H. Donald Forbes - Council Candidate

[Jo]

A thread for H. Donald Forbes, council candidate.

[mechanic_virus]

Donald is a friend of mine, very intelligent and easy to talk to. He's one of the ones at the top of my list.

[hdonaldforbes]

Capital News Questions

I was a little late in my reply so I thought I would post my answers.

1. Should parkland be open to future development?

Parkland should only be developed to encourage more use by the public!

2. Is there a place in communities for parkland that simply preserves natural features or must all parkland be developed for people to use?

Yes, this is preferable, to preserve and protect the beauty of Kelowna whenever possible.

3. Do you see publicly-owned land adjacent to existing parks as an opportunity to add it to the park wherever possible?

Yes, we need to develop a sense of pride in our natural beauty and find ways to encourage the public to use public space!

4. Should land adjacent to shorelines and waterways be maintained in its natural state, whether or not it's privately owned?

Yes. To disturb natural waterways and shorelines is only inviting problems related to long term sustainability!

5. Should construction of docks along the lakeshore have priority over the kokanee spawning habitat they're built over?

No. It would be preferable that all construction on or near water be subjected to in dependant environmental studies before approval!

6. Do you support requiring that builders apply for LEED certification?

Yes. All green and sustainable projects should be encouraged and supported!


7. Are you open to requiring more innovative, sustainable designs for parking areas, residential curbs and gutters and even some roadways, instead of concrete and asphalt?

Yes. Any initiatives that encourage the use of alternative and traditional natural materials should be preferred!


8. Would you favour restricting the size of single family homes?

Yes. Another opportunity would be to impose a luxury tax for homes above a certain size to help create a green imitative fund.


9. Do you favour financially supporting a valley-wide water management body?

Yes. Our waterways are over used and not respected. I believe that there should even be certain days of the week where boats over a certain size are not permitted on the lake!


10. Now we're equipped with a data base of natural features, would you ensure they're protected?
Yes. People moved here for the natural beauty! It is our duty to protect and steward this natural beauty!

--
Thank you for your consideration,

[mechanic_virus]

Please list 5 of your top priorities, and how you would deal with each issue if it were completely up to you.

[hdonaldforbes]

My Five top Priorities are as follows:

Firstly we need to revisit the OCP and CDZ. They could both be improved by a more thoughtful consideration for the community and the environment. We need to inspire private developers to appreciate the value of legacy. By promoting a green business model we can demonstrate that sustainability is the fiscally prudent as well as beneficial to the greater community. With the economic downturn it is an ideal time to rethink how we develop in the city and create policy that improves sustainability.

A housing authority is another priority for the city of Kelowna and is long overdue. To build a community we need to have housing not only for the rich, but for those who provide the services for them. We need to address low income/subsidized housing as well as affordable rental and affordable purchase properties.

The transit systems need to improve. The city needs to help enhance the profile of public transit as well as improving the cycling network throughout the city. If the bus system improves its profile and service, ridership can increase to help develop future improvements. A safe driving initiative needs to be promoted as well, not only for vehicles, but for the cyclists who share the roads.

Issues related to emergency services in Kelowna are a focus for me as well. Currently the fire department is the only service that has control over the signal lights in intersections. This needs to extend to the RCMP vehicles and the BC Ambulance service. As well, our firefighters in Kelowna have been without a contract for a year and a half now and are short staffed by no less than 40 firefighters. These issues need to be resolved promptly.

The city needs to find ways to reach out to more of the community for input into the issues that affect them. By having more stakeholders at the table when planning changes, the city can make decisions that are fair and equitable for everyone involved. Too often decisions are made with a resulting outcry after. If all of the people affected by a policy or development are given a voice prior to a decision, more ideas may be considered. We must remember that the vote is only the punctuation at the end of the democratic sentence. Encouraging more people to be involved will benefit the greater community.

[nellietheelephant]

My Five top Priorities are as follows:

Firstly we need to revisit the OCP and CDZ. They could both be improved by a more thoughtful consideration for the community and the environment. We need to inspire private developers to appreciate the value of legacy. By promoting a green business model we can demonstrate that sustainability is the fiscally prudent as well as beneficial to the greater community. With the economic downturn it is an ideal time to rethink how we develop in the city and create policy that improves sustainability.

A housing authority is another priority for the city of Kelowna and is long overdue. To build a community we need to have housing not only for the rich, but for those who provide the services for them. We need to address low income/subsidized housing as well as affordable rental and affordable purchase properties.

The transit systems need to improve. The city needs to help enhance the profile of public transit as well as improving the cycling network throughout the city. If the bus system improves its profile and service, ridership can increase to help develop future improvements. A safe driving initiative needs to be promoted as well, not only for vehicles, but for the cyclists who share the roads.

Issues related to emergency services in Kelowna are a focus for me as well. Currently the fire department is the only service that has control over the signal lights in intersections. This needs to extend to the RCMP vehicles and the BC Ambulance service. As well, our firefighters in Kelowna have been without a contract for a year and a half now and are short staffed by no less than 40 firefighters. These issues need to be resolved promptly.

The city needs to find ways to reach out to more of the community for input into the issues that affect them. By having more stakeholders at the table when planning changes, the city can make decisions that are fair and equitable for everyone involved. Too often decisions are made with a resulting outcry after. If all of the people affected by a policy or development are given a voice prior to a decision, more ideas may be considered. We must remember that the vote is only the punctuation at the end of the democratic sentence. Encouraging more people to be involved will benefit the greater community.

Hello H. Donald Forbes

First - I have to be absolutely honest and tell you that you are not running a good campaign -
until I came across this thread between you and Mechanic_Virus, I had not heard of you, or seen any election signs for you (Not that I put any store in signs - from what I have seen so far, the bigger the sign, the more vapid the candidate - but I digress

So - all I want to say is that I really liked your responses, and I believe that you have a lot to offer - but you "appear" to be doing a lousy job of selling yourself".

Check out Perry Mack - he is REALLY good at self-promotion, but I would honestly like to see you beat him.

Good luck to you next Saturday - and I hope that you achieve the votes that you need.

Nellie

[mechanic_virus]

Just to add, I think that Donald is a wonderful candidate for Council, and proudly announce that while I am still in the process of debating, he is one who has most definitely got my vote.

I agree, his campaign has been very weak. This is by no means a reflection of his dedication, however. As for the signs, Donald has explained in the past that he finds them to be wasteful, an eyesore, and of no benefit to the environment. He has discussed the possibility of selling T-shirts to make his campaign both environmentally friendly and self-sustaining. I wonder if these T-shirts are available? I would most certainly purchase one.

http://www.kelowna.ca/CityPage/Docs/PDF ... tement.pdf

[Homeownertoo]

Having read your responses to the survey, I see that you are a socialist and can cross you off the list of candidates I could possibly vote for. Thanks for your responses.

[mechanic_virus]

Here is a link to H. Donald Forbes' Facebook group:

http://www.facebook.com/inbox/?ref=mb#/ ... 0908320063

[hdonaldforbes]

To Homeownertoo,

Yes I believe in strong social policies, but I also understand capitalism can have an ethic. The green business model is growing and makes more money and leaves a legacy beyond profit. You should probably educate yourself a little more. I am sure the idea of ethics in business seems contradictory, but it works. Most of the survey questions left a selection that created a lesser of two evils. Whenever given the chance I will always work and advocate for those who need it.

There was a time in this country when people were proud to pay taxes, because of the services and freedoms we enjoyed.

Thank you for your consideration,

H. Donald Forbes

[hdonaldforbes]

Visit http://www.hdonaldforbes.com/

[Homeownertoo]

No, business and ethics are not contradictory concepts. The practise of business can be ethical or not. Nor do I oppose a "green business ethic". I am just opposed to politicians dictating how business is conducted, over and above legal requirements. I am not sure what you mean by suggesting I need to educate myself. I could say the same of you, but won't. I will say, however, that I am concerned about politicians', or aspiring politicians', disregard for liberties we have long taken for granted, especially the clear potential for trampling upon property rights in such positions as mandating LEED certification, restricting house sizes and the preservation of "natural features" on private property. Such positions unfortunately negate your thoughtful stands on other issues.

[hdonaldforbes]

To Homeownertoo,

Without creating policy that allows regions like Kelowna to protect the environment we will not be able to maintain the quality of life that we now enjoy. Regulations and standards are now in place and people are still ignoring them. Without setting a higher standard, how would you propose that we make sure that we don't build ourselves into a corner? We will end up leaving ourselves without proper water resources, with smog and no public spaces to enjoy.

For Kelowna to move forward intelligently we need to set higher standards. I have worked as a construction worker in Kelowna and see the disregard for quality legacy. I worked for two days on Discovery Bay and quit because I saw a standard of work not compatible with my own. We all know what happened to that building.

As far as the infrastructure that allows for low-income and affordable housing. How do you propose we provide places to live for those who provide the services for the rich?

We need a higher standard for all who live in Kelowna. I'm not sure that these ideas make me a socialist. You however, may think what you like. My comment about educating yourself was a direct reference to that label you choose to give me.


Thank you for your consideration,

H. Donald Forbes

[hdonaldforbes]

For all those who wonder why I have not made it to many of the public forums, it's simple. I work in the evenings delivering organic produce for Urban Harvest. So my commitment to sustainability and my employers did not allow me to make it to any of the evening forums. I would have loved to have made it out to meet more of the good citizens of Kelowna. I hope that this will not make people think that I find this process unimportant. It's simply a matter of previous commitments.

Thank you for your consideration

H. Donald Forbes
http://www.hdonaldforbes.com/