If his Facebook likes translate into votes, Don Bonner will be well on his way to a seat on Nanaimo city council.
This week, Bonner stepped aside as administrator of the popular Facebook group A Better Nanaimo as he announced his intention to run for council. He held a campaign launch event Thursday evening at Kin Hut.
“I’ve been a council watchdog and I’ve been a bit of a council critic, and I think it was time for me to say, OK, I can continue to be a critic or I can work on the other side and make things happen,” Bonner said.
The former spokesman for the No Vote 2017 campaign in the multiplex referendum said he’s seen a city council that has made reactive decisions that haven’t been in the city’s best interests long-term.
“I think what’s been lost in our city is a vision for our future, and that’s what I’m campaigning on,” Bonner said. “Where do we want to be four years from now, 10 years from now?”
Bonner wants to see brand-new ways of community engagement in Nanaimo that will empower citizens who take part in public consultation.
A member of the Algonquin First Nation, Bonner said he wants to rebuild partnerships with the Snuneymuxw, recognize equality and heed First Nations culture when it comes to listening to and respecting others’ opinions.
As far as economic development, the business owner is keen on attracting high-tech jobs and said Nanaimo is well-situated on that front if the right resources and infrastructure are in place.
He’s been pretty sure he was going to run for council for six to eight months now, but said it was still hard to step away from his Facebook group this week.
“I’m going to win this election fair and square…” Bonner said. “[A Better Nanaimo] accomplished what it was meant to do, which was to create a space where people can have a conversation without worrying about someone stepping all over them verbally.”
He thinks all councillors should have social media accounts, and suggested there are other programs and platforms beyond Facebook the city could use to try to encourage community conversation about a range of municipal topics.
Bonner said he’s used to boardroom tables, having been president of United Way and Rotary Daybreak and a chamber of commerce board member. Whether it’s in that setting, at a city council meeting, in the community or on Facebook, he looks forward to participating in the discussion.
“I know how to work with people and come up with a common goal at the end of our conversations,” he said.
To read interviews with other local government election candidates, bookmark this link.
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