As UBC Okanagan (UBCO) President Dr. Lesley Cormack put it 91裸聊视频渙ur next mayor is in the room.91裸聊视频�
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 91裸聊视频� you91裸聊视频檇 be justified in thinking there would be some drama, there was not.
Spectators packed OC91裸聊视频檚 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. It91裸聊视频檚 Habib91裸聊视频檚 first mayoral campaign. Smedley ran for mayor in 2014, and Socrates was one of seven candidates who ran against Clark in an oddly 91裸聊视频渟tep aside91裸聊视频�
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.
91裸聊视频淲e need to be looking at everything we do as a community through an Indigenous lens,91裸聊视频� said Basran. 91裸聊视频淚 believe that reconciliation and good relationships with our Indigenous partners are absolutely crucial if we91裸聊视频檙e to move forward as a community.91裸聊视频�
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.
91裸聊视频淲e can91裸聊视频檛 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 drivers91裸聊视频nd they91裸聊视频檙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.
91裸聊视频淲e can reduce some of the barriers in our municipality to start to build back townhomes, secondary suites, and carriage homes,91裸聊视频� said Dyas. 91裸聊视频淲e need to make it so it91裸聊视频檚 affordable for individuals to look at building those secondary residences.91裸聊视频�
Right after that, candidates were asked about how Kelowna could expand in a sustainable way.
91裸聊视频淲ork with the Society of Hope and BC Housing, and with the community,91裸聊视频� said Smedley. 91裸聊视频淟earn from each other to see how we could move forward to create a sustainable city.91裸聊视频�
One of the tougher questions the candidates faced asked what could be done to address homelessness in Kelowna, which hasn91裸聊视频檛 already been done.
91裸聊视频淭his is a big part of my wanting to run,91裸聊视频� said Socrates. 91裸聊视频淗omelessness and addictions are better prevented than cured. We91裸聊视频檝e got a boat with a hole in it out, and there91裸聊视频檚 a reason why people are getting tired.
The entire forum, which was moderated by CBC Radio Kelowna91裸聊视频檚 Sarah Penton, can be viewed on the UBC Okanagan YouTube channel.
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gary.barnes@kelownacapnews.com
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