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'''Andrea Reimer''' is a [[Canada|Canadian]] politician, currently serving on [[Vancouver]], [[British Columbia]]'s
'''Andrea Reimer''' is a [[Canada|Canadian]] politician, currently serving on [[Vancouver]], [[British Columbia]]'s [[Vancouver city council|City Council]]. She was first elected in 2002 to the [[Vancouver School Board]] as a [[Green Party]] candidate.<ref name="2002 Election Results">[http://vancouver.ca/ctyclerk/election2002/2002results.htm#school "2002 Election Results"], ''Vancouver City Website'', Accessed September 1, 2009.</ref> She was defeated as a Green Party candidate in her re-election campaign in 2005<ref>[http://vancouver.ca/ctyclerk/election2005/finalresults.htm "2005 Election Results"], ''Vancouver City Website'', Accessed September 1, 2009.</ref> and then joined the [[Vision Vancouver]] party to run and win a council seat in the [[Vancouver municipal election, 2008|2008 municipal election]].<ref>[http://vancouver.ca/electionresults2008/#20 "2008 Election Results"], ''Vancouver City Website'', Accessed September 1, 2009.</ref><ref>[http://www.vancouverobserver.com/2008/09/21/vision-vancouver-surged-polls-celebrated-new-city-slate "Vision Vancouver Surged to Polls & Celebrated New City Slate"], ''[[Vancouver Observer]]'', September 21, 2008.</ref>

[[Vancouver city council|City Council]]. She was first elected in 2002 to the [[Vancouver School Board]] as a

[[Green Party]] candidate.<ref name="2002 Election Results">

[http://vancouver.ca/ctyclerk/election2002/2002results.htm#school "2002 Election Results"], ''Vancouver City

Website'', Accessed September 1, 2009.</ref> She was defeated as a Green Party candidate in her re-election

campaign in 2005<ref>[http://vancouver.ca/ctyclerk/election2005/finalresults.htm "2005 Election Results"],

''Vancouver City Website'', Accessed September 1, 2009.</ref> and then joined the [[Vision Vancouver]] party to

support Gregor Robertson's mayoral campaign<ref>Naiobh O'Connor. "Green Party staple opts for new Vision". Vancouver

Courier, May 7, 2008.</ref>. She subsequently ran for and won a council seat in the [[Vancouver municipal election,

2008|2008 municipal election]].<ref>[http://vancouver.ca/electionresults2008/#20 "2008 Election Results"],

''Vancouver City Website'', Accessed September 1, 2009.</ref>


==Background==
==Background==
Reimer was born in Saskatchewan and, when she was 8 months old, she was adopted by a couple from Vancouver who
Reimer grew up with adversity,<ref name="tvwc">[http://www.shared-vision.com/20060831/publishers_note "Leaps Tall Buildings in a Single Bound"], ''Today's Vancouver Woman'', Accessed October 6, 2009.</ref> a background she shares openly to inspire others.<ref name="tvwc"/>


subsequently relocated to [[Calgary]]<ref name="sunback">Janet Steffenhagen. "Protest started early for school
Reimer was born in [[Saskatoon]] and put into [[foster care]].<ref name="vanob"/><ref name="tvwback">Linda Solomon. "The Wild Side of Intellect", ''Today's Vancouver Woman'', August 22, 2008.</ref> When she was 8 months old she was adopted by a couple from Vancouver who subsequently relocated to [[Calgary]]<ref name="sunback">Janet Steffenhagen. "Protest started early for school trustee", ''[[Vancouver Sun]]'', December 10, 2002.</ref> prior to her starting school.<ref name="vanob"/><ref name="tvwback"/> Her adoptive parents both came from backgrounds of abuse.<ref name="vanob"/><ref name="tvwback"/> Her father grew up in poverty in a [[Mennonite]] community in [[Manitoba]], and was beaten and tied up outdoors regularly.<ref name="vanob"/><ref name="tvwback"/> Her [[maternal grandfather]] was an [[alcoholic]] that regularly beat her [[mother]] and [[maternal grandmother]].<ref name="vanob"/><ref name="tvwback"/> Eventually her maternal grandmother took her to Vancouver to continue raising her.<ref name="vanob"/><ref name="tvwback"/>


trustee", ''[[Vancouver Sun]]'', December 10, 2002.</ref>
Reimer smoked her first cigarette and took her first drink at the age of 10, and started to experiment with [[illicit drugs]] at the age of 11,<ref name="tvwback"/> and [[Acid (drug)|LSD]]<ref name="tvwback"/> at the age of 12.<ref name="vanob"/> She drifted into a life on the streets which included extensive worldwide travel to places throughout [[Canada]], the [[United States]], [[Asia]], [[Central America]], [[Europe]] and [[North Africa]].<ref name="vanob"/><ref name="sunback"/> During this period she [[Dumpster diving|dumpster-dived]],<ref name="tvwback"/> got arrested several times,<ref name="tvwback"/> got involved in [[hard drugs]] and developed [[Drug addiction|addictions]].<ref name="vanob"/> When she was 18, Reimer worked in [[El Salvador]] at a low income housing project, which she later cited as the catalyst for her environmental awareness.<ref name="elsal">"Crusaders for a green planet: Our emerging leaders", ''[[Vancouver Sun]]'', February 17, 2007, Page B-2.</ref>

Reimer is an environmentalist who has worked as the executive director of the [[Western Canada Wilderness

Committee]]<ref name="vancourfirst"/><ref name="sungore"/><ref name="sunbell"/> since 2002. In 2007, she was chosen

by [[Al Gore]] to deliver the [[Inconvenient Truth]] presentation to local audiences,<ref name="elsal">"Crusaders

for a green planet: Our emerging leaders", ''[[Vancouver Sun]]'', February 17, 2007, Page B-2.</ref><ref

name="sungore">Doug Ward. "Vancity boss takes green lessons from Al Gore", ''[[Vancouver Sun]]'', January 13,

2007.</ref><ref>[http://vancouver.ca/ctyclerk/mayorcouncil/councillor/reimer.htm "Councillor Andrea Reimer"],

''Vancouver City Website'', Accessed September 1, 2009.</ref><ref>[http://www.shared-

vision.com/svvisionaries/raisin-issues "Raisin’ Issues"], ''Today's Vancouver Woman'', Accessed October 6,

2009.</ref> which she delivered to over 10,000 people. While executive director of the Wilderness Committee, Reimer

supported the creation of a [[carbon tax]] by the BC Provincial Government,<ref name="vancourfirst"/>.

Reimer has volunteered with many community organizations including serving as:
* Past President of the CCEC Credit Union
* Past President Canadian Women’s Voters Congress
* former Vice-Chair of Your Local Farmer’s Market Society
* former Co-Chair of the City of Vancouver’s Food Policy Council
* Director of Toxic Free Canada

She currently serves as a Director of [[Environmental Education Action Project]], and sits on the [[Vancouver

Foundation]]’s Health and Social Development Advisory Committee.


Reimer enrolled at [[Concordia University]] and subsequently [[Dropping out|dropped out]] during her first year<ref name="tvwback"/><ref name="sunback"/> and moved to Vancouver with her boyfriend at the time, who was a [[Cocaine addiction|cocaine addict]].<ref name="vanob"/> In Vancouver she joined a government sponsored job training program and started working with Gordon Neighbourhood House Youth Works. She was then sent for a practicum to the Western Canada Wilderness Committee.<ref name="vanob"/><ref name="tvwback"/>


Reimer was an environmentalist who worked as the executive director of the [[Western Canada Wilderness Committee]],<ref name="vanob">[http://www.vancouverobserver.com/2008/12/09/andrea-reimer-wilderness-family-city-hall "Andrea Reimer: Wilderness, Family, City Hall"], ''[[Vancouver Observer]]'', December 10, 2008.</ref><ref name="vancourfirst"/><ref name="sungore"/><ref name="sunbell"/> where she was paid approximately $2000 a month.<ref name="vansuntough">Glenn Bohn. "Green winner will tackle Liberals: SCHOOL BOARD: Andrea Reimer says she expects 'tough times' ahead Series: Civic Election 2002", ''[[Vancouver Sun]]'', November 18, 2002.</ref> In 2007, she was chosen by [[Al Gore]] to deliver the [[Inconvenient Truth]] presentation to local audiences, <ref name="elsal"/><ref name="sungore">Doug Ward. "Vancity boss takes green lessons from Al Gore", ''[[Vancouver Sun]]'', January 13, 2007.</ref><ref>[http://vancouver.ca/ctyclerk/mayorcouncil/councillor/reimer.htm "Councillor Andrea Reimer"], ''Vancouver City Website'', Accessed September 1, 2009.</ref><ref>[http://www.shared-vision.com/svvisionaries/raisin-issues "Raisin’ Issues"], ''Today's Vancouver Woman'', Accessed October 6, 2009.</ref> which she delivered to over 10,000 people.<ref name="vanob"/>


==Political career==
==Political career==
Reimer joined the [[Green Party of British Columbia|Green Party]] in the 1990s, and worked on the 1996 provincial election, the 1999 civic election, the 2000 federal by-election and the 2001 provincial election.<ref name="sunback"/> In 1999, Reimer became the spokeswoman for the Green Party.<ref name="sunback"/><ref>Ian Baily. "You guys should have done some stories. Maybe we would have had more debates", ''[[National Post]]'', May 15, 2001.</ref><ref>Ian Baily. "Last-minute NDP ads target surging Green Party: A first for B.C.: vote-splitting on left", ''[[National Post]]'', May 14, 2001.</ref> Reimer was the first Green Party candidate ever elected to a school board seat in Canada, when she was elected in 2002.<ref name="2002 Election Results"/><ref name="vancourfirst">Mike Howell. "Vision quest;Energetic and flooded with members, Vision Vancouver led by Gregor Robertson believes it's poised to take over city hall. But as a "progressive" party backed heavily by developers and casino operators, what does it really stand for?", ''[[Vancouver Courier]]'', September 24, 2008.</ref><ref>[http://womenscampaignschool.org/campaignschool/speakers/ "Speakers"], ''Women's Campaign School Website'', Accessed September 1, 2009.</ref> She ran for re-election as a Green Party candidate in 2005 yet was defeated.<ref>[http://vancouver.ca/ctyclerk/election2005/finalresults.htm "2005 Election Results"], ''Vancouver City Website'', Accessed September 1, 2009.</ref> She subsequently joined the [[Vision Vancouver]]<ref name="vansunjoinvv">Catherine Rolfsen. "New faces vying for city seats; Vision, NPA slates have candidates targeting key demographics", ''[[Vancouver Sun]]'', October 11, 2008.</ref> party, where she co-chaired [[Gregor_Robertson_(politician)|Gregor Robertson]]'s 2008 mayoral campaign,<ref name="vancourfirst"/><ref name="sunbell">Gerry Bellett. "Former Green seeks Vision; Ex-school trustee Reimer will run for city council nomination", ''[[Vancouver Sun]]'', July 17, 2008.</ref> and won a council seat in the [[Vancouver municipal election, 2008|2008 municipal election]].<ref>[http://vancouver.ca/electionresults2008/#20 "2008 Election Results"], ''Vancouver City Website'', Accessed September 1, 2009.</ref><ref>Frances Bula. "Choice of women, minority candidates reflects Vision's diversity", ''[[Globe and Mail]]'', September 23, 2008.</ref>


=====Green Party=====
While executive director of the Wilderness Committee, Reimer supported the creation of a [[carbon tax]] by the BC Provincial Government,<ref name="vancourfirst"/> and expressed concern that the provincial leadership did not work hard enough to get it passed.<ref>Dan Lett. "Battleground green - The west coast knows more about carbon taxes", ''[[Winnipeg Free Press]]'', September 13, 2008.</ref> It was subsequently passed.<ref name="vancourfirst"/>
Reimer joined the [[Green Party of British Columbia|Green Party]] in 1996 and has held internal elected office as

In January 2003, she supported the Green Party's position against bringing the [[Olympics]] to Vancouver in 2010.<ref name="vancourfirst"/> In 2008 she no longer characterized herself as against the Olympics, and put her full support behind the effort.<ref name="vancourfirst"/>
Communication Chair, Green Party of BC (1999-2002) and Chair, Green Party of Vancouver (2002 - 2008). Reimer was the

first Green Party candidate ever elected to a school board seat in Canada, when she was elected in 2002.<ref

name="2002 Election Results"/><ref name="vancourfirst">Mike Howell. "Vision quest;Energetic and flooded with

members, Vision Vancouver led by Gregor Robertson believes it's poised to take over city hall. But as a

"progressive" party backed heavily by developers and casino operators, what does it really stand for?",

''[[Vancouver Courier]]'', September 24, 2008.</ref><ref>[http://womenscampaignschool.org/campaignschool/speakers/

"Speakers"], ''Women's Campaign School Website'', Accessed September 1, 2009.</ref> She ran for re-election as a

Green Party candidate in 2005 yet was defeated.<ref>[http://vancouver.ca/ctyclerk/election2005/finalresults.htm

"2005 Election Results"], ''Vancouver City Website'', Accessed September 1, 2009.</ref>

=====Vision Vancouver=====
Reimer joined [[Vision Vancouver]] to support Gregor Robertson's mayoral campaign<ref>Naiobh O'Connor. "Green Party

staple opts for new Vision". Vancouver Courier, May 7, 2008.</ref>. She subsequently ran for and won a council seat

in the [[Vancouver municipal election, 2008|2008 municipal election]].<ref>

[http://vancouver.ca/electionresults2008/#20 "2008 Election Results"], ''Vancouver City Website'', Accessed

September 1, 2009.</ref>


=====Vancouver City Council=====
Reimer's local appointments on Vancouver City Council include:
* Chair, Standing Committee on Planning and Environment
* Greenest City Action Team
* Vancouver Economic Development Commission
* Joint Childcare Council
* Family Court-Youth Justice Committee
Reimer also sits on the Metro Vancouver Regional District board and has been appointed to the Regional Planning

Committee, Agricultural Committee, Electoral Area A Committee and GVRD/UBC Joint Committee.


=====Vancouver School Board=====
As a School Trustee, Reimer championed efforts to get junk food<ref>Naoibh O'Connor "Fit for a Teen?". Vancouver

Courier, October 11, 2003</ref> and corporate advertising out of schools <ref>Naoibh O'Connor. "Trustees pondering

commercialization policy", March 11, 2005</ref> and more money <ref>Naoibh O'Connor. "Province does about-face on

school hot lunch money". Vancouver Courier, May 31, 2004</ref> and environmental programs into schools<ref>Naoibh

O'Connor. "Seeds of Learning". Vancouver Courier, May 14, 2004</ref>. She was also one of the first elected

officials in the country to maintain a blog while in public office<ref>Janet Steffenhagen. "School Trustee

Communicates by Blog" Vancouver Sun, August 30, 2003</ref>.

In January 2003, she supported the Green Party's position against bringing the [[Olympics]] to Vancouver in

2010.<ref name="vancourfirst"/>


As a School Trustee, Reimer supported efforts to remove vending machines<ref>Naoibh O'Connor "Fit for a Teen?". Vancouver Courier, October 11, 2003</ref> and corporate logos from schools.<ref>Naoibh O'Connor. "Trustees pondering commercialization policy", March 11, 2005</ref> She pushed for getting school garden programs into schools.<ref>Naoibh O'Connor. "Seeds of Learning". Vancouver Courier, May 14, 2004</ref>


As City Councilor, Reimer is a member of Gregor Robertson's Greenest City Team.<ref>[http://vancouver.ca/greenestcity/members.htm "Members of the Greenest City Team"], ''City of Vancouver website'', Accessed October 10, 2009.</ref> The team is tasked with creating an environment supportive of green economic development in the city of Vancouver.<ref>[http://vancouver.ca/greenestcity/greenteam.htm "How can we make Vancouver the world’s greenest city?"], ''City of Vancouver website'', Accessed October 10, 2009.</ref>


==Family==
==Family==
Reimer and her husband, an [[United States|American]] [[wildlife biologist]],<ref name="sunback"/> have a daughter.<ref name="vanob"/><ref name="vansuntough"/> They live near [[Bodies_of_water_in_Vancouver#Trout_Lake|Trout Lake]] in [[East Vancouver]].<ref>[http://vancouver.ca/ctyclerk/mayorcouncil/councillor/reimer.htm "Councillor Andrea Reimer"], ''Vancouver City Website'', Accessed September 1, 2009.</ref>
Reimer and her husband have a daughter and live near [[Bodies_of_water_in_Vancouver#Trout_Lake|Trout Lake]] in
[[East Vancouver]].<ref>[http://vancouver.ca/ctyclerk/mayorcouncil/councillor/reimer.htm "Councillor Andrea
Reimer"], ''Vancouver City Website'', Accessed September 1, 2009.</ref>


== References ==
== References ==
Line 31: Line 142:
==External links==
==External links==
* [http://vancouver.ca/ctyclerk/mayorcouncil/councillor/reimer.htm Andrea Reimer] at Vancouver City Council
* [http://vancouver.ca/ctyclerk/mayorcouncil/councillor/reimer.htm Andrea Reimer] at Vancouver City Council




{{Vancouver City Council}}
{{Vancouver City Council}}

Revision as of 06:27, 11 October 2009

Andrea Reimer is a Canadian politician, currently serving on Vancouver, British Columbia's

City Council. She was first elected in 2002 to the Vancouver School Board as a

Green Party candidate.[1] She was defeated as a Green Party candidate in her re-election

campaign in 2005[2] and then joined the Vision Vancouver party to

support Gregor Robertson's mayoral campaign[3]. She subsequently ran for and won a council seat in the [[Vancouver municipal election,

2008|2008 municipal election]].[4]

Background

Reimer was born in Saskatchewan and, when she was 8 months old, she was adopted by a couple from Vancouver who

subsequently relocated to Calgary[5]

Reimer is an environmentalist who has worked as the executive director of the [[Western Canada Wilderness

Committee]][6][7][8] since 2002. In 2007, she was chosen

by Al Gore to deliver the Inconvenient Truth presentation to local audiences,[9][7][10][11] which she delivered to over 10,000 people. While executive director of the Wilderness Committee, Reimer

supported the creation of a carbon tax by the BC Provincial Government,[6].

Reimer has volunteered with many community organizations including serving as:

  • Past President of the CCEC Credit Union
  • Past President Canadian Women’s Voters Congress
  • former Vice-Chair of Your Local Farmer’s Market Society
  • former Co-Chair of the City of Vancouver’s Food Policy Council
  • Director of Toxic Free Canada

She currently serves as a Director of Environmental Education Action Project, and sits on the [[Vancouver

Foundation]]’s Health and Social Development Advisory Committee.


Political career

Green Party

Reimer joined the Green Party in 1996 and has held internal elected office as

Communication Chair, Green Party of BC (1999-2002) and Chair, Green Party of Vancouver (2002 - 2008). Reimer was the

first Green Party candidate ever elected to a school board seat in Canada, when she was elected in 2002.[1][6][12] She ran for re-election as a

Green Party candidate in 2005 yet was defeated.[13]

Vision Vancouver

Reimer joined Vision Vancouver to support Gregor Robertson's mayoral campaign[14]. She subsequently ran for and won a council seat

in the 2008 municipal election.[15]


Vancouver City Council

Reimer's local appointments on Vancouver City Council include:

  • Chair, Standing Committee on Planning and Environment
  • Greenest City Action Team
  • Vancouver Economic Development Commission
  • Joint Childcare Council
  • Family Court-Youth Justice Committee

Reimer also sits on the Metro Vancouver Regional District board and has been appointed to the Regional Planning

Committee, Agricultural Committee, Electoral Area A Committee and GVRD/UBC Joint Committee.


Vancouver School Board

As a School Trustee, Reimer championed efforts to get junk food[16] and corporate advertising out of schools [17] and more money [18] and environmental programs into schools[19]. She was also one of the first elected

officials in the country to maintain a blog while in public office[20].

In January 2003, she supported the Green Party's position against bringing the Olympics to Vancouver in

2010.[6]


Family

Reimer and her husband have a daughter and live near Trout Lake in

East Vancouver.[21]

References

  1. ^ a b "2002 Election Results", Vancouver City Website, Accessed September 1, 2009.
  2. ^ "2005 Election Results", Vancouver City Website, Accessed September 1, 2009.
  3. ^ Naiobh O'Connor. "Green Party staple opts for new Vision". Vancouver Courier, May 7, 2008.
  4. ^ "2008 Election Results", Vancouver City Website, Accessed September 1, 2009.
  5. ^ Janet Steffenhagen. "Protest started early for school trustee", Vancouver Sun, December 10, 2002.
  6. ^ a b c d Mike Howell. "Vision quest;Energetic and flooded with members, Vision Vancouver led by Gregor Robertson believes it's poised to take over city hall. But as a "progressive" party backed heavily by developers and casino operators, what does it really stand for?", Vancouver Courier, September 24, 2008.
  7. ^ a b Doug Ward. "Vancity boss takes green lessons from Al Gore", Vancouver Sun, January 13, 2007.
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference sunbell was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ "Crusaders for a green planet: Our emerging leaders", Vancouver Sun, February 17, 2007, Page B-2.
  10. ^ "Councillor Andrea Reimer", Vancouver City Website, Accessed September 1, 2009.
  11. ^ [http://www.shared- vision.com/svvisionaries/raisin-issues "Raisin’ Issues"], Today's Vancouver Woman, Accessed October 6, 2009.
  12. ^ [http://womenscampaignschool.org/campaignschool/speakers/ "Speakers"], Women's Campaign School Website, Accessed September 1, 2009.
  13. ^ [http://vancouver.ca/ctyclerk/election2005/finalresults.htm "2005 Election Results"], Vancouver City Website, Accessed September 1, 2009.
  14. ^ Naiobh O'Connor. "Green Party staple opts for new Vision". Vancouver Courier, May 7, 2008.
  15. ^ "2008 Election Results", Vancouver City Website, Accessed September 1, 2009.
  16. ^ Naoibh O'Connor "Fit for a Teen?". Vancouver Courier, October 11, 2003
  17. ^ Naoibh O'Connor. "Trustees pondering commercialization policy", March 11, 2005
  18. ^ Naoibh O'Connor. "Province does about-face on school hot lunch money". Vancouver Courier, May 31, 2004
  19. ^ Naoibh O'Connor. "Seeds of Learning". Vancouver Courier, May 14, 2004
  20. ^ Janet Steffenhagen. "School Trustee Communicates by Blog" Vancouver Sun, August 30, 2003
  21. ^ [http://vancouver.ca/ctyclerk/mayorcouncil/councillor/reimer.htm "Councillor Andrea Reimer"], Vancouver City Website, Accessed September 1, 2009.



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