And then there was one…
Pete Fry is now Vancouver’s lone opposition city councillor in a chamber dominated by Mayor Ken Sim and seven ABC Vancouver councillors.
Fry’s longtime Green Party colleague and friend Adriane Carr resigned Jan. 15.
Another colleague, Christine Boyle, won the NDP’s seat in Vancouver-Little Mountain in the fall provincial election and has since been appointed Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation.
“Christine, Adriane and I were able to talk about stuff,” said Fry after attending his first council meeting Tuesday since the departure of Carr and Boyle, the latter of whom served as a OneCity councillor and often worked with the Greens on pushing policy.
“We would have lunch together. We would talk about the day’s events or what's coming next. We would text each other. So this is the first time for me flying solo. It is lonely, for sure, but it's the first day.”
Greens once held three seats
Carr’s departure also leaves Fry as the Greens’ sole voice at city hall.
The party once boasted three members on council, when Michael Wiebe joined Fry and Carr in winning a seat in the 2018 election.
It was the Greens’ best showing ever at city hall.
In the 2018-22 term, there was no majority, with the Greens trio holding a powerful position on a council that included COPE’s Jean Swanson and then-mayor Kennedy Stewart, who was elected as an independent.
“We were all forced to kind of work together to figure out how we could get something across the line, because there was no way to push it through as one party,” Fry said. “And I think that was the highlight of that term — was how we were forced to collaborate and co-operate in ways that I don't think we've seen before.”
The previous term also saw the NPA implode, with all but one of its five councillors leave the party to eventually join ABC or TEAM for a Livable Vancouver. The Greens’ power was reduced in 2022 to Carr and Fry when Wiebe lost his re-election bid.
Integrity commissioner probe
For Fry, his best hope now is that a new candidate for the Greens, who has yet to be named, will join him after the April 5 byelection. He also wants the second seat to be won by a party other than ABC, which will run two candidates.
In the meantime, Fry will serve for more than two months without a political partner before the results are announced April 5 in what is a rare contest to have with almost two full years before the general election.
All of this political intrigue comes as the city’s integrity commissioner, Lisa Southern, continues to investigate a complaint from Fry against ABC city councillors. Details have not been disclosed, and rules forbade Fry and other councillors from discussing the complaint.
In addition, during Carr’s resignation speech, she made reference to a recent in-camera meeting that she said was the “tipping point” in confirming her decision to resign. She, too, did not disclose details.
Then there was Carr and Fry being recently stripped by Sim and his party of acting mayor, deputy mayor and duty councillor duties, which come with extra pay.
'Good personal relationship'
Such friction doesn’t bode well for Fry to push the Greens’ agenda, although two ABC councillors interviewed after Tuesday’s council meeting say they are prepared to work with him.
“I’m going to continue to collaborate with Councillor Fry,” said Coun. Lenny Zhou.
“I think we have a very good personal relationship. We’re always upfront and transparent to each other, and share opinions without any fear. So we're going to continue to do that. Diversity [of views] make us stronger and more powerful.”
Coun. Sarah Kirby-Yung pointed out she supported Fry’s motion last year to ensure green space in Strathcona being contemplated as a spot for a temporary fire hall would be designated as a park.
“I thought that was a fantastic motion, and supported it, and I think he received unanimous support for that,” Kirby-Yung said.
“So if there are great motions that make sense for the residents of Vancouver, and it’s good policy, then that's our job to look at it at face value and be supportive.”
'Court of public opinion'
Fry is skeptical of such promised future support, noting the ABC contingent has mostly voted in lockstep with each other’s motions, although he acknowledged there was a split in the ranks over the debate to reverse a ban on natural gas allowed in the construction of new homes.
ABC councillors Peter Meiszner and Rebecca Bligh also broke ranks last year in opposing a developer’s request for a second extension on a $10.4-million payment connected to a 33-storey condo project.
“Observationally, like 98 per cent of the votes are the same way,” said Fry, adding that he believes that pattern will continue.
“I'm going to stay true to myself and be authentic and just speak truth to power. Whether or not that succeeds in council chambers or in the court of public opinion, I guess that will remain to be seen.”
X/@Howellings
