I have spent many months thinking about whether I should run for City Council in Vancouver, and after a lot of encouragement from a wide variety of supporters, I announced this past Monday that I was going to put my name forward for a Vision Vancouver nomination.
It is a natural decision for me to make, as one of my chief roles as president of the Khalsa Diwan Society over the past year has been to expand our temple’s presence in the city. Our executive has worked with the Vancouver Police to set up a community policing centre, we have expanded the services we are offering to immigrants and seniors, and we have increased our outreach to other cultural communities.
My candidacy is not about being a Sikh, or representing only the issues of our community at City Hall. Instead, I want to stand as someone who can advance the issues of everyone, regardless of race, religion, financial background or the neighbourhood where they live.
In fact, I have five issues that I feel very strongly about, partly because I have been closely listening to the concerns of Vancouver residents, but also because these are topics that are currently being ignored at City Hall.
There is a huge lack of representation for South Vancouver. Only 10% of candidates that have run for City Council over the past five civic elections have lived south of 41st Avenue. I feel that there should be better representation of the area in which I have lived all of my 25 years in Canada. I am a candidate that wants to fill the gap for one of the forgotten sections of the City of Vancouver.
There is little flexibility for builders and developers. Homebuilders and developers in the Vancouver region are too often bogged down by unnecessary red tape and bylaw bureaucracy. If we allow for greater flexibility in the private sector, more affordable housing options can immediately become available in the local market. The private sector can show great compassion, creativity and cost-effectiveness if we allow it to.
Community policing is limited in its scope. I have witnessed first hand the kind of progress that community policing centres can have at the local level, and I believe that many crimes can more effectively be tackled by coordinated efforts between families, businesses, community leaders and organizations and the police. Community policing funding should be dramatically increased so that every neighbourhood can become more involved in crime prevention
City Hall is not accessible for many individuals and communities. There are many people who feel as though City Hall has become a white tower that only services certain sections of the city. Whether it is processing applications, applying for permits, or meeting with elected officials, City Hall must open up its lines of communications to become more inclusive across the city.
Lastly, it is very hard to find a “Go-To” guy when it comes to our elected officials. As a councillor, I want to be known as someone that people can approach for any problem, no matter how small it may be. If people need a crosswalk at their local intersection, or need a street light fixed, I want to be known and an elected official that people not only feel comfortable turning to, but also one who takes action and produces results.
While the media coverage in my decision to run has been very positive, I am still concerned by the way that mainstream outlets are covering not only myself, but the South Asian community. Too often is interest framed in terms of gangs and shootings, too often are South Asians portrayed as a mindless block of votes that can be led around like sheep, and too often is the ability to get elected doubted simply because of my ethnic background.
I am running to win, not to be the token candidate that rounds out a party’s roster of representation. So far, I have been overwhelmed by the amazing support that I have received from Gregor Robertson and the Vision Vancouver team, which has really taken an interest in our community and its leadership, not only now, but over the past three to four years.
By contrast, the NPA has ruled for decades with the attitude that it is enough to pay attention to only certain neighbourhoods, while other communities are left out in the cold. This is unacceptable anymore, particularly in a city that has the kinds of diverse population as Vancouver does.
This is a great step forward for our community to make a real impact in the municipal political arena in Vancouver. I am respectful of everyone’s opinions, concerns and political leanings, and only ask that you consider me as a serious candidate that you might give your vote to on November 15.
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