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Nanaimo council candidate: Tali Campbell

City of Nanaimo: Campbell, Tali – city council candidate

Name: Tali Campbell


Age: 19


Occupation/background: My background has been in the not-for-profit and sports with the focus on marketing, sales, event co-ordination and community/media relations.


Why are you running for public office?


I am running for city council because I believe it’s time that here in Nanaimo we get someone in office who is eager to learn, listen and engage with all our citizens, not just the young, or not just the old, everyone, because this is 'our city' and these are 'our decisions' that we are making to make Nanaimo the prosperous city it can be.


What three priorities are important to you and how do you plan to tackle these issues, if elected?


Downtown area – 

I want to see a downtown Nanaimo that is relevant for all residents. We should have safe, usable spaces that are for the benefit of the entire community. I want all of Nanaimo to feel inspired to attend events that occur at the Diana Krall Plaza, the waterfront downtown, the Port Theatre and other various downtown businesses. I want to see well-lit, popular, productive spaces used for outdoor events such as farmers' markets, concerts, and other special events.


Youth involvement – 

The youths of our city are not only the leaders of tomorrow, they should be the leaders of today. We need to motivate our youths to get involved. Through great organizations like Youth Sticking Together and Big Brothers and Big Sisters I have experienced the power of youth involvement and the benefit it can have on the entire community. Youth involvement is not just about volunteerism. It is about engaging youths to want more from their community and to the give back to that same community. That happen thorough sports, through community activism, through schools and through neighbourhood organizations. We need to create a community that reaches out to youths to maximize their potential. I want to see youths reach out to their community as well. I want to see a spirit of volunteerism that comes from our youths through their schools, community organizations and work programs.


City council and community input – I want to be a part of a council that works equally with all community partners to ensure engagement and respect for all plans being put forth. I want to to be a part of a council that slows down to get things right. We should be taking the time to work closely with all our community partners to get their valuable input and ideas for all decisions that will impact the lives and businesses within those communities. We are better together. I want to work with our great community and be sure that all residents feel heard and respected when city council decisions will impact their lives.


How do you plan to manage taxes and spending?


I believe as a council we need to watch our spending; I feel like sometimes the current council thinks money grows on trees when we all know it doesn’t.


We have to act like this is our own business and we have to work within our budget to make something happen and watch how we spend things.


I’ll be the first to admit I have never paid property tax before, but I have made it a priority of mine to go speak to people who have and learn what their thoughts are, and none of them are really happy how high it is


In business if you product is to high, people won’t buy it, so if our taxes are too high people won’t come; it’s time for any big money spending decisions that we consult with the public before doing it, because as I’ve said before this is our city and these are our decisions.


What do you think it takes to lead Nanaimo? Describe your leadership or co-working style.


It takes someone who has enough time to be able to do his/her research on topics on the table, the energy and eagerness to learn, the patience to listen and engage with all citizens and a leader who will not follow the eight elected officials but do what’s right for the citizens of Nanaimo.