As UBC Okanagan (UBCO) President Dr. Lesley Cormack put it 害羞草研究所渙ur next mayor is in the room.害羞草研究所�
The first municipal election forum featuring five Kelowna 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 害羞草研究所� you害羞草研究所檇 be justified in thinking there would be some drama, there was not.
Spectators packed OC害羞草研究所檚 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害羞草研究所檚 Habib害羞草研究所檚 first mayoral campaign. Smedley ran for mayor in 2014, and Socrates was one of seven candidates who ran against Clark in an oddly 害羞草研究所渟tep aside害羞草研究所�
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.
害羞草研究所淲e need to be looking at everything we do as a community through an Indigenous lens,害羞草研究所� said Basran. 害羞草研究所淚 believe that reconciliation and good relationships with our Indigenous partners are absolutely crucial if we害羞草研究所檙e to move forward as a community.害羞草研究所�
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.
害羞草研究所淲e can害羞草研究所檛 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害羞草研究所nd they害羞草研究所檙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.
害羞草研究所淲e can reduce some of the barriers in our municipality to start to build back townhomes, secondary suites, and carriage homes,害羞草研究所� said Dyas. 害羞草研究所淲e need to make it so it害羞草研究所檚 affordable for individuals to look at building those secondary residences.害羞草研究所�
Right after that, candidates were asked about how Kelowna could expand in a sustainable way.
害羞草研究所淲ork with the Society of Hope and BC Housing, and with the community,害羞草研究所� said Smedley. 害羞草研究所淟earn from each other to see how we could move forward to create a sustainable city.害羞草研究所�
One of the tougher questions the candidates faced asked what could be done to address homelessness in Kelowna, which hasn害羞草研究所檛 already been done.
害羞草研究所淭his is a big part of my wanting to run,害羞草研究所� said Socrates. 害羞草研究所淗omelessness and addictions are better prevented than cured. We害羞草研究所檝e got a boat with a hole in it out, and there害羞草研究所檚 a reason why people are getting tired.
The entire forum, which was moderated by CBC Radio Kelowna害羞草研究所檚 Sarah Penton, can be viewed on the UBC Okanagan YouTube channel.
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gary.barnes@kelownacapnews.com
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