As part of the News Bulletin’s coverage of the city council byelection, we asked all candidates to answer questions about their background, candidacy and priorities. Responses have been edited for grammar, style and clarity.
SHERYL ARMSTRONG, 55
Occupation/background:
I recently retired after 35 years as a RCMP officer. While employed with the force, I was awarded the Queen’s Jubilee medal for community service as well as the commanding officer’s commendation for my work with the First Nations communities I have served. The Tsleil Waututh Nation in North Vancouver honoured me with a naming ceremony where I was given a First Nations name. Upon returning to Nanaimo in 2011, I was the non-commissioned officer in charge of community policing, which gave me a better understanding of many issues facing Nanaimo. Being a member of the Nanaimo fentanyl overdose prevention group gave me a grasp on the crisis this drug is bringing to our community.
What will be your priorities if you are elected and what do you want to accomplish in the 15 months before the 2018 civic election?
Economic development is essential for Nanaimo’s future growth. To that end, I believe it is council’s responsibility to ensure there is a decisive and broad business plan in place to maximize Nanaimo’s prosperity. Together, with our business, government and community stake holders partners, we can work to promote and foster business and economic growth and promote tourism.
A mental health strategy is critical for Nanaimo. In recent years, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of hours spent by emergency services personnel dealing with people who have a mental illness. We need to form a working group to develop a strategy for Nanaimo.
The community voice needs to be heard. There are many ways it can be done. Council members need to be engaged with the community and attend as many community events as possible in order to hear from our citizens.
City council needs to spend taxpayers dollars wisely. We must first look at our infrastructure needs: what is required to be built and what needs to be replaced. This must be done prior to addressing our wish list. The wish list needs to come from the community and not from council.