The Non-Partisan Association could have trouble overturning the controversial cetacean breeding ban at the Vancouver Aquarium, despite winning control of the city’s park board over the weekend.
The NPA wasted little time promising to remove the ban after taking four of the seven park board seats in Saturday’s election, but activists argue commissioners Sarah Kirby-Yung and John Coupar won’t even be able to vote on the issue.
“Two of the NPA commissioners both have a conflict of interest,” said Jeff Matthews of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.
“They’ll both have to recuse themselves from any votes on the aquarium business.”
Coupar abstained from the initial vote to ban breeding over the summer because his company has done business with the Vancouver Aquarium before. It’s unclear whether he will recuse himself again on future votes.
The commissioner has not responded to requests for comment from CTV News.
Kirby-Yung used to work for the aquarium, but said that merely gives her greater insight into the issues surrounding it.
“I’m very familiar with the research, conservation, education programs that the aquarium does,” she said.
The newly-elected commissioner wouldn’t confirm whether or not she’ll vote on aquarium issues, but said she’s capable of representing voters objectively despite her work history.
“That’s my job as a park board commissioner,” Kirby-Yung said. “I no longer work at the aquarium.”
Overturning the ban could prove tricky without their votes. At least two of the other three successful park board candidates, Vision Vancouver’s Catherine Evans and the Green Party’s Stuart Mackinnon, have spoken out against keeping cetaceans at the aquarium at all.
The aquarium has already launched a legal challenge against the ban, and hasn’t said whether it could be dropped if the ban is removed.
It issued a statement Monday saying it “looks forward to welcoming and briefing the City’s newly elected representatives” as soon as possible.
With a report from CTV Vancouver’s Scott Roberts
