The dust has finally settled on one of Vancouver’s most contentious municipal elections in recent memory, and with it comes the blessed silence after weeks of increasingly vitriolic campaign rhetoric that dominated airwaves and flooded inboxes across the city. For many Vancouverites, the cessation of bitter attack ads and hyperbolic accusations feels like finally stopping the relentless pounding of a political headache.
The relief isn’t limited to weary voters. A scathing post-election critique from within the Non-Partisan Association’s own ranks reveals deep dissatisfaction with the party’s campaign strategy and tactics during the 2011 race.
Internal Criticism Emerges
Sean Bickerton, a longtime NPA stalwart who served as the party’s vice-president and chair of its outreach committee before running unsuccessfully for city council, delivered a blistering farewell assessment that cuts to the heart of modern political campaigning’s ugly evolution. In his departure statement from public life, Bickerton didn’t mince words about his party’s approach under mayoral candidate Suzanne Anton.
“The voters have spoken, decisively rejecting a mayoral campaign based on puerile, sophomoric gotcha-style attacks and trivial wedge issues,” Bickerton wrote, using language that would typically be reserved for opponents rather than party colleagues.
The criticism carries particular weight given Bickerton’s deep involvement with the NPA over multiple election cycles. He had run for council in both 2008 and 2011, and his reputation as a thoughtful, civil participant in civic discourse made his harsh assessment all the more striking.
Campaign Tactics Under Fire
The 2011 election became increasingly nasty as it progressed, with both Vision Vancouver and the NPA trading increasingly sharp attacks. However, Bickerton’s criticism suggests the NPA’s approach crossed lines that made even committed party members uncomfortable.
The campaign featured a barrage of attack advertising targeting Mayor Gregor Robertson and Vision Vancouver, with radio spots and email campaigns that grew progressively more bitter as election day approached. The NPA’s strategy appeared designed to portray Robertson as out of touch and Vision Vancouver as fiscally irresponsible, but the execution often descended into personal attacks and what Bickerton characterized as “gotcha-style” politics.
The Anton Response
Suzanne Anton, who ultimately lost to Robertson by nearly 20,000 votes (53% to 40.1%), rejected Bickerton’s characterization of her campaign. She dismissed claims of negative campaigning as “mythology,” arguing that her attacks were legitimate observations that “sometimes poked fun” but were never misleading or untruthful.
Anton’s defense highlighted the challenge facing opposition candidates in municipal politics: how to differentiate themselves from popular incumbents without appearing purely destructive. Her campaign’s focus on attacking Robertson’s record rather than presenting a clear alternative vision may have contributed to the electoral defeat that Bickerton now criticizes.
A Complicated Legacy
The controversy surrounding Bickerton’s statement was compounded by timing and apparent contradictions. Paradoxically, he had recorded a YouTube endorsement for Anton on election day itself, praising her “intelligence, integrity and passion” and expressing pride in supporting her candidacy. This makes his subsequent criticism all the more remarkable, suggesting the campaign’s tone troubled him even as he publicly supported the candidate.
Broader Implications
Bickerton’s departure from politics and his pointed criticism reflect broader concerns about the direction of municipal campaigning in Vancouver. His call for civility and substantive debate resonates with voters who express frustration with the Americanization of Canadian political discourse.
The NPA’s internal review process, led by party president John Moonen, will need to grapple with these criticisms as the party rebuilds for future elections. Bickerton’s willingness to publicly air these concerns suggests deeper organizational tensions that extend beyond campaign tactics to fundamental questions about political values and strategy.
For Vancouver voters, Bickerton’s statement serves as both a postmortem on a difficult campaign and a challenge to political parties to elevate their discourse in future electoral contests.
