1 and 2) Your current occupation and place of residence, and have you ever held elected office.
I live in Yale and am a local politician. I was elected in 2008 to represent the rural riding Area “B” of the Fraser Valley Regional District. In the last 12 years, I have fought for my constituents. I fought to turn a closed school into a community centre. I fought to form a Community Forest with Yale First Nations and the town of Hope. I fought to have a public washroom built in Yale. I fought to keep taxes low while offering more services.
When I was elected, the average house in Area “B” paid $410 a year in taxes to the Regional District. Twelve years later, adding three new services, the average house pays $408 in taxes to the Regional District. I fought to bring economic development to the area. As your representative, I would fight to bring new green jobs to Ashcroft/Cache Creek/Clinton. I will fight to keep taxes low and make these communities a better place to live for children, young families, and seniors.
3) What prompted you to run, and why did you choose to run as an Independent?
I am running as an Independent because the three political parties in the B.C. election all care about the rich and powerful corporate interests or for urban British Columbia. I want to be the voice for small town and rural B.C. and raise the issues most important to the people of Fraser-Nicola, such as jobs and economic development, small business survival, fighting climate change, health care access for small communities, affordability, transportation infrastructure, and Indigenous issues. I can best do that as an Independent who is free of the strict control of political parties.
4) What do you see as the top two or three issues affecting the residents of the Ashcroft/Cache Creek/Clinton area of the riding, and how would you address them?
The top issues affecting the residents of the Ashcroft/Cache Creek/Clinton area are COVID-19 and the economy. We need to get control of and get rid of the virus so that we can get the economy back on track.
5) What do you see as the number one issue for the riding as a whole?
Economic recovery. The B.C. government needs to support existing businesses and industries, at the same time also putting more money into the transition to new clean and green technologies such as wind, solar, and tidal energy.
6) What makes you the best candidate for Fraser-Nicola?
I am the best candidate because the parties have their own agenda, which is serving the rich and powerful corporate and urban interests. I believe that as an Independent candidate, I am free from the strict controls of the political parties and can work harder for the constituents of Fraser-Nicola. This represents a true democracy. For the last 12 years, I have been fighting for rural and small town B.C. As your elected representative I will go to Victoria and fight for funding for an urgent medical care centre for Ashcroft. I will fight for a replacement for the old bridge in Spences Bridge which was torn down by the BC Liberals. I will fight to ensure that a steady flow of timber keeps the last two forestry facilities in Lillooet and Merritt open. I will fight for you in Victoria.
Voting information
Advance voting (8 a.m. to 8 p.m. each day) will take place as follows:
Ashcroft: Ashcroft HUB, daily from Oct. 17 to Oct. 20 inclusive
Cache Creek: Community Hall, Oct. 15 and Oct. 16
Clinton: Memorial Hall, Oct. 15 to Oct. 17 inclusive
Loon Lake: Community Hall, Oct. 18 and Oct. 19
Lytton: Lytton First Nation Memorial Hall, Oct. 19 and Oct. 20
General voting day is Saturday, Oct. 24 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. You can vote at any of the locations above. In addition, voting places will be open in Spences Bridge (Clemes Hall) and Walhachin (Soldiers Memorial Hall).
For a complete list of voting places and dates, go to https://bit.ly/30XU8xH (advance voting) and https://bit.ly/2SLe962 (general voting day). Voters should bring their “Where to Vote” card, which they should have received in the mail, as well as one piece of valid ID that shows your name and address (street address, not just P.O. Box) or two pieces of other ID. For a list of accepted pieces of ID, go to https://bit.ly/3nBkwap.
editorial@accjournal.ca
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter