EDITORIAL – Getting a KDLC endorsement isn’t necessarily a plus
Nelly Dever. (Image: Mel Rothenburger)
An editorial by Mel Rothenburger.
SOME BAD NEWS arrived this past weekend for several candidates in the Kamloops civic election — the Kamloops District Labour Council endorsed them. Okay, maybe not the worst news, but while A KDLC endorsement might not be the kiss of death, there’s no evidence it does anyone any good. In 2014, for example, the council endorsed five candidates. One of them, Dieter Dudy, was elected, and I strongly doubt it had anything to do with being endorsed by the KDLC.
In 2018, labour endorsed five candidates. Two were elected.
In 2022, it endorsed 12, including one for mayor. The mayoralty pick polled poorly. Of seven picks for councillors, three were elected. The exception to this less than stellar record was in the school board election, where all four of its school board choices for City seats meeting with success.
Overall, that’s a losing record. No study has ever been done, to my knowledge, of whether voter intentions were influenced one way other another by KDLC endorsements. While these endorsements may or may not encourage union members to support endorsees, non-unionists may view them as being tarred with a lefty brush, and shy away.
For the record, this year’s KDLC endorsements go to Jo Kang for school trustee, Randy Sunderman, Brian Andrews, Kathrine Blair-Wunderlich, Christopher Metra, Jesse Ritcey, Rob Bertrand and Bill Sarai for council, and Nelly Dever for mayor.
They’re based on surveys filled out by candidates. Some have obvious labour ties, like Balir-Wunderlich, Andrews and Sarai. The latter, of course, has a badly blemished record but was a 31-year postie and CUPW member.
It’s doubtful, as I’ve written before, that endorsements from anyone help anyone. I’ve endorsed candidates on occasion and none of them was ever elected. I like to tell the story of the federal candidate I endorsed. He lost.
With that in mind, a provincial candidate later begged me not to endorse him. I didn’t, and he won.
Mel Rothenburger is a former regular contributor to CFJC-TV and CBC radio, publishes the ArmchairMayor.ca opinion website, writes for the Kamloops Chronicle and is a recipient of the Jack Webster Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award, and was a Webster Foundation Commentator of the Year finalist. He has served as mayor of Kamloops, school board chair and TNRD director, and is a retired daily newspaper editor. He can be reached at mrothenburger@armchairmayor.ca.
For me, a self-employed person with chronic back pain and with years of experience as an employer, an endorsement from the KDLC is a major turn-off. They know their “rights” for sure but always short on their obligations…
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Last election, Ritcey was a pretty fervent supporter of decriminalizing drugs and open drug use when confronted with the problems this city was facing. When presented with evidence that there was no evidence to show this was effective in preventing overdoses, he insisted we should just continue it anyways. In fact, he broke off the conversation saying we simply don’t see eye to eye on this issue and it’s a better use of his time to speak to others about his message.
I would encourage people to look up any incumbent/repeat individuals running and their previous statements and views on this issue (and others). Street disorder and open air drug scenes have been an unmitigated disaster. There is still no evidence that the enormous sums of money have made any difference. We need people with sound judgment in council.
I don’t personally see the connection between union workers and open air drug scenes and the insane disorder they have brought to the community. Is that what the labour movement is about these days? Or is it simply that you had a union job? I do like the post office guy (not the liar but the other one).
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Many people endorse you as a veteran media person, Armchair Mayor, who writes about matters important to our community. Your article on the supremacist group was first class. You have kept us informed about the municipal election including an endorsement for some candidates by a local group. We, as a community, depend on your skill and maturity.
Where was Levi Landry about local issues from his reside in West Kelowna? Most of what I saw recently from Levi is tripe (slang meaning) including the story line of a potential tax sale of our Mayor’s house.
Thanks again, Armchair Mayor.
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