Thread by @akurjata

Prince George's #cityofPG first mayoral debate is happening tonight. I'll be interested to hear how they differentiate themselves from each other. CBC.ca/bcvotes

You can explore their platforms and existing info here: princegeorge2022.glitch.me/#mayors

Already a big turnout

OK while we set up let's get to know the candidates a little bit better (this will also be my debate livetweet thread)

Adam Hyatt is running on a platform that includes "Cut the Fat" and "Fat Cat Rollback." He also wants to make life "uncomfortable" for unhoused people to "motivate" them to make "positive life choices" while remembering"these people are still human beings" hyatt4mayor.com

Terri McConnachie is the only person running with previous council experience, having served two terms before now running for mayor. Her platform is fairly straitforward - positive change, etc terriformayor.ca/platform

Lisa Mitchell is a former legal assistant who moved to PG from Victoria in 2014 and says she is unhappy with the direction its gone. She does not like the harm reduction program princegeorgevotes.com/lisa-mitchell-…

Roy Stewart is a longtime community volunteer and lawyer whose top priority is homelessness. You notice that the idea of increasing foot patrols of police downtown is a common theme among the candidates. roy4pgmayor.com/about

Chris Woods runs a videography business and I can't screenshot his platform because it's a YouTube video. His website has a "transparency schedule" outlining where he is each day.

He ran for council in 2018 and came second-last. cswood.ca

And finally Simon Yu, a longtime engineer running for council. He does not have a website or public-facing social media sites, but I can tell you his campaign signs say "Yu Can Do It."

I've put together a set of links where you can see interviews with each of the candidates in other media outlets.

We're about to get underway. #cityofPG
princegeorge2022.glitch.me/#mayor

About 150-200 people upstairs, plus overflow downstairs. A big turnout for local democracy!

You can watch at home at facebook.com/daybreaknorth

Q1: Intro/What is the key issue facing the city?
Adam Hyatt: Prince George is great, but poorly managed. Running on "big change" and plan to cut the fat (basically same stuff as on his website). References his fat cat rollback plan. Prioritize policing. Complete projects on time.

McConnachie: Running for a strong, diverse economy with a focus on senior citizens. Rerences his work ethic and straight talk. Longtime resident of Prince George, fell in love here, raised kids and grandkids here. Housing affordability, public trust, etc.

Mitchell: Introducers herself as a relative newcomer who fell in love with the city. "In the last couple of years... the community has lost its drive".
Downtown needs to be cleaned up (sidenote: wecome to every Prince George election campaign of the last 30+ years)

Stewart:plan to deal with homelessness/downtown
1. more police and security cameras
2. more treatment, cooperation with Indigenous groups

Wants a more transparent city council and city staff that are "to help, not to hinder" and wants to introduce Prince George to the world

*my bad, running for mayor, don't know why I wrote council

Sorry, I don't know why I wrote "running for council" for Yu. He's also running for mayor.

Christopher Wood: Loves city, but has lost faith in city staff. Will utilize transparency, vloggers, public journalists.

Yu: He also loves this city. He wants to solve homelessness and mental illness problem - wants to build rapid relief shelters for people.

OK, next question from community member, paraphrased - the city has many residential school survivors still alive. What will you do for them and their grandchildren so we can live in reconciliation, and what will you do to break down barriers for them?

Hyatt: "You can't change the past". Residential schools were terrible and best thing we can do moving forward is to educate people about that. Remembrance. "Any education and remembrance... I would support"

McConnachie: "One of the proudest moments of my first term was when we renamed the former Fort George Park to Lheidli T'enneh Memorial Park to honour not the past, but the present." Also talks about renaming O'Grady Rd. earlier this year

(I'll note that the same night O'Grady Rd. renaming was voted on, McConnachie also voted in favour of a new bylaw targeting unhoused people that was opposed by the B.C. AFN in part because of how many people impacted are residential school survivors/family members)

Lisa Mitchell, responding to question of residential schools and how she would support survivors: "We have to remember we are all one race, the human race" and we need to come together.

Roy Stewart talks about U.N. Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People and the need for the city to continue to endorse it and continue with it.

Chris Wood agrees with Stewart in following UNDRIP and his plan to speak to leadership of Lheidli T'enneh and other First Nations to have "people who are not me" to define how reconciliation should be implemented because "I recognize my limitations"

(I should say that McConnachie also said she would immediately meet with Lheidli T'enneh chief Dolleen Logan to talk about working together)

For the second time tonight, Simon Yu references going to residential school. I... am a little unclear if he is saying he attended as a student or he visited one later in life? Also says he worked in Canadian north and as an immigrant he is "a channel of peace"

Next question comes from the owner of a downtown business. Mental health and homelessness are having a negative impact - what would you do to address this?

McConnachie - acknowledges Prince George has one of the highest illicit drug overdose rates in the province and that we should mourn each person - but also need to acknowledge that businesses are hurting. "We need to listen to each other, see each other"

Mitchell: Says she's talked to businesses and visited homeless camp. "Business owners are being really failed by the city... they're not being protected". Says we need to "talk to these people" (homeless) and find out what they need and get them the help...

... "so we can take our streets back." Says right now, downtown is "Zombieland"

Stewart repeating his opening comments - start with more police patrols, day and night, and security cameras. Then more partnerships with province, etc to set up treatment and help rehabilitate people back into the community.

Wood: Wants to enact emergency housing protocols used during emergencies like wildfires. Also wants to bring in more outreach workers, since they are best positioned to help. References safe supply coming from province - and then need to tackle crime

Yu: I'm an engineer, so I ask few questions - what happened, why, how do we fix it?
Owns a downtown business, sees problem.
Recognizes majority of unhoused people are Indigenous, and "they need a home and a place to sleep". He wants to build this. "I can get it done."

Hyatt plans to convert the provincially-owned youth custody centre into a treatment centre (reminder - this is a provincial facility, so he would be lobbying, not able to just do this). More effective policing and patrols - and give people jobs mowing lawns, planting flowers

Q from Juls Budau, who works with United Northern Drug users. @JulsBudau says she attended the funeral of 17 year old who overdosed today.

Says the city's safe street bylaws targets people who use substances in public and forces them into situations where they use alone

asks - what would you do about this?

Mitchell: Says her own nephew died of the same thing last year and "we need to stop enabling these people" and "use tough love."

Of her nephew, she says "what a stupid waste of a life"

"If someone had been there to say, 'you're doing something wrong,' that might have saved his life.

"We need tougher love."

Stewart agrees with Mitchell, says that we have too many services downtown "enabling people" to be drug users. "Letting them kill themselves is not reasonable or safe". Repeats the need for "tough love", adds forced treatment to the mix

Wood: "We need to come at it from a position of respect." Says toxic drugs are getting into the supply, but people are choosing to use them.

Wants to encourage a safe supply so people who choose to use can survive and move on

Yu: His first focus would be on helping youth with good after-school programs so they will be less likely to use drugs.

But "these drugs are not safe" so need to find out who is making them toxic "and put them away".

Overall, though, complex and beyond just the mayor to solve

Hyatt: Also says its complex and need more treatment and ways to deal with root causes like mental health/underlying trauma and "organically... we'll see positive results"

McConnachie: Says too many people don't understand that addiction is a health issue. Links addiction to chronic pain, mental health, and any number of things that can lead good people to bad situations. References safe supply and need to mourn those we lose

Next q from Eoin Foley, founder of Nancy-O's, Birch and Boar and pres. of Downtown PG. Wants to know what the vision is for the downtown civic core, including the now-being-demolished Four Seasons Pool beside the library

Roy Stewart: Time to build a convention centre with a performing arts feature downtown. Long talked about, but time to walk the walk

Wood... I missed the first part of his answer, sorry. He's talking about having business move out of the downtown core in favour of building housing?? I'll have to go back and relisten

Yu: Really wants to focus on cleaning up the part of the city east of Queensway, near the river. "We don't have a generational plan" for this area. Wants to incentivize more businesses to move downtown.

Hyatt: Says downtown is one of the last parts of the city that has local character, small businesses instead of big box stores. Wants to see more of that. Says while he would love a performing arts centre, the city can't afford it right now.

McConnachie: Big opportunity with pool and firehall moving, time to create a performing arts/convention centre that would add to the walkability of the downtown - but says she would put it to a referendum

Mitchell: "We need to clean it up", refurbish and spit-shine existing buildings rather than build more, bigger projects in order to make our "downtown what is used to be" (I am fascinated by the perspective of 2014 being dramatically different than 2022)

And break

We're back - here's the link for the feed: facebook.com/daybreaknorth/… #cityofPG

I.. missed this question and the first couple of answers so sorry you'll just have to go back to the video to watch it. It's about transparency, though.

Meanwhile at the school board forums:

https://twitter.com/hannaepeter/status/1575299660507680770

OK, the next question is from a young person who rents - and asks candidates what they would do to help renters and increase affordability

Yu: We need to have a big plan and figure out where people live, work and where they want to live. "We need to have a generational plan" (second reference to this) for how the city should look for decades to come. Will use zoning to make it happen

Hyatt: "Housing is like any commodity, it's supply and demand". More homes = Lower prices. "The key is to increase supply". How can the city help? "Cut the red tape" and get more built so it's more affordable

McConnachie: Yes, it's a demand problem. But notes there has been an explosion of multi-family housing in the city over the last five years "and that is a good thing" (notable McConnachie is the only one somewhat invested in defending the current council's record)

Mitchell: Like her answer on downtown, says we should fix up the structures we already have that have fallen into disrepair. Also suggests targeting out-of-town owners who don't maintain their properties.

Stewart: References David Eby's plan to allow the province to dictate housing over the city, "so that's what's coming." says city needs to build more subsidized housing globalnews.ca/news/9161874/n…

Wood: Wants to set aside land for (subsidized?) housing to be built, easily. More student housing near UNBC that doesn't depend on a slow bus ride up the hill. More senior housing - also needs to be zoned for

Audience Q: Several of you have talked about increasing policing downtown, but many people downtown are Indigenous people who have a rightful distrust of police. How do you reconcile that?

Hyatt: Policing doesn't have to be heavy-handed. "I think the RCMP has a long way to go with trust" but suggests building relationships with people downtown and "being more of an encouragement than a heavy hand" would be key

(this is a rapid-fire round so one candidate per question). McConnachie asked what she would do for senior's housing - says keep up the work the city has been doing, references multiple projects that have been built over the past few years

Q for Mitchell: There are calls for more police, but how would you manage the costs associated?
A: We need the existing police to do more beat patrols, talking to people, letting them know they are there "and it stops the bad behaviour"

Q for Stewart: Give a concrete example of something you would do to deal with climate change.
A: Create an electrical grid for charging stations for electric vehicles. Work with federal government to make it happen.

Q for Wood: How would you deal with housing in wildlife corridors and ecologically-sensitive areas?
A: He wouldn't let it be built. Wants to brand PG as the "park city of the west" for tourists. Would not put housing in parkland - lots of other places to build

Q for Yu (again from audience member, as all are): Would you allow a tent city to be built down the street from me?
A: No, no one should be living in tents. We need to create shelters and spaces for people to live throughout the city.

Q: How would you promote equity and diversity in Prince George?
Hyatt: I believe in equality of opportunity but not equality of outcome. I would make sure everyone has equal opportunity.

Q: What are three things you would do to foster small business?
McConnachie: Work with the Downtown Business Improvement Assoc and have an open door policy to hear what they need.
Same for Chamber of Commerce.
"Don't need to reinvent the wheel"
Would be a monthly convo

Q: Would you be willing to set aside city money to address shortcomings around homelessness/addiction
Mitchell: Calls the needle exchange a "needle giveout" and is upset the city is paying to clean needles up. Can't rob Peter to pay Paul.

Q: How would you align PG with UNDRIP?
Stewart: The province is already doing this, and we will be a part of that. It's already being done.

Q: How would you make the city safer for seniors - lighting, sidewalks, etc.
Wood: Says he would decentralize downtown and bring more amenities to other neighbourhoods and make it easier to travel around by foot

Q: How would you encourage doctors to move here and stay here?
Yu: My daugher is a doctor, so I understand this. We need to market ourselves better so professionals want to come here - make it a vibrant place to raise their families

Rapid-fire round with audience questions is now over. Still a bit more to go.

It is fair to say this has been illuminating.

Closing statements

Yu: I'm an engineer. I know how to solve problems. We need someone in the mayor's chair who understands the problems, hears your concerns, knows the community, is able to get stuff done. We need to work together. This is what I commit to.

Wood: We need a council of specialists, and the mayor needs to be a generalist who knows a little bit of everything. I am there to enable our councillors and our staff to be able to help us instead of inhibit them. I want the city to be tourism-based economy and attract talent

Stewart: In the past I helped bring UNBC and the downtown courthouse to the city. I helped create the doctor training program in town. I am president of the symphony. I have a history of leadership and experience working with local governments as a lawyer

Mitchell: I have a passion for the city, I want to bring it back ("I don't want to say 'build back better' because, oh, that's such a bad phrase right now", referencing Joe Biden's slogan?) But that's what we need to do

McConnachie: Prince George has a history of banding together to pull it off against all odds - UNBC, doctor's program, 2015 Winter Games. But we're a little tired right now. It's not about one person. I will work for you every single day

Hyatt: I'm not a fancy engineer, I'm not a lawyer, I'm just a person who knows Prince George has potential. "Cut the fat", "clean up downtown", prioritize policing, "back to the basics" - all the talking points from his campaign material. Sends people to his website.

the end. Here's the beginning of this thread. Goodnight!

https://twitter.com/akurjata/status/1575267738804637697

Ok, re: Yu's references to having attended residential school, he went to Prince George College, a Catholic Run high school. Not a residential school

https://twitter.com/karen4pg/status/1575324749781090305?t=HGvNSL0bST4EjAwj6-HwCg&s=19