Prince Rupert Election 2011

Updates

Sunday, November 13th
• New Polls are now reset and ready for voting. They close on November 18.
• The Previous polls are archived.

Wednesday, November 9th
• Updated Tanya Boudier page with submitted information.

Tuesday, November 8th
• Tuesday is the All-Candidates Meeting, followed by the Trustee Candidate Forum is on Wednesday evening
• The Meet the Candidates event on Thursday evening.

Monday, November 7th
• Updated Rob Vallee page with submitted information.
• Updated Farley Stewart page with submitted information.

Saturday, November 5th
• Added Do We Need School Boards At All question to Issues page

Thursday, November 3rd
• Updated Brian Johnson page updated with submitted information.

Wednesday, November 2nd
• Added Watson Island questions to Issues page

Candidates

Mayor

Kathy Bedard
Jack Mussallem
Corinna Morhart 

School Board Trustees

Janet Beil (acclaimed)
Tanya Boudier (updated)
Marty Bowles (updated)
Brian Johnson (updated)
Terri-Lynne Huddlestone (updated)
Leonard Alexcee (no information)
Barb Gruber (no information)
Bart Kuntz (no information)
Tina Last (no information)
Louisa Sanchez (no information)
Russel Wiens (no information)

City Council

Anna Ashley
Gina Garon
Christo Holmes
Nelson Kinney
James Kirk
Conrad Lewis
Gabe Mclean
Judy Carlick Pearson
Jennifer Rice
Farley Stewart
Joy Thorkelson
Rob Vallee

Polls

Mayor
City Councillors
School Board Trustees
  • Guest

    Very awesome.

  • Dwhite

    I would like to ask all the candidates a simple question just to get things started.  If elected, what do you see as the main goal facing council or the school board, and what do you see as your personal role in reaching that goal?  Thank you.

  • The Podunkian

    Congratulations to those that have put in the work in launching your information portal, it offers up a unique chance for the voters to learn more about the candidates and discuss the local issues of the day.

    From what I have read so far, the opportunity to both the voter and the candidates is there for a constructive and helpful dialogue.

    Considering the shrinking nature of our local media and the lack of focus at times on local issues, it will be worth watching to see how folks utilize this forum to get their thoughts across and seek out more information.
    Good work, it could provide us with some valuable access to those that seek our vote.

  • hitest

    Congratulations on the new site

  • Christo Holmes

    a great idea and service…but please change the name “Christopher Holmes” to ” Christo Holmes” as that is the name that I’m known by and the name that will appear on the ballot…and to Dale (dwhite) …I will be hammering away on the challenge for the future  council but not on this forum at this time…I ‘m building a website (that is some crackerjack computer engineer volunteers are doing so) and hope to have it up and running soon…in the meantime  questions or thoughts from voters can be directed to christoholmes@hotmail.com  or phone me at 627-7970…

  • The Podunkian

    Would hope that you rethink your thoughts on participation in this forum, while a personal website is good and helpful, the chance to exchange ideas and thoughts with the electorate through this forum may be an opportunity you might wish to take.

  • Christo Holmes

    I said ””not… at this time”….I look forward to participating here…but again pls. read comment…I said ”not… at this time ” 

  • Anonymous

    I would also like to add my thanks to the creators of this site, especially considering our loss of the Daily News.  It provides a free opportunity for all candidates to spread their message and interact with the people of Prince Rupert.  While I will put comments on here sometimes, most of the time I will be putting my thoughts on most questions and issues raised on my website as it is a more clean and concise way of addressing complex issues.   However I will check here regularly as I look forward to hearing what people have to say. 

  • hitest

    You’ve lost my vote.

  • Anonymous

    That is a difficult question as there are several critical issues facing our community and all of them are complex.  I believe the most critical issues facing our community would be dealing with a $90 million dollar infrastructure deficit within a very limited budget, trying to keep taxation under control when we know that it is not a sustainable method of paying for operating expenses and providing services to our community, and working with our community to rejuvenate our local economy.  Of these I believe that it is our infrastructure deficit that is of the most concern since the fundamental responsibility of local governments is to ensure the basic services of water, sewer, roads, garbage disposal, and emergency services. 

    I feel my role in this regard is to create and support policies, and resolutions, that address this deficit, as well as work with the rest of council to provide a budget that addresses these fundamental needs.  We need to prioritize our infrastructure needs and create a comprehensive, realistic and sustainable plan to reduce and eliminate our infrastructure deficit.  This plan would need to identify the costs and timelines for such projects and explore all viable, sustainable funding options as alternatives to taxation being the sole source of revenue.  It would need to be mindful of our community’s needs both now and in the future.  It also needs to go beyond just the physical state of our roads, water, sewer and emergency services.  We also need to build our human resource infrastructure so we are prepared for the jobs that come to our community in the future.  We need to make sure our community is ready for business and industry investment opportunities as they arise.

  • Gabe McLean

    On the question of the main goal facing council. As with any “corporate” entity it is always about the money. My role will be to examine every part of the budget that has to do with this question. Can the revenues created balance the expenses created to zero? That means a lot of research into how the Corporation of the City is handling CityWest, The Airport Ferry, The Alaska Ferry Terminal and many other agreements that cost taxpayers positive cash flow. I would then need to get approval of Council to make a comprehensive report to the voting public due to Section 90 restrictions. The public would determine the next proposals and motions I would make to council.

  • Farley Stewart

    I want to say thank you for getting this site started. I appreciate your work. I have emailed my information in and I am sure it will soon be posted. I will be adding this site as a favorite and will address the quesitons submitted in due time. Please feel free to check out my facebook page….Good Luck to all.

  • Anonymous

    Hi Farley,

    We haven’t received any information here. editor@skeena.org is the address to send to.

  • Farley Stewart

    Hey MiG
    I sent it again to you late Friday night. If you haven’t received it I will send it from  my office tomorrow. FS

  • huey

    How does a candidate post their profile ? Does anyone know?

  • Anonymous

    Should be an address at the bottom of each candidate’s page.  editor@skeena.org

  • Brian Johnson

    My personal role is to hold all of us responsible.
    I wish to rid School District 52 of the “Pyrimid” structure and put us ALL on the same ground.
    I encourage some of our past Trustees to read Animal Farm…. George Orwell was and is right today in this short novel.
    Decisions, participation, inclusiveness and belonging are among the few……yet there is a large group of people being unrepresented or listened to….
    Trustees are elected to be the PEOPLES voice and decision makers…….
    I encourage Trustees of the last 3 years to read Animal Farm and focus on the final 5 chapters of this literary work……

  • Brian Johnson

    A vote was held by BCPSEA to dock Teachers pay by 15% for the current phase of job action.
    One Trustee attended this meeting and cast the boards decision.
    Was our District in support of the motion mentioned above?
    Was the board unanimous in sending that vote down south?
    This is a provincial issue that affects all teachers, and really should be dealt with in the public meetings for debate and vote…..
    I have a gut feeling that 2, maybe 3 Trustees voted apposed and would have been the minority vote on the board.
    We need not know at this time as to what was discussed but need to know of the position each Trustee had in the decision……
    I would like to know who supported the 15% issue and who were opposed.
    It is public accountability time!

  • Brian Johnson

    I am wondering if any Trustee candidates have reqested and received any requested meetings or information from the Board office? I read in the paper that I could reqest info…… I reqested meetings with the Superintendant, Treasurer, Maintenance Head and financial documents to best fomulate my campaingn for our citizens…..
    It has been over a week and I have had NO RESPONSE from the board office.

    It is extremely frustrating to not have information I require!

  • Brian Johnson

    Sorry about the typo’s….. “Request”
    But to add to my comment for all…..
    Knowledge is power….
    Lack of information leads us down the path of failure.
    I do hope to get the information I seek from the School Board office!

  • Voting Taxpayer

    What’s with the ‘hotmail’ account? You are asking for taxpayers’ votes and don’t even use Citywest at least for your campaign? Perhaps you could enlighten us?

  • Voting Taxpayer

    I thought the main goal of an elected official was to MAKE DECISIONS on our behalf, not holding up your wet finger to measure the popularity of a vote. I want a councillor with a backbone to defend their decisions after the fact. Personally, I’m not looking for group hugs and consensus. Now, with so much at stake, I’m looking for a mayor and council willing to do their homework, make an independent decision, then defend it. I don’t want “it’s what my peeps wanted.” Coucillors are supposed to be plugged in to the public, and prepare themselves to make timely, and sometimes controversial, decisions. To each candidate: Can you do that?

  • Lee Brain

    Hello everyone,

    I have uploaded the entire All Candidates Debate in HD at the following link:

    http://votejenrice.com/all-candidates-video-recordings

    I have made a comprehensive timeline of each part so you can see when each candidate is speaking.

    Thanks :)

  • Voting Taxpayer

    To the School Board candidates:

    1. How do you defend the hiring of your current District Superintendent and staff and still be using consultants to mentor them after 2 years? If they couldn’t do the job, why did you hire them? When does the consultant-handholding end so these people actually do the jobs they were hired to do?
    2. Since ‘local resident’ is an underlying theme on the council side of the election, are there any similar issues/regulations for the Board candidates?
    3. What happened to staffing and programs when Lax kw’alaams and Gitxaala withdrew from the District? Were there layoffs? Additional funding? Replacement programs to include Nisga’a and Haoda students?
    4. Is it past time to set up a new aboriginal agreement since Metlakatla is the only original signatory remaining to that Agreement

  • Tboudier

     I do not agree with the continued use of an outside consultant unless there are very specific parameters including a plan to become self-sufficient with a determined timeline attached.   As I am not an incumbent trustee, I cannot speak to the rationale of maintaining this costly option when resources are so limited and classrooms are scrambling to do their best with less and less.  I would suggest that if ongoing guidance is required we try to find local individuals to assist in the matter.  I would have to also ask why ongoing assistance is required.  No doubt there are a number of issues which need to be sorted out but I would hope that individuals hired into such positions would bring many of the necessary skills with them.  The optics on this is poor and if there is a sound rationale for this decision it needs to be clearly communicated with all stakeholders.  I would also like to see more networking with other similar school districts to ourselves to create informal mentoring opportunities and shairing of ideas.  Perhaps others have tried some ideas that we have not thought of that may be useful.

    2.  My understanding is that all school board trustees must own a home within Prince Rupert.  I have heard that there are a couple of candidates who do not reside full time in PR and this seems to be permitted under the current guidelines.  It is something I would like to see changed as I feel individuals who are going to be in key decision making roles for our community need to live in Prince Rupert as their primary residence.  I do know that trustees can attend meetings via telephone which may also contribute to individuals living elsewhere while being a school trustee.  I do think the use of telehone for attending meetings is useful as many people need to travel with their work.  I think there needs to be an emphasis on attendance of meetings, either in person of via telephone as it is important to have input from the entire elected body.

    3.  I’m not sure what happened after this occured beyond the influx of many of the teachers who were teaching in these villages moving back to Prince Rupert to teach.  I would have to look into this further.  Is the concern around programs being offered to these students in Lax kw’alaams and Gitxaala?  I have heard that in villages and on Haida Gwaii there are a number of non-certified teachers working in the classrooms. 

    4.  I would say it is time to revisit this agreement.

    Thank-you for your poignant questions.

    Regards,

    Tanya Boudier

  • Brian Johnson

    1). Consultants are hired in when an organization does not have individuals skilled or qualified to advise in areas outside the realm of its’ operations. An example would be, an architect to design a school. Too much of scarce funding was sucked out of our classrooms and flew out of our community. I hope the consultant was not here because of weaknesses in our Administrative staff….. I have many questions and no answers yet.

    2) One needs only to reside in the community prior to the election call. Lengthy periods of time away from our community will create a disconnect and the Trustee will lose touch with what is happening.

    3) The Ministry of Education sent funding directly to the two communities. The School District billed the communities for student services and maintenance.

    4) I agree that we should revisit the agreement.

  • Mbowles

    I am surprised you are surprised there is no response.  When you were previously a Board member, I have seen your frustration around this in the past.  Those of us in the public forum have waited for months for information and have yet to receive it.  How can there be a promise to give class size/composition information to the public and it not be produced at the next meeting?  How can a Board, which says they want public input, have their meeting, make all their decisions and then ask for questions about what has happened?  How could a Board wonder why the public are disengaged?  A cynic might believe the processes are in place with a purpose.

  • Voting Taxpayer

    So, when the invoices to the villages came back unpaid, how were those costs recovered by the District? Were aboriginal programs and staff cut back? District staff cut? Administrative cuts? When you get in, maybe you could find out if none of the incumbents are forthcoming. Thanks.

  • Voting Taxpayer

    Please see my reply to Mr. Johnson. Same applies for you. Thank you.

  • Josepf

    Looks like our consultant is in the news … again.

    http://blogs.vancouversun.com/2011/11/14/retired-and-rehired-in-b-c-school-districts/

    A few familiar names there!

  • Farley Stewart

    I would like to apologize for not making it to the All Candidates Forum last week. When I found out the date it was going to be held I tried to change my appointment. I did inform the organizers I would not be able to attend this one because of medical appointment I needed to keep, it was set up weeks ago. I had to go to St Pauls Hospital for an angiogram and echogram, it was very stressful for me. But after all that I went thru I will be okay. It looks like I can put this behind and focus on my campaign. I just want to say thank you for those who knew and wished me well. I have gone to the issues page answered four questions. Peace.

  • Voting Taxpayer

    Perhaps I have to specifically address this to the incumbents, all of whom remain silent to date. So far, only 2 candidates (non-incumbents) have responded. Remember, I have an ‘X’ to make on Saturday.

  • Tboudier

    After looking into your question #3 further and speaking with a fellow Rupertite, I have found out that the funding was sent directly to the villages and then the school district billed for services provided. 

  • Brian Johnson

    When I was first elected in 2003, we had arrears of over $500,000 for the 2 communities. Within a year and a half they paid arrears and committed to their obligation on a monthly basis.
    New LESA’s were signed and our relationship began to improve…. I do not know what ocurred in the last 3 years but only wonder……

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