Q + A with Laurel
Thank you to each and every one of you who have engaged with me during my campaign! I’ve been asked all sorts of questions and have been part of some fascinating conversations about the community - from retired firefighters to reporters at our local paper, and from current City Council members to business owners - from all of you, residents of this community. Thank you :) I’m sharing a sample of questions and my answers (not edited, other than to protect privacy of person asking the question) here so you can keep learning about me, and how I’ll represent the community as a Campbell River City Councillor.
Q.Should you be elected, what unique perspective or skill set would you bring to city hall that you feel would be of benefit to city residents?
A. My unique perspective comes from my choice to study and form a career that is rooted in leisure, recreation, tourism, and sustainability. My graduate degree thesis focussed on local tourism participation and how it contributes to quality of life for residents, right here on Vancouver Island. I have earned a reputation for trust and professionalism within the fields of community-based research, sustainability, and leisure.
How we foster and develop healthy and accessible opportunities for our residents in their leisure time can, and must be created from a place of knowledge and understanding of all the factors that promote and inhibit participation. Many of the ways in which people feel connected with others is through our shared leisure experiences - from volunteering to mountain biking, from music to pickle ball, and from fishing to reading - and the ways in which we create and support the places and spaces for these experiences are an integral part of a liveable community for a diverse population.
As our city grows, our ability to sustainably develop multi-modal transportation networks, innovative economic opportunities, parks and greenspaces, and neighbourhoods that are safe and accessible for all residents will depend on engaged and informed leadership within the City.
Q. In what ways, if any, do you feel the current council has not done enough for the people of Campbell River?
A. It’s always easier to think that others aren’t doing enough, but I often remind myself that until I’m in that position, it’s really not my place to say what someone else could or should have done. It’s one of the many reasons I’m putting my name forward. I want to be part of the leadership team, bringing ideas and solutions to the table, not lamenting what has or hasn’t been done and feeding into negative actions and behaviours. (With that said, I sincerely hope that when I’m a City Councillor, residents will come to me with their ideas and solutions on how things can be improved within our community!)
I see that participation in some of our public engagement processes is lower than ideal, so I do question how and where City Council’s responsibility is to help find ways to create and encourage more residents to get involved. As the pandemic evolves, I recognize the challenges to communicating effectively and inclusively, yet as leaders, City Councillors need to demonstrate their openness and willingness to meet people where they’re at (safely and responsibly), and invite residents in to fully participate in this amazing community we all call home.
Q. What do you feel should be city council’s top priority moving forward and what should it be doing to address it?
A. Top priority, eh? That is a complex question as there are a myriad of opportunities and challenges for City Council that are interconnected and ever-changing. The City of Campbell River Strategic Plan 2020 to 2023 is a solid plan, and I see Growth Management as the overarching priority that drives all other components, such as liveability, environment, and economic health. Having a vision and setting a direction for growth enables senior management and staff within the City to operate effectively and with confidence, thus creating a more synergistic system for the entire organization.
Continuing to work with advisory committees, being transparent about processes and in decision-making, and encouraging inclusive and respectful dialogue throughout all of City Council will encourage more residents to get involved and feel empowered to be part of solutions. Our comprehensive plans (SOCP, Master Transportation Plan, Economic Development Strategy, and Parks & Recreation Strategic Plan, plus many more), depend on public input and public uptake. City Council’s leadership in creating and encouraging active participation in the development of these plans can lead to collective support for the Growth of this amazing place we get to call home!
Q. I would like to know your view on the proposed dump expansion by Discovery Park. The dump was only to be run if tied to the pulp mill. No pulp mill, no dump. Discovery Park is trying to rezone the area so they can operate the dump as a business bringing in toxic material from all over the Island and even barge in material from the mainland. This new dump expansion will be on land that is currently zoned for ALR use…
A. Thank you very much for connecting with me and for giving me context to your situation. I am aware of this initiative but have yet to dig deep into the potential impacts to our residents and the environment. I will certainly take time to read up on this topic as it is highly relevant for immediate and long term quality of life for life on land and life below water. The ALR designation leads me to see this as both a municipal and provincial issue, which I'm sure you are aware of, so it will be worth looking into the application process for taking that land out of the ALR. If I'm reading into your ask on my view correctly, I'm assuming that City Council be asked to provide direction to the province in support or opposition of that re-designation. From what you have presented, a toxic waste site is not something I would support in our community, however, I will do more research to get myself more informed and therefore share a more well researched position.
Thank you again for sharing your concern with me. I admire and respect people who actively engage in their communities! Please let me know if you'd like to continue this conversation further.
Q. Nobody want land fills but until we can come up with better options-or stop all the demolition and renovations we have to put it somewhere-do we want a land fill by our watershed over sand gravel aquifers or possibly a place that is already highly industrial and contaminated and has the upgraded facility to process and mitigate contain it?
A. I appreciate the perspective that you are sharing and I really have tried to see this issue from all sides. You are absolutely on point that until the waste stops being created, it needs somewhere same to go. However, I find it difficult to relate to the idea that because a site has already been contaminated, we need to continue using that space. How will we ever hope to repair those lands if they continue to be used in this way?
If we want to attract clean tech solutions into our community, Discovery Park could very well be the place where that industry can develop and flourish, attracting other climate-friendly industries. The proposal before us, by a company with a very undesirable record of maintaining their now-used-up sites, does not align with repositioning our community to accept more proactive industries.
I hope this gives you a better idea of where I'm coming from, and I thank you again for connecting.
Q. What will you do to increase diversity on council, committees and city employees? How will you promote reconciliation and UNDRIP? What will you do to protect our watershed?
A. Demonstrating leadership through active participation has been one of the most effective ways I've been able to increase and engage others. By putting my name forward and being part of a municipal election, I am already seeing greater interest from some of my peers than I had prior to running. And as a City Councillor, I will absolutely reach out to all of my networks, both personally and professionally, on the opportunities and challenges within our community.
Connecting with others is something that comes naturally to me, and I actively pursue learning and skill development within the realm of connections and human interactions, and I will continue to lead by example when it comes to nurturing relationships with our Indigenous neighbours.
Leisure, whether it be play or volunteering, can be a place in which shared or common interests facilitate connections, and I see my role in the volunteer organizations that I'm part of as a way to promote and enhance our shared values of healthy spaces, a thriving and bio-diverse ecosystem. These shared interests through leisure can also supersede political, socio-economic, or demographic boundaries (for lack of a better term), and I will use my education and experience to engage more of our community in civic processes through the lens of leisure and community.
Q. I’m making some time to get information before the by-election and was wondering if you could provide me with some more information regarding your stance on economic growth in our community and current debate over local industries?
A. I am very much in support of community and economic growth that is considerate of people and the planet, and financial prosperity that reaches more people. I look to initiatives that align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, such as a more circular economic cycle that feeds a more localized approach to supply chains (food, transportation, financing), and a recognition that the more proactive we are in planning for growth, the better positioned we will be to attract and retain people who want to be active participants in their home community.
I think we have tremendous opportunities to continue attracting dynamic thinkers who want to live in this amenity-rich community. And finding ways to connect new ideas with traditional thinkers can lead to deeper appreciation for what was and what can be. I see our Economic Development department leading some of these conversations, and I also see Council having a role, but believe they could use a younger, more engaged (ME!) leader to champion these connections and build upon the work that so many in our community are doing, often in silos.
My education and life experience drive me to immerse myself in the community through volunteer and play, and those are the channels through which I see my skills and influence being complementary to the current Council.
