Colour me green

What drew me to Bowen/ Nex̱wlélex̱m years ago is our rural park-like setting: it’s quiet, clean and calming. I love that dolphins and whales have come back to Howe Sound/Átl'ḵa7tsem. I like that we have kept our public forests intact, yet I want to learn more about logging contracts in BC, plus ensure we follow best practices to give us good fire protection. I believe there are many improvements that can be made to our transportation systems to reduce our fossil fuel footprint and have safe, reliable, inexpensive options. I’d like to create an inventory of all the existing protective covenants for wildlife corridors, habitat, and unique features. I want to work with the Islands Trust to help them become more effective because I believe their mandate to preserve and protect helps us.

Ensuring a democratic voice

I have spent most of my professional life upholding the Rule of Law, the principle that every person has an equal voice: no favourites. I’m most familiar with criminal law where the highest standards of fairness are the goal: full disclosure and the right to be heard. With completely different time constraints, the same principles may not apply to the work of council, but it is what I am used to, and what I will aspire to. I truly believe that fully informed residents give the most careful and reasonable contributions to discussions. I also believe a dialogue needs to be established so that questions and answers can be part of the process right up to the final decision. Finally, I believe reasons are important, especially if an unpopular decision is the result.

Supporting & building community

As a resident of Bowen/Nex̱wlélex̱m for over 42 years, it’s friends, neighbours and our supportive community that has kept me in this beautiful place. I know that as a small, relatively isolated community that when there is an emergency we look out for and trust each other. I want to build and maintain that trust. I believe the community centre, if we carefully manage expenses, will be an important place for us to meet and share and get to know each other better and build trust. I know that when we work together, have detailed conversations, when we listen well and respect each other, when we challenge and encourage each other, this community can come up with brilliant ideas.

The arts are our backbone

There are many people on Bowen/ Nex̱wlélex̱m who make a sizeable part of their income, and even more who spend a sizeable part of their time, being creative.  Arts in every medium, music, writing, gourmet cooking, child raising, gardening and crafts, this is a supportive and receptive community for the Arts.  The many galleries, events, and festivities encourage and entertain.  While the incomes and local spending are sizeable, our reputation as an artistic destination can be enjoyed locally and shared with the easiest visitors.  The performance space in the new community centre has potential to bring in “big city” acts just outside the radius limitations of typical performance contracts, such that we won’t have to spend hundreds for entertainment and visitors will enjoy our intimate space.  I strongly support Arts on Bowen.

The Islands Trust

A “Governance Review” with recommendations to improve the management of the Islands Trust, was made public this past February. And there is a referendum on our ballot about the money paid by Bowen to the Trust, indirectly the funding formula that has been in place for 50 years, and the value received for that money. While the principle of “preserve and protect” and the work of the Trust Conservancy are strongly supported province wide, the governance issues must be addressed. I am a supporter of the Trust mandate, and I understand the questions raised about value for money, but I believe we need to focus on what principles we support, what services we should expect, and then what needs to change for us. The immediate future for the Trust will be intense, possibly difficult, and I would like to contribute as best I can to the work that will be required. Again, open dialogue with you will be important and helpful.

Camping on Bowen

We have minimal information from Metro about a proposal for a campground at Cape Roger Curtis. In general, people are in favour of protecting the area, but with grave concerns that have not been adequately addressed (eg. traffic and transportation, water and waste, fire and emergency services).  The issues raised are multi-layered and complex and come at a time when we have several other issues to contend with: infrastructure expenses and funding, capital projects and budgets, capacity for tourism and development of adequate housing.  Adding to the complexity are the multi-levels of government involved (BCF, Metro, Islands Trust, First Nations) and, to date, it’s been difficult to get all those parties together at one table.  There’s a consensus that “hard” negotiations and extensive public input will be necessary, and neither should be rushed. We will need to work together to resolve this proposal to our collective satisfaction.