As UBC Okanagan (UBCO) President Dr. Lesley Cormack put it 鈥渙ur next mayor is in the room.鈥�
The first municipal election forum featuring five 91大黄鸭 mayoral candidates was held Wednesday (Sept. 28), hosted by UBCO and Okanagan College (OC).
Given that two of the candidates went head-to-head in the 2018 mayoral campaign, another is a nightclub manager and a boxing coach, a fourth, in the race for the worship title, is someone who ran against former B.C. Premier Christy Clark and the fifth on the podium is someone who already ran, and lost, against the incumbent 鈥� you鈥檇 be justified in thinking there would be some drama, there was not.
Spectators packed OC鈥檚 Student Services auditorium to hear Colin Basran, Tom Dyas, David Habib, Glendon Charles Smedley and Silverado Socrates square off on several topics suggested by students.
Basran and Dyas pitted themselves against each other four years ago, following a flawed friendship. It鈥檚 Habib鈥檚 first mayoral campaign. Smedley ran for mayor in 2014, and Socrates was one of seven candidates who ran against Clark in an oddly 鈥渟tep aside鈥�
Of the more than 200 in attendance, the crowd appeared more animated than the candidates, as those on stage kept their composure. There was none of the sniping or heated personal exchanges that election forums can sometimes devolve into. There was only some back-and-forth between candidates on affordable housing and crime. There was also a common understanding and a promise to do better on Truth and Reconciliation.
鈥淲e need to be looking at everything we do as a community through an Indigenous lens,鈥� said Basran. 鈥淚 believe that reconciliation and good relationships with our Indigenous partners are absolutely crucial if we鈥檙e to move forward as a community.鈥�
With a possible transit strike set to start Oct. 5, Habib, who spoke passionately on several topics, said a mayor has a responsibility to step forward and work closely with both sides to reach a deal.
鈥淲e can鈥檛 afford to go without a bus service, we have to get them back to the table. I have two people that work for me that are transit drivers鈥nd they鈥檙e both saying they make more money working at a club, added Habib.
One of the biggest issues on the minds of students, as it is for many voters, was affordable housing.
鈥淲e can reduce some of the barriers in our municipality to start to build back townhomes, secondary suites, and carriage homes,鈥� said Dyas. 鈥淲e need to make it so it鈥檚 affordable for individuals to look at building those secondary residences.鈥�
Right after that, candidates were asked about how 91大黄鸭 could expand in a sustainable way.
鈥淲ork with the Society of Hope and BC Housing, and with the community,鈥� said Smedley. 鈥淟earn from each other to see how we could move forward to create a sustainable city.鈥�
One of the tougher questions the candidates faced asked what could be done to address homelessness in 91大黄鸭, which hasn鈥檛 already been done.
鈥淭his is a big part of my wanting to run,鈥� said Socrates. 鈥淗omelessness and addictions are better prevented than cured. We鈥檝e got a boat with a hole in it out, and there鈥檚 a reason why people are getting tired.
The entire forum, which was moderated by CBC Radio 91大黄鸭鈥檚 Sarah Penton, can be viewed on the UBC Okanagan YouTube channel.
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gary.barnes@kelownacapnews.com
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