Constance Barnes
Constance Barnes is an elected Vancouver Park Board commissioner in the City of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and sales and marketing manager of the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden.[1][2] She was elected in 2008 and re-elected in 2011 as a member of the Vision Vancouver slate.
Background[edit]
Barnes is the daughter of the late Emery Barnes, who was one of the first two black politicians elected to a legislative office in British Columbia, and Laverne Barnes, Canada’s first female sport commentator.[3] She grew up in Port Moody, British Columbia.[2]
Acting career[edit]
Barnes started acting at age 12 and prior to raising her children appeared with the CBC and local television stations.[3] She went on to numerous roles in shows such as the X Files, Poltergeist, and 21 Jump Street.[4]
Emery Barnes Park[edit]
Barnes was instrumental in the naming of Emery Barnes Park, in honour of her father.[5]
1976 Car accident[edit]
There was a civil judgment against Barnes and her father as a result of an accident in 1976 where she was driving on Vancouver Island.[6] A passenger in the car was left an incomplete quadriplegic.[6] The judgment was for $445,000.[6] Barnes was 17 at the time of the accident.[1]
Politics[edit]
Barnes was first elected as Park Board Commissioner in the Vancouver municipal election of November 15, 2008, with more votes than any other fellow Park Board candidate (62,973 votes). In the next Vancouver municipal election on November 19, 2011, Barnes again had the most votes of any elected Park Board candidate: 63,952. Barnes served as chair of the Park Board after being re-elected.
Barnes has focused on affordability and accessibility, pushing for the OneCard, which provides universal access to fitness centres, pools, rinks and participating community centres. She has been on the City of Vancouver's Joint Council on Childcare, Active Transportation Policy Council, and the LGBTQ Advisory Committee. She is a member of the Coalition of Childcare Advocates of BC, and has been a trustee of the board of the Vancouver Public Library for six years.
2009 Drunk driving incident[edit]
On June 10, 2009 during a press conference at SFU Harbour Centre, Barnes admitted that driving under the influence of alcohol was "a really stupid mistake."[7] In a press release issued on June 10, 2009 Barnes stated, "I have made a serious mistake. On May 23, 2009 I was charged with driving a vehicle under the influence of alcohol. I was returning home from an afternoon at Iona Beach in Richmond and was arrested and charged by the Vancouver Police Department around 11pm. I do not intend to challenge this charge. The police arrested me outside of a home in South Vancouver where I had fallen asleep at the wheel and hit a residential home. No-one was injured in this incident, however there was damage to the property. I take full responsibility for my actions and acknowledge my lack of judgment."[8][9] Barnes appeared in court on September 24, 2009 and pleaded guilty. She had her drivers license suspended for one year, was fined $1000 for driving over the legal limit and $750 for dangerous driving.[10] After the incident Barnes took a medical leave and got involved with Alcoholics Anonymous,[6] Barnes enrolled for treatment on Bowen Island at the Orchard Recovery Centre, a residential drug rehabilitation and alcohol addiction treatment centre.[11]
Family[edit]
Barnes is a single mother of two grown children.[12]
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Vancouver park board commissioner Constance Barnes on leave after drunk driving", Vancouver Province, June 10, 2009.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Vancouver park commissioner Constance Barnes sheds tears of joy as Obama inaugurated", Georgia Straight, January 20, 2009.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Stellar group to gather for celebrated Women in the Director’s Chair Workshop", Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists Website, Accessed August 28, 2009.
- ↑ "Constance Barnes Filmography", IMDB, Accessed August 28, 2009.
- ↑ "Barnes park to finally expand", Vancouver Courier, April 18, 2008.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 "Crash leads to charges", 24 Hours, June 11, 2009.
- ↑ "Park board commissioner Constance Barnes calls drunk driving "a really stupid mistake"", Georgia Straight, June 10, 2009.
- ↑ "Vancouver park board's Constance Barnes charged with drunk driving", Georgia Straight, June 10, 2009.
- ↑ "Parks Commissioner Constance Barnes's written apology", Vancouver Province, June 10, 2009.
- ↑ "Vision Vancouver backs second official nailed for drunk-driving", Vancouver Province, September 24, 2009.
- ↑ "Did taxpayers pay for Constance Barnes' treatment?", 24 Hours, August 26, 2009.
- ↑ "About Constance Barnes - Tradition of Change", ConstanceBarnes.ca, Accessed August 27, 2009.
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