Notable Neighbours

Every year is a good year to get involved in municipal politics – after all, it’s often local-level  decisions  that have the most immediate impact on our day-to-day lives.

But this year is an especially good year to take notice, thanks to the number of Lynn Valley candidates who have stepped up to run for councillor in the District of North Vancouver. Having attended a number of public hearings and other council events, we can attest that this is often a challenging and thankless job – so hats off to you all!

In order to get to know our Lynn Valley-residing candidates better, LynnValleyLife contacted Roger Bassam, Mathew Bond, Hazen Colbert, Linda Findlay, Robin Hicks and Glenn MacKenzie, inviting them to answer some questions about their decision to run (or re-run) for council, and their goals should they be elected.

Hazen Colbert and Glenn MacKenzie declined to participate, citing their decision not to accept what they would consider to be a campaign donation from a real estate-affiliated business. The other candidates’ responses are linked below, so please have a read of these Q&As and, above, all, be sure to vote on November 15!

For lots of good election information, including the full candidate list and their contact/website information, polling stations, voting eligibility and more, please visit the District of North Vancouver’s municipal election pages.

• Roger Bassam, Lucking Place resident
• Mathew Bond, Peters Road resident
• Linda Findlay, Kilmer Road resident
• Robin Hicks, Underwood Avenue resident

The dream my parents’ generation had on how the world ought to be is becoming more and more difficult for my generation to fulfill.

We need a new dream for North Vancouver. A dream that both honours and respects the legacy of family, community and the high quality of life that North Vancouver’s citizens have worked hard to establish. A dream that adapts that legacy to today’s reality and provides us all the option to embrace our role in the community. A dream that enhances that legacy and allows us all to provide that same opportunity to our children. I want to work with you, the citizens of North Vancouver, to make that dream a reality.

What experience do you bring to the job that you believe would be valuable?

I’ve worked in the family business, the private sector and the public sector. For the past six years I’ve travelled all across British Columbia, analyzing complex, multi-faceted transportation problems and implementing practical solutions.

As a Professional Engineer, it is my duty to hold paramount the safety, health and welfare of the public and our natural world. This duty defines my character, which I have proven through consistent action in my personal life, my professional career and my dedication to community service.

From 2008 to 2013, I was President of the North Shore Mountain Bike Association (NSMBA). During my leadership, the organization blossomed. What started as a group of struggling volunteers with too much to do, too little time and no money became an organization with full time paid staff, over thirty funding partnerships with the business community and local government, and an engaged and active membership. The NSMBA is now regarded around the mountain bike world as a phenomenal success story. My leadership in setting a vision (and sticking to it), building the right team and nurturing the relationships and partnerships necessary to get things done was a key component in bringing the NSMBA to where it is today.

I offer you my well-rounded perspective, whole-systems way of thinking and passionate commitment to guide our community through the changes ahead.

I find that even though current members of council have their own views on the issues, they work together to make the tough decisions needed in our community.

On November 15th, you have the opportunity to choose your “dream team” of candidates that you think will provide not only a voice for your issues, but the best perspective on the future of our community.

I hope to offer you a fresh perspective on council on three specific issues. I am an Intelligent Transportation Systems Engineer, implementing new technology to improve both the safety and efficiency of our transportation system, and I offer you a professional perspective on council to address our transportation challenges.

I am one of only two candidates under the age of 40. I understand firsthand the challenges that youth, young adults and families face and offer that perspective for the next generation of Lynn Valley citizens. No one person is going to solve our community’s concerns single-handedly. I offer a perspective for community engagement because it will take an effort from each one of you, contributing your own unique voice, passion and strengths to build the best community for us all to live in

My wife and I are starting our family in Lynn Valley and I was intensely interested in what options we may have in the future for housing that will be appropriate for our needs as our family grows and changes over time.

I participated in the public process and what I found most valuable was having frank discussions with my neighbours and sharing not only our concerns, but our hopes for the future. I learned that we need more engagement, more opportunities for people of all ages, incomes and background to sit down and discuss the issues together with compassion. Each person brings a unique perspective, and only by promoting dialogue and understanding across all generations will we be able to develop the best solutions to make our community a better place.

Balancing the diverse needs of the community and making tough decisions when there is no clear best course of action is one of the more difficult challenges for council.

When emotions run high, citizens are passionately expressing their personal stories on both sides of an issue and none of the options available to the community are ideal,  a decision still needs to be made.

I’ve volunteered in our community for 15 years (since I was 15 years old) and appreciate the strong feeling of pride, ownership and sense of community that the citizens of Lynn Valley share.

I moved here specifically to enjoy all the amazing outdoor recreation opportunities Lynn Valley has to offer. Within minutes I can be on a trail and enjoy the splendor of nature that sits just outside our doorstep. I appreciate always bumping into someone I know on a walk to the mall, but also the convenience of having the amenities of a big city close by.

Transportation, cities and sustainability are my professional passions and I spend a significant amount of my personal time attending courses, lectures and researching what the best cities around the world are doing to tackle the challenges we all face.

I am an outdoor enthusiast and an active and responsible advocate for outdoor recreation. Mountain biking is one of my passions and I strongly believe in giving back. I’m currently leading a group of Capilano University students to maintain and upgrade the Circuit 8 trail just 1km up the road in the LSCR.

I am committed to openness, transparency and accountability. I am proactively disclosing all contributions to my campaign on my website. You can go there right now to see who has contributed to my campaign, how much they have contributed, and how I am spending that money.

LynnValleyLife asked each Lynn Valley-residing DNV council candidate to respond to a set of questions designed to help readers become acquainted with their views. Read about candidate Linda Findlay, below, and see our original story for links to all the candidate profiles.

LynnValleyLife asked each Lynn Valley-residing DNV council candidate to respond to a set of questions designed to help readers become acquainted with their views. Read about candidate Robin Hicks, below, and see our original story for links to all the candidate profiles.

What  prompted you to run for re-election?

I have enjoyed my last three terms during which many achievements were completed by Council. These included the completion of an Official Community Plan and the establishment of a Finance and Audit Committee, which I chair. Apart from the Mayor, I am the only Councillor with a financial background (CPA) and I believe we need leadership through a transition period with new Councillors.

What experience do you bring to the job that you believe would be valuable?

I have over 40 years of financial experience in business and local government. I have lectured and written manuals on municipal finance, including the provincial best practises guide on development cost charges and development finance. I also have a multi-generational family here on the North Shore.

I have represented the North Shore over four years as a member of Metro Vancouver’s Finance Committee and the last three years on the Utility Committee. This has enabled me to participate in the design and financing of the $1 billion dollar Water Treatment Plant near Rice Lake and the proposed Sewer Treatment Plant which will replace the current primary treatment at Lions Gate and cost an estimated $800 million.

The financial impacts of both projects are immense and in particular the major cost of the new Sewer Treatment Plant will be borne by the North Shore.

I have been involved in researching and presenting on asset management and I can assure you that our staff at DNV is leading the Province in sustainable repair and replacement of all our underground structures, roads and buildings.

I also have a multi-generational family involved in all aspects of the community so I have considerable experience in where we are and where we should be headed.

What do you appreciate about the manner in which DNV Council currently conducts its affairs?

We have no political party affiliations, are collegial and whilst often arguing from different perspectives, respect the varying opinions and move on after making a decision. We have often been described by external professionals as one of the most effective Councils in the region.

What would you like to see change?

I would like to research a more practical way of engaging with residents on important policy, development and capital programs. Many of these have enormous financial impact and unfortunately many residents only get involved when decisions have been made and then express their concerns.

Lynn Valley’s town planning process was long and, in some respects divisive. What was your experience with this process, and what did you learn?

I was a Councillor rep on the OCP steering committee and over an exhaustive three-year period went to most of the committee meetings and the public dialogues and round tables. We had significant input and participation from interested residents. The main challenges occurred when implementation started and many residents began to realise the wide ranging implications of the OCP and in many cases only then started to raise their concerns.

What do you think is the most difficult challenge councillors have to face in their work?

I see two significant challenges that both incumbent and prospective councillors face. One is the time demand – upwards of 35 hours per week and most of it evening work. The other is becoming knowledgeable of the many aspects of local government, from the unique finance and accounting methodology to transportation, infrastructure maintenance and planning and zoning bylaws. Without prior experience, in my opinion, it takes at least three years to get up to speed.

What do you appreciate about the Lynn Valley community?

• Residents are most willing to adapt to change
• The vibrant social community, especially the involvement of families and young children in sports and cultural activities
• It is full of volunteers, a measure of the community

What would you like voters to know about you?

I have lived in Lynn Valley for 35 years and have three daughters, who all went to Upper Lynn, Argyle and UBC. They were all involved in community and school sports, soccer (which I coached), swimming, water polo, basketball, volleyball skiing etc. and also through the band program and jazz choirs.

They all live on the North Shore with my seven grandchildren and that is the main reason for my political involvement: to ensure a viable and healthy environment for all families who aspire to live in this beautiful community.

Learn more about Robin on his campaign website.