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. Every decision has its merits and challenges, and must be weighed with all available information. There is a cost to the citizens of Prince George to keep this option open. I would gather all of the relevant details before making a decision. Given the options available for golf in Prince George, the argument of subsidizing costs in order to provide affordable golfing is less compelling today than when the course was founded. Therefore, Pine Valley must cover its costs - including capital - in order to be retained.
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 in favour of this facility, given the clear parameters set forth by the proponents that the residents would be pre-screened and actively seeking a better life. I would oppose the facility accepting court-ordered residents in a "harm reduction" path, within a residential neighbourhood.
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. Service disruptions by way of labour disputes are part of the Canadian culture, and must be respected by all parties involved. Council has a responsibility to ensure that services are affordable, and collective bargaining gives workers the right to strike to support their position. While I would work to resolve labour bargaining as agreeably as possible, it would not be at a cost that the taxpayer cannot afford or will not pay.
4. Why should residents vote in the Nov. 15 municipal election?
4. Municipal government affects people's daily lives greatly, whether or not they pay taxes directly. The decisions made at this level strongly impact the types and costs of services, recreation, roads, security, and a host of other concerns about how livable our city is. Ensuring that there are competent leaders to select this direction will have a strong impact on the quality of life available to us. As all citizens will have to live with the results, they should avail themselves of the opportunity to select the decision-makers.
