Time for the Secular Vancouver Party?

Secularists are fond of complaining about politicians over-endorsing religion and school boards not defending evolution against creationist onslaughts.

So perhaps it’s time to for those who want to preserve church-state separation to go on the offensive.

Actually, Australians have already beat me to it and created the Secular Party of Australia.

However, while national politics involves many pressing issues (including natural health product regulations in Canada), many of the greatest effects are seen at the local level. So perhaps it’s time for a Secular Party of Vancouver.

Vancouver is one of the few cities where municipal politics involves political parties, so it’s prime level for a group of like-minded people to run a slate of candidates for the city council, parks board and school board.

At the council level, Secular councillors can advocate for an end to property tax exemptions for churches which only proselytize. There is already precedent in the BC town of Gibsons for ending such exemptions, and it’s time for Vancouver, with a non-religious population of over 40% to follow suit.

The next civic election in Vancouver is in November 2011, so there’s time to get things organized (provided there’s interest and money). Anyone with me?