CUPE 801 president Alice Lutes has filed papers to become the next federal New Democratic Party (NDP) candidate for the riding of West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast. Lutes, who says she will resign from CUPE only if she wins the federal election, is slowly lightening her work load by handing some things over to CUPE 801 vice-president Marnie Baba. She said her next priority will be to obtain a list of current NDP membership so she can start canvassing. "Canvassing can be very time consuming," Lutes said. "I need to telephone every NDP member in this constituency by March." Lutes describes herself as being a socially active person, which is one of the reasons she decided to join the NDP. She said she is concerned about Prime Minister Paul Martin and how right-wing the Liberals are in Ottawa. "There are many concerns about the environment, homelessness, poverty and other social issues," Lutes said. "I don't think they're being looked after. I think he is moving away from social issues and moving towards big business, monopolies and Americanizing Canada." Locally, Lutes says she would like to see more funding for transportation and education on the Sunshine Coast. "We need to reduce the amount of vehicles on the road," Lutes said. "We also need to fight for our children and their educational needs."
Lutes was born in Port Mellon in 1947 and has lived on the Sunshine Coast for most of her life. She says she has a lot of family living here, including two of her sisters. Lutes' husband, Don, is an employee of Gibsons Building Supplies. She has two sons: Greg Inglis, a student at the University of Victoria, and Chris Lutes, an avid golfer on the Sunshine Coast. "That's another reason why I'm running," Lutes said. "I've lived here my whole life. I've watched the Sunshine Coast grow. I see the needs of young people, and I want to bring that voice to Ottawa."
Lutes has been employed with School District 46 for the past 17 years and is currently a full-time secretary at Chatelech Secondary School. She is also a member of the Sunshine Coast Community Coalition and the Sunshine Coast Labour Council. When asked about current West-Vancouver Sunshine Coast MP John Reynolds, Lutes said he is a very intelligent man.
However, Lutes is hoping for a strong opposition to the Liberals in Ottawa. She doesn't believe the Conservative Party of Canada is a strong enough opposition, saying they can be very right-wing.
"I don't see why he wouldn't be re-elected in some people's eyes," Lutes said. "However, it's time for a change. We need to oppose the things the Liberals are looking at. I don't know if there is enough opposition in that new marriage between the Conservatives and the Alliance."
On March 6, residents of this riding who have been NDP members for 90 days will be eligible to vote for one of the candidates. The vote is scheduled to take place at the Seniors' Centre in Sechelt.
Former B.C. Marijuana Party leader Dana Larsen has also filed papers for the NDP candidacy in the West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast riding.
Larsen, who is the editor of Cannabis Culture magazine, said he was "very happy to be joining the NDP," during a press conference in Powell River in November. In the last federal election, the Marijuana Party received about 60,000 votes in B.C. "As leader, I feel like I represent those people," Larsen said. "I'm encouraging all of us to move over to the NDP. I think that's where our future is."
Larsen pointed to NDP leader Jack Layton as one of the reasons he switched to a new party. When asked what kind of marijuana legislation the NDP would bring in, Layton said, "We'd like to see it be the sort of legislation that essentially allows people to consume marijuana, particularly that they might grow themselves, but ultimately as well as some technique that would allow them to be able to purchase it safely, knowing what the quality is, knowing what's there and have that all be a legal activity." Lutes said following the March 6 vote, the NDP candidates' campaign will start hot and heavy and will include debating sessions with candidates from other parties. She said a federal election is being proposed for late April or early May. "I think there are many NDP voters in this riding," Lutes said. "The potential is there. There are a lot of people who haven't voted in the past who may very likely vote in this election because of the Liberal stronghold in Ottawa. I'm encouraging people to vote in this election." - With files from Powell River Peak
