The mayoral and city council candidates were asked to reply to four questions that we hope will give voters a better idea on where they stand on some of the most challenging issues of the day.
1. The current city council voted 5-4 to keep Pine Valley. If this matter were to come before council again, how would you vote and why?
1. My vote would be to keep Pine Valley. Pine Valley is an asset of the city that unless retained in its current, or a similar use, cannot be recreated. It has a significant group of users who would have difficulty finding a replacement were Pine Valley to be lost to the community. There is a saying that says 'some people know the price of everything and the value of nothing". While it is true that Pine Valley is worth a significant amount of money if sold for commercial development its real value lays in its retention as a green space.
2. City council voted 8-1 in favour of the Northern Recovery Centre for Women in the former Haldi Road elementary school. How would you have voted and why? (Incumbents: how did you vote and why?)
2. I would have voted to allow the Centre to go ahead. There is a clearly documented need for a facility of this nature to serve women in Prince George and northern BC.
Semi institutional facilities exist in neighbourhoods across the city and I fail to see why this one neighbourhood should be exempt. In particular I have not heard convincing argument that there is any certainty that having the Centre at this location will cause any definitive harm to the residents. Communities evolve and the challenge for each of us is to accept that societal change is inevitable and imperfect.
3. The current city council gave its bargaining committee a target of a net-zero increase to negotiate a new collective agreement with city workers, leading to the first-ever labour disruption by municipal staff. What will be your recommendation when the current collective agreements for city workers expire in 2016 and why?
3. My recommendation is that administration, management, city staff, Union leadership and Council work to create an environment of mutual respect and trust. This will require a continuing effort on a day-to-day basis for the duration of the intervening period between contract negotiations. It will not be easy, just necessary. When the next negotiations begin, we should do our best to compensate staff in a manner that is fair and respectful to both city staff and the taxpayers, while being equitable with compensation paid in similar BC Cities. An adversarial environment yielding winners and losers does not serve taxpayers well.
4. Why should residents vote in the Nov. 15 municipal election?
4. Residents should vote because it is how to have their voice heard. Any person seeking public office will have the analytical skill to interpret what's important to the voters by looking at the voting results. Voters that want a change in attitude and actions will have voted for change by selecting new people to sit on Council. If you truly want change then only you can make it happen. If you want Council to reflect your perspective and be more likely to act consistent with your concerns then you need to vote! And, vote for candidates that reflect your viewpoints.
