Coalition of Progressive Electors - 1970s and 1980s

1970s and 1980s

For most of its history, COPE existed in an uneasy relationship with centre-left parties at the municipal level. From 1972 to 1986, the centrist party with which COPE competed was The Electors' Action Movement, which governed the city under prominent federal Liberal Mayor Art Phillips in the mid 1970s. By the late 70s, a breakaway faction of TEAM, comprising provincial NDP supporters and led by future premier Michael Harcourt formed an uneasy electoral alliance with COPE, from which both parties benefited. The Harcourt regime governed from the centre and, although it ran a unified slate with COPE, with the cooperation and support of the VDLC, Harcourt's small party of Civic Independents would sometimes vote with the NDP and the remaining TEAM councilors against COPE's more radical policies.

When Harcourt stepped down to become a provincial candidate and a renewed NPA led by future premier Gordon Campbell absorbed TEAM's two remaining councilors, COPE became the senior partner in its coalition with the Civic Independents. Nominating Rankin as its mayoral candidate, COPE fielded a virtually full slate of candidates (leaving three open spaces for the incumbent Civic Independents) but was badly beaten, the returning to power for the first time in 14 years, and deprived for the next two years of Rankin's leadership in the council chamber.