White Rock Coalition mayoral candidate Grant Meyer said he will not confirm or deny if he, or the Coalition, was behind phone surveys last month, which asked residents to rate existing councillors for the upcoming election.
“I’m not confirming or denying but I won’t be discussing – and I think most of the (Coalition) won’t be discussing – any campaign strategy through the next two-and-a-half months. After, we can talk about what we did,” Meyer told Peace Arch News Friday.
Coun. Helen Fathers posted on Twitter last month, asking if anyone knew who sponsored the phone survey.
Fathers said she spoke to as many as five people who had been interviewed over the phone. Respondents were reportedly asked to rate existing councillors; asked if retiring Mayor Wayne Baldwin has done a good job; asked for an opinion on Democracy Direct mayoral candidate Darryl Walker and Meyer; and asked which party they would support, Democracy Direct or the Coalition.
Independent council incumbents Fathers, David Chesney, and Walker each speculated that the Coalition was footing the bill.
“We will only be talking about issues in our platforms and policy,” Meyer said. “I have heard that the Conservative party is out there testing names for the next federal election.”
Coalition incumbent Lynne Sinclair told PAN last week that she has no idea who was behind the survey, adding that she’s been sick and “out of action for a week and a half.”
Meyer said he’s expecting the Coalition to announce a “couple more” candidates in the coming weeks.
“Last election we found out that someone released some info and they were removed from the team, so we take it seriously. We just don’t discuss strategy.” Meyer said.
White Rock goes to the polls Oct. 20.
