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POLITICS NDP STYLE
Locals are sticking with James Jennifer Moreau staff reporter
While some NDP members appear to be sharpening the knives behind their leader’s back, they represent a minority, according to local New Democrats. Three of Burnaby’s four NDP constituency associations have passed motions expressing support for leader Carole James, while the fourth is set to vote on the issue Thursday, just days before the party’s next provincial council meeting on Nov. 20 and 21. Elsewhere in the province, five constituencies have brought forward resolutions calling for a leadership convention in November 2011 at the NDP’s next biennial convention. Normally at the convention, there’s a vote on whether to hold a leadership race. If the current leader has more than half the party’s support, they don’t bother with a contest. But if she doesn’t, the job is open to new competition. But these five constituencies are jumping the gun and now suggesting going straight to a leadership race in November 2011. Allan Zdunic, president of the Burnaby North riding association, said his constituency is standing behind James and not supporting a call for a leadership convention in 2011. “We’re doing well in the polls,” Zdunic said. “We all discussed the pros and cons of everything ... but in general we took the view that this was the time to support our leader.” The Burnaby-Deer Lake and BurnabyLougheed constituencies unanimously passed motions backing James. Dave Myles, president for BurnabyDeer Lake, characterized the five constituencies as a “noisy minority.” The dissenting constituencies represent five out of 85 in the province.
Larry Wright/bur naby now
Coats of many colours: From left to right, Joe Apolonia, Sukhi Dhaliwal, Darlene Broadhead and Michelle Leong stand with one of the many coats being distributed by the ongoing Rotary Coats for Kids campaign.
Keep those coats coming Jennifer Moreau staff reporter
They are only about halfway through the campaign, but organizers behind Rotary Coats for Kids have already run out of jackets and are asking for more donations. “Demand has definitely gone up,” said Gloria Tom Wing Staudt from the Rotary Club of Burnaby Metrotown. “We’ve had to actually go out and buy coats because we didn’t have enough.” Rotary Coats for Kids collects new or
gently used hooded winter jackets to distribute to kids from low-income families. Volunteers collect donations and stock them on a truck that functions as a mobile dressing room. The truck visits community centres and schools, so kids can hop inside, try on a coat and pick out one that they like. The schools help identify the families that need the jackets and about 700 kids have already gotten winter jackets through the program. They’ve had to dig into cash donations to buy about 200 coats to meet the need.
Tom Wing Staudt said demand has likely increased this year because more people know about the program. “The word is going around: If you are in need, we can help,” she said. Kids of any age, babies to teens, use the program, but Tom Wing Staudt said this year they’ve noticed a lot of younger children in need. “So far, the majority have been babies to seven years old,” she said. “For some reason we have all these little kids.” Coats for kids Page 4