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. I would have voted to keep Pine Valley. It is an asset and if it comes a time to sell it, the market value will be there. I would first focus on selling a handful of businesses the city owns downtown (at a discount) to large franchises, clothing stores, ect. Once they open, other small businesses will have the confidence to open up around them creating a more vibrant downtown.
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 think if the space was not being utilized and this group needed a place to go to help women, then it was probably a good choice. I am not sure what the residents of the areas thoughts were, but I would have had to speak with the residents in the area to get their feedback before I made a decision.
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. You need to have happy workers and people excited to go to work. They are more productive. It could have been handled better. When you talk to people at city hall now, lots seem unhappy and ticked off. That being said, I am not sure of the exact numbers but there is always a deal to be had, and management, council and city staff need to work together for our city to progress.
4. Why should residents vote in the Nov. 15 municipal election?
4. The residents of Prince George have the opportunity to change the direction of the city. They can see what they got with the last council and people don't seem to be happy. I believe we need new blood, new energy and new ideas, not political double talk. It's your money that is getting wasted and thrown around for study after study like the over $131,000 to pay an American Company to teach us how to remove snow! This embarrassing fact along should anger people enough for change. Your vote can make the difference! Do your research!
