Each day a random collection of challenges and opportunities is presented in the community office. This week the discussions were about community governance, water quality, housing, healthcare, transportation, and tourism.
The fabric of our community is a complex network of interwoven social, environmental and economic fibres. Unpacking how each connects and strengthens all the others is exciting, and finding creative ways to better understand the overarching values of the community, is work that I wholeheartedly embrace.
In December 2012, I decided to run provincially because there is a dysfunctional top-down relationship between the provincial government and local governments. The topics that we discussed this week were a reminder of my primary motivation to step away from the Council seat and begin the journey to today.
The view from this new seat is no different than it was from the seat at the Council table. As the elected provincial representative, the role is that of a facilitator, gathering information and seeking the best solution/action at the constituency level to inform public policy at the legislative level.
The challenge of every government is to determine how best to expend limited resources to get the best outcomes across as broad a spectrum as possible. So in Saanich North and the Islands we will create many ways for individuals and stakeholder groups to identify what is being done well and what can be done better.
I am committed to increasing the quality of governance at all levels so we can better plan and fund the delivery of critical services that are required by complex, modern societies with a focus on becoming more sustainable, more resilient, more proactive, more supportive and less centralized.
In an effort to not be “recreating the wheel” we lean on the experience and expertise of other jurisdictions who are delivering more effective and efficient government and we strive to be a jurisdiction that others celebrate and look to for leadership, innovative thinking and action.
I really enjoy this work and I look forward to getting up each day to celebrate our accomplishments and understanding more deeply our challenges, as we work toward developing a more agile, forward-thinking, compassionate and prosperous society.
We will continue to seek local solutions and work toward increasing points of access for you to participate in the democratic process. In the coming days, we will be announcing our first round of town hall meetings in early September, as well as a fall schedule for community dialogue sessions hosted in the office in Sidney.
In the week ahead, I look forward to attending Vancouver Pride, meetings with Cabinet Ministers, the Salt Spring Forum featuring Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson, and speaking at “Turning the Tide” at Ruckle Park. I hope to see you along the way.
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