Political alliances are ramping up in Richmond with the municipal election just days away.
For the first time in more than 20 years Richmond mayor, Malcolm Brodie, who is looking for re-election, publicly endorsed eight candidates on Tuesday.
This includes four incumbent councillors, Andy Hobbs, Alexa Loo, Bill McNulty and Chak Au. Harold Steves and Linda McPhail are not seeking re-election, so the only two incumbents Brodie is not endorsing are RITE candidate’s Carol Day and Michael Wolfe.
Brodie said he’s not endorsing Day and Wolfe because they have their own mayoral candidate, John Roston.
However, Brodie also conceded there has been an “element of divisiveness” on council in the past term, pointing to the fact RITE Richmond councillors have voted several times against rental projects despite advocating for more rental in their party platform.
At a recent all-candidate’s meeting, Brodie referred to the issue, while Wolfe responded saying he’s been known to “get under the mayor’s skin.”
Brodie’s endorsement also includes Eric Yung and Melissa Zhang with Richmond United, and Sheldon Starrett and Rahim Othman with RCC.
The eight candidates belong to three slates: Richmond United, Richmond One and Richmond Community Coalition (RCC).
While Brodie said he’s not looking for unanimity on council, the eight candidates he’s endorsing will “collaboratively work together.”
Futhermore, it’s a “diverse” group age-wise, culturally and ethnically, he added. Although, on the political spectrum they appear somewhat aligned.
Brodie himself is running as an independent.
When asked why he would endorse candidates in this election when he never had in the past, he said
“Each election is different,” he said, adding he’s looking to the future and not at the past.
