By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

Fred Statham

Oct 9, 2018 | 2:08 PM

NanaimoNewsNOW reached out to every municipal candidate to present an easy-to-read and informative guide for our readers to help with the upcoming municipal election. All candidates were asked the same four questions, which are presented here without being edited. 

Biography: N/A

Question 1: Describe, in detail, what you view as the most important duties associated with the role of being councillor/mayor?

What I view as the most important duties associated with the role of being a councillor are: Integrity. Accountability. Respect. Leadership & Collaboration. These are the foundational principles of responsible conduct. INTEGRITY: being honest and demonstrating strong ethical principles. Be truthful, honest and open in all dealings.  ACCOUNTABILITY: an obligation and willingness to accept responsibility or to account for one’s actions. RESPECT: having due regard for others’ perspectives, wishes, and rights; displaying deference to the offices of local government and the role of local government in community decision making. Treat every person with dignity, understanding and respect. LEADERSHIP&COLLABORATION: an ability to lead, listen to, and positively influence others; coming together to create or meet a common goal through collective efforts. Demonstrate behavior that builds and inspires public trust and confidence in local government.  The Civic Leadership Series that was sponsored by The Chamber of Commerce this spring was the best set of workshops I have ever attended because each one of the four sessions focussed on these 4 Principles of Responsible Conduct. 

Question 2: Describe your vision for Nanaimo beyond the next four years

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My vision for Nanaimo beyond the next 4 years is exactly why I am running. The title of my campaign is The Grand Campaign 2.0 because when I ran in the byelection last year, I ran for my grandchildren . I am running for my grandchildren again this year. I want to help build a city that my grandchildren will want to be proud of; a city that will be the envy of Canada. A city that will have a prosperous economy; built on it’s strengths of being A Harbour City. 

Question 3: If you were mkaing a list of your top three strategic priorities for the incoming Council to focus on over the next four years, what would they be and why?

If I were making a list of my top 3 strategic priorities for the incoming council to focus on over the next 4 years, they would be: 1. Good Governance 2. The Affordable Housing Crisis 3. Downtown Revitalization. We need good governance because if The Mayor and Council do not work together as a team; nothing will get done. Nanaimo has had a 15 year Housing Affordability Crisis. The #1 Priority over the next 4 years has to be to solve The Affordable Housing Crisis.Once we do that we can focus on Revitalizing Downtown Nanaimo. The 5 areas that need the most revitalizing are: #1 Port Place, The Waterfront, Diana Krall Plaza, The Alley Way and The Old A&B Sound Building. 

Question 4: What is your strategy for dealing with the intense pressure and scutiny placed upon elected officials, especially from those who may not agree with your decisions or viewpoints?

My strategy for dealing with the intense pressure and scrutiny placed upon elected officials, especially with those who do not agree with my decisions and viewpoints is first and foremost, keep the lines of communication open. I am an open minded person who has a compassionate heart; so I believe it is vital to listen to and respect other people’s opinion. Spending quality time with my family and friends is a good stress reliever; so is walking/ running with my dog. My spiritual life is also very important to me. I have been A Christian all my life . Being a Christian puts all of life’s trials and tribulations in proper perspective. 

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