Sam Sullivan
Encyclopedia
Sam Sullivan, CM
(born 1959) served as the 38th mayor
of Vancouver
, British Columbia
, Canada
and has been invested as a Member of the Order of Canada
, the country's highest civilian award. He is currently President of the Global Civic Policy Society and Adjunct Professor with the UBC School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture.
residents Lloyd and Ida Sullivan. His father ran Sully's Autoparts on East Hastings Street
. He has three brothers Donald, Patrick, Terry and sister Carol. Sullivan attended Chief Maquinna Elementary
and Vancouver Technical Secondary School
in East Vancouver.
After a seven year struggle with depression
, he successfully completed a Bachelor of Business Administration
degree at Simon Fraser University
. Sullivan later founded six non-profit organization
s dedicated to improving the quality of life for disabled people in North America.
Sullivan is also known for his advocacy on behalf of the physically disabled. In 2005, Sullivan was invested as a member of the Order of Canada
by Governor General Adrienne Clarkson
. Sullivan was inducted into the Terry Fox Hall of Fame
in 2000, and the Peter F. Drucker Award for Innovation.
On September 11, 2001, he became the first quadriplegic in history to throw out the opening pitch of a professional baseball game when he threw out the opening pitch, with the assistance of a device made by Tetra Society volunteers, at the Vancouver Canadians
minor league team's home opener at Nat Bailey Stadium
.
, which provides opportunities for people with disabilities to experience outdoor, wilderness-based activities. The foundation of the society’s programs is the TrailRider, a multi-terrain wheelchair that allows two able-bodied “Sherpas” to aid a disabled person’s access to the outdoors. The TrailRider was co-invented by Sam Sullivan and engineer Paul Cermak. TrailRiders have been used by disabled people to climb Mount Kilimanjaro several times and climb to the base camp of Mount Everest once.
Sullivan began the Disabled Sailing Association of British Columbia
, which employs equipment such as the Martin 16 sailboat and (mouth-operated) sip 'n' puff
technology to allow a person with a physical disability to sail independently.
Other societies begun by Sullivan include Tetra Society of North America
, devoted to the creation of unique, customized assistive devices; the Disabled Independent Gardeners Association; the ConnecTra Society, a group devoted to improving social connections and educational opportunities for people with physical disabilities; and the Vancouver Adapted Music Society
, which supports and promotes musicians with disabilities.
All of the nonprofit societies are linked to the Sam Sullivan Disability Foundation which has raised $20 million and touched the lives of 10,000 people with disabilities since its inception. For his work in this field, Sullivan received the Christopher and Dana Reeve Award, the Terry Fox Award and Peter F. Drucker Award for Innovation.
suggested that Sam consider running for council. He had spent quite a few years improving the lives of others with disabilities, and realized government had a lot to do with that area.
Sullivan was first elected to Vancouver City Council
in 1993 as a member of the Non-Partisan Association
(NPA). Sullivan served for 15 years total on Vancouver city council.
In Vancouver's 2002 General Local elections, Sullivan was the only incumbent member of city council from the Non-Partisan Association
to win re-election after the NPA-dominated council was defeated by the COPE
party.
In 2004, he led the Knowards campaign opposing the COPE-initiated campaign to replace the city's at-large
system of choosing councillors with a ward voting system. The proposal was defeated 54% to 46% in a referendum.
Critics accused of mis-using a political donation when $5000 raised for the Knowards campaign through the Nanitch Policy Society was used to buy tickets for campaign volunteers at a 2004 NPA dinner. Calls for an inquiry by Vancouver city council opposition members were subsequently dismissed by the Provincial government. In December 2009, The Tyee published a letter from Sullivan where he explains the background behind the Nanitch Policy Society, and in particular the donation made to the NPA.
rebuilt its slate for 2005. Several high-profile names were nominated to be the NPA mayoral candidate. One of the most prominent contenders was the former BC Liberal Party
deputy-Premier Christy Clark
. Sullivan defeated Clark to become the moderate
, pro-business, NPA mayoral candidate.
Sullivan ran against several candidates, the most prominent of which was Vision Vancouver
councillor Jim Green . Sullivan defeated Green by a narrow margin of 3,747 votes of 130,000 ballots cast in the November 19, 2005 municipal election. A second, independent, candidate named James Green also ran in this election gaining over 4,000 votes. Along with Sullivan, five other NPA councillors were voted into Vancouver City Council
chambers and formed a majority government.
On May 2, 2006, Sullivan provided a statement to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
about his past decisions to provide money to illegal drug users. Sullivan claimed he did this because he believed drug addiction was a type of disability, and that the drug maintenance programs which he was advocating for reduced crime, disease, and help people manage their addiction disabilities. Because of increased public awareness surrounding these incidents during the mayoralty race, the Vancouver Chief of Police requested that the RCMP investigate these incidents.
Sullivan's statement gave a brief account of his decision to provide financial support to a 20-year-old woman working as a prostitute in his neighbourhood in the late 1990s, by providing $40 a day for three weeks for heroin. This story was originally featured five years earlier on the front page of the Vancouver Sun on December 2, 2000 in an article by reporter David Beers with little public comment. Sullivan also gave money to a severely addicted crack cocaine user so he did not have to steal and let him smoke in his van.
Sullivan has a long history with British Columbia's Chinese community and is the first Vancouver mayor capable of speaking basic Cantonese and of reading Chinese
. He also learned to make speeches in Punjabi
.
Mayor Sullivan was the subject of a National Film Board of Canada
documentary Citizen Sam. It premiered in November 2006, and the film was nominated for a Gemini Award
.
, in the ceremony where the Olympic Flag
was passed from Turin
to Vancouver. The ceremony involves an official of the current host city waving the flag eight times, then handing it off to an official of the next host city, who waves it eight times. When it was his turn, the flag was put into a special bracket built into Sullivan's wheelchair by Jay Drew, a member of the Vancouver based Tetra volunteer society that Sam was also involved with. Holding it with one of his hands, Sullivan then swung his wheelchair back and forth eight times to wave the flag.
During a press conference before the Ceremony, Sullivan poked fun at his disability, questioning whether they "should send Vancouver's worst skier to the Olympics to represent the country." Sullivan also revealed that he had practiced the flag waving in parking lots during nights.
After the event, Sullivan received thousands of letters from people across the world who were inspired by the act, and received many invitations to be a keynote speaker at conventions. A reporter from NBC
also offered to help him write his autobiography
. "I especially was moved to get letters from people who wrote very eloquent letters, saying they had considered suicide
, and changed their mind when they saw me perform my duties...To see I had such an impact on people's lives was truly a humbling experience," Sullivan said in response to the reaction.
On March 19, 2006, Sullivan returned to Turin to repeat the flag ceremony process, this time for the closing ceremony of the 2006 Winter Paralympics
. Sullivan received the flag from International Paralympic Committee
president Sir Philip Craven and waved it in the same manner as the Olympic flag, then handed the flag over to Whistler mayor Ken Melamed. This marks the first time a physically disabled mayor has accepted the Paralympic flag in the closing ceremony. Sullivan remarked, "There are a lot of Paralympic athletes who have contacted me. They say the fact of my being a mayor in a major city, an Olympic and Paralympic city, sends a strong message that disabled people can play an important and crucial part in society."
Sullivan's return to Turin was also marked by people recognizing him on the street, most likely due to his appearance at the Olympic closing ceremonies a month earlier. "I would get out of the car in the central square, the piazza, and people would come up wanting to talk to me and wanting my autograph," said Sullivan. "I wasn't really aware that so many people knew who I was."
Sullivan represented Vancouver at the Beijing Olympic and Paralympic games as a torchbearer giving several interviews on Chinese national media speaking in Mandarin.
On February 25, 2010, Sam Sullivan was announced Canada’s ambassador for the 2010 Winter Paralympics
, held in Vancouver
and Whistler
, British Columbia, between March 12 and March 21, 2010.
There are four main goals of the project which include reducing homelessness, aggressive panhandling and the open drug market by at least 50% by 2010. Former Attorney General Geoff Plant
was appointed to the new position of Civil City Commissioner to play a leadership role in helping to achieve the targets outlined by the Mayor. Project Civil City was opposed by a number of councilors on city council, but passed in a 6-5 vote. Critics have charged that the initiative amounts to little more than a campaign to further displace the city's homeless population and a repackaging the crackdown on crime that is already underway.
Sullivan traveled to Ottawa seven times, and to Victoria numerous times during his term to advocate for many issues. He offered 12 city-owned sites free of charge with no taxes for 60 years on the condition that social housing be built. The provincial government agreed to build up to 1200 units. He also committed to contribute $5 million to the provincial government toward the renovation of 18 SRO low income hotels dedicated to the hard-to-house.
As of January 2008, all the major initiatives of Project Civil City had failed. Sullivan predicted the project would see a 50% reduction in homelessness, drug offenses, and street disorder by 2010. However, in its first two years, homelessness went up 54 to 78 per cent, drug offenses doubled, and street disorder went up 84 per cent. The project was cancelled in 2010.
In 2010 the College of Family Physicians of Canada made Sullivan the only non-medical doctor that year to become an Honourary Member in recognition of his "efforts on behalf of marginalized inner city populations".
EcoDensity has a goal of protecting the local and global ecology through the use of densification as a means of reducing the City's ecological footprint. Sullivan claims that by increasing density throughout the city, there will be a reduced requirement for people to make unnecessary car trips, hence reducing carbon emissions.
UBC Professor Patrick Condon advised Council during the EcoDensity debate that Vancouver was the first city in North America to unapologetically accept increased density as official city policy.
EcoDensity also aims to increase housing affordability as well as make cities more competitive by making them less reliant on fossil fuels. Sullivan indicates that if more cities around the world enacted EcoDensity principles, it would have a great impact on climate change. Recent changes to zoning permitting the construction of Laneway house
s is an example of how the EcoDensity principles are being applied.
In 2009 the Canadian Institute of Planners gave the EcoDensity Initiative the highest award for City Planning.
CAST was a proposed research trial targeting chronically addicted people in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. Initially, researchers will place a particular emphasis on providing treatment for 700 chronic offenders (arrested 5 or more times in the last year) and survival sex trade workers.
CAST proposed to work with addicted people to change from using illegal street drugs to legally available, orally-administered prescription medications. After a consultation, Physicians will prescribe appropriate medications. Clients will be monitored on a regular basis and provided with counseling for their addiction issues and assistance with accessing supportive housing options.
Ending drug dependency is the ultimate goal of the trial. Substitution treatment is a means of reducing the users’ impact on public order and public health until durable solutions are reached.
In June 2007, CAST was formally approved in principle by the Vancouver City Council by a vote of 9 to 1. Only one City Councilor, George Chow
, voted against the proposal while, Councilor Raymond Louie
was absent for the vote.
The CAST concept was adopted by the Inner Change Foundation, which was founded by then Mayor Sam Sullivan. He recruited a politically diverse board and raised $200,000 which was used to develop the proposal for the SALOME Project drug maintenance research trial.
nominations, the NPA
board ruled that incumbents should be "green-lighted" as nominees for the election thereby endorsing Sullivan as the NPA mayoral candidate. NPA councillor Peter Ladner
eventually announced that he wanted to challenge Sullivan for mayor. Sullivan, and subsequently the other NPA incumbents, then announced that they would not exercise their option to be fast-tracked. Sullivan held the support of the majority of his caucus, with all members of NPA city council caucus except Ladner endorsing Sullivan's candidacy.
On June 8, 2008, it was announced that Peter Ladner had defeated Sullivan to win the NPA's mayoral nomination. Ladner beat Sullivan in a tight, 1,066-to-986 vote after convincing enough NPA members that Sullivan would be defeated in the municipal election without a change in leadership. Ladner proceeded to lose against his mayoral opponent by a wide margin of nearly 20,000 votes.
among others, devoted to developing urban growth strategies that aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and seeking solutions to the problems caused by drug addiction and mental illness. The official goals of the Society are listed as encouraging a more knowledgeable citizenry and research and reflection on local government issues. It hosts a series of Public Salons at the Vancouver Playhouse Theatre
in collaboration with Green College UBC
to disseminate the ideas of the "thinkers and doers of Vancouver". It also hosts Greeting Fluency seminars whose aim is to teach citizens seven useful phrases in the multicultural languages of the city.
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
(born 1959) served as the 38th mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and has been invested as a Member of the Order of Canada
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
, the country's highest civilian award. He is currently President of the Global Civic Policy Society and Adjunct Professor with the UBC School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture.
Early life
Sam Sullivan was born in 1959 to East VancouverEast Vancouver
East Vancouver is a region within the City of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Geographically, East Vancouver is bordered to the north by Burrard Inlet, to the south by the Fraser River, and to the east by the city of Burnaby...
residents Lloyd and Ida Sullivan. His father ran Sully's Autoparts on East Hastings Street
Hastings Street (Vancouver)
Hastings Street is one of the most important east-west traffic corridors in the cities of Vancouver and Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada, and used to be a part of the decommissioned Highway 7A...
. He has three brothers Donald, Patrick, Terry and sister Carol. Sullivan attended Chief Maquinna Elementary
Maquinna Annex
Chief Maquinna Annex is a public elementary school in Vancouver, British Columbia part of School District 39 Vancouver.-School Reports - Ministry of Education:* * * *...
and Vancouver Technical Secondary School
Vancouver Technical Secondary School
Vancouver Technical Secondary School, often referred to as Van Tech, is located on the East Side of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.-History:...
in East Vancouver.
Quadriplegic
The extremely athletic 191 cm Sullivan became paralyzed after he broke his neck in a skiing accident at the age of 19. Sullivan suffered a fracture dislocation of his fourth and fifth cervical vertebra, leaving him almost completely paralyzed. He has no use of his fingers or triceps, but has some limited use of shoulders, biceps and wrists. Sullivan can write notes, use the telephone pressing buttons with his knuckle, and drive specially outfitted vehicles.After a seven year struggle with depression
Clinical depression
Major depressive disorder is a mental disorder characterized by an all-encompassing low mood accompanied by low self-esteem, and by loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities...
, he successfully completed a Bachelor of Business Administration
Bachelor of Business Administration
The Bachelor of Business Administration is a bachelor's degree in Commerce and business administration. In most universities, the degree is conferred upon a student after four years of full-time study in one or more areas of business concentrations; see below...
degree at Simon Fraser University
Simon Fraser University
Simon Fraser University is a Canadian public research university in British Columbia with its main campus on Burnaby Mountain in Burnaby, and satellite campuses in Vancouver and Surrey. The main campus in Burnaby, located from downtown Vancouver, was established in 1965 and has more than 34,000...
. Sullivan later founded six non-profit organization
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
s dedicated to improving the quality of life for disabled people in North America.
Sullivan is also known for his advocacy on behalf of the physically disabled. In 2005, Sullivan was invested as a member of the Order of Canada
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
by Governor General Adrienne Clarkson
Adrienne Clarkson
Adrienne Louise Clarkson is a Canadian journalist and stateswoman who served as Governor General of Canada, the 26th since Canadian Confederation....
. Sullivan was inducted into the Terry Fox Hall of Fame
Terry Fox Hall of Fame
The Terry Fox Hall of Fame recognizes "outstanding Canadians who have made extraordinary contributions to enriching the quality of life for people with physical disabilities". It is run by the Canadian Paraplegic Association. The Hall is named after Terry Fox, a cancer research activist who...
in 2000, and the Peter F. Drucker Award for Innovation.
On September 11, 2001, he became the first quadriplegic in history to throw out the opening pitch of a professional baseball game when he threw out the opening pitch, with the assistance of a device made by Tetra Society volunteers, at the Vancouver Canadians
Vancouver Canadians
The Vancouver Canadians are a minor league baseball team located in Vancouver, British Columbia. The Canadians are the Northwest League affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. The C's have previously affiliated with the Oakland Athletics between 2000-2010. They are the only Canadian team in the...
minor league team's home opener at Nat Bailey Stadium
Nat Bailey Stadium
Scotiabank Field at Nat Bailey Stadium is home to the Vancouver Canadians of the Northwest League and also plays host to the University of British Columbia baseball team.-Stadium history:...
.
Disability societies
As a quadriplegic Sullivan recounts that he became depressed and suicidal. After overcoming this difficult period in his life, Sullivan set out to try and find ways to improve the lives of others with similar physical limitations. In the late 1980s he formed the first of several affiliated societies devoted to improving the mobility of disabled people like himself. These include the British Columbia Mobility Opportunities SocietyBritish Columbia Mobility Opportunities Society
British Columbia Mobility Opportunities Society is a not-for-profit organization that enables people with disabilities in Vancouver, Canada, to explore the outdoors. Activities include hiking and gliding.-Activities:...
, which provides opportunities for people with disabilities to experience outdoor, wilderness-based activities. The foundation of the society’s programs is the TrailRider, a multi-terrain wheelchair that allows two able-bodied “Sherpas” to aid a disabled person’s access to the outdoors. The TrailRider was co-invented by Sam Sullivan and engineer Paul Cermak. TrailRiders have been used by disabled people to climb Mount Kilimanjaro several times and climb to the base camp of Mount Everest once.
Sullivan began the Disabled Sailing Association of British Columbia
Disabled Sailing Association of British Columbia
The Disabled Sailing Association of British Columbia is a Canadian not-for-profit organization that enables people with disabilities to take part in a sport it promotes as “accessible and inclusive.” It is located in Vancouver, BC, and has affiliated branches in Victoria, Chemainus and...
, which employs equipment such as the Martin 16 sailboat and (mouth-operated) sip 'n' puff
Sip-and-puff
Sip-and-Puff or Sip 'n' Puff ' technology is a method used to send signals to a device using air pressure by "sipping" or "puffing" on a straw, tube or "wand." It is primarily used by people who do not have the use of their hands...
technology to allow a person with a physical disability to sail independently.
Other societies begun by Sullivan include Tetra Society of North America
Tetra Society of North America
Tetra Society of North America is a not-for-profit organization that provides volunteer engineers across Canada and the US to design and construct custom assistive devices for people with disabilities.-History:...
, devoted to the creation of unique, customized assistive devices; the Disabled Independent Gardeners Association; the ConnecTra Society, a group devoted to improving social connections and educational opportunities for people with physical disabilities; and the Vancouver Adapted Music Society
Vancouver Adapted Music Society
Vancouver Adapted Music Society is a not-for-profit organization that encourages, supports and promotes musicians with physical disabilities in Vancouver, Canada.-Programs:...
, which supports and promotes musicians with disabilities.
All of the nonprofit societies are linked to the Sam Sullivan Disability Foundation which has raised $20 million and touched the lives of 10,000 people with disabilities since its inception. For his work in this field, Sullivan received the Christopher and Dana Reeve Award, the Terry Fox Award and Peter F. Drucker Award for Innovation.
City councillor
After being involved in creating non-profit societies and volunteering for non-profit initiatives, Sam met a number of people involved in politics. Former BC provincial cabinet minister Grace McCarthyGrace McCarthy
Grace Mary McCarthy, OC, OBC is a former Canadian politician and florist in British Columbia. Nicknamed Amazing Grace by members of her longtime political party, the Social Credit Party of B.C, she was largely responsible for rebuilding the party after its defeat in the 1972 provincial...
suggested that Sam consider running for council. He had spent quite a few years improving the lives of others with disabilities, and realized government had a lot to do with that area.
Sullivan was first elected to Vancouver City Council
Vancouver City Council
Vancouver City Council is the governing body of the City of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.The city is governed by the Vancouver Charter, not the Community Charter and the Local Government Act which are used for other municipal governments...
in 1993 as a member of the Non-Partisan Association
Non-Partisan Association
The Non-Partisan Association is a civic-level electoral organization in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. There are, and have also been in the past, Non-Partisan Association political parties in the nearby municipalities of Burnaby, Richmond and Surrey.The NPA was established in 1937 to...
(NPA). Sullivan served for 15 years total on Vancouver city council.
In Vancouver's 2002 General Local elections, Sullivan was the only incumbent member of city council from the Non-Partisan Association
Non-Partisan Association
The Non-Partisan Association is a civic-level electoral organization in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. There are, and have also been in the past, Non-Partisan Association political parties in the nearby municipalities of Burnaby, Richmond and Surrey.The NPA was established in 1937 to...
to win re-election after the NPA-dominated council was defeated by the COPE
Coalition of Progressive Electors
The Coalition of Progressive Electors is a municipal political party in the Canadian city of Vancouver, British Columbia.-Origins:...
party.
In 2004, he led the Knowards campaign opposing the COPE-initiated campaign to replace the city's at-large
Plurality-at-large voting
Plurality-at-large voting is a non-proportional voting system for electing several representatives from a single multimember electoral district using a series of check boxes and tallying votes similar to a plurality election...
system of choosing councillors with a ward voting system. The proposal was defeated 54% to 46% in a referendum.
Critics accused of mis-using a political donation when $5000 raised for the Knowards campaign through the Nanitch Policy Society was used to buy tickets for campaign volunteers at a 2004 NPA dinner. Calls for an inquiry by Vancouver city council opposition members were subsequently dismissed by the Provincial government. In December 2009, The Tyee published a letter from Sullivan where he explains the background behind the Nanitch Policy Society, and in particular the donation made to the NPA.
2005 Mayoral Race
Following the 2002 electoral losses, the Non-Partisan AssociationNon-Partisan Association
The Non-Partisan Association is a civic-level electoral organization in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. There are, and have also been in the past, Non-Partisan Association political parties in the nearby municipalities of Burnaby, Richmond and Surrey.The NPA was established in 1937 to...
rebuilt its slate for 2005. Several high-profile names were nominated to be the NPA mayoral candidate. One of the most prominent contenders was the former BC Liberal Party
British Columbia Liberal Party
The British Columbia Liberal Party is the governing political party in British Columbia, Canada. First elected for government in 1916, the party went into decline after 1952, with its rump caucus merging with the Social Credit Party for the 1975 election...
deputy-Premier Christy Clark
Christy Clark
Christina Joan "Christy" Clark, MLA is a Canadian politician, the 35th and current Premier of British Columbia, Canada...
. Sullivan defeated Clark to become the moderate
Moderate
In politics and religion, a moderate is an individual who is not extreme, partisan or radical. In recent years, political moderates has gained traction as a buzzword....
, pro-business, NPA mayoral candidate.
Sullivan ran against several candidates, the most prominent of which was Vision Vancouver
Vision Vancouver
Vision Vancouver is one of three parties represented on Vancouver City Council in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Vision was formed in the months leading up to the 2005 municipal election.-Formation:...
councillor Jim Green . Sullivan defeated Green by a narrow margin of 3,747 votes of 130,000 ballots cast in the November 19, 2005 municipal election. A second, independent, candidate named James Green also ran in this election gaining over 4,000 votes. Along with Sullivan, five other NPA councillors were voted into Vancouver City Council
Vancouver City Council
Vancouver City Council is the governing body of the City of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.The city is governed by the Vancouver Charter, not the Community Charter and the Local Government Act which are used for other municipal governments...
chambers and formed a majority government.
On May 2, 2006, Sullivan provided a statement to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...
about his past decisions to provide money to illegal drug users. Sullivan claimed he did this because he believed drug addiction was a type of disability, and that the drug maintenance programs which he was advocating for reduced crime, disease, and help people manage their addiction disabilities. Because of increased public awareness surrounding these incidents during the mayoralty race, the Vancouver Chief of Police requested that the RCMP investigate these incidents.
Sullivan's statement gave a brief account of his decision to provide financial support to a 20-year-old woman working as a prostitute in his neighbourhood in the late 1990s, by providing $40 a day for three weeks for heroin. This story was originally featured five years earlier on the front page of the Vancouver Sun on December 2, 2000 in an article by reporter David Beers with little public comment. Sullivan also gave money to a severely addicted crack cocaine user so he did not have to steal and let him smoke in his van.
Sullivan has a long history with British Columbia's Chinese community and is the first Vancouver mayor capable of speaking basic Cantonese and of reading Chinese
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
. He also learned to make speeches in Punjabi
Punjabi language
Punjabi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by inhabitants of the historical Punjab region . For Sikhs, the Punjabi language stands as the official language in which all ceremonies take place. In Pakistan, Punjabi is the most widely spoken language...
.
Mayor Sullivan was the subject of a National Film Board of Canada
National Film Board of Canada
The National Film Board of Canada is Canada's twelve-time Academy Award-winning public film producer and distributor. An agency of the Government of Canada, the NFB produces and distributes documentary, animation, alternative drama and digital media productions...
documentary Citizen Sam. It premiered in November 2006, and the film was nominated for a Gemini Award
Gemini Award
The Gemini Awards are annual television broadcasting industry awards in Canada.First awarded in 1986, the Geminis celebrate the achievements of TV members of the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television. Essentially, it presents awards for the best television productions in Canada. Awards are...
.
Olympic and Paralympic Games
Sullivan took part in the Closing Ceremony of the 2006 Winter Olympics2006 Winter Olympics Closing Ceremony
The Closing Ceremony of the 2006 Winter Olympics took place on February 26, 2006 beginning at 20:00 CET at the Stadio Olimpico in Turin, Italy.-Program:...
, in the ceremony where the Olympic Flag
Olympic symbols
The Olympic symbols are icons, flags and symbols used by the International Olympic Committee to promote the Olympic Games. Some—such as the flame, fanfare, and theme—are more common during Olympic competition, but others, such as the flag, can be seen throughout the year.-Motto:The Olympic motto is...
was passed from Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
to Vancouver. The ceremony involves an official of the current host city waving the flag eight times, then handing it off to an official of the next host city, who waves it eight times. When it was his turn, the flag was put into a special bracket built into Sullivan's wheelchair by Jay Drew, a member of the Vancouver based Tetra volunteer society that Sam was also involved with. Holding it with one of his hands, Sullivan then swung his wheelchair back and forth eight times to wave the flag.
During a press conference before the Ceremony, Sullivan poked fun at his disability, questioning whether they "should send Vancouver's worst skier to the Olympics to represent the country." Sullivan also revealed that he had practiced the flag waving in parking lots during nights.
After the event, Sullivan received thousands of letters from people across the world who were inspired by the act, and received many invitations to be a keynote speaker at conventions. A reporter from NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
also offered to help him write his autobiography
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
. "I especially was moved to get letters from people who wrote very eloquent letters, saying they had considered suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
, and changed their mind when they saw me perform my duties...To see I had such an impact on people's lives was truly a humbling experience," Sullivan said in response to the reaction.
On March 19, 2006, Sullivan returned to Turin to repeat the flag ceremony process, this time for the closing ceremony of the 2006 Winter Paralympics
2006 Winter Paralympics
The 2006 Winter Paralympic Games, the ninth Winter Paralympics, took place in Turin, Italy from 10 to 19 March 2006. These were the first Winter Paralympic Games to be held in Italy. They were also the first Paralympics to use the new paralympics logo....
. Sullivan received the flag from International Paralympic Committee
International Paralympic Committee
The International Paralympic Committee is an international non-profit organisation and the global governing body for the Paralympic Movement. The IPC organizes the Paralympic Games and functions as the international federation for nine sports...
president Sir Philip Craven and waved it in the same manner as the Olympic flag, then handed the flag over to Whistler mayor Ken Melamed. This marks the first time a physically disabled mayor has accepted the Paralympic flag in the closing ceremony. Sullivan remarked, "There are a lot of Paralympic athletes who have contacted me. They say the fact of my being a mayor in a major city, an Olympic and Paralympic city, sends a strong message that disabled people can play an important and crucial part in society."
Sullivan's return to Turin was also marked by people recognizing him on the street, most likely due to his appearance at the Olympic closing ceremonies a month earlier. "I would get out of the car in the central square, the piazza, and people would come up wanting to talk to me and wanting my autograph," said Sullivan. "I wasn't really aware that so many people knew who I was."
Sullivan represented Vancouver at the Beijing Olympic and Paralympic games as a torchbearer giving several interviews on Chinese national media speaking in Mandarin.
On February 25, 2010, Sam Sullivan was announced Canada’s ambassador for the 2010 Winter Paralympics
2010 Winter Paralympics
The 2010 Winter Paralympics, officially the X Paralympic Winter Games, or the 10th Winter Paralympics, were held in Vancouver and Whistler, British Columbia, Canada from March 12 to 21, 2010. The Opening Ceremony took place in BC Place Stadium in Vancouver and the Closing Ceremony in Whistler...
, held in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
and Whistler
Whistler, British Columbia
Whistler is a Canadian resort town in the southern Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains in the province of British Columbia, Canada, approximately north of Vancouver...
, British Columbia, between March 12 and March 21, 2010.
Project Civil City
Sullivan conducted an informal survey on his website asking visitors how they felt about Civil Disorder in the City of Vancouver. On November 26, 2006, he released the results of his survey and created a new program called Project Civil City, which is known as the mayor's effort to enhance public order in Vancouver's public areas. The fundamental premise of Project Civil City was that police were not the answer the city's social problems. The Police Chief of that time was opposed to the Project saying "I'm not in favor of this kind of position" and "I can do this job". Throughout his term Sullivan was criticized by the opposition for his reluctance to hire more police. An important initiative of Project Civil City was the creation of the Street to Home Foundation whose goal was to encourage philanthropists in the city to contribute toward the solution to homelessness.There are four main goals of the project which include reducing homelessness, aggressive panhandling and the open drug market by at least 50% by 2010. Former Attorney General Geoff Plant
Geoff Plant
Geoff Plant, QC is a British Columbia lawyer and retired politician known for his interest in citizen's legal and electoral rights and aboriginal rights....
was appointed to the new position of Civil City Commissioner to play a leadership role in helping to achieve the targets outlined by the Mayor. Project Civil City was opposed by a number of councilors on city council, but passed in a 6-5 vote. Critics have charged that the initiative amounts to little more than a campaign to further displace the city's homeless population and a repackaging the crackdown on crime that is already underway.
Sullivan traveled to Ottawa seven times, and to Victoria numerous times during his term to advocate for many issues. He offered 12 city-owned sites free of charge with no taxes for 60 years on the condition that social housing be built. The provincial government agreed to build up to 1200 units. He also committed to contribute $5 million to the provincial government toward the renovation of 18 SRO low income hotels dedicated to the hard-to-house.
As of January 2008, all the major initiatives of Project Civil City had failed. Sullivan predicted the project would see a 50% reduction in homelessness, drug offenses, and street disorder by 2010. However, in its first two years, homelessness went up 54 to 78 per cent, drug offenses doubled, and street disorder went up 84 per cent. The project was cancelled in 2010.
In 2010 the College of Family Physicians of Canada made Sullivan the only non-medical doctor that year to become an Honourary Member in recognition of his "efforts on behalf of marginalized inner city populations".
EcoDensity
In advance of the World Urban Forum held in Vancouver in June 2006, Mayor Sullivan was joined by a number of environmentalists, community activists and academics to launch his proposal called EcoDensity. In a move that was roundly criticized by both community members and the local media, Sullivan's staff registered the term EcoDensity with the patent office under his name. Sullivan responded that the trademark was processed using city employees, was paid for by a city cheque with the address being City Hall and there was never any intention to personally gain from using the name.EcoDensity has a goal of protecting the local and global ecology through the use of densification as a means of reducing the City's ecological footprint. Sullivan claims that by increasing density throughout the city, there will be a reduced requirement for people to make unnecessary car trips, hence reducing carbon emissions.
UBC Professor Patrick Condon advised Council during the EcoDensity debate that Vancouver was the first city in North America to unapologetically accept increased density as official city policy.
EcoDensity also aims to increase housing affordability as well as make cities more competitive by making them less reliant on fossil fuels. Sullivan indicates that if more cities around the world enacted EcoDensity principles, it would have a great impact on climate change. Recent changes to zoning permitting the construction of Laneway house
Laneway house
A laneway house is a form of housing that is gaining popularity on the west coast of Canada, especially in the Metro Vancouver area. These homes are typically built into pre-existing lots, usually in the backyard and opening onto the back lane...
s is an example of how the EcoDensity principles are being applied.
In 2009 the Canadian Institute of Planners gave the EcoDensity Initiative the highest award for City Planning.
CAST (Chronic Addiction Substitution Treatment)
On Feb 26, 2007, Mayor Sullivan unveiled an initiative to assist the thousands of drug addicted individuals living in Vancouver.CAST was a proposed research trial targeting chronically addicted people in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. Initially, researchers will place a particular emphasis on providing treatment for 700 chronic offenders (arrested 5 or more times in the last year) and survival sex trade workers.
CAST proposed to work with addicted people to change from using illegal street drugs to legally available, orally-administered prescription medications. After a consultation, Physicians will prescribe appropriate medications. Clients will be monitored on a regular basis and provided with counseling for their addiction issues and assistance with accessing supportive housing options.
Ending drug dependency is the ultimate goal of the trial. Substitution treatment is a means of reducing the users’ impact on public order and public health until durable solutions are reached.
In June 2007, CAST was formally approved in principle by the Vancouver City Council by a vote of 9 to 1. Only one City Councilor, George Chow
George Chow
George Chow is a two-term Vancouver City Councillor who was elected as a member of the Vision Vancouver party in 2005 and 2008. Prior to being elected Chow worked at BC Hydro for over 30 years, where he currently works part time.-Background:...
, voted against the proposal while, Councilor Raymond Louie
Raymond Louie
Raymond Louie is a three term Vancouver City Councillor and a former school Trustee. Formerly a member of Coalition of Progressive Electors civic party, Louie broke away and was re-elected in 2005, and again in 2008, as a member of Vision Vancouver.-Background:Born and raised in East Vancouver,...
was absent for the vote.
The CAST concept was adopted by the Inner Change Foundation, which was founded by then Mayor Sam Sullivan. He recruited a politically diverse board and raised $200,000 which was used to develop the proposal for the SALOME Project drug maintenance research trial.
Civic Strike
A civic strike of Vancouver's inside, outside, and library workers that began on July 26, 2007 was dubbed "Sam's Strike" by the strikers. The unions personally blamed Sullivan's intransigence at the bargaining table for prolonging the strike. In his defense Sullivan insisted that bargaining with the union was not the politician's role, and refused to be drawn into negotiations being conducted by the Greater Vancouver Labour Relations Bureau. The union cited the city never tabling a written counteroffer as evidence of the city not negotiating. A mediator was called in who recommended 17.5% [21% compounded] which was the amount accepted by the rest of the municipalities in the region. When two of the civic unions rejected the recommendation public support collapsed and within the week a new vote by the three civic unions accepted the deal. On October 19, 2007 CUPE Local 391 voted 71 percent in favour of the city's offer and ended the strike.2008 Mayoral Race
For their 2008 municipal electionVancouver municipal election, 2008
The 2008 Vancouver municipal election was held on November 15, 2008, filling seats on the Vancouver School Board, the Parks Board, the Vancouver City Council, and the position of Mayor of Vancouver. It was held at the same time as municipal elections throughout the province...
nominations, the NPA
Non-Partisan Association
The Non-Partisan Association is a civic-level electoral organization in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. There are, and have also been in the past, Non-Partisan Association political parties in the nearby municipalities of Burnaby, Richmond and Surrey.The NPA was established in 1937 to...
board ruled that incumbents should be "green-lighted" as nominees for the election thereby endorsing Sullivan as the NPA mayoral candidate. NPA councillor Peter Ladner
Peter Ladner
Peter Ladner is a former Vancouver city councillor, first elected as a member of the Non-Partisan Association in 2002 and re-elected in 2005...
eventually announced that he wanted to challenge Sullivan for mayor. Sullivan, and subsequently the other NPA incumbents, then announced that they would not exercise their option to be fast-tracked. Sullivan held the support of the majority of his caucus, with all members of NPA city council caucus except Ladner endorsing Sullivan's candidacy.
On June 8, 2008, it was announced that Peter Ladner had defeated Sullivan to win the NPA's mayoral nomination. Ladner beat Sullivan in a tight, 1,066-to-986 vote after convincing enough NPA members that Sullivan would be defeated in the municipal election without a change in leadership. Ladner proceeded to lose against his mayoral opponent by a wide margin of nearly 20,000 votes.
Global Civic Policy Society
In November 2009, after a year-long self-imposed hiatus from public view after leaving the Vancouver mayor's office, Sullivan announced he had formed the Global Civic Policy Society. The Global Civic Policy Society is a charitable non-profit organization, started with a donation by the Annenberg FoundationAnnenberg Foundation
The Annenberg Foundation is a private foundation that provides funding and support to non-profit organizations in the United States and around the world...
among others, devoted to developing urban growth strategies that aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and seeking solutions to the problems caused by drug addiction and mental illness. The official goals of the Society are listed as encouraging a more knowledgeable citizenry and research and reflection on local government issues. It hosts a series of Public Salons at the Vancouver Playhouse Theatre
Vancouver Playhouse Theatre Company
The Vancouver Playhouse Theatre Company is a regional theatre company, producing plays since 1962. Its first production was The Hostage by Brendan Behan, which opened on October 2, 1963...
in collaboration with Green College UBC
Green College, University of British Columbia
Green College is a centre for interdisciplinary scholarship and a community of scholars at the University of British Columbia founded by Cecil Howard Green and Ida Green....
to disseminate the ideas of the "thinkers and doers of Vancouver". It also hosts Greeting Fluency seminars whose aim is to teach citizens seven useful phrases in the multicultural languages of the city.