will others. Do you really think that negative, divisive politics is an acceptable political strategy? I don’t. Getting people to work together to make all of Vancouver’s diverse communities stronger with a better quality of life is a far more productive use of political energy.
Though I am critical of the methods Patrick Condon proposed to create affordable housing, to improve transit, to shift the community planning paradigm, and to develop a realistic business case and transportation plan, I remain appreciative of his contributions to help resolve these important issues, and of his unassailable principles.
We have to remember that the underlying goal for most of us is to create a sustainable city, though we may differ on defining what the problem actually is, and how achieving that goal is achieved. To that end I look forward to Patrick’s continuing contribution to the debate.