The Green Party of Vancouver has dropped one in every of its candidates for the Vancouver Park Board over allegations of “unauthorized handling and use” of its list of supporters, with only a month to go before the town’s municipal election.
In a media release Friday, the Greens said their board of directors had voted to withdraw their endorsement for Liam Menard on Wednesday after he allegedly admitted to the misuse of knowledge.
“The Party moved swiftly to research and subsequently withdrew its endorsement from Park Board Candidate Liam Menard as soon because it became apparent that data was utilized in a way that contravened Green Party values, its candidate agreement, and the law,” in keeping with the discharge.
The Greens said they’ve emailed everyone on the party’s supporter contact list to warn them of possible “misuse and mishandling of personal information.”
“We deeply regret that our previously endorsed Candidate violated our trust and the trust of our supporters,” Green council candidate Pete Fry said in the discharge.
“We are going to conduct a review to grasp what we will do to raised protect our supporters’ privacy.”
Global News is in search of comment from Menard.
Menard’s candidate page has been faraway from the party’s website.
Prior to its removal, it described him as president and chairman of the False Creek Community Association’s board of directors, an appointed member of the Vancouver Renter’s Advisory Committee and a former director of the Surfrider Foundation.
The Greens further alleged that they imagine “some or all” of their supporter list is within the possession of the Progress Vancouver party, and called on it to ” immediately stop all campaign communications until the matter has been investigated and the list has been purged.”
Reached by email, Progress Vancouver party president Scott de Lange Boom wouldn’t confirm or deny the allegation.
“Progress Vancouver has gathered lists of prospects from supporters and candidates with networks from across the political spectrum, following all applicable laws regarding data collection and privacy,” he said.
He said anyone receiving unwanted communications from the party can inform them and their names shall be faraway from its contact list.
