Interviewed by Michael Scoular.
Since many students will be voting for the first time, what would you describe as the role of municipal politics? What can city councillors actually do?
Primarily, you’re right, most people don’t know anything about municipal politics. And so I think when you have no knowledge at that level, you’re not as knowledgeable at the provincial level or the federal level. Municipal government covers things that do apply to youth: parks, sports and recreation facilities, programs that function in our cities. Overall, I think that this is the best way to get involved, and so one of the things I’m doing is I’m hiring high school students to deliver my cards. In the process they learn about other candidates because I do talk about other candidates and what they offer — I try to keep it in a positive slant. For the most part I feel that youth are our future, and I know that a lot of people feel disconnect with the current system, so my best advice to youth is if you want to change the system, get in it and change it from within.
Who do you view as your constituents?
The city of Mission, and I encompass everybody: seniors, youth, marginalized people, the Aboriginal, business people. Anybody that’s affected by the politics of Mission I believe is my constituents.
How will you receive the views of the entire population instead of just those most active around City Hall?
Well, there’s a point of reaching out to people and being seen, and I think current council doesn’t do enough on that front, and it involves being out there and being available. Because I’m retired, I can do this as a full-time job, and so I would be available Mondays to Fridays, sometimes weekends if it’s an emergency. I’m certainly open to talking with anyone, and I will make that gesture. I do that regularly now. My youngest is involved in the air cadet program in Mission, and so I’m in contact with other youth through my youngest, and we have great lively discussions about politics.
Are you doing anything to address the lack of student interest in local politics?
So I believe that education is key. One of the things I really wish to push for is to promote and advocate for youth learning about politics in high school. We need to start somewhere, and before they become voting citizens, they should know the process of how to research your candidates, and that’s really the key is getting to know who the candidates are, what they stand for, and whether you feel that you can trust them with four years of governance for your city. I’ve seen lots of activism at the provincial level and the federal level, but municipal doesn’t seem to impact youth as much as they seem to think.
And with that idea of education, would that then involve working with the school trustees?
Oh I believe collaboration between the council and the school trustees is imperative. And I talk to lots of trustee candidates, and they believe the same thing in Mission. We really need to collaborate more for the benefit of not just adults in our community, but our students because again they are our future.
If elected, how would what you want to do as councillor be different from what council is already doing?
Well in Mission especially we need youth representation. And I really want to push for a council seat for a youth person. And youth, to me, is under 25, although it’s defined as under 35 for a lot of people. I think what the difficulty that young people have in getting on council is they’re viewed by the seniors as inexperienced. And so I believe that mentorship and working alongside and collaborating with a young council — so you could have representation from different schools, from different universities, come and sit together, and then perhaps have a representation from that group come and sit with council. And I think that kind of mentoring so that the youth gains experience [is important] so that they can’t say “Well you don’t have any experience.” “Well I spent the last four years on youth council.”
Do you have a specific project you want to prioritize or bylaw you want to change?
I think we’re walking a fine line with municipalities. I notice in Abbotsford they have bylaws that prohibit people from doing things, and rather than focus on negatives, I would focus on opening up things and less restrictions on some people so that it’s not constricting. I know in Mission there’s bylaws that pertain to the marijuana grow-ops in Mission, and that’s a very fine line because you’re talking about pain medication for some people, you’re talking about health considerations and safety factors for other people, so you have to walk that balance. There isn’t any one specific bylaw that I’m focusing on. I think that in the first six months to a year would be familiarizing myself with all of the bylaws and narrowing down so that in year two, three, and four I would have a much clearer idea of what I’m focusing on.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
