With just days before the nomination deadline, Vision Vancouver candidate Ian Campbell announced late Monday afternoon that he is no longer running to be the city's next mayor.
“I’ve come to a very difficult decision that I want to share with people — a decision that may be a surprise to many. I am withdrawing my name from the race for Mayor of Vancouver,” Campbell said in a statement.
“With the deadline quickly approaching to formally enter the race, I’ve reflected on the political landscape and my complicated personal journey. When I put all these pieces together, it seems clear that the best choice is for me to withdraw as candidate for Mayor of Vancouver.”
Campbell, a Squamish Nation hereditary chief, was acclaimed as the party’s mayoral candidate in June.
“This is not a decision I’ve taken lightly,” he said. “I’m proud of the ideas I’ve brought to the table and the platform we’ve developed with our remarkable team of candidates and members.”
In a statement from the party, Vision Vancouver co-chair Michael Haack said the party was notified of Campbell’s decision Monday afternoon.
“Ian Campbell informed the party this afternoon of his decision to withdraw from the race,” he said. “We have accepted his decision and support his choice to not move forward. Ian has made significant contributions to Vancouver and we are thankful for his commitment.
“The focus of Vision Vancouver will now be to support our talented candidates running for Council, School Board and Park Board. We have a strong platform to present to Vancouverites, we look forward to a robust and energetic campaign, and we will have more to say about the mayoral campaign in the coming days.”
The deadline for nominations is 4 p.m. Friday, Sept. 14.
