File Photo (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Doug Collins

One Man's Opinion

COLLINS: Anyone ready for an election?

Sep 21, 2025 | 6:00 AM

OKAY, IT MAY BE JUST A LITTLE EARLY to contemplate next year’s civic election, but serious candidates, especially those seeking the mayor’s chair, should be starting to roll. In Vancouver, one candidate has already declared her candidacy for council.

For newcomers, face time is everything. Look at the bottom few vote-getters in the last few elections. Most, if not all, are unknowns who may have had some friends tell them they should run, but even if we have some knowledge of them, it’s not enough to beat the power of the big guys.

That’s why the incumbents have such a big edge. They’re in people’s faces every week Everyone knows who they are, and unless you have a similarly high profile, it’s an uphill climb. Incumbents are favourites unless they didn’t impress anyone or got in the voters’ bad books for some reason.

The mayor’s race is the big one. Speculation is that Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson will run again. He has said he’ll be on the ballot. The so-called experts suggest Reid snatched victory three years ago because too many from the current council split the vote. And I would agree with that assessment. But Hamer-Jackson could do it again. Unless some of the big names pull out, they will split the vote as they did three years ago. But who would be the ones who drop out? You don’t run for that position unless you believe you can win. And even the lesser-known candidates want to run because it’s their right and many often have a message they want to get out.

Here are a few musings which will undergo many changes in the next few months. It will be tough for the current mayor to repeat. Reid Hamer-Jackson’s term has been fraught with conflict, sanctions, lawsuits and a bitter battle between not only the mayor and one or two councillors, but the entire council.

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So who has a shot? From within the current council, Mike O’Reilly and Katie Neustaeter have, in my view, been eyeing this from day one. They’ve each suffered through a controversial issue or two, but they both would be strong and would do the city proud.

Here’s where it gets complicated. Will Kelly Hall make a run? He would be strong too. Dale Bass is one of my favourite councillors, but I sense she will probably stay where she is, and I don’t see any of the other candidates being strong enough, at least this time around.

Outside of council, Dieter Dudy has said he will run again. There will be others. Would Todd Stone take a chance? Why not? He would definitely be hard to beat.

No matter what happens, with the amount of controversy over the past three years, anything and everything is likely to happen before October 17 next year.

I’m Doug Collins and that’s One Man’s Opinion.

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Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or Pattison Media.