On Oct. 20, Prince George residents will pick one mayor, eight councillors and five school trustees. The ballot will have two mayoral candidates, 13 councillor candidates and 11 school trustee candidates. There are also 15 candidates running in the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George.
PrinceGeorgeMatters has sent out a list of questions to those vying for a seat in public office.
Name: Corey Walker
Running for: School trustee
Age: 40 (by election date)
Number of years lived in Prince George: 32
Current neighbourhood: Spruceland
Occupation: Northern Regional Coordinator, Autism BC
Reason community would recognize your name:
They would recognize my name from my extensive volunteer involvement in the community, including hosting four weekly radio programs on 93.1 CFIS-FM Community Radio. I’ve also been in the media for my work with Autism BC.
What is the most important issue facing the school district, and how do you propose to deal with it?
The biggest issue, to me, is the lack of support that many students with special needs receive in the school system. Teachers and TAs work hard to try and support these students, but they’re not given enough support and resources to do their job effectively. I want to work closely with all stakeholders, including students, parents and service providers, to provide more resources, including evidence-based training to school staff, so they can more effectively support students and ensure they have equal access to a good education.
What is your specific reason for running?
When I work with parents at Autism BC, I frequently hear that their child(ren) with special needs is not being fully included in the school setting, and that the schools often aren’t equipped to support their kid. This pains me, and I’m running because we need an advocate for inclusion on the board. Also, I have autism/ADHD and Tourette Syndrome, so I know what it’s like to be a student with special needs.
Where can the school board spend less?
I’m not as knowledgeable about this as I’d like to be, but I think making sure the district doesn’t have too much administration at the top is one way to spend less.
Where should the school board be investing more?
The district should be investing more in providing evidence-based training to staff, so that the staff are better equipped to support the diverse learning styles of each student.
Next time you’re walking in the woods and you come face-to-face with a Sasquatch, what do you do?
I would probably stand my ground against the Sasquatch, and hope that he’s a vegetarian.
If the next school board does something film-worthy, who would play you in the film?
Hmm, that’s a good question. I’m not familiar with who’s who in Hollywood right, but I know Richard Thomas from The Waltons is still acting, and I like him, so he might be a good choice.
Complete the sentence...
When I’m not at home or at work, you can find me:...volunteering in the community (likely at the radio station), enjoying a good meal at a local restaurant, or spending time with my friends. You may also find me taking photographs, especially if I’m at a music festival.
The most random, yet interesting fact about me is: I like classic country music from the '20s to the '90s, especially on vinyl, and I like watching classic television series that were popular when my dad was a kid.
My favourite beverage is: Pineapple Crush
For Christmas/Hanukkah/the gift-giving season, I would like:...a free helicopter tour around Prince George, and a good zoom lens for my Nikon SLR so I can get some good aerial photographs from the copter.
The best park in/near to Prince George is: Wilkins Regional Park in Miworth or Ferguson Lake Nature Reserve up on the Hart.
If Prince George didn’t exist, I’d be living in: Probably Quesnel or Terrace, or somewhere else in northern B.C.
When I need some pump-up music, I listen to: Johnny Horton, Sonny James, Tanya Tucker, etc.
