Port Coquitlam 2018

A local member of our Chinese community asked me some questions, so I wanted to share my answers: 1. Cannabis issue. What do you think about recreational cannabis retail issue. What is your suggestion of managing cannabis using and retail? I think that the agency best equipped to deal with the monitoring and control of cannabis sales will be the provincial Liquor Control and Licensing Branch. The LCLB already investigates and enforces the sale of an age-related substance (a...Continue reading

Today is a doubly important day for Sylvia and me. Lillie's first Thanksgiving, and she turned six months old. I am dedicated to building a better community for Lillie, and all of our children, to grow up in. Whether you are a senior, a baby-boomer, or a young single person or family, we deserve to have the community that we want. We deserve to have a thriving business community, parks and streets that we can feel safe on at any time of day, and a community government that puts serving you first. I am committed to working tirelessly toward these ends, but I need your help. Please vote on October 20th and, if you agree with what I stand for, vote for me. If you know anyone in the community who wants positive and accountable change, then please let them know about me and what I represent.

Someone asked who I would want to work with on Council. I'd like to share my response: Thanks for the question. If elected, I will work well with whomever else is on Council. To me, that is the mark of a professional; someone who puts the task at hand, or the people they represent, ahead of personal feelings. I have worked on policy and procedures with people who are my best friends, and I've worked on them with people I didn't agree with. The important thing is that we found consensus. I don't want to say that I'd work better with this person or that because then I am excluding people that I might have to develop a relationship with on Council.

One thing that Port Coquitlam needs is infrastructure improvements, particularly as it relates to traffic interfered with by the rail system. The proposed overpass for Pitt River Road onto Lougheed will help relieve congestion both into and out of the city. The Westwood Corridor is also in need of this type of improvement, and the proposed Infrastructure grant needs to be implemented ASAP. I commit to doing everything I can to engage the provincial and federal governments to ensure that they invest in our infrastructure in a timely manner. We pay our PST, GST and other taxes specifically for these kind of improvements. It's about time we got our money's worth.

Went to the meet n' greet at PoCo Heritage Society Thursday. Thanks to PoCo.Today for hosting. I spoke about how experience is important, given the broad array of candidates. We need people in city government who bring policy-making and operational experience. We also need people who understand how to engage with the business community, developers and the provincial government. I will bring that experience and know-how.

Wednesday night I went to a function for the Kwikwetlem First Nation, where the new Business Park off Pitt River Road was discussed. It is an exciting project that not only represents opportunities for the KFN, but also for the region (including Port Coquitlam). I spoke at length with several members of the project, a representative from the Port of Vancouver, and with Chief Ron Giesbrecht. I asked Chief Giesbrecht what I, if elected to Council, could do to foster and facil...itate this development. He emphasized the need for open communication between KFN and with the city of Port Coquitlam and, moving forward, the importance of an open and respectful relationship between KFN and PoCo in facilitating the project's completion. I agree with Chief Giesbrecht. This project represents a boon, not just for the KFN, but for our community as well. The employment during the construction phases will bring employment and commerce to our region, and the completed project will provide necessary services to both our communities and improved infrastructure and commerce as a side benefit. I have committed to Chief Giesbrecht that, if elected, I will communicate openly and respectfully about the project so that our communities could benefit from its expeditious completion.