By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

Brian Loos

Oct 10, 2018 | 6:06 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: 

Hello Nanaimo, I am Brian Loos at 34 years old I grew up in Cedar and have been in Nanaimo directly for over ten years.

I have always felt that my greatest personal attributes have been my resourcefulness and adaptability with the determination that a solution is always in reach. Anyone who knows me would testify to my ability to work through issues in a calm and methodical manner. They would also probably tell you I am painfully logical.

My life as a student at VIU had me completing a BSc in Fisheries with a variety of First Nation courses as electives and afterward doing an Environmental Professional Certification. I also hold a Red Seal trade. My working career has taken me across Canada on an array of short term and long term projects. Always different tasks and consistently different people and personalities. I currently work in international shipping.

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

A city councillor needs to be a representative of their constituents, they must understand the individuals who placed them in that position and fight to vocalize their needs.

They must ensure those needs are being meet and have the foresight to organize and plan for those needs to be meet in the future as the city grows and its dynamics change. A councilor works with other council members, committees, and stakeholders to build the partnerships necessary for compromise and assure that the foundation of the city is built with no group being unrepresented.

It is important to note communities are groups of organizations and people. As such the City Council should be made of a diversity of councillors who each are representing the citizens who have elected them. Above all else the councillor must listen. No one is an expert in every field and the council is dependent on the efficiency and accuracy of it’s committees. The council, as a whole, needs to filter that information to reflect the principles, values and health of Nanaimo.

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

It is my hope that beyond the next four years the pieces of the puzzle start coming together and that united we can be proud of the direction of our city. Nanaimo is very linear and segregated in its design. We need to start planning to improve transit not by just spending and buying more buses but by design. We need to ensure each area of the city has immediate access to schools, community recreation space, groceries, and other commercial space.

Nanaimo’s tourism plan needs to be developed so we have a dedicated area to boost our tourism and attractions which funds our venues and amenities to help attract people here to live in our city and work in our growing businesses.

Most importantly I hope that beyond the next four years our city can be confident within itself again. That we will be branded and recognized globally for our environment, businesses, university and above all else the health of our community.

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

Review and Regroup: We will get a good council this election. As a cohesive group we will need to establish our values and goals together. An adequate amount of time must be dedicated to reviewing decisions, contracts and commitments that have been previously made and evaluate the new committee’s thoughts on those before we can

effectively move forward. We need accountability. We need to determine the values and principles of Nanaimo before we move forward.

Branding Nanaimo: This will let us share with the world what we truly are. Each citizen needs to be proud of this city again. There are so many successes here in Nanaimo, so many hard-working organizations, so many young families giving everything they have to keep our community growing. Our focus should be on supporting and promoting these positive attributes and encourage more.

Uniting Municipalities: The issues affecting Nanaimo are not unique just to us. Collaboration with other municipalities to lobby to Provincial and Federal governments is essential to establish a united front and demand solutions to issues like finding a primary care physician, affordable child care and housing.

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

Protocol, the reason it exists is so that items can move forward even when emotions and conflicting viewpoints clash to a stalemate.

I will always put forward the health of Nanaimo but my views will not always be the most popular or the selected view. Lobbying forward, researching and proposing the opinions of my citizens will be my goal. There will be successes, failures and compromises hopefully they all take Nanaimo in the right direction.

Scrutiny, critical observation or examination. I believe it is needed to help encourage accountability.

As for survival and stress. I’ll eat more vegetables and spend more time exercising in my south end recreational facilities.

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