Mayor Simon Yu made history on Monday night.
Yu became the first non-white mayor of Prince George and the first first-generation Asian-Canadian immigrant to be a mayor in B.C. Yu was born in Hong Kong, and came to Canada as a student.
“Yes, history is being made here tonight,” Yu said, during his inaugural speech. “Nearly 50 years ago, I arrived in Prince George carrying two suitcases. I have always believed I owe this city everything.”
Former Kamloops mayor and Order of B.C. recipient Peter Wing, who was first elected in 1966, was the first mayor in B.C., Canada and North America of Chinese descent. However, Wing was born in Kamloops.
Yu and city councillors Tim Bennett, Garth Frizzell, Trudy Klassen, Ron Polillo, Cori Ramsay, Kyle Sampson, Susan Scott and Brian Skakun took their oaths of office on Monday.
“What a great team we have here,” Yu said. “We vow to be your voice… We will serve this city with great enthusiasm.”
Yu vowed the new council will work collaboratively to tackle the issues facing the city, and also to continue to work closely with Lheidli T’enneh Chief Dolleen Logan and the rest of the First Nation’s council towards achieving truth and reconciliation.
“After all these years, I continue to believe in the city’s potential. (But) a vision cannot be achieved without collaboration, partnerships and hard work,” he said. “Together we will collaborate to create a multi-generational plan for the city.”
The community has spoken clearly that it wants city council to conduct its business in a transparent, accountable and accessible way, he said.
“My goal is simple: get things done. I will accept nothing less,” Yu said. “We will not let you down.”
‘THIS IS A CITY WITH A BRIGHT FUTURE’
Everyone sitting around the council table, elected and unelected, care about this community, Coun. Brian Skakun said.
“It’s an honour to serve,” Skakun said. “I am looking forward to this next term.”
While there are some new faces around the table, “we’re all as a new council working together,” Coun. Kyle Sampson said.
“At the end of the day, we’re all here for Prince George,” he said.
Coun. Garth Frizzell said this council will have some challenges ahead that will test them, as well as may routine decisions to make.
“(But) we will have an opportunity to work on great things,” Frizzell said. “This is a city with a bright future.”
Coun. Cori Ramsay thanked all those who took part in the process by coming out to vote, as well as the city staff who work every day to make the city a better place.
“We’re all here to make it (the city) better,” Ramsay said.
Coun. Susan Scott urged residents to continue connecting with members of council.
“Keep talking to us and tell us what matters to you,” she said.
Coun. Tim Bennett said he is “incredibly humbled” to be given a chance to serve Prince George in a new capacity.
“It’s a responsibility I take incredibly seriously,” he said. “We heard loud and clear from the community that they want us to get to work right away.”
Coun. Ron Polillo said he knows they’ve been entrusted with “an incredibly challenging and important job” and he vowed to do that job in a respectful, accountable and accessible way.
Coun. Trudy Klassen said as the “newest” new city councillor, there will be much to learn.
The city has so many opportunities around it, she added.
“We have here an opportunity to restore pride… in our city,” Klassen said. “I really feel the best days for Prince George are yet to come.”
REGIONAL DISTRICT DIRECTORS APPOINTED
Monday night’s city council meeting included a small amount of council business.
City council approved changes to the 2022 council calendar, moving council the new council’s first regular meeting back a week to Nov. 28 and adding a committee of the whole meeting in December. They signed off on the acting mayor schedule and 2023 council schedule, as well.
Yu, Ramsay, Sampson and Skakun were appointed by city council to serve as directors of the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George board of directors. Scott was appointed as the primary alternate director, should any of the four be unable to attend.
