Poll-Should Kelowna Candidates Have To Live In Kelowna?

[IlluminatiDunce]

Seeing as Colin Basran lives in another city thought people should have a say. And yes I support him. I think a councillor who decides tax policy shouldnt have to pay those same taxes and that if we want to talk to him we have to cross municpal boundries.

[Logitack]

While it isnt illegal, according to the local government act, for a property owner/resident from another city to run for councilor in another city, the fact that such a situation can occur is just wrong. west kelowna had the opportunity to join kelowna but chose to go it alone. property owners and residents who live in west kelowna should not be allowed to run for office in another jurisdiction. For that reason, I will not be voting for any candidate who is NOT a resident/property owner of Kelowna.

the liberals, as usual, failed to fix such an anomaly when they had the chance to fix it last year!

[GenesisGT]

Would you vote for an MPP or MP that did not live in the riding? I wouldn't.

[Dayleen]

I'm just curious as to why he doesn't want to run for council in his own town...seems like a logical question. I wonder if a person could legally run in "all" the electoral regions in BC at the same time, based on the legislation?

Dayleen Van Ryswyk
For Kelowna City Council

[grammafreddy]

I need more information.

He lives in WK but is running for a seat in Kelowna but does he own land in Kelowna? If so, that makes him a taxpayer in Kelowna, right?

[thehansenbrothers]

He lives across the bridge, its not like he is living in Penticton.

besides, the law will dictate whether he can run in Kelowna

[Carmencat]

I remember the fellow (can't remember his name though) who was a long time Kelowna councillor but lived in Oyama. I always assumed that he owned property here and that is why he could run for council here.

Interesting if there is no requirement to live or own land in the place where you want to be elected to make decisions. So someone could be be one of eight councillors voting on issues that affect all the residents of the city but not actually be qualified to vote in a municipal election in the same city?

[George+]

Colin Day

And YES to the second part.

Perhaps it is time to lobby to have the residency requirement changed?

Basran has lost my vote now.

[grammafreddy]

From the City's website http://www.cscd.gov.bc.ca/lgd/gov_struc ... stions.htm

In order to be eligible to be a candidate for office you must:

-be 18 years of age or older on general voting day;
-be a Canadian citizen;
-have lived in British Columbia for at least six months before filing your nomination documents;
-not be disqualified by the Local Government Act, any other Act, or the Courts from voting in a general local election.

You do not have to live or own property in the jurisdiction in which you are running for office.

People who are specifically disqualified from being a candidate for office are those who:

-have been convicted of an indictable offence and are in custody;
-are involuntarily confined to a psychiatric facility or other institution;
-have been found guilty of an election offence, such as intimidation or buying votes, and are prohibited from holding office;
-are judges of the Provincial Court, Supreme Court or Court of Appeal;
-are employees or salaried officers of the local government, including volunteers who are paid for their services, unless they have taken a leave of absence and agree to resign if elected;
-have been disqualified for failing to:
-file a campaign finance disclosure statement in a previous election;
-make an oath of office; or
-attend meetings, without being granted permission by the council or board;
-are disqualified by any other Act; or,
-are disqualified from holding office by the Courts if convicted of certain offences.

[Logitack]

grams, i think everyone, or at least most everyone, knows it isnt against the local government act for anyone to run in any local government election. just because the local government act makes it okay doesnt mean it is right.

it is simply wrong for someone who owns property and/or lives in another community to be allowed to be a councilor or mayor in another community and vote on developments that will have no impact on themselves. Spending taxpayers money that they themselves do not contribute is a problem as well, at least from my point of view. Raising property/business taxes when they themselves wont be impacted is another pill hard to swallow.

Voters need to say NO and not vote for people who are running for local government but do not live in the community!

[Captain Awesome]

If somebody is well qualified and has experience and expertise to be a mayor/council, I wouldn't want their geographic location to stand in the way.

[fluffy]

This same dispute comes up constantly in Penticton as our current mayor lives in Summerland. He has significant ties to Penticton through business and property so I don't see it as a huge issue. Summerland, while an economic entity of its own, also plays the role of "bedroom community" to Penticton, a relstionship not unlike West Kelowna and Kelowna. Is where a candidate sleeps as important as how vested they are in the city they choose to run in?

[richardtaylor1973]

Basran has lost my vote now.

That is very unfortunate. Many candidates in this election are very easy to communicate with and are very responsive to questions.

If you'd prefer to talk in person, rather than via email or an online platform, perhaps attend a forum, like tonight's Mission Residents Association forum - or visit a campaign office.

I understand that Colin's house in West Kelowna is currently for sale. He lives in West Kelowna as his wife was unable to find work in Kelowna until recently and currently works at Penticton Hospital - so the commute is a little fairer. Anyone who dealt with bridge traffic (and then Westside Road interchange traffic) would understand that.

My understanding is that, as she has since found work at KGH they will be moving back to Kelowna in the near future.

Colin was born and raised on this side of the lake. From what I see, he is at least as passionate about this city than any other candidate and it would be an incredibly bad decision an the part of the electorate if he were to not gain a seat due to this non-issue.

So - to answer the question - NO - they shouldn't - that artificially restricts the candidate pool. It's not like communities surrounding Kelowna are isolated. Kelowna is, in many ways, still their city.

[Glacier]

If somebody is well qualified and has experience and expertise to be a mayor/council, I wouldn't want their geographic location to stand in the way.

Exactly.

Candidate X lives live up Oyama Lake Rd. just across the Lake Country line. He works in Lake Country, go shopping in Lake Country, send his kids to school and daycare in Lake Country, and spends most of his free time and money in Lake Country. Why shouldn't he be allowed to run for political office in Lake Country? It's not like he's being parachuted in from Vancouver or Alberta as some political parties (who will go unnamed) have been known to do.

________________________
Home is where the heart is

[IlluminatiDunce]

I'm all on your guys sides, you are not speaking out of your rearends, that is for sure. I am with you guys, a candidate who decides tax policy but never has to pay it is a councillor I want. A councillor who has to drive to another municpality to go to city hall is a politician I want.

Basran for councillor, because he couldn't win in West Kelowna, he should get in here, and if this election he doesn't win, he'll be sure to get in Peachland in 2014!