By Abigail Popple, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, RMG
Election season is in full swing as B.C. residents prepare to cast their ballots for the provincial general election, taking place on October 19th. The Goat interviewed each of the three MLA candidates running in the Prince George-Valemount riding about how they plan to advocate for Robson Valley residents. This is our interview with BC Conservative candidate Rosalyn Bird.
Residents can register to vote at elections.bc.ca/register until 11:59 p.m. on October 7th.
Advance voting is taking place from Thursday, October 10th, through Wednesday, October 16th (advance voting places will be closed for Thanksgiving on Monday the 14th). Advance voting is taking place at Elks Hall, 172 Holdway Street, in McBride and the Valemount Community Hall, 101 Gorse Street, in Valemount.
Experience
Rosalyn Bird has not previously held office. Prior to her bid for MLA, she served in the Canadian Forces for 22 years. During that time, she worked as a boatswain before working her way up to become a Naval Logistics Officer. Since her medical release in 2012, she has volunteered with the Legion.
“I believe my unique blend of military and life expertise, leadership, and a deep commitment to public service … will benefit my constituents,” she said. “I am committed to making a difference, and am prepared to be a powerful advocate for the Prince George-Valemount riding.”
What she’s heard
Housing costs and economic concerns have been top of mind for the residents Bird has spoken with, she said. She hopes to bolster the tourism sector across the Robson Valley to support the rest of the economy.
“We have tremendous outdoor resources here in B.C., and we need to be highlighting those,” she said. “We need to find mechanisms for that to bring a stronger economy to smaller communities like McBride and Valemount.”
Top of the agenda
If elected along with a Conservative government, Bird’s first 100 days will largely be focused on supporting party leaders as they determine what the government’s priorities are, she said. However, she raised agricultural land use policies as one of her priorities: she believes the current provincial government has not taken the needs of rural communities and the agriculture sector into account when developing zoning and land use policies.
“I think there should be more authority at the local government level to address issues specific to their community, whether it be housing, education, or land use issues,” she said. “There’s a perfect example in the Robson Valley where we have a number of pieces of land that have been purchased by a foreign owner in the past few years that aren’t being farmed. Those are the types of things where we need to be much more cognizant of how they’re going to impact our communities for future generations.”
Education
Bird has heard concerns from Robson Valley residents about inequity between rural and urban schools, and says she believes these inequities exist throughout the province. She hopes to explore possibilities such as employing more education assistants, offering alternative learning methods like online classes, or using different funding models to correct these inequities.
“The enrollment numbers in [rural] schools do not equate to having teachers that cover the vast range of subjects you would need for anything from the trades to medical school,” she said. “I think we need to find creative solutions to bring those opportunities to high school students so they can actually obtain the prerequisites they need to get into specialized post secondary institutions.”
Forestry
Bird wants to review and revise the Province’s forestry policies while consulting stakeholders such as Canfor, Carrier Lumber, Dunkley Lumber, and First Nations, among others.
“I think the forestry industry can be revitalized, but it’s going to take some creativity,” she said. “We need to start looking at the forest as more than just trees and see what we’re taking out of that ecosystem as a whole. It’s not just about timber products – it’s about wildlife, backcountry tourism, fishing, forest fire management, all of those things. We need to make sure that resource is going to be sustainable, productive and economic for generations to come.”
Climate Change
Bird says climate change can’t be addressed with a one-size-fits-all solution, and the varying needs of different communities need to be taken into account while making policy decisions.
“As far as looking at how we as a province and as communities are going to reduce climate change, we need to be willing to have a variety of options,” she said. “This is an extremely diverse province in regards to geography and environmental conditions, and we need to be realistic on that.”
She also applies this line of thinking to industry regulations.
“We need to make sure that for whatever industry, whether it’s mining, forestry, or oil and gas, there are rules and regulations in place to make sure the beauty of our province remains intact while remaining economically viable.”
Local Business
Bird supports the Conservatives’ advocacy to eliminate the carbon tax, a move she believes would help small businesses by lowering operating costs. She’d also like the provincial government to work in tandem with regional districts and municipal governments to develop permit and zoning bylaws that complement the community plans developed by local governments.
Closing comments
Conservative leader John Rustad is hoping to make the Conservatives into a big tent party, Bird said, which she hopes will appeal to would-be BC United supporters. She points to the Conservatives’ dissatisfaction with the NDP policies on mental health care and addiction as a point of common ground with BC United.
“I think the decision for the [BC United] party to fold and for us to accept some of their candidates benefits all B.C. residents,” she said. “We’re comparing different policies from the two parties and saying, ‘How do we find the best solution moving forward?’ We’re gathering and accepting more information.”
Bird says she will be making several visits to the Robson Valley throughout the election period, and wants to talk with voters about their concerns.
“Communication, relationships, and transparent, accountable and honest governance are all very important to me,” she said. “I would encourage anyone with concerns and feedback, positive or negative, to reach out. This is supposed to be collaborative governance, and we need to bring that back.”
