In search of Green Party candidate Amber van Drielen
Published: October 10, 2008 2:00 PM
Updated: October 10, 2008 7:50 PM
AUTUMN MacDONALD
Black Press
Footsteps reverberate from above and two necks crane in their direction.
“Are you Rob?” the reporter asks.
Reporter and videographer have driven more than 800 kilometres to meet this man, Rob Hines, the provincial co-ordinator for the Green Party of Canada — the man who gave Cariboo-Prince George voters the rumour that is Amber van Drielen.
He pauses, mouth slightly open, eyes darting from reporter to videographer.
“Uhhh, yes . . . yes I am.”
She requests an interview.
He tells them to wait and hurries into Green Party headquarters.
Minutes tick by. Finally, heels echo off concrete flooring.
“Come with me.”
He leads them up a spiral staircase as she comments on the beauty of the heritage building in downtown Vancouver.
He either doesn’t hear the compliment, or is not in the mood for small talk.
Opening a heavy wooden door, he gestures to a small table and two chairs.
She sits, opens her notebook and asks the question plaguing the Cariboo since the Greens announced her candidacy:
“Who and where is Amber van Drielen?”
Friday, Oct. 3 — 7:30 a.m.
The videographer jumps into the front seat, pulls out the compact “foolproof” camcorder and immediately begins documenting the road trip.
Plans, strategies, focus and key points are discussed, reworked, tossed and reinvented.
It’s tough for two planners to go with the flow; to simply ask the question and see where it takes them.
Will they find her? Will any Green candidates along the way know who she is?
Will they know where she is? Will they know what she looks like?
And the most delicious question of all:
Does she even exist?
The plan is simple:
• Drive to Vancouver, where Green Party press releases have stated van Drielen lives.
• Call Green candidates in various ridings between Quesnel and Vancouver, asking if they know anything about her – ANYTHING that could help locate her and, in the process, enlighten “her” electorate.
The reason for the trip?
A refresher: Since the party refused to sign former candidate Douglas Gook’s nomination papers — deciding instead to appoint van Drielen — e-mails and calls to both provincial co-ordinator Hines and media liaison Kevin McKeown have been met with a consistent party line:
“Van Drielen is a right-to-vote candidate to provide Cariboo-Prince George residents the opportunity to vote Green. She will not be giving any interviews or participating in any forums or debates.”
Seeking information on the Kootenay-born ghost candidate provides more frustration.
One short biography from her membership with the Sierra Club pops up on the Internet. In it, van Drielen states she’s into the green movement and is a lawyer (or at least an articling law student in Vancouver).
That’s it. No picture.
Nothing about the Cariboo.
Nothing about her candidacy.
Nothing about her likes or dislikes. Not even a hint as to which vegetable van Drielen would be, if she could be a vegetable.
Which brings us to the reason for the epic, three-day, 1,600-kilometre road trip — finding out who she is, where she is and, most importantly – why she is the Green Party of Canada candidate for the Cariboo-Prince George riding.
Oct. 3, 11:56 a.m.
A call to Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo Green candidate Donovan Cavers.
No answer on his cellphone.
Calls to the media liaison promise message delivery and a call back.
Oct. 3 — 2:20 p.m.
A call to Barbara Lebeau, Green candidate for Chilliwack-Fraser Canyon.
No answer. A message is left, simply stating a reporter wishes to say hi, is driving through her riding and has a quick question.
At this point, Cavers calls back, leaving a message. His cellphone is incommunicado, making it difficult to reach him, but he suggests leaving another message and he will return her call.
Oct. 3 — 3 p.m.
A call to Abbotsford candidate Karen Durant, who answers.
After a quick rundown as to who’s calling and why, the question is asked: Does she know where Amber van Drielen is?
“Who?” Durant asks.
Yes, exactly.
Durant then points her caller to provincial organizer Rob Hines, stating he’ll know where she is.
“But, wait,” Durant adds.
“Which area is she representing?
Where did you hear she is?”
“She’s the Cariboo-Prince George candidate, but apparently she’s in Vancouver,” the reporter responds.
“Well, she should be in Prince George,” Durant said.
Precisely.
Oct. 3 — 3:30 p.m.
A call to Langley Green candidate Patrick Meyer.
No answer. A message is left, requesting a call back.
Oct. 3 — 4:38 p.m.
A call to Burnaby-Douglas candidate Doug Perry.
Once again, a rundown is given on who is calling and why, followed by the question: “Do you know who or where Amber van Drielen is?”
Perry: “Ammmbbbeerrr van Driiilleeennn.”
He says it slow, mulling it over — one can almost picture his eyes narrowed, perhaps a forefinger and thumb stroking his chin.
Maybe. Maybe not.
We have no idea. Van Drielen’s “constituents” have no idea.
Hence the road trip.
Perry then suggest a call to Rob Hines at provincial headquarters.
“He’ll know,” Perry says.
“Here, let me get you the number.”
Oct. 4 – 8:30 a.m.
Hastings Street offers a wide selection of potential man-on-the street subjects.
Perhaps one of the teeming masses in western Canada’s largest city will lead us to our elusive political quarry.
Alas, blank stares, crinkled noses and shrugs fill the camcorder.
But several do offer the suggestion of hitting up Green Party of Canada provincial headquarters, less than two blocks from where they stand.
The building sits on the corner of Hastings and Cambie. Its pink/orange colouring somehow suits its splendid-in-a-rundown-way appearance.
Signs declaring VOTE CARR and GREEN frame dusty windows.
Pulling on the brass handle, the small-town reporter is thankful her purse contains hand sanitizer.
Standing in the foyer, reporter and videographer scan the list of building occupants: Green Party – Third Floor.
The elevator doors slide open.
Quick greetings confirm Hines is in the building.
They wait at the bottom of the stairs, pacing.
Footsteps are heard from above.
“Are you Rob?”
Oct. 4 — 10 a.m.
They sit across from each other as the camera rolls.
Green Party of Canada provincial co-ordinator Rob Hines answers, spins and tries to charm.
Hines: “Amber’s a right-to-vote candidate only, thus providing the riding the opportunity to vote Green. She’s a volunteer with the party, has been for years. She’s a lawyer in Vancouver."
Reporter: “Why a female?”
Hines: “The federal Green party adopted a policy of running women candidates in ridings where the party does not have an electoral district association and a local nomination process.”
Reporter: “But why? Why a female? Why not the best person for the job?”
Hines: “Affirmative action. Female participation, experience, encouragement and perspective.”
At this point, it’s pointed out van Drielen is not actually “participating, encouraging or offering perspective.”
Hines admits it’s disappointing and unfortunate.
Reporter: “Did she come to you?”
Hines: “No. We sought her out, asked if she would put her name down.
She accepted with the provisions — no picture, no bio, no interviews, no debates.”
Reporter: “Has she ever been to the Cariboo?”
Hines: “Yes, she has family there.”
Reporter: “Has she ever been to Quesnel?”
Hands lift, face grimaces.
Hines: “I don’t know. I’ll have to ask her.”
Reporter asks if she can.
Hines laughs.
Reporter takes that as a no.
Reporter: “What do you think about the other candidates calling this move an assault on democracy?”
Hines: “The assault was trying to exclude [Green Leader] Elizabeth May from the national debate.”
Reporter: “What happens if she wins?”
Hines laughs: “They really don’t see that happening.”
Reporter: “Any possible way we can talk to her, see her — two teeny, weeny minutes?”
Hines: “No. We are respecting her privacy and wishes.”
Reporter: “We’ve heard she’s a redhead. Is that true?”
Hines sighs: “Reddish blonde.”
Reporter graciously offers her notebook: “Can you draw us a picture?”
Hines laughs long, hard and loud: “No.”
Reporter: “Well, then, if she has reddish blonde hair, she must have blue eyes. Does she have blue eyes?”
Hines: “Fine. Yes, she has blue eyes.”
Oct. 4, 10:30 a.m.
Reporter and videographer leave the building, laden with “I’m Voting Green” buttons — a parting gift from headquarters in lieu of an interview with van Drielen.
Reporter stops outside the front doors and carefully unties a baby Converse shoe, inside is soil from the bottom of Quesnel’s giant gold pan.
She dumps it onto the front mat.
“It’s simple really,” she says.
“This way, should Amber visit Green headquarters, she can at least say she’s set foot in her riding.”
