Coquitlam council approved a request for leave without pay from Coun. Bonita Zarrillo during her campaign in the upcoming federal election.
The federal NDP nominated Zarrillo in March as its candidate in the Port Moody-Coquitlam riding for the Oct. 21 election.
Her request for leave was approved at Monday's Coquitlam council meeting. It was to take effect from the day the writ was dropped — which turned out to be Wednesday — to the day after the election. Although city clerk Jay GIlbert told council there is no requirement for the leave to be unpaid, the last three council members to run in provincial or federal elections have requested not to be paid while campaigning.
Zarrillo, who was first elected to council in a 2013 byelection, is seeking to retain the seat for the NDP. It is currently held by Fin Donnelly, a former Coquitlam councillor, who has been a member of Parliament since 2009 and is retiring from public office.
