Question 6 from David & Laura re: most significant Regional District issue

Below is a response to one of 6 questions posed by David and Laura Slik on the email list on Oct 7, 2018.

Question 6. What is the most significant challenge you see us facing in the next four years?

This election is about how you want our representative to make decisions.

It is about two very different styles of governance: one in which our Regional Director chooses how to make major decisions in Powell River without meaningful public consultation. The other in which our Regional Director acts as your representative who actively seeks your input on Lasqueti, who puts aside his/her own personal interests and represents our shared community interests.

Do you want decisions made for you or with you? Do you want meaningful input to major changes in regional services? Do you want some degree of control over regional services that affect you?

The Union of BC Municipalities Toolkit on Regional Districts states: In plain terms, the director has three key responsibilities:

• to identify, using the input of citizens, the service needs and interests of his or her area
• to promote the area’s service needs and interests at the board table.
• to participate in decision-making as it relates to the administration of services in which the electoral area participates.

The director … is not the mayor or CEO of his or her electoral area … The electoral area director is the area’s representative on the board of directors, and clearly has an important role to play in representing the area’s interests and promoting its needs to the board.

(https://www.ubcm.ca/assets/library/Publications/Regional~District~Tool~Kit/Regional%20District%20Tool%20Kit-complete.pdf)

In short: consult, represent and engage to balance community interests with the requirements of the Regional District.

That is how I plan to fulfill the role of Regional Director if I am elected.

This election represents an important decision for Lasqueti voters. Your vote is important. Strong turnout is important. Please vote at the early poll on Oct 10 or on election day Oct 20. And make sure your friends and neighbours vote too.