10 political comebacks we’d like to see
With this being an election year, we started an impromptu conversation about “wouldn’t it be great if this person, or that person, mounted a comeback.”
It accidentally led to today’s Okanagan Top 10 list — comebacks we’d like to see.
We haven’t asked anyone on this list if they are planning — or even would consider — a comeback attempt in politics. Chances are most are no longer interested.
But, just in case, here are 10 comebacks we’d like to see, presented in alphabetical order and chosen by our fearless Okanagan
Weekend staff.
BRAD BENENTT
The Okanagan
He’s an heir to a political dynasty who, so far, evinces no political aspirations himself.
Businessman Brad Bennett is the grandson of W.A.C. Bennett, who was B.C.’s longest serving premier. He’s the son of Bill Bennett, who was premier from 1975 to 1986.
He’s been a top behind-thescenes adviser to the B.C. Liberals, the centre-right successor to his family’s Social Credit dynasties. For his party activism, Bennett was awarded chairmanship both of the UBC board of governors and BC Hydro’s board of directors.
Bennett was the leader of the Liberal’s “transition team” that sought unsuccessfully to keep the party in power after last May’s provincial election through a deal with the Greens.
Of course, since he’s never been a politician, the 59-year-old Bennett can’t properly be said to be the object of a political comeback appeal. But he’s on our list because, well, this is the Okanagan and it’s about time for someone to help the Bennett clan make a comeback.
ANDRE BLANLEIL
Kelowna Next time you’re at the Kelowna landfill, think of Andre Blanleil.
The cost for the landfill’s administration centre was pared 20 per cent, entirely due to Blanleil’s efforts in persuading his council colleagues the original plans were too extravagant.
It was no small accomplishment considering the left-leaning nature of the 2008-2011 city council. But, it was a good example of the determination shown by Blanleil during his 21 years on council to always show the highest regard for the public purse.
Voters rewarded him for that focus, with Blanleil placing in the top three positions in each of his last four elections.
He didn’t run for office in 2014, but added: “I’m not saying I won’t run again in the future.”
KEVIN CRAIG
Kelowna Kevin Craig was still a teenager when he won election to Kelowna city council in 2009. At 19, he was the youngest person ever to win a seat on the council, defeating several much older, and more widely known, rivals in a by-election.
Craig used a successful combination of old-school door-knocking and a then-novel social media campaign. For his improbable run, he was The Daily Courier’s Newsmaker of the Year for 2009.
Once in office, however, Craig was tagged along with then-mayor Sharon Shepherd by many in the business community as being an obstacle to the city’s economic development. He lost his seat in 2011.
Craig now lives in Vancouver. He personally may not pine for a return to Kelowna politics, but his experience on council shows there is room for a young, civic-minded and determined voice alongside the great and the good.
WALTER GRAY
Kelowna You’d think a Kelowna politician who referred to Rutland as “Hooterville” during a public debate might be punished by voters.
But Walter Gray easily won the two Rutland polling stations in the 2011 civic election.
The reference was a classic Gray-ism. His plain-speaking nature and business background long endeared Gray to Kelowna voters.
He was a two-term city councillor and a four-term mayor. Although he brought the city notoriety by refusing to sign a Pride proclamation, he later famously made up with Pride organizers, even giving one of them a kiss at a Pride event.
At 73, Gray didn’t run for reelection in 2014, saying he didn’t want to die of old age in office. So a comeback seems more than unlikely. But we can always hope.
ROBERT HACKING
Summerland Robert Hacking’s recent career switch from successful local businessman to police dispatcher could broaden the perspective of Summerland council.
Placing third in the 2011 election, Hacking, the youngest person at the council table at just over 30, turned in a solid performance.
His accomplishments included transit service linking Penticton with Summerland, a comprehensive sign bylaw and new highway direction signage.
In 2014, Hacking lost his seat, placing ninth among 16 candidates.
A voice for the downtown business community, Hacking was managing partner of the Bad Robot, a computer repair business, for more than a decade.
Civic minded, he has served as vice president of the Summerland Chamber of Commerce and is an active member of Kiwanis.
ROLLIE HEIN
Lake Country
In 1997, Rollie Hein was leading a bid to disincorporate Lake Country, gathering thousands of signatures to abolish self-government in the area north of Kelowna.
In 1999, he was elected Lake Country’s mayor.
That kind of delightful flip-floppery was indicative of Hein’s colourful personality, which saw him occasionally spar with his political opponents, provincial officials, and, of course, the media. One day in 2005, he accused The
Daily Courier of “tarring and smearing him”. The next day, he called to apologize.
Hein chose not to run for re-election in November 2005 and, sadly, another electoral bid is not in the cards for the 73-year-old. “I always thought the right thing for any mayor to do is be in office for two terms,” he told us this week. “Then quit and shut up.”
DAVID PERRY
Penticton The retired educator was one of many in Penticton’s revolving door of one-term mayors. His term from 2002-2005 can be summed up in three words: fiscal responsibility and integrity. He genuinely connected with the people. If you had a problem, Perry was the man you went to. He was a saver not a spender and believed in balanced budgets; building up the reserve funds under his watch.
Accomplishments of his council included the skateboard park ($9.7 million from the provincial government), creation of a casino sunset reserve, and a long-term plan for the north-east sector (which won a major award from the UBCM.)
Perry came out of retirement to try and save the Pen-Hi auditorium and gymnasium from a wrecking ball, resulting in being elected to the school board for one term (2008-2011). His notice motion to ban senior-level administrators from double-dipping (drawing pension while working full-time at the same job) should have been implemented province-wide. Unfortunately, it lost at the local level by a 4-3 vote. While on the school board, his expense accounts were zero — or close to zero — and he wasn’t scared to speak up about the spending waste that goes on at trustee conventions. When necessary, Perry wasn’t afraid to stand up to senior staff.
SHARON SHEPHERD
Kelowna Sharon Shepherd was a popular city councillor for almost a decade and then, fairly easily, defeated Walter Gray for mayor in 2005.
Her public stock was so high in 2008, that she faced only one obscure challenger in her bid for re-election. Three years later, she was booted from office, when Gray reclaimed the city’s top elected spot.
Shepherd’s last term ran through some of the worst years of the recession and, perhaps unfairly, she was tagged as being anti-business when Kelowna’s economy, as in many places, stagnated.
Through her long career, she always showed a strong regard for social issues and an attention to neighbourhood concerns, the latter a legacy of the community activism that pre-dated her entry into politics.
Shepherd’s 2014 comeback bid failed but her experience, compassion, and knowledge would be welcome assets on a future city council.
JOHN VASSILAKI
Penticton After 12 years on council, this Penticton businessman ran for mayor in 2014 but was unsuccessful against Andrew Jakubeit.
It’s too bad. Vassilaki would have never steered council in the direction of the disastrous Skaha Lake Park, nor would have he voted himself a pay raise in the form of dental and extended medical benefits.
His track record on council was strong. He was the only member who voted against the costly Eckhardt Ave. hockey dorm in 2011, which has since resulted in one of the two partners being prosecuted and another sitting in a Calgary jail after failing to show up to his trial.
A return to council, or perhaps another run for mayor, would be welcomed because the present council lacks a critic, someone who is not afraid to challenge staff and fellow councillors.
At one point, the Vassilaki family had as many as 140 people working for them. He understands business but, growing up poor, he has tremendous compassion for the less-fortunate.
ANGELIQUE WOOD
Hedley Smart, progressive and boasting a strong environmental bent, Angelique Wood’s political career was too short.
The resident of Hedley, who moved to the community after leaving the Vancouver art world, served one term as a rural director on the board of the Regional District of OkanaganSimilkameen before being ousted in 2014 by Elef Christianson, whom she beat in 2011.
While with the RDOS, she served on numerous outside boards, and took a keen interest in tourism promotion, famously luring a group of bike polo players to Hedley for annual meet-ups.
Wood has since run unsuccessfully as the federal candidate for the NDP and currently works as the community development coordinator in Summerland.