Where are all the visible minorities? That was a question put forth at a recent all-candidates meeting for folks seeking seats on city council.
While people from a number of ethnic backgrounds are among the candidates vying for spots on New Westminster’s elected bodies, that wasn’t reflected in the crowd attending a recent all-candidates meeting for mayoral and councillor candidates.
“This is probably the fourth all-candidates meeting I have attended. I look around the room and I see very little diversity in terms of ethnicity,” said councillor candidate Chinu Das. “Almost 40 per cent of our population in New West – 39.4 per cent – is visible minorities. Where are their voices? They are not at the all-candidates meetings. This diversity is not at the city hall, at the committee meetings.”
Das, who said she’s an immigrant who came to Canada 40 years ago and has done a lot of work in multiculturalism and diversity, said she wants to be a voice those people, and all citizens, if elected.
Ellen Vaillancourt, who is running as part of the New West Progressives slate, also spoke of the need to bring a diverse perspective to city council.
“I’d like to bring a diverse voice to council, not just a token representation but somebody who takes into account all voices,” she said. “I have had 15 years of experience with international development at Simon Fraser University, I have travelled around the world and I think I bring the local to the global and global to the local.”
Nadine Nakagawa, who described herself as a young woman of colour, said she wants to work with people to ensure their voices are heard at city hall. She believes the city can do a better job of engaging with the community.
“All of the work that I have done is trying to amplify other people’s voices, people who don’t have a seat at the table,” said Nakagawa, one of six women running for council. “That is really truly why I am running for city council.”
Time is running out for New Westminster voters to hear from their local candidates before the Oct. 20 election, as all-candidates meetings wrap up this week.
* Tuesday, Oct 2 at 7 p.m.: The Moody Park and Glenbrooke North residents’ associations are teaming up to hold an all-candidates meeting for mayor and council candidates at New Westminster Evangelical Free Church, 7895 Canada Way (just across the 10th Avenue border in Burnaby).
* Wednesday, Oct. 3: The New Westminster Chamber of Commerce is holding an all-candidates meeting mayor and council candidates from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Justice Institute theatre. It will focus on issues affecting the business community. Register at www.newwestchamber.com/events.
* Wednesday, Oct. 3 at 7 p.m.: The New West District Parents Advisory Council is proposing to hold an all-candidates meting for school board candidates from 6:30 to 9 p.m. in the New Westminster Secondary School library, 835 Eighth St. It included free professional chid car and snacks.
The last of nine all-candidates gatherings being held for council and school board candidates in the 2018 civic election is on Oct 5, but it’s sold out. PopLuck New West and Yes In New West are holding an Eat and Greet with the mayor and council candidates.
