It is harder than just running for the position you want right off the bat especially in any urban area. Basically you have to work your way up.. from PTA, School board, municipal than provincial. Unless you live like in the interior or up north, but I guess they don't have to worry much about municipal matters! It really helps if you are a lawyer in the area too, especially since a lot of the times getting things done has to do with changing the interpretation of the law and convincing the city your point of view.
eg Christy Clark cut her teeth at SFU. Fin Donnelly started at municipal but he had made a name for himself swimming down the Fraser. Brodie, Campbell, Corrigans are all lawyers.
You have to build the network of local activists to help you. It takes a lot of time and effort.
I know a few former cabinet members that took out second and third mortgages on their homes to finance their campaign.. (they get part of the money back eventually from tax rebates).
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Originally Posted by Traum
Increasingly, I'm having this urge to run for city council just to bring some everyday common sense back into the municipal level. But without political affiliations, you don't have the funds to campaign, and without the campaign, you can't get your platform out and win. And then the higher level you go, the more ridiculous it becomes without a political party.
I honestly don't know why it is so difficult for city councillors and mayors to act in the interest of local residents. In my past dealings with municipal governments, they always seem to cater to business and commerce far more than they do to residents. And yet residents are the ones that make the choice to elect them into office...
And then these mayors keep on getting voted back in. How many years have Corrigan been mayor in Burnaby now?
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