Today was a big day. The nomination and declaration papers were filed -- I'm now an official candidate! A potential employee of the residents of North Cowichan, on a protracted job interview. Please follow my campaign and if you like my values, help me to get elected by voting for me on Nov 19th. If you'd like to help in other ways -- phoning, canvassing, watching signs, donating, wearing a button, passing the word to your friends -- any and all these things would help immensely.
In most of our homes and businesses, we're stretching our dollars as far as we can. Governments have to do that, too. To balance growth -- and the increased demand for services that it brings -- with the need to keep taxes affordable.
All our public agencies have to do much better at planning and working together -- the Municipality, the City of Duncan, the CVRD, school district, the library system, VIHA, BC Transit, BC Hydro, RCMP, and so on. We can't afford to waste public money on duplicated programs and underused facilities.
We also have to bear in mind that development costs aren't just in dollars. Everything we do has an environmental impact.
We need to work closely with local First Peoples, on whose traditional lands we live. It's not only prudent, but imperative to explore ways we can get what we all want -- without wasting precious resources, or doing damage we can't fix.
What do we all want?
I think we all want some version of the same thing.
A place where healthy, happy people of all ages live together peaceably and productively, in communities that cooperate ... with each other, and with the land we live on.
The world is facing unprecedented challenges. So is North Cowichan. If we're going to make real and lasting change, we need to do it locally. Right here where we live, work and play, right here on the ground we stand on -- in our neighbourhoods, towns and regions.
In most of our homes and businesses, we're stretching our dollars as far as we can. Governments have to do that, too. To balance growth -- and the increased demand for services that it brings -- with the need to keep taxes affordable.
All our public agencies have to do much better at planning and working together -- the Municipality, the City of Duncan, the CVRD, school district, the library system, VIHA, BC Transit, BC Hydro, RCMP, and so on. We can't afford to waste public money on duplicated programs and underused facilities.
It's important too, to remind Victoria and Ottawa that they get their money from us. People like you and me, who live all across this vast country -- people whom they are responsible to serve. That's what government exists for. To serve its citizens.
Democracy can be a collaboration, more like building a house or planting a garden and less like a tug of war. In these challenging times, no one has all the answers -- so we must combine our energy, talents and resources.
Democracy can be a collaboration, more like building a house or planting a garden and less like a tug of war. In these challenging times, no one has all the answers -- so we must combine our energy, talents and resources.
We also have to bear in mind that development costs aren't just in dollars. Everything we do has an environmental impact.
We need to work closely with local First Peoples, on whose traditional lands we live. It's not only prudent, but imperative to explore ways we can get what we all want -- without wasting precious resources, or doing damage we can't fix.
What do we all want?
I think we all want some version of the same thing.
A place where healthy, happy people of all ages live together peaceably and productively, in communities that cooperate ... with each other, and with the land we live on.
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