The New Westminster District and Labour Council is endorsing eight New Westminster candidates for the Nov. 19 municipal election.
Carolyn Rice, secretary-treasurer of the labour council, said it is endorsing 70 candidates who are seeking election as mayors, city councillors and board of education trustees in the region. Almost 50 per cent of the candidates being endorsed this year are seeking election for the first time.
As was the case in the 2008 municipal election, the New Westminster District and Labour Council is endorsing incumbents Jonathan Cote, Bill Harper, Jaimie McEvoy and Lorrie Williams for city council.
The New Westminster and District Labour Council is endorsing Jonina Campbell, Michael Ewen, James Janzen and David Phelan for school board.
According to a press release, the labour council is committed to raising awareness and taking action on issues that impact the lives of its members.
"Every new candidate goes through a full interview," Rice said. "This year we had 32 new candidates. New means they are not currently an incumbent."
If an incumbent is seeking a different position, such as a councillor is running for mayor, they would be required to go through an interview.
The New Westminster and District Labour Council's region includes New Westminster, Burnaby, Port Moody, Belcarra, Anmore, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Pitt Meadows, Maple Ridge, Delta, Surrey, White Rock, and the City of Langley and Langley Township.
Chartered in 1966, the New Westminster and District Labour Council started interviewing and endorsing candidates as early as 1967 or 1968.
"The process is now being replicated across the country," Rice noted. "It has become a Canadian Labour Congress program."
In the past the candidates were asked for their thoughts on issues such as contracting out, public-private partnerships and buy-local programs. Today's issues include climate change efforts.
Rice said the labour council will forward its list of endorsed candidates to the Canadian Labour Council's Pacific region office, which will then distribute the list to various unions.
