CANDIDATE PROFILE: Arjun Singh

What differentiates you from the other candidates?

I have served on city council for 14 years and have experienced the whole range of council experiences and roles – both really great and really challenging. I have served on most council committees over my service. I was very honoured that my council colleagues in 2017 unanimously voted to appoint me full time acting Mayor for the summer after Mayor Milobar became an MLA and Mayor Christian was elected in the byelection. I helped the community manage our role as wildfire evacuation centre and led council through the last stages of our submission regarding the Ajax mine proposal.

I have also a very good relationships with provincial and federal colleagues. On challenges like community safety, we need to work in partnership with our provincial and federal colleagues. I served seven years on the board of the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM), including one year as UBCM President. I currently serve on the board of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) and chair the FCM standing committee on Environmental Issues and Sustainable Development.

I hold the highest-level certificate, Level 3, awarded by BC’s Local Government Leadership Academy.

And, finally, I tell the best clean dad jokes among any of the current candidates.

What do you think is the best way to resolve disagreements or conflicts with your peers, those in a different department or those in a different jurisdiction?

Healthy disagreement is fundamental to local democracy. The important part is staying in good relationship. My council mentor Pat Wallace taught me that you have to agree well and disagree well and don’t take your politics too seriously.

We need to see the best in each other and express our disagreements honestly and respectfully. We sometimes get into a blame game, and this rarely ends well. We need to put ourselves in the shoes of others and work towards relationships where we all feel valued. When I’ve done something that angers or offends a colleague, I appreciate them letting me know. Then I can work to resolve the conflict. I’ve made mistakes over the years where I have been part of escalating a conflict and I always strive to learn and be better.

What do you think is the biggest issue facing the City of Kamloops and how would use your elected position to address it?

In my conversations with hundreds of Kamloopsians this year so far, it is crystal clear the biggest concern is community safety for all. If elected, I will immediately strike a Mayor’s Task Force on Community Safety for All. I would propose the city fund 24/7 outreach teams to support our most vulnerable citizens and to support businesses and residents to reduce negative impacts. I would propose a Team Kamloops approach to advocacy for reduce wait lists for needed services and to advocacy for criminal justice reform. This approach would bring leaders together from across the community to come to a common understanding of what we need from the provincial and federal government to increase community safety for all. We need to bring people together, not pit them against each other.

How do you plan to involve Kamloops residents in your decision-making?

I have always tried to engage residents in my decision-making and in the work of council. As a councillor, I hosted two Kamloops “Idea Festivals” and have worked on the top ideas arising from these events as a councillor. I helped found our city’s junior city council that involves high school students at city hall. I’ve always tried to engage residents on major decisions. I am probably one of the first locally elected bloggers in the province back in the pre-Facebook and pre-Twitter days. I have tried to explain publicly the rationale for my decisions on major issues over the years.

If elected mayor, I would offer mayor’s open office hours, would propose council convene a Citizens Assembly on Affordable Housing and Supply, and would continue to engage in as many ways as possible.

I would also help my council colleagues, and through them, the people who elected them, achieve their goals and commitments to the community. This is a team effort, and the mayor only has one vote. With at least five new members on the new council, it will be so important that councillors feel respected, valued, and part of a high performing team.

I also very much value our staff colleagues in the City’s communication and engagement department and think it’s very important to consider the ideas and concerns generated by residents participating in more formal engagement activities.

What does a sustainable future for Kamloops and area look like to you and what does it need from mayor and council?

A sustainable future for Kamloops and area, first and foremost, is a future that is climate friendly. We can reduce emissions and have a strong economy and live in a vibrant, caring, good sized community with lots of amenities and outdoor recreation. We can work to make sure extreme weather doesn’t get more extreme, although we are in an era of extreme weather right now.

Working on climate action for many years has been a huge focus for me as a city councillor. I am thankful to my council and staff colleagues for the amazing work we have done together creating an ambitious and achievable climate action plan, putting funding towards implementing it, and engaging residents consistently on climate action work. Now, we have to put many actions into place and monitor our greenhouse gas reduction progress carefully. I know we can do this and can together secure a more sustainable future.

by CFJC Today

CANDIDATE PROFILE: Arjun Singh

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