Secret-slate accusations rile candidates
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Accusations that six candidates for White Rock council are part of a “real estate slate” is stirring up strong opposition from those named on it.
But challenger James Coleridge says the slate is real – and nothing new, since “secret slates” happen every civic election in White Rock.
A widely dispersed e-mail, entitled “The Real Estate Slate,” was sent to all candidates and undisclosed others by an Alison and Tom Baker Thursday, shortly before 1:30 p.m. E-mail requests to catsanddogs415@yahoo.com from the Peace Arch News for contact information and comment were not returned.
“For those candidates that are not on Stewart’s slate, oh they will deny it exists, but it will come out in the last week,” the e-mail states.
“I don’t think they’re that far off,” councillor candidate Coleridge said Monday. “The fact is, the list that’s floating out there are individuals who have supported highrises in the Town Centre.”
The e-mail lists councillor candidates Mary-Wade Anderson, Cliff Annable, Glenda Bartosh, Grant Meyer and Matt Todd, and mayoral candidate Stewart Peddemors, as part of a slate.
“It’s a fabrication and a great deal of misinformation,” Peddemors said Monday. “Right now, I’m not supporting any candidates.”
Anderson agreed.
“I am not on anybody’s slate. I do not support one (mayoral candidate) over the other,” Anderson said.
But Coleridge – who himself is endorsed by Citizens for Positive Renewal, but maintains CPR is not a slate – disagreed.
“It’s getting old-hat. It’s not so secretive anymore. There’s typically a pro-real estate slate, every election, that’s funded by development companies,” Coleridge said. “It’s basically a back-room deal by people with money. It’s not transparent. At least CPR used an open, public process, not like these hidden slates.”
All identified candidates denied they are part of any kind of slate. Meyer, Todd, Bartosh and Annable said they had never heard of any such slate, and that they do not support any individual candidate.
“I would be happy to work with either (mayoral) candidate,” Bartosh said, calling the claims “irresponsible” and “total fiction.”
Meyer said he did not respond to the e-mail, which he also received.
“I’m not part of a slate. How can I be a part of something I’ve never heard of?” Meyer said.
Todd said: “Someone e-mailed me to complain about me being on a slate. I said, ‘I’m on a slate?’ I really found (the e-mail) offensive.”
Annable questioned the source of the allegations.
“I don’t know where that came from. I know nothing about it. I’m not supporting anybody,” Annable said.
© Copyright 2007 Peace Arch News