A Langley Township city councillor will have her hands full now that she’s also been elected to the provincial Legislature in Victoria and has chosen to keep both jobs, rather than step down and trigger a municipal byelection.
While local politicians typically resign their municipal seats if elected provincially, there is nothing in the Elections Act that would require Misty Van Popta to resign as city councillor just because she’s been elected as the MLA for Langley-Walnut Grove.
Hamish Telford, a political science professor at the University of the Fraser Valley, says Van Popta may have a tricky time juggling both jobs.
“If you can fulfill them and meet your obligations to the fullest extent, then I think you can legitimately take two salaries,” Telford said.
“But I think it’s going to be very difficult to do both of these jobs to the fullest extent.”
Telford says Van Popta will need to prove to residents in both constituencies that she can dedicate herself fully to both jobs, which includes things like office hours and attending council meetings.
As well, he says, there may be ethical considerations.
“The city and the province may have different interests, and as a representative of both, she may come into a conflict herself, and she would have to recuse herself from those and use it,” he said.
In addition to her roles as councillor and MLA, Van Popta is also a member of Metro Vancouver’s Water and Climate Action committees.