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: Stephanie Mikalishen-Deol
Running for: School trustee
Age: 27
Number of years lived in Prince George: 26 (basically my whole life)
Current neighbourhood: Proudly, the Hart
Occupation: Manager of philanthropy, marketing and camps at the YMCA of Northern B.C.
Reason community would recognize your name: I have had the privilege to work with the community on many YMCA initiatives over the past 10 years, including: Camp Kanannaq, Aurora Leadership, Beyond the Bell, MEGATHON, Strong Kids Campaign, Foundry, National Child Day, the Road Race and Kids Colour Run, the Fun City Sliders, Movie in the Park and Healthy Kids Day. I also often work with the media and other organizations as the communications lead for the YMCA.
What is the most important issue facing the school district, and how do you propose to deal with it?
I think I would be remiss to say anything other than the catchment issues. The capacity and catchment currently challenging our district are at the forefront for many families right now. How am I going to fix it? Well I know there are some difficult decisions that need to be made. I am committed to making those decisions with the interest of our students as my number one priority and communicating my thought process honestly and openly.
What is your specific reason for running?
I am passionate about children and youth, particularly around inclusion and equal opportunity. This is why I have worked with the YMCA for 10 years. This work is close to my heart; I cannot think of a better place to make a meaningful impact than through our school district.
Where can the school board spend less?
My quickest "fix" for spending at the district is moving paperless. Trustees receive a courier paper package for each meeting to their doorstep. This seems excessive in our world of technology.
Where should the school board be investing more?
For me, I am passionate about advocating for the ministry to increase LINK funding. As for surplus of district funds, I want to see more mental health supports for both our staff and students.
What new business or feature would you like to see in Prince George?
I would really like to see a place where children can engage in physical activity. I grew up in the era of Bubba Balloo's. I think these sorts of places are vital in our community with our long winters (and our smoky summers). There are some great places for children in our city such as the Y, Overhang and Playgrounds, to name a few; however, winter is long. We definitely need some more options for children and families.
Next time you’re walking in the woods and you come face-to-face with a Sasquatch, what do you do?
I think it depends what kind of Sasquatch we are talking about. ... If we are talking about a scary-looking figure, well then I am a big wimp and I would probably run the other way. But I like to imagine him as the friendly Yeti from the classic Rudolf movie; in this case, I would for sure have to take a selfie.
If the next school board does something film-worthy, who would play you in the film?
I would like to imagine that I would be the PG version of Megan Markle; someone who is fearless, poised, timeless and inspirational.
Complete the sentence...
When I’m not at home or at work, you can find me:...instructing kickboxing at PG Functional Fitness, outside (kayaking, hiking, camping, swimming or boating), spending time with my family, friends and two fur babies, reading anything written by Brené Brown or binge-watching some mind-numbing dramatic Netflix series, like Nashville or New Girl.
My favourite beverage is: I love a good glass of white wine. My current favourite is Chenin Blanc from Quails' Gate in Kelowna; however, I also enjoy a good cup of tea daily.
For Christmas/Hanukkah/the gift-giving season, I would like:...more quality time with my loved ones. I would like to forego gifts and tradition for a year and just go away together and focus on family.
The best park in/near to Prince George is: It's a tie between Forest for the World, because It's a 10-minute drive to a beautiful hike, and Leheidli T'enneh Memorial Park, because it is the home to some of our best community events.
If Prince George didn’t exist, I’d be living in: My initial reaction is Quebec City. I studied there for a while and I fell in love with the culture. But the truth is that I would live wherever my family is.
When I need some pump-up music, I listen to: I Love It (Icona Pop). You're playing it in your head now and smiling, just like I did when I wrote this.
