The family of former councillor and downtown eastside activist Jim Green is asking for privacy after Green was diagnosed with cancer.
The cancer is terminal and Green’s family is devestated as they rally around the former civic politician.
The family through city hall is asking the media to respect their privacy during this very difficult time.
The family had this to say in an email “As you may have heard Jim has been quietly battling cancer over the past while. The cancer is spreading and Jim is spending all of his time with his family and working on various exciting projects. This is obviously a difficult time for all of us and we ask that the media respect our privacy in these personal matters.
Green began his civic political career in 1990 with COPE when he ran for mayor and lost to Gordon Campbell.
He would also go on to lose again against Campbell this time in a bid for a seat in the provincial legislature.
In 2002 Green was elected as a councillor with COPE.
But it wasn’t long before he and others, including former Mayor and now Senator Larry Campbell, left to start Vision Vancouver.
Green ran also for mayor again losing this time to Sam Sullivan.
Vision Vancouver Councillor Geoff Meggs says not to write off Jim Green just yet.
Meggs says while the Green family has asked for privacy people can support Green.
He says they can do that by “being hopeful and active in building a better city in every respect socially, environmentally, economically, and feel confident that they can do it. one of the great things about jim is his ability to inspire people to do things they thought perhaps they were not able to do or couldn’t be done. if he wanted people to take one message it would be that and that would certainly pick him up to hear that kind of thing going on.”
Meggs says Green is still doing what work he can while also resting as he adjusts to battle the cancer.
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