Taleeb Noormohamed announces run for Vision Vancouver's mayoral candidacy
Noormohamed is a tech entrepreneur who previously ran for the federal Liberals
Taleeb Noormohamed, a tech enterpreneur who was involved in organizing the 2010 Winter Olympics, has announced his bid to become Vision Vancouver's candidate for mayor.
Noormohamed has worked for several short-term rental companies, and previously worked on a federal government review of the 1985 Air India bombing file.
In 2011, Noormohamed ran for the federal Liberals in North Vancouver but lost.
"This is a campaign that will be about making sure that we build a city that is for all of us," he said at an event in Gastown on Wednesday night.
Vision Vancouver is currently undergoing a dramatic change.
Earlier this year, Vancouver mayor Gregor Robertson, who led a Vision slate at city hall since 2008, announced he would not be seeking re-election. Just last week, Squamish hereditary Chief Ian Campbell announced his nomination to become Vision's leader.
In that spirit, Noormohamed's campaign is organizing under the slogan #RenewedVision.
"This is a time in the city where you need leadership that doesn't necessarily come from the political movement. My whole career has been built on bringing people together and finding places for those voices," he said.
"I think for me personally, this is an opportunity to say look — you can bring new ideas, fresh blood to the table and work with folks that have experience, folks with new ideas. The leadership that you bring is about connecting people."
Though Noormohamed once ran as a Liberal, Joy MacPhail, a former NDP cabinet minister was among the attendees at his Gastown event.
A crowded race
The mayoral race isn't just getting crowded, it's also likely to be unconventional.
The Non-Partisan Association (NPA) recently announced investment manager Glen Chernen, park board commissioner John Coupar and business owner Ken Sim as its potential mayoral candidates.
Meanwhile, high profile mayoral hopeful Hector Bremner was disqualified from the NPA race after what he called a "smear campaign." On Wednesday, he announced on social media that he's considering forming a new municipal political party.
Simon Fraser University's Centre for Dialogue director Shauna Sylvester and NDP MP Kennedy Stewart have both said they will run as independent candidates to prevent splintering the vote among the city's four progressive parties.
Councillor Adriane Carr may also run under the Green Party banner. And COPE, the longest running left-wing party in Vancouver, may also run or support a candidate.
Vancouver voters will go to the polls Oct. 20, 2018.
With files from Meera Bains
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
