Veteran New West councillor hopes to return to council

A veteran politico is hoping to return to council chambers after November’s civic election and bring “a little more balance” to the table.

Calvin Donnelly, who served about 18 years on council and has ran in every election since the mid 1970s, is vying for one of six councillor seats in New Westminster.

“We know there’s lots of labour people left on the council. I think we need a balance of other points of view. That was one of the great things about New Westminster when I first got involved – we had a pretty good balance throughout the years,” he said. “I talk to a lot of people. Everyone has a different concern.”

With his experience, Donnelly believes he is in a good position to represent the community.

Donnelly wants to be part of a council that continues working in the direction it’s been heading under Mayor Wayne Wright. He’s endorsing Wright’s bid to win a fifth term as mayor.

“I think we have been moving in a positive direction with Wayne as mayor and I think we want to continue doing that, and looking at making sure the entire city is being represented,” he said. “Basically, we are moving positive, and I want to continue on in that direction.”

While some people have voiced concern about the ability to get elected without the support of the “labour machine” in New Westminster, Donnelly thinks he has a good shot at being re-elected if people get out and vote on election day.

“When you do run a few times and you do get elected, people think you’re automatically going to be elected. But if they really want you to be elected, they have to go out and vote,” he said. “That’s the long and short of it.”

Since losing his council seat in the 2011 civic election, Donnelly has remained active with organizations including the Sapperton Pensioners’ Association, as well as Wait for Me Daddy, Remembrance Day and seniors committees through city hall.

“Even though I haven’t been on council, I have been very active. I think people, hopefully, will understand that I am not there to play around, I am there for a serious matter. The reason I can be that way is because I have been there, I have experience and I know what council entails.”

While newcomers may think it’s enough to attend council meetings on Mondays, Donnelly knows it’s a far more time-consuming undertaking.

“It’s even getting worse now because there are so many things now taking place in cities. It’s not like it was in the 50s,” he said. “We have serious problems that need to be addressed. We have to try and holding taxes down. We have to develop properly so we are not killing our residential neighborhoods. Those are things I care about a lot.”