Work Less Party of British Columbia

Last updated
Work Less Party of British Columbia
Historical provincial party
Leader Conrad Schmidt
FoundedJuly 7, 2003 (2003-07-07)
DissolvedMay 3, 2017 (2017-05-03)
Headquarters1545 10 Ave E
Vancouver, British Columbia
V5N 1X6
Ideology Workers rights
Anti-consumerism
Colours Red
Website
www.worklessparty.org

The Work Less Party was a political party in the Canadian province of British Columbia. The party was founded in 2003 by Conrad Schmidt and de-registered in May 2017. The primary aim of this party was to move to a 32-hour work week and its party slogan was "Work Less, Consume Less, Live More." The slogan describes the party's aim to encourage people to reduce their consumption, to be more environmentally and socially conscious, and to focus on real values. Instead of consuming, people are encouraged to spend time on family, friends, community engagement, art and creative endeavours, spiritual exploration, and athletic activities.

Contents

The Work Less Party nominated eleven candidates for the May 2005 provincial election, who won a total of 1,642 votes (0.09% of the provincial total). None of the candidates were elected. In the 2009 provincial election, the party nominated two candidates who combined for 322 votes (0.02% of the provincial total). The party has also participated in municipal politics. Ben West ran for mayor of Vancouver in the November 2005 election, receiving 1,907 votes (1.47%). In the next Vancouver mayoral election, in November 2008, Betty Krawczyk ran for mayor under the Work Less Party platform, as did four people for councillor positions, though none were elected.

The party had a federal wing, called the Work Less Party, between October 2007 and July 2010. The federal Work Less Party nominated one candidate: Betty Krawczyk in the Vancouver East electoral district during the October 2008 federal election.

Policy

The party's main ideals revolved around the idea of legislating a 32-hour, or four-day work week. [1] Their belief was that reducing the work week from five days to four would result in a lower unemployment rate, more time for family and leisure activities, and less unnecessary consumerism, at the cost of slightly less pay for workers. [2] Other policy points included controls on rents and property costs, higher taxes on luxury goods, the promotion of arts, education, sports and research, prohibiting unpaid overtime work, and changing to the payroll tax system to encourage hiring additional workers.

In 2005, the party stated its goal was to "champion the economic, environmental and social advantages of a reduced work week". [3]

Background

The Work Less Party of British Columbia was founded by Conrad Schmidt on July 7, 2003. The 34-year-old permanent resident of Canada, from Johannesburg, South Africa, [4] was living in Vancouver working as a computer programmer, and had already founded the World Naked Bike Ride [5] and organized events for the non-profit group Artists Against War. [6] He was motivated to start a political party after he linked rampant consumerism's requirement for easy access to resources which he saw as creating wars, like the Iraq War, and causing environmental destruction. He witnessed people suffering work-related stress as they work to purchase unnecessary products while neglecting their families, friends and their social life. Another motivating factor was witnessing, at his place of employment, out-sourcing of work to China where, he was told, they would work six or seven days each week. Schmidt would make advocacy of a reduced work week and championing its economic, environmental and social advantages the premise of the new political party.

History

The party held fundraisers and staged publicity stunts to communicate their ideas and get media attention. Events included masquerade parties, [7] handing out speeding tickets to fast-walking pedestrians, [8] distributing calendars which highlight the three-day weekend, setting up an impromptu living room on the corner of Pender and Burrard Street, [8] and attempting a nap-in at the BC Parliament Buildings (but was quickly stopped by police). As the 2005 provincial election approached, the party recruited 11 candidates, including author Bruce O'Hara in Comox Valley, 48-year-old Gordon Scott in Surrey-Newton [9] and The Georgia Straight -endorsed [10] Ben West in West Vancouver-Capilano. The candidates did not win a seat in the Legislative Assembly with none finishing higher than fifth place in their riding. The BC Student Vote, in which people too young to legally vote select their preferred candidate, selected one Work Less Party candidate: Ben West in West Vancouver-Capilano. [11]

Immediately following the 2005 provincial election, Schmidt registered the party with the City of Vancouver and the District of Saanich [12] to sponsor candidates in the November 2005 municipal elections. In the Vancouver election, Ben West ran for mayor, [13] coming in fourth with 1,907 votes (1.5% of the popular vote). In Saanich, Katrina Herriot ran for a council seat but lost, receiving 1,204 votes. [14]

Schmidt registered a federal version of the party, called Work Less Party, with Elections Canada in October 2007 so it could participate in the next federal election. They recruited one candidate: author and environmental activist Betty Krawczyk who contested the Vancouver East riding. She received 423 votes (1% of the popular vote) in the October 2008 federal election, losing to Libby Davies of the New Democratic Party. The federal party deregistered in July 2010, before the next federal election.

In the November 2008 Vancouver municipal election, the party sponsored one candidate for mayor, four for council and one for the Parks Board. [15] Betty Krawczyk ran for the mayoral position [16] and came in third, receiving 1,346 votes (1.1%). None of the council candidates, which included Paralympian Ian Gregson, were elected but ranged in voting between 11,237 and 7,435 votes. The lone parks board candidate was also not elected even though he received 10,919 votes.

The party only fielded two candidates in the 2009 provincial election: Keston Broughton in Kamloops-North Thompson and Chris Telford in Vancouver-Hastings. The party intended to nominate co-candidate in Kamloops-North Thompson and Kamloops-South Thompson with the intent to have them job-share but Elections BC only allowed one name from each party be on the ballot and the candidates in the Kamloops-South Thompson dropped out. [17] [18] Neither Broughton or Telford were elected, coming in fifth and fourth in their respective ridings.

Schmidt and several of the 2008 council candidates from the Work Less Party registered with the City of Vancouver to participate in the 2011 Vancouver municipal election as a party called De-Growth Vancouver. [4] [19] They fielded three candidates for council, who received between 8,219 (5.68%) and 4,690 (3.24%) votes, none being elected.

Election results

In the 2005 provincial election, the party nominated candidates in 11 ridings: nine in the Metro Vancouver ridings and two on Vancouver Island. The candidates received between a low of 83 votes (in Comox Valley) and a high of 247 votes (in Vancouver-Hastings), though none were elected. The party totaled 1,642 votes (0.09%) making them the seventh place party in terms of popular votes. [20]

In the 2009 provincial election, the party nominated candidates only two candidates: Chris Telford in Vancouver-Hastings and Keston Broughton in Kamloops-North Thompson. Neither were elected as each came in fifth place in their ridings. [21] The party again ran two candidates in the 2013 provincial election but de-registered with Elections BC just prior to the 2017 provincial election. [22]

ElectionCandidatesTotal votesPopular voteRidingCandidateVotesPopular vote
in riding
2005 111,6420.09%
Comox Valley Bruce O'Hara830.26%
North Vancouver-Seymour Christine Ellis1690.66%
Surrey-Newton Gordon Scott1230.66%
Vancouver-Burrard Lisa Voldeng1700.6%
Vancouver-Fairview Janet van Delst950.34%
Vancouver-Hastings Dennise Brennan1981.01%
Vancouver-Langara Charlie Brunet-Latimer1520.77%
Vancouver-Mount Pleasant Niki Westman1870.93%
Vancouver-Point Grey Tom Walker1260.46%
West Vancouver-Capilano Ben West1180.59%
2009 23220.02%
Vancouver-Hastings Chris Telford1981.0%
Kamloops-North Thompson Keston Broughton1240.6%

Finances

Annual Financial Report
YearIncomeExpensesAssetsReference
2003$370$265$105 [23]
2004$9,098$10,465$1,687 [24]
2005$24,195$23,296$3,052 [25]
2006$21,188$20,045$1,921 [26]
2007$28,385$29,760$2,928 [27]
2008$37,273$35,170$2,808 [28]
2009$30,316$23,375$8,550 [29]
2010$27,423$30,595$5,378 [30]
Election Expenses
ElectionIncomeExpensesSurplus/DeficitReference
2005 $6,720$6,385$335 [31]
2009 $8,189$8,342($153) [32]

See also

Related Research Articles

The Green Party of British Columbia, or simply the BC Greens, is a provincial political party in British Columbia, Canada. It was founded in 1983 and is based in Victoria. The party won its first seat in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia in the 2013 provincial election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rob Fleming</span> Canadian politician

Rob Fleming is a Canadian politician who sat in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from 2005 provincial election, when he defeated one-term Liberal Party incumbent, Sheila Orr, until 2024. Initially representing Victoria-Hillside, he was re-elected in subsequent elections in the renamed constituency of Victoria-Swan Lake. A member of the British Columbia New Democratic Party, he was named to the cabinet of British Columbia in July 2017 as Minister of Education, before assuming the post as Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure in November 2020. Prior to entering provincial politics, he was a city councillor in Victoria, British Columbia from 1999 to 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adriane Carr</span> Canadian politician

Adriane Carr is a Canadian academic, activist and green politician. She has served on Vancouver City Council since its 2011 municipal election. She was a founding member of the Green Party of British Columbia and was the party's first leader, then known as "spokesperson", from 1983 to 1985. In 2000, she became the party's leader again. In the 2005 provincial election, she received over 25 percent of the vote in her home riding of Powell River-Sunshine Coast. In September 2006, she was appointed by federal Green Party leader Elizabeth May, to be one of her two deputy leaders.

Your Political Party of British Columbia, or simply Your Party, is a minor political party in British Columbia, Canada. The party is registered with Elections BC and has participated in the 2005, 2009, 2013, and 2017 general elections. The party advocates more transparency and accountability in government. It nominated one candidate in 2005, two in 2009 and 2013, and 10 in 2017. No Your Party candidate has been elected to office as of 2017. Its best result was a fourth-place finish with 442 votes (1.68%) in Port Moody-Westwood in 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Sex Party</span> Political party in Canada

The Sex Party was a political party based in British Columbia, Canada. The party was guided by the philosophy of the sex-positive movement. Among other points, the party advocated for reform of sex education in schools so that sexual issues are taught more gradually over time and included a more comprehensive coverage of them. They advocated for the repeal of laws that promote antisexualism, such as prostitution laws and censorship. They also supported making Valentine's Day a statutory holiday and renaming Victoria Day to Eros Day.

The British Columbia Patriot Party was a minor political party in British Columbia, Canada. The party's stated goal was "to empower citizens to govern themselves by converting the provincial government into a republic with an upper house made up of citizens selected at random and based on merit." The party was formed in 2001 by Andrew Hokhold, a dentist and inventor living in the Vernon / Armstrong area. Hokhold was the party's only candidate in the 2001 election, coming in last place in the Okanagan-Vernon riding. Two candidates, Hokhold and White Rock resident Tibor Tusnady, ran in the 2005 election, both coming in last place, in the Shuswap and Okanagan-Vernon riding, respectively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nicholas Simons</span> Canadian politician

Nicholas Simons is a Canadian politician. He was the Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) of British Columbia, representing the riding of Powell River-Sunshine Coast from 2005 until 2024, as a member of the New Democratic Party.

Claude Harry Richmond is a former Canadian politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, representing the riding of Kamloops from 1981 to 1991 as part of the British Columbia Social Credit Party (Socred), and from 2001 to 2009 as part of the British Columbia Liberal Party. He held various cabinet positions under premiers Bill Bennett, Bill Vander Zalm, Rita Johnston and Gordon Campbell, and served as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly from 2001 to 2005.

The Nation Alliance Party was a minor political party in British Columbia, Canada. While the party was registered with Elections BC as a provincial party, it also participated in the 2008 federal election, the 2008 municipal election, as well as the 2009 provincial election. The party sought to promote multiculturalism, advocate for rights of ethnic minorities and recent immigrants focusing on employment access, security, health care, education and overall rights and status. It was an advocacy party that sought to politically empower and enable those who do not speak English as a first language to participate in politics.

Kevin Krueger is a former member of the Legislative Assembly of the Canadian province of British Columbia. He represented the riding of Kamloops-North Thompson from 1996 to 2009, and Kamloops-South Thompson from 2009 to 2013. As part of the BC Liberal Party caucus, he served in several cabinet posts under Premier Gordon Campbell.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Randall Garrison</span> Canadian politician

Randall C. Garrison is a Canadian politician. Elected to the House of Commons in the 2011 federal election, he represents the electoral district of Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke and is a member of the New Democratic Party. He serves as the party's critic for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender issues, succeeding former MP Bill Siksay, and for National Defence. Since becoming an MP, he has introduced legislation to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act and the Criminal Code, return federal environmental protection to the Goldstream River, and lobbied the government to implement an action plan concerning the endangered Southern resident killer whales. A former criminology and political science instructor at Camosun College, Garrison is openly gay and lives in Esquimalt, British Columbia, with his partner, Teddy Pardede.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Work Less Party</span> Political party in Canada

The Work Less Party (WLP) was a Canadian federal political party that became eligible for registration with Elections Canada on October 1, 2007.

An electoral redistribution was undertaken in 2008 in British Columbia in a process that began in late 2005 and was completed with the passage of the Electoral Districts Act, 2008 on April 10, 2008. The redistribution modified most electoral boundaries in the province and increased the number of MLAs from 79 to 85. The electoral boundaries created by the redistribution were first used in the 2009 provincial election.

Susan Brice is a Canadian politician who represented the electoral district of Saanich South in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from 2001 to 2005. She sat as a member of the BC Liberal Party, and served in the cabinet of Premier Gordon Campbell. She has served as a member of the Saanich District Council since 2005, and was previously mayor and councillor in Oak Bay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lana Popham</span> Canadian politician

Lana Popham is a Canadian politician representing the riding of Saanich South in the Legislature of British Columbia. As a member of the British Columbia New Democratic Party, she has served in the Executive Council since 2017, currently as the Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport. She was first elected in the 2009 provincial general election to the 39th Parliament and then re-elected in 2013, 2017 and 2020 to the 40th, 41st and 42nd Parliaments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ben Stewart</span> Canadian politician

Benjamin Richard Stewart is a Canadian politician, who has represented the riding of Kelowna West in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from 2018 until as a member of BC United. He previously represented the riding of Westside-Kelowna from 2009 to 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mable Elmore</span> Canadian politician

Mable Elmore is a Canadian politician that represents the Vancouver-Kensington electoral district in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. A member of the British Columbia New Democratic Party, she was first elected as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) in the 2009 provincial election. Currently the Parliamentary Secretary for Anti-Racism Initiatives, she previously served as the Parliamentary Secretary for Poverty Reduction (2017–2020) and Parliamentary Secretary for Seniors Services and Long Term Care (2020–2022).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Terry Lake</span> Canadian politician

Terry Lake is a former Canadian politician, at the municipal and provincial levels, and veterinarian.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ellis Ross</span> Canadian politician

Ellis Ross is a Canadian politician who was a member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) of British Columbia from 2017 until 2024, representing the electoral district of Skeena. A caucus member of BC United, he briefly served as Minister of Natural Gas Development and Minister Responsible for Housing in Premier Christy Clark's cabinet, and ran for party leadership in 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2024 British Columbia general election</span> Provincial election in Canada

The 2024 British Columbia general election was held on October 19, 2024, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly to serve in the 43rd parliament of the Canadian province of British Columbia.

References

  1. ↑ "Work Less - it's a party". Cowichan News Leader. Duncan, British Columbia. January 12, 2005. p. 7.
  2. ↑ "Working less, spending nothing". Times Colonist . Victoria, British Columbia. December 14, 2004. p. A12.
  3. ↑ Bohn, Glenn (April 6, 2005). "Greens await breakthrough: Work Less Party wants everyone to relax". The Vancouver Sun . p. B2.
  4. 1 2 Burrows, Matthew (October 18, 2011). "Work Less Party founder Conrad Schmidt explains De-Growth Vancouver name change". The Georgia Straight . Archived from the original on December 27, 2011. Retrieved December 26, 2011.
  5. ↑ Alcoba, Natalie (June 11, 2004). "Biking in the buff takes off globally". The Hamilton Spectator . Hamilton, Ontario. p. 5.
  6. ↑ "Party preaches less work, more mindfulness". WestEnder. Vancouver. August 19, 2004. p. 12.
  7. ↑ "Observer". WestEnder. Vancouver. May 26, 2005. p. 7.
  8. 1 2 MacLennan, Kate (May 27, 2005). "What's your hurry?". The Globe and Mail . p. R6.
  9. ↑ "Workers of the world: relax". The Leader. Surrey, British Columbia. May 11, 2005. p. 21.
  10. ↑ "Why run if you won't speak up?". Chilliwack Times. Chilliwack, British Columbia. May 13, 2005. p. 8.
  11. ↑ "Student voters chose NDP". Alberni Valley Times. Port Alberni, British Columbia. May 19, 2005. p. 1.
  12. ↑ "Saanich council: Question & Answer". Saanich News. Saanich, British Columbia. November 16, 2005. p. 7.
  13. ↑ O'Connor, Naoibh (October 26, 2005). "Fringe parties range from conservative to far out". Vancouver Courier . p. 13.
  14. ↑ "Voting Results: IV: The rest of British Columbia". The Vancouver Sun . November 20, 2005. p. 10.
  15. ↑ "Your Vancouver candidates; 86 would-be politicians are on city ballot". The Province . Vancouver. October 28, 2008. p. 9.
  16. ↑ Rossi, Cheryl (October 5, 2007). "Betty's out of jail and looking to serve three years as mayor; Unbowed 79-year-old wants Sam's job". Vancouver Courier . p. 13.
  17. ↑ "Work Less candidates must now work more". Kamloops Daily News. Kamloops, British Columbia. April 21, 2009. p. 5.
  18. ↑ "Candidate for Work Less Party". North Thompson Journal. Barriere, British Columbia. May 4, 2009. p. 3.
  19. ↑ Ritchie, Justin (December 12, 2011). "Do Less with Less, and Love It". The Tyee . Archived from the original on December 15, 2011. Retrieved December 27, 2011.
  20. ↑ "Statement of Votes: 38th Provincial General Election" (PDF). Elections BC. 2005. pp. 9, 26–36. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 8, 2011. Retrieved December 26, 2011.
  21. ↑ "Statement of Votes: 39th Provincial General Election" (PDF). Elections BC. 2009. pp. 15, 204–207, 529–532. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 30, 2012. Retrieved December 26, 2011.
  22. ↑ "Deregistration Financial Report" (PDF). Elections BC. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 20, 2019. Retrieved December 19, 2019.
  23. ↑ "Annual Financial Report: Work Less Party of BC" (PDF). Elections BC. 2003. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 26, 2012. Retrieved December 28, 2011.
  24. ↑ "Annual Financial Report: Work Less Party of BC" (PDF). Elections BC. 2007. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 26, 2012. Retrieved December 28, 2011.
  25. ↑ "Annual Financial Report: Work Less Party of BC" (PDF). Elections BC. 2007. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 26, 2012. Retrieved December 28, 2011.
  26. ↑ "Annual Financial Report: Work Less Party of BC" (PDF). Elections BC. 2007. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 26, 2012. Retrieved December 28, 2011.
  27. ↑ "Annual Financial Report: Work Less Party of BC" (PDF). Elections BC. 2007. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 26, 2012. Retrieved December 28, 2011.
  28. ↑ "Annual Financial Report: Work Less Party of BC" (PDF). Elections BC. 2008. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 26, 2012. Retrieved December 28, 2011.
  29. ↑ "Annual Financial Report: Work Less Party of BC" (PDF). Elections BC. 2009. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 26, 2012. Retrieved December 28, 2011.
  30. ↑ "Annual Financial Report: Work Less Party of BC" (PDF). Elections BC. 2010. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 26, 2012. Retrieved December 28, 2011.
  31. ↑ "Election Financing Report - Political Party: Work Less Party of BC" (PDF). Elections BC. 2005. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 26, 2012. Retrieved December 28, 2011.
  32. ↑ "Election Financing Report - Political Party: Work Less Party of BC" (PDF). Elections BC. 2009. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 26, 2012. Retrieved December 28, 2011.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.