Deadline extended for AUPE municipal election candidates seeking COPA support
EDMONTON – The deadline for AUPE members who are running in the fall municipal election to apply for support from the union’s Committee on Political Action has been extended to Oct. 1, 2007.
COPA has funds available to assist AUPE members who plan to run for public office in Alberta’s Oct. 15 municipal elections.
Elections for mayors, municipal councillors and public and separate schools trustees will be held throughout Alberta on Oct. 15. Candidates’ nomination papers must be filed by Monday, Sept. 17, 2007.
AUPE President Doug Knight, who is Chair of COPA, noted that in the last municipal election in October 2004, AUPE donated to the campaigns of 15 members running for office in 13 communities throughout the province. “Of those, nine were elected and have made a significant contribution to their communities to the benefit of working people everywhere in Alberta.”
AUPE hopes to increase the number of AUPE members sitting on municipal councils after the Oct. 15 elections, he said.
While COPA has a budget to help members’ campaigns, the committee’s policy is not to give donations unless the members write a letter asking for AUPE’s help, Knight explained.
Applicants for assistance must also submit a simple proposed budget for their campaign, he said. A form is available in PDF format by clicking on the link at the bottom of this story.
The committee reserves the right to reject applications for support by candidates who advocate policies deemed harmful to the interests of union members, he noted.