Ice Bucket Challenge: Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson nominates Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi
Robertson nominates a total of 13 people after getting multiple buckets of ice thrown at him
Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson has taken the Ice Bucket Challenge, as the viral fundraising campaign continues to sweep the globe.
The Ice Bucket Challenge has flooded social media channels with videos of people dumping ice cold water on themselves in a bid to raise awareness of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).
Participants usually donate money to an ALS charity, as well as recording the video, then nominate three other people to do the same.
- VIDEO | Ice Bucket Challenge: Don Cherry 'best dressed'
- Ice Bucket Challenge brings millions of dollars to battle ALS
- VIDEO | Rob Ford soaked in ice water for ALS ice bucket challenge
- Ice Bucket Challenge: Charity success story or damaging fad?
Robertson ups the ante in his effort, naming all those who nominated him before getting some young soccer players to throw several boxes of icy water at him, causing him to fall over backwards.
He then nominates Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi, Assembly of First Nations B.C. Regional Chief Jody Wilson-Raybould and Vision Vancouver City Council candidate Niki Sharma.
However, three nominations was apparently not enough for Robertson — he also nominates all of Vancouver City Council, bringing his total nominations to 13.
Vancouver city councillors nominated are:
- Coun. George Affleck (NPA)
- Coun. Elizabeth Ball (NPA)
- Coun. Adriane Carr (Green - mayoral candidate)
- Coun. Heather Deal (Vision Vancouver)
- Coun. Kerry Jang (Vision Vancouver)
- Coun. Raymond Louie (Vision Vancouver)
- Coun. Geoff Meggs (Vision Vancouver)
- Coun. Andrea Reimer (Vision Vancouver)
- Coun. Tim Stevenson (Vision Vancouver)
- Coun. Tony Tang (Vision Vancouver)
At the time of writing, none of those nominated appear to have responded to Robertson's challenge, which was posted on Monday, August 25.
Aside from Robertson, the other mayoral candidates running in this year's upcoming municipal elections, Kirk La Pointe (NPA) and Adriane Carr (Green), have not yet taken the Ice Bucket Challenge.
Whilst Robertson did nominate Carr, he did not nominate La Pointe and it is not known if anyone else has done so yet.
Metro Vancouver takes up Ice Bucket Challenge
Robertson is not the only Metro Vancouver politician to take up the Ice Bucket Challenge and in his own video notes that many of Metro Vancouver's mayors nominated him.
Maple Ridge Mayor Ernie Daykin said he was carrying out the challenge after being nominated three times and because he wanted to honour a friend who was suffering from ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.
However, also admitted to being scared of the icy splash, saying "I'm stretching this out, so that I don't get wet." His plans to stay dry were not successful.
On mobile? Click here to watch Ernie Daykin's Ice Bucket Challenge on Facebook
Meanwhile Delta Mayor Lois Jackson was among those who nominated Robertson, as she completed her icy challenge alongside police officers and colleagues in Halifax during an official visit.
On mobile? Click here to watch Lois Jackson's Ice Bucket Challenge on YouTube
Port Coquitlam Mayor Greg Moore raised the bar for local political ice bucket challenges, attempting to cycle past a line of children as they threw ice at him - catching it from every angle.
On mobile? Click here to watch Greg Moore's Ice Bucket Challenge on YouTube
Moore was nominated by Surrey Coun. Barinder Rasode, who in turn nominated Robertson, just before getting covered in icy water — twice — by firefighters.
On mobile? Click here to watch Barinder Rasode's Ice Bucket Challenge on YouTube
Meanwhile, Pitt Meadows Mayor Deb Walters challenged all of Metro Vancouver's mayors and Chilliwack Mayor Sharon Gaetz, but kept her video short and to the point.
On mobile? Click here to watch Deb Walters's Ice Bucket Challenge on YouTube
ALS is a fatal disease that causes muscle weakness and atrophy throughout the body due to the degeneration of the upper and lower motor neurons.
People who are affected by the disorder eventually lose the ability to initiate and control all voluntary movement. In most cases, people die of the disease between three and five years after symptoms begin.
In Canada alone, according to the ALS Canada website, the Ice Bucket Challenge has helped it raise more than $6 million to fund ALS research and work to improve the quality of life for Canadians affected by ALS.
Have you taken the Ice Bucket Challenge? What are views on this form of fundraising? Share your ice bucket videos and thoughts in the comments below.