Over 20 years of listening, learning, and working for our community.
My experience in local government hasn’t taught me that I have all the answers—it’s taught me the exact opposite. Real leadership starts with listening, asking the right questions, and bringing community members directly into the decision-making process. Below are a few concise examples of what I’ve believed, the actions I’ve taken over the past two decades, and the outcomes we achieved together.
1. Public Participation & Open Government
What I Believed: Government works best when it is accessible, transparent, and directly involves residents in shaping local decisions.
What I Did: Early in my tenure, I held informal community gatherings and office hours to make council information easy to access. I strongly advocated for webcasting council meetings so residents could follow proceedings and view recorded votes. More recently, I pushed for initiatives like a Participatory Policy Forum and Citizen Liaison Group.
What Happened: Central Saanich modernized its transparency by implementing meeting webcasts, giving residents a clearer window into local decision-making and a more direct role in shaping recommendations.
2. Environmental Protection & Community Character
What I Believed: Protecting our natural ecosystems and maintaining our community's local character requires consistent, long-term stewardship.
What I Did: Supported local climate initiatives, conservation bylaws, and policies aimed at preserving green spaces and natural habitats.
What Happened: Strengthened local environmental protections and embedded sustainability into official community planning processes.
3. Agriculture & Food Security
What I Believed: Local farmland is essential to our food security, regional economy, and community identity.
What I Did: Consistently voted to protect Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) properties and backed policies supporting local growers and farm-based initiatives.
What Happened: Preserved active agricultural land from improper urban expansion, helping keep local farming viable.
4. Reconciliation & Relationships with First Nations
What I Believed: Meaningful reconciliation must be grounded in government-to-government respect, open communication, and sustained partnership.
What I Did: Prioritized collaborative dialogue, shared initiatives, and respectful engagement with local First Nations leadership.
What Happened: Built stronger, more respectful intergovernmental relationships built on ongoing cooperation and mutual respect.
5. Responsible Use of Public Money
What I Believed: Fiscal responsibility means delivering essential services efficiently and treating taxpayer dollars with care and accountability.
What I Did: Carefully scrutinized annual budgets, prioritized key infrastructure projects, and pushed for plain-language financial reporting.
What Happened: Maintained stable municipal finances while investing in key community infrastructure and services.
6. Housing & Thoughtful Growth
What I Believed: Growth should meet local housing needs without overwhelming existing neighborhood character or infrastructure capacity.
What I Did: Supported diverse housing options while advocating for balanced, community-aligned development standards.
What Happened: Facilitated thoughtful development that expands housing options while respecting neighborhood feel.
What do you think?
Experience isn’t about standing still—it’s about continuously finding better ways to work together. If you have questions about my record or ideas for where our community should go next, I’d love to hear from you.