Marianne Alto
Age: 53
Occupation: facilitator
Website:
mariannealto.ca
Top three issues:
Solving homelessness -- Implement an integrated harm reduction plan: prevention, treatment, housing and supportive services, including a fixed needle exchange with mobile distribution centres and a clinically supervised safe consumption site offering access to addictions treatment, primary health care and mental health services.
Making citizen involvement easier -- Use conventional face-to-face methods and new technology to bring people into city hall decision-making.
Creating transportation options -- Develop a regional transportation system that reduces reliance on fossil fuels and makes it easy for people to get out of cars and onto a train, bus, bike or their feet.
How will you vote on bridge referendum?
Support the referendum
Saul Anderson
Age: 41
Occupation: cab driver
Website:
saulgood.ca
Top three issues:
Harm reduction, food security, affordable housing, regional transportation.
Secrecy of ballots is paramount.
Paul Brown
Age: 59
Occupation: partner in a knowledge-based business
providing advice, counsel and training on accountability, due diligence and governance to provincial, state and territorial governments across the Pacific Northwest
Website:
paulbrown-victoria.org
Top three issues:
No more Blue Bridge fiascos: accountability, due diligence and transparency on all issues
Fiscal prudence: Mitigate tax increases and maintain service levels with our existing city workforce
Regionalization: Our priorities are just as important as those of our neighbouring municipalities. We cannot continue to shoulder an unfair burden for funding regional issues such as policing and homelessness. If other municipalities want us at the table to discuss their priorities such as regional transportation (e.g. Colwood Crawl), they need to be prepared to come to the table to discuss our priorities as well.
How will you vote on bridge referendum? No
Steven Filipovic
Age: 43
Occupation: small-business owner, Filipovic Residential Services
Website:
SteveFilipovic.ca
Top three issues:
I will work to create co-ops, rent-to-own opportunities, and get more supportive housing, support more local food development, get investment for our community centres, light rail rapid transit, better late-night busing and more cycling infrastructure.
How will you vote on bridge referendum?
Vote no in the referendum. Support Steve Filipovic to block the mayor and city council. November's Focus Magazine reveals $8.6 million will fix the bridge for 40 years.
Rose Henry
Age: 52
Occupation: research assistant
Website:
Facebook (group)
Top three issues:
For me the top issue is how are we going to get the local community leaders to stop shuffling the unhoused community around.
The second issue is how are we going to improve the voter turnout.
The third is how do we make room for First Nations voices and make the city more livable for everyone.
How will you vote on bridge referendum?
I have already publicly announced that I will be voting No on the referendum
Barry Hobbis
Age: 62
Occupation: manager, Victoria Harbour Ferries
Website:
electbarryhobbis.org
Top three issues:
Fiscal responsibility, public participation, and regional integration. We should not move ahead with any project until we know the bottom line for city finances, reserves and the impact on taxpayers; and set the framework now for a financially sustainable future. There must be meaningful public participation before decisions are made, starting with open and objective information.
That's my bottom line: respect for the taxpayer, respect for the right of every resident to participate and contribute.
Regional core services -- infrastructure, transport, housing and policing. Victoria cannot face these alone. Integration, with accountable governance. That debate should start now.
How will you vote on bridge referendum?
As a resident of Saanich, I am unable to vote in the referendum, but I urge everyone to Vote NO.
Hugh Kruzel
Age: 49
Occupation: educator
Website: supporthughkruzel.com
Top three issues:
1. Ensuring all Victoria taxpayers do not face years of increases to pay for decisions that are not good value for money;
2. Safe streets -- Victoria cannot ever again be No. 2 for crime in either B.C. nor Canada;
3. Community pride -- this includes ending graffiti and instead creates a vibrant downtown and neighbourhoods -- that welcome tourists, and offers residents hopefulness and opportunities for work, play, shopping, learning and creativity.
How will you vote on bridge referendum?
I will vote NO! I believe that should be clear after I devoted many days and all of last Christmas season to helping collect (ask Anne Russo or Ross Crockford) signatures on the counter-petition.
Pedro J. Mora
Age: 66
Occupation: retired
Website:
nowpolling.ca
Top three issues:
1. If we want to see real social changes in our lifetime, citizens have to realize the need to retain the power to make decisions in our hands. We need to change our traditional representative democracy with an innovative system of direct democracy. This can easily be made through a computerized system facilitating initiative,referendum and recall. The technology is here. We need the collective will to change.
2. To learn and practise non-violence, as a new, more civilized way of life.
3. Victoria could be a happier and healthier city if the resources were distributed in a more egalitarian way. There is no lack of natural and/or human resource. Victoria's politicians have a lack of initiative, courage, and empathy to make the needed changes.
How will you vote on bridge referendum?
This referendum on how to pay for the bridge is a red herring. The real decision on building the bridge, has already been decided by the present council and mayor. I will vote NO just for the record.
George Sirk
Age: 60
Occupation: tour-school bus driver and naturalist guide
Website:
georgesirk.com
Top three issues:
Control spending, for example,
I support ARESST, where the focus is on solving the cross-contamination of our storm drains and sewage, and chemical point source contamination, not on expensive sewage treatment plants.
Our No. 1 industry is tourism, thus we should refocus on the heritage values of Victoria. Small business will benefit from an increase of tourism. Our entrepreneurial spirit will flourish.
Adopt a "Not everyone is a driver, but everyone uses a crosswalk" policy. We need to vastly improve our walking and cycling infrastructure. Safer and well defined. A new skateboard park. A low-maintenance, safe place for our youth.
How will you vote on bridge referendum?
Definitely NO. I polled the passengers on my double-deckers and 95 per cent of the tourists want us to keep our "Old Blue." It's an important piece of our heritage. And be financially responsive to current economy: Refit, not rebuild, the Blue Bridge! (for Victoria only)
Rimas Tumasonis
This candidate did not respond to our requests for information.
No photo available
Susan Woods
Age: 57
Occupation: publisher, communications consultant
Website:
electsusanwoods.com
Top three issues:
1) Comprehensive transportation strategy that includes commuter rail.
2) Less costly repair option for the Johnson Street Bridge.
3) Affordable rental accommodation through city developed co-op housing.
