Incumbent:
Hedy Fry (Liberal | 1993)
Candidates:
Liberal: Hedy Fry
Conservative: Elaine Allan
New Democratic: Avi Lewis
Green: Scott MacDonald
People’s: Chris Varga
Independent: Drew William McPherson
2021 Results:
Liberal - 41 per cent
New Democratic - 30 per cent
Conservative - 22 per cent
Green - four per cent
People’s - three per cent
Encompassing most of the downtown peninsula and even a sliver of False Creek, 麻豆传媒映画Centre has been the fiefdom of Hedy Fry ever since she scalped then-prime minister Kim Campbell on election night 1993. Since her giant-slaying upset three decades ago, many a challenger from future mayor Kennedy Stewart to leftwing icon Svend Robinson has attempted to take her down. All have failed.
Avi Lewis hopes to break the cycle. After a respectable third-place showing last election up north in West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country, the documentary filmmaker and NDP scion is hoping that a jaunt down Lions Gate Bridge will be enough to turn around his electoral fortunes. Without ardently anti-NDP West 麻豆传媒映画in his new riding, he may find better luck.
That’s not to say it will be easy by any stretch of the imagination. Hedy Fry is an institution in her riding, and has plenty of pull among the queer community in the West End, which has helped dent any NDP surge against her. Her victories have been powered by holding off Conservative attempts to gain ground beyond their toeholds in Coal Harbour and along the coast around Yaletown, while making sure the NDP don’t overpower her around Davie Village.
The strength of the Liberals all over the riding is what makes it so difficult for the opposition parties to break through. The Conservatives have to hold the affluent condo-dwellers in the south and northeast, and avoid getting blown out in the West End, but even star candidates such as openly gay BC Liberal MLA Lorne Mayencourt have failed to make enough inroads there. Elaine Allan, businesswoman and 2015 Conservative candidate, may not have the star power necessary to mount such a breakthrough. However, her renomination does prove that her ally, South Surrey MP Kerry-Lynne Findlay, still holds sway among Conservatives in British Columbia.
For Avi Lewis, the stakes of this race go beyond simply winning 麻豆传媒映画Centre. The son of Stephen Lewis has deep roots among the party’s left, and has been instrumental in organizing for movements such as the LEAP manifesto and Anjali Appadurai’s bid to lead the BC NDP. The team at 麻豆传媒映画Centre has gained experience over the years as well – many of their members ironically got experience getting into Yaletown condos last year by campaigning for Terry Yung. Even a strong second place showing could be grounds for him to run for the party leadership after Singh goes.
Given the national Liberal upswing, Fry enters her eleventh contest from a position of strength. What to watch for will be how much Lewis can defy the national NDP collapse, and whether it will justify a tilt at the leadership. Perhaps the more important race here is not the one on election day, but rather the one that will begin after it as Liberal members brace for Fry’s eventual retirement.
Hugh Chan is a UBC student specializing in international relations and data science.
