THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 2019 TRICITYNEWS.COM
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FEDERAL ELECTION
Zarrillo aims for MP job She was re-elected to Coquitlam council in October ’18 vote DIANE STRANDbERg dstrandberg@tricitynews.com
A Coquitlam city councillor who was re-elected just under five months ago is launching a bid for a federal NDP nomination even though it could trigger a byelection to replace her. Bonita Zarrillo announced last Friday she is running for the NDP nomination in the riding of Port MoodyCoquitlam, which is currently held by MP Fin Donnelly, who announced in December he wouldn’t run for re-election. Zarrillo told The Tri-City News she was urged to run and said while a byelection for Coquitlam municipal voters could eventually be the outcome, it would be worth it. Zarrillo was first elected in a byelection in 2013 held after councillors Linda Reimer and Selina Robinson won seats in the B.C. legislature. That byelection cost taxpayers ap-
COUN. BONITA ZARRILLO
proximately $140,000. “Many of the people that elected me to city council, so many of them were saying they would like me to run [federally],” Zarrillo said. “I heard from the community. They seemed comfortable with it and I think it’s a great opportunity to be their voice in Ottawa.” Over the next few weeks, Zarrillo will be busy running a nomination campaign against competitor Sean Lee, who also ran for Coquitlam council in the Oct. 20 election, failing to win a seat, but she said she
thinks she can manage both tasks. “I’m very well known in the community, so I’m fortunate that way — a lot of people are reaching out to me, it makes it easier when the community is behind you.” After announcing her campaign, Zarrillo has just a few weeks to amass the support she needs to win the nomination, with a vote scheduled for March 31. But Zarrillo said it’s too early to say whether she would resign her post as Coquitlam city councillor— triggering a byelection — to run her federal campaign. “I will wait until the nomination is over, then I can move forward and start planning,” Zarrillo said. While it’s not unusual for municipal politicians to keep their seats and resign only if elected — as NDP MLA Rick Glumac (a former Port Moody councillor) did after winning his current job — Zarrillo’s launch into federal politics comes just a few months after winning a second full term on council.
Badiei named Libs’ PoMo-Coq. candidate
Zarrillo was unapologetic, however, saying it’s not unusual for municipal politicians to continue their council jobs while also campaigning at another political level. “I plan on carrying on my duties, working as hard as I always have for the city of Coquitlam.” Lee, who is on the NDP riding association’s executive as communications director, was a first-time candidate in last fall’s civic election. Zarrillo placed fourth in the campaign to retain her seat for a second full term while Lee placed 12th out of 19 candidates. NDP MP Fin Donnelly announced his retirement in December, after the municipal election, but Zarrillo said she is not disappointed he didn’t make the call earlier. “I think Fin has served this community very, very well and I wouldn’t have any frustration for the work that he does. He’s been an amazing advocate for the people in this community. I respect any decision that he makes,” she said.
The Liberal Party of Canada declared Sara Badiei its candidate for the riding of Port MoodyCoquitlam last Saturday, kicking off her campaign seven months before the Oct. 21 federal election. Badiei has a background in engineering, having started her career at BC Hydro working on gridscale transmission planning. She then spent a cou- SARA BADIEI ple of years with a power company in California before jumping into a string of humanitarian positions — in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Philippines with Doctors Without Borders; in Afghanistan working to treat municipal water with the Red Cross; and in Jerusalem as an energy specialist with the World Bank. Several Liberal MPs were on hand at Port Moody’s Old Orchard Hall to celebrate Badiei’s nomination, including Coquitlam-Port Coquitlam’s Ron McKinnon, Burnaby North-Seymour’s Terry Beech, and Harjit Sajjan, minister of national defence and MP for Vancouver South. The Conservative Party has yet to choose its candidate for the Port Moody-Coquitlam race but last Friday, Coquitlam City Coun. Bonita Zarrillo launched her bid to win the NDP nomination in the riding. The riding was left wide open when NDP MP Fin Donnelly — who has held the seat for nearly a decade — announced in December he would not run for re-election.
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Notice of Public Hearing
Zoning Amendment for Opioid Substitution Therapy Clinics Zoning Amendment Bylaw No. 4115
PUBLIC HEARING 6 pm on Tuesday, March 26, 2019 Council Chambers Port Coquitlam City Hall
GIVE YOUR INPUT Members of the public will have an opportunity to express their views at the meeting or can submit written opinions to:
The intent of the bylaw is to restrict methadone clinics as a permitted use and provide that methadone clinics may be approved on a site-specific basis. Location: Port Coquitlam
Inspection of Documents Prior to the public hearing, the public is welcome to inspect the bylaw, and any related reports and plans at: Development Services, Port Coquitlam City Hall Annex 8:30 am-4:30 pm (except weekends/stat. holidays) until 4:00 pm on March 26, 2019. Carolyn Deakin, CMC, Assistant Corporate Officer 604.927.5212 I corporateoffice@portcoquitlam.ca
corporateoffice@portcoquitlam.ca
Council cannot receive new or additional information on this application after the public hearing.
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