Sheila Orr and Lorne Mayencourt shared a bad day on Sunday, January 16th. Both saw the candidates they would least like to run against win nominations contests for the NDP.

In Victoria-Hillside where Campbell Liberal Sheila Orr has distinguished herself by inappropriately parking in handicap stalls, NDP moderate Rob Fleming, defeated Glen Clark loyalist, CUPE staffer and one time leadership hopeful Steve Orcherton. In Vancouver-Burrard where Campbell Liberal Lorne Mayencourt introduced legislation to ban squeegee kids, Vancouver City Councillor, United Church Minister and former MLA Tim Stevenson defeated four challengers for the right to have another run at Mayencourt. Of the candidates who sought the NDP nomination in Vancouver-Burrard, Stevenson is the best known; Mayencourt must be worried over the outcome of the NDP nomination.

Both Stevenson and Orcherton were first elected in 1996; subsequent events put them on opposite sides in a divided caucus. On Sunday one side emerged as part of the new face of the NDP. The NDP is the favoured to win in both Victoria-Hillside and Vancouver-Burrard when votes are counted on May 17th , 2005.