Quesnel Councillor Ron Paull tries a 4th time to become Mayor of Quesnel

Yesterday - veteran Quesnel City Councillor Ron Paull announced that he would be seeking the position of Mayor of Quesnel in October's Local General Election in the City of Quesnel and spoke to the Quesnel Cariboo Observer - click here

This would be Councillor Paull's 4th try to become Mayor of Quesnel.  The last attempt was in 2011 in a 3 way race between former Quesnel City Councillor Ron Craigmyle and then-Quesnel Mayor (and current Cariboo Regional District Area "A" Director) Mary Sjostrom with the final vote count being:

* Mary Sjostrom - 1,057 votes

* Ron Paull - 955

* Ron Craigmyle - 831

Councillor Paull has told the Quesnel Cariboo Observer that he will announce his Mayoral platform in the days to come

Just like in the 3 Way Williams Lake Mayoral Race -- I would reasonably expect that the following topics will be raised during the Quesnel Mayoral Race:

* Relationships - both internally (community at large, service clubs, etc.) and externally (First Nations, Other Levels of Government - Regional, Provincial and Federal, sectoral groups, etc.)

* Housing - all types (social, affordable, market driven)

* Healthcare - Infrastructure and Human Resources

* State of Local Infrastructure - Water, Sewer, Sidewalks, Roads, etc. (both current and look to the future)

* Replacement of the Quesnel Pool, following rejection of a similar plan in mid 2020 via referendum and is approaching 40 years old+

* Community Safety 

Both Ron Paull and Brian Waters have both announced publicly and filed their nomination papers with the City of Quesnel's Chief Election Officer

Current Quesnel Mayor Bob Simpson announced back in January 2022 his intention to seek a 3rd term - click here but he has not yet filed his nomination paperwork with the City of Quesnel's Chief Election Officer but is currently expected to do so 

The deadline to file nomination papers with the local Chief Election Officer or their Deputy to run for Mayor, Councillor, Area Director or School Trustee is this Friday at 4pm!

~SF

Bob Simpson to seek 3rd term as Mayor of Quesnel

After committing at the outset of this 2018-2022 local government term that he would not seek a 3rd term as Mayor of Quesnel -- Bob Simpson has had a change of heart.  He told My Cariboo Now today:

"Many of our (Quesnel Council) key initiatives have been delayed due to climate-related emergencies and the ongoing COVID pandemic. In particular, we are still trying to lock in the North-South Interconnector project and we’re still working to obtain a Community Forest in partnership with four First Nations communities. Our Food Hub initiative has also had a slower than expected start and is just now on the cusp of a major expansion, and all of our social initiatives have taken on even more importance and must be accelerated in the coming years.”

Announcements for re-election are not common this far out before General Voting Day (however plans to not seeking re-election are) but usually take place closer to General Voting Day which for the 2022 BC Local Elections is Saturday, October 15th, 2022

No others have formally announced their intentions to run for Quesnel Councillor or Mayor for the 2022 City of Quesnel Local General Election

A Banner Year for Grant Funding

Courtesy of the City of Quesnel:

Editor's Note -- this week's Quesnel City Council is written by Mayor Bob Simpson.  He can be reached via email here

This has been a banner year for grant funding for the City; enabling us to build new amenities in support of our economic transition strategy, address social needs in the community, and underwrite major capital projects that would otherwise have required significant increases in property taxes. Grant funding has become a major contributor to the City’s budget since Council made the deliberate decision in 2014 to develop the necessary strategies and “shovel-ready” project plans to improve our success in obtaining this type of incremental funding. It takes a lot of pre-planning, budgeting, and networking to be consistently successful at obtaining these grants, and, most importantly, a proven track record of delivering quality projects that meet the expectations of the granting government or agency. Over the past few years, Quesnel has developed a reputation for quality in both our grant applications and our implementation of the projects we receive funding for. As a result, last year we celebrated receiving $6.1 million in grants from federal and provincial programs and from Northern Development Trust. This year we are already approaching $15 million in grant funding! The bulk of the grants are for projects that will advance our economic transition strategy, continuing to enable us to make Quesnel a vibrant and interesting place for visitors, residents, and investors. However, the lion’s share of the grant money we’ve secured so far this year will go to projects that address major infrastructure needs which would otherwise have to be paid for by local property taxation. www.quesnel.ca/business-services/economic-development/economic-development-transition-strategy The most recent of these grant announcements was last week’s great news that Quesnel was one of ten communities in BC to receive federal and provincial funding to renovate our #1 Firehall. The $2.5 million Quesnel received was the largest allocation to a community from this innovative $8.8 million funding stream. youtu.be/xO3gQA9qq74 This grant will enable us to bring our downtown firehall up to current building and accessibility codes and standards. The renovation project we can now undertake will include providing a change room for female firefighters and increasing the size of apparatus bays. Overall the project will result in increased public safety, decreased occupational hazards for our staff and volunteer firefighters, and lower greenhouse gas emissions. Of critical importance to our ratepayers, this grant will also increase the lifespan of the current building by 15 to 20 years; enabling us to avoid going to referendum, potentially in 2022, to replace the facility at a projected cost of $7 - 10 million. The other major infrastructure grant we received this year was $7.2 million for the complete repaving of the airport. Again, this will directly benefit all ratepayers, including those in the Cariboo Regional District, who subsidize the operations of this critically important transportation facility, as a completely repaved airport will improve operational efficiency and enable us to continue to advance our business development strategy for this important community asset. https://bit.ly/3qgVwXz In the social domain, the major grant we’ve received so far this year will enable us to build a new childcare facility in West Quesnel. This $1.3 million provincial grant will create 34 much needed new childcare spaces. https://bit.ly/2SkonxJ Quality childcare is, of course, a major economic development initiative as well as a social imperative in all communities, and we’re grateful for the support from the province to add more spaces in our community in partnership with the Quesnel and District Daycare Society who will operate the new facility. Council will continue to “chase” grants as a way to stretch your tax dollars and continue to make the strategic investments we need to make in our community.

Downloading or an Opportunity to Lead?

Courtesy of the City of Quesnel:

Last week Council approved, with one dissenting vote, to provide up to $15,000 toward a collaborative effort with Northern Health and BC Housing aimed at developing a comprehensive strategy to address the needs of people with mental health and with substance use issues in our community. The funding that all three partners have committed to this initiative has enabled us to hire qualified consultants to help us accelerate and deepen the process we started earlier this year.

During the debate about funding this initiative some Council members expressed concern that we were being asked to fund what is clearly a provincial responsibility, that is why one Council member voted against this initiative. Downloading is a legitimate and long-standing concern for local governments, particularly over the past decade or so as provincial and federal governments have cut programs and services they historically provided in our communities.

Earlier this year, I was also challenged about this issue when I presented our successful physician recruitment initiative (another partnership between the City of Quesnel and Northern Health) at a conference. A member of the audience asked me if the City’s involvement in this program wasn’t simply “mandate creep;” that is, wasn’t the City going beyond it’s legislated mandate by getting involved in matters that were clearly the constitutional responsibility of the provincial and federal governments.

In my estimation, the responsibility of locally elected Councils and Regional District Boards is to ensure the resiliency and sustainability of our communities. If that is true, then there is no such thing as “mandate creep,” as our mandate encompasses every aspect of resiliency: social, environmental, and financial. Rather than viewing partnership opportunities with provincially or federally funded agencies as “downloading,” I prefer to see these as opportunities to show leadership and to find creative and collaborative ways to address the very real challenges confronting our communities.

By providing nominal amounts of our local taxation to collaborative initiatives we not only fast track the process of finding solutions, we can also leverage significant resources into our community that may otherwise have gone elsewhere. That clearly happened with our now award winning doctor recruitment initiative, and Council’s deliberate leadership on the affordable housing front has also successfully attracted significant investment from the province in much needed housing projects.

There are also utilitarian reasons for Council to commit our limited financial resources to collaborative initiatives that are clearly provincial or federal responsibilities: the outcomes can reduce the City’s annual operating costs and/or increase our tax base through resident and investment attraction. For example, if we can find community-based solutions to substance abuse it may result in reduced policing costs, which is one of the City’s highest annual costs.

Finally, by showing leadership through participating financially in collaborative, solutions-oriented initiatives with provincially and federally funded partners, Quesnel City Council is becoming known as a willing partner in the development of proactive programs and services for our community. This positions us to use our political leverage more effectively with the senior levels of government.

This week I’m in Victoria for follow-up meetings with a number of Ministers and with the Premier. I believe we’re making good progress with the new provincial government precisely because we’re not allowing our concerns about “downloading” to prevent us from demonstrating leadership and developing community-based solutions that we can present to the Province for funding.

Editor's Note: Bob Simpson is the Mayor of Quesnel.  He can be reached, via email, here

Bob Simpson: How many Sawmills at risk?

On his blog - Ind. MLA for Cariboo-North, Bob Simpson asks this question, in light of the sawmill explosion at Burns Lake:

The tragic fire at Babine Forest Products (Burns Lake) has finally brought to light the question about whether there is a long term log supply for all mills and all communities in the Mountain Pine Beetle zone?


Read more here

WL News - Dec 6th edition

Before the news - don't forget about Williams Lake Council's Inaugural Meeting at 6pm tonight at WL City Hall

In the News... 

1) Salvation Army opens 'Great Room' for woman in need in Williams Lake - see here
2) Local family shares information about "Menkes" disease - see here
3) Deni House re-opens in a ceremony held yesterday - see here with a government press release here

Editor's Note - I personally glad to see the work of many seniors' including Audrey MacLise of the local Seniors' Advisory Council coming to fruition with regard to the re-opening of Deni House.  If not for the very public work of Ms. MacLise and her group - it is very likely that Deni House may have never re-opened

4) Doug Wilson says Williams Lake should be named "Capital of Western Heritage" - see here
5) Should candidates for School Trustees undergo Criminal Record checks, prior to a general local election? One former trustee in the Nanaimo-Ladysmith School District thinks so - see here
6) Bob Simpson (Ind. MLA for Cariboo-North) openly challenges all MLA's to open their expense claims to public scrutiny - see here

In Quesnel - debate still rages over approval for wage hike for Quesnel Council, as per City of Quesnel Policy.  See here

Over at Welcome to Williams Lake - they are running a "Facebook Fan" appreciation contest where you can win a $500 travel voucher.  See more details here

Finally - with last week's decision to halt work for 90 days by Taseko Mines with regard to their "New Prosperity" mine proposal by the BC Supreme Court, The Common Sense Canadian interviewed Xeni Gwet'in First Nation Chief Marilyn Baptiste and CRD Area 'J' Director-elect/Xeni Gwet'in Band Councillor Roger William, with regard to last week's court case.

View the video below:

Regional News - Nov 10th edition

In Quesnel:

* 2 Quesnel School Trustee seek election - see here (Charlotte Kunka) and here (Gloria Jackson)
* Quesnel voter is looking for honesty, integrity and transparency in Quesnel Council candidates - see here
* Recently held Quesnel Chamber of Commerce all candidates forum biased towards Quesnel Mayor Mary Sjostrom and Quesnel Councillors Mike Cave & L-A Roodenburg, charges one voter - see here

Finally - 172 voters took advantage of yesterday's Advance Poll.  Next Advance Poll - Nov 12th from 8am - 8pm at Quesnel City Hall


In Williams Lake:

* Former TNG Tribal Chair Ervin Charleyboy endorses Scott Nelson for WL Mayor - see here and here
* John Dube (Chief Shop Steward of IUOE), on the Rush, says he supports Scott Nelson for WL Mayor because he'll get the City moving, knows business and doesn't support the current direction of the City under current Mayor Kerry Cook and it is time for a change
* Disappointment expressed by TNG over review of latest Prosperity Mine proposal - see here and here
* Video on why Ervin Charleyboy supports a look at new Prosperity Mine proposal - see here
* Kerry Cook/Peter Bowman campaigns endorsed by Alkali Lake Chief Fred Robbins - see here
* Middle school "short-sighted"?? - this is suggested by Mike Levitt (31 yr teacher at WL Secondary) - see here
* Central Cariboo Arts and Culture Society begins new round of grants - see here
* Wells received $5,000 from Ottawa for the 2011 "Artswells Festival" - see here
* Bob Simpson on the local elections - see here and Remembrance Day/release of new war video games - see here

Finally - 386 voters took advantage of the 1st Advance Poll in Williams Lake.  This is a new record, according to local Chief Election Officer Cindy Bouchard, reports the Rush.  Next Advance Poll is Wednesday, November 16th


In 100 Mile House:

* CRD/100 Mile All Candidate Forum took place - see here
* Maureen Pinkney says why she should be new 100 Mile Mayor - see here while Mitch Campsall pitches to voters why he should continue for a 2nd term as 100 Mile Mayor - see here
* Incumbent CRD Area 'L' Director Bruce Rattray says why he should be allowed to continue for a 2nd term - see here while challenger Tom Baraniak states why a change in the CRD Area 'L' Directorship should occur - see here
* Candidates for the CRD Area 'H' Directorship pitch themselves to voters - see here (Ron Lister) and here (Margo Wagner)

Finally - 88 voters showed up to vote in the Advance Poll for the District of 100 Mile House.  Next opportunity to vote is on November 19th

WL News.... Nov 8th edition

* News on 2nd Review of "New Prosperity" mine proposal was swift and predictable - see here (Globe and Mail), here (The Province), here (Statement from Union of BC Indian Chiefs) and here (The Rush)


* Cariboo-North MLA Bob Simpson petitions for high-speed Internet in rural parts of his riding - see here
* Local residents march last Friday in support of 'Occupy' movement - see here
* CRD Area 'G' Director Al Richmond reflects what his next term will look like - see here
* Tribune columnist Diana French looks at Remembrance Day and why the WL Council candidates are not discussing an Economic Plan 'B' - see here
* Leona Charleyboy of 150 Mile says First Nations - take advantage of your right to vote in the Williams Lake local election - see here
* Bev Atkins says voters should get informed about the 17 local election candidates for WL City Council - see here

Finally - Bob Simpson, on his blog today, looks at the release of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and the fact Remembrance Day is Friday and whether or not we are treating Remembrance Day with the solemnity and seriousness that it deserves - see here

Latest Provincial Political Poll from Ipsos-Reid

Recently - Ipsos-Reid did a poll on support for provincial political parties.  You can review the particulars of that poll here

Overall - the NDP hold a 36-45% support lead over the reigning BC Liberals who have between 30-38% and voter support for the BC Conservatives' between 9-12% and 16% who are undecided.

But - on support for provincial political leaders:

Christy Clark - 45% support with 46% non-support and 9% saying "Don't Know"
Adrian Dix - 43% support with 36% non-support and 21% saying "Don't Know"
John Cummins - 23% support with 33% non-support and 45% saying "Don't Know"

Finally - by sub-region:

Metro Vancouver:

NDP - 45% support
BC Liberals - 35% support
BC Conservatives - 14% support

Vancouver Island:

NDP - 54% support
BC Liberals - 31% support
BC Conservatives - 8% support

Interior/North:

NDP - 39% support
BC Liberals - 46% support
BC Conservatives - 9% support

Final Comments:

While the NDP have support in Metro Vancouver and Vancouver Island, the reigning BC Liberals have comfortable support in the Interior and Northern BC.  Meanwhile - the BC Conservatives have just enough support to play "spoiler" in Interior/North and Vancouver Island to the BC Liberals' but could have enough support (if developed over time) to elect a few MLA's in Metro Vancouver.  Also - if John Cummins converts his 45% "don't know" into "support", things could get really ugly for the BC Liberals as we approach 2013

Overall - the BC Liberals have a ton of work to do in Metro Vancouver/Vancouver Island to get rid of the NDP's lead in these sub-regions while watching the BC Conservatives behind them, with little time remaining to do so (with just under 2 years before the next election)

Finally - while not part of this poll - if the NDP/Liberals and BC Conservatives run candidates in Cariboo-North - I wonder if a 4 way race for this riding could spell doom for Independent MLA Bob Simpson come April of 2013...given when he ran in 2009, it was a two way race with only the NDP/BC Liberals...but on the other hand - BC Conservatives could, in a 4 way race, play "spoiler" to the BC Liberal candidate.  But it would come down to how many "NDP" supporters back Mr. Simpson as an independent and not back the local NDP Candidate.  This riding may end up being one to watch - given the only other independent MLA in BC is in Delta South (Vicki Huntingdon)

SBF

Mid-Week News Wrap - August 31st edition

In Quesnel:

* Cariboo-North MLA Bob Simpson weighs in on HST Rejection - see here
* Letter writer Susan Maile laments about the HST Rejection and what it could mean for basic services like health and education - see here

In 100 Mile:

* CRD accepting applications for 2012 Grant-in-Aides until September 30th- see here
* District of 100 Mile House advises local residents on sewer system flush from August 29th - Sept 2nd - see here
* Local editorial on HST Rejection - see here

In Williams Lake:

* Audrey MacLise says that MSP Premiums should not be charged to seniors - see here
* According to the WL Seniors' Advisory Council website (see here)- their next "Members' meeting" - will be on Wednesday, September 21st at 1:00pm in the WL Public Library Meeting Room
* Williams Lake Independent Community TV does a really good story on the outcome of the HST and an interview with CRD Chair Al Richmond on the proposed Municipal Auditor-General - see here
* Dog and Suds Restaurant gets "approval-in-principle" from WL City Council - see here
* Prosperity Mines revised application applauded at WL City Council's meeting last night - see here
* Donna Barnett goes over a "Day in the Life of the Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA" - see here
* Diana French (Tribune columnist) reviews the rejection of the HST and how it is was good, overall, for average folks exercising their democratic rights - see here

* 3 Videos - upcoming public consultation meetings on new CRD Solid Waste Management Plan, Municipal Auditor-General and proposed "Code of Conduct"for CRD Directors':

Bob Simpson: Pacific Carbon Trust robs schools to subsidize business

Indepedent Cariboo-North MLA Bob Simpson continues to raise concerns about the Pacific Carbon Trust and the impact it has on school district budgets

See here

I do agree with Bob on one point - whatever schools pay into the Carbon Trust, they should get back for "green" projects and not pay in and get nothing back

SBF

Bob Simpson and MLA Expenses

In yesterday's Times Colonist (Victoria newspaper) - Independent Cariboo-North MLA Bob Simpson the current system of the posting of MLA expenses is so vague that he is working with the Legislative Comptroller and his office staff to post detailed MLA expenses.  See the article here

I publicly congratulate Bob on this initiative and his views on MLA expenses are generally in line on how I feel on the posting of expenses for not only provincial MLA's but also local politicians.  See that blog post here