The following statements are the original, unedited responses from Hudson’s Hope District Council candidates to questions posed by the Alaska Highway News. For convenience, we have also included introductory “elevator pitches” that we asked them to submit, so you can read all of their responses in a complete package.
Responses are listed by alphabetically by last name.
Please note: These statements are generated entirely by the candidates and/or their campaigns, and have not been edited or altered in any way, including fact-checking. Therefore, the Alaska Highway News is not responsible for inaccuracies. Also, none of these statements necessarily reflect the opinions of the staff, management or ownership of the Alaska Highway News.
Finally, several council candidates either declined to respond, did not respond by extended deadlines, or only provided a partial response. Out of fairness to the candidates who did submit responses by deadline, there will be no further additions to this page.
CAROLINE BEAM
Ms. Beam did not provide a separate candidate statement.
1. Why did you decide to run for council?
I like the way the municipality of Hudson’s Hope has been developing in recent years, and hope to be able to help keep that momentum going.
2. What would be your top three priorities if elected to council? Why do you think your municipality should focus on each of those three issues now?
I would like to help make Hudson’s Hope more accessible to new families who want to move here, improve opportunities for families currently residing here, and encourage local business development.
3. Almost no one wants to raise taxes, but would you vote to raise taxes if you thought it would help accomplish your council’s goals? Or are you committed to not raising or even lowering taxes? Please explain why.
Sometimes changes or improvements require extra funding, but if there is a possibility for taxes to be increased, then every effort should be made to fully inform the public and invite input before a final decision is made.
4. If you were required to cut or reduce one specific program or service from your city’s budget, what would that be? Why?
As this would be my first time as a councillor, I feel I am not yet educated enough about the inner workings of our municipality to determine an accurate hierarchy of all programs and services.
5. What experience or skills, either on councils or boards in the past or in your overall life to this point, do you feel best qualifies you for council? Why should people vote for you?
The best thing I can bring to council is a well-rounded outlook. As a fourth-generation Hudson’s Hope resident, I have deep roots in the community. Having worked for three seasons as a teen in the local museum, and later as a member of the historical society, I have a strong appreciation for this town’s heritage. After graduation, I spent time in other communities and earned two degrees, one Bachelor of Science in Wildlife Biology from UNBC, and one Bachelor of Education from SFU. During that time, I also worked in a guide-outfitting business, trained horses, and worked in the oil patch. Returning to Hudson’s Hope as a parent has given me a new perspective on the community, and a healthy respect for all that it offers families. I currently teach sciences and math at the local school, a position that is central enough within the community to help me appreciate a number of issues from different standpoints. In short, I believe I can draw on my diverse experiences to ensure that the actions of the council represent the interests of the greatest possible number of residents.
6. This term will have an unusually large number of big resource development trends, such as Site C and LNG, which could affect the future of your town. How for or against this resource development are you? Can you give us an example of how your council can take advantage if the winds blow the way you prefer, and one example if they don’t?
I am not against development; a strong economy is necessary for a healthy municipality. It is my opinion that oil and gas can be beneficial, if handled in a safe and sustainable way. Site C is, however, a bad idea for many reasons, including the serious economic concerns currently being debated at the provincial level. If Site C were to be shelved, it would benefit us to capitalize more thoroughly on the potential of the Peace River and its riparian areas. We currently celebrate Rivers Day with activities on the water, so why not further encourage people to get out and enjoy the river by organizing other such events, or provide support for individuals developing their own ecotourism-oriented business.
If Site C were to proceed, it is my opinion that Hudson’s Hope would suffer serious negative impacts. Therefore, my first concern would be to have those impacts minimized, and to ensure that our town received sufficient compensation to offset the damage incurred.
7. The government has extended terms to four years with the hope that councils can better meet long-term goals. What long-term projects or accomplishments would you like to be remembered for after this term?
Hudson’s Hope has gone through a transformation with the influx of oil and gas development in the area. This has brought prosperity, but the community lost its focus on family for a time. In recent years, this focus has begun to improve, and I want to help with that. My main goal is to make our town more family-friendly for the current residents, and to draw more families to come and put down roots here.
8. Seven of Northeast B.C.’s eight local governments have joined together in a coalition of “resource municipalities.” Hudson's Hope is not one of them. Do you agree or disagree with this move by Hudson's Hope not to join this coalition? Why? Name one suggestion you would make to this coalition, and explain how it should implement that idea.
It is my understanding that Hudson’s Hope chose not to be a part of the coalition because this was not the best way for our municipality’s voice to be heard. I have absolute faith that the correct decision was made. If the coalition truly wants Hudson’s Hope to join, they need to take into account our community’s unique circumstances, and offer a means of fair representation.
9. Do you believe that the mitigation measures BC Hydro has put in place for Site C can adequately mitigate the damage that the dam could place on Hudson's Hope? If not, what new conditions would you place on the project, or would you like to see the project scrapped entirely?
I would like to see the Site C project scrapped entirely. There are so many more efficient ways to obtain electricity, and so many more beneficial ways to use the river valley, that the project does not make sense.
10. How do you plan to work with Mayor Gwen Johansson now that she has been acclaimed into office?
Having known Gwen Johansson a long time, I have witnessed her working tirelessly to improve her understanding of many issues in order to make informed decisions, and then pass that information on to help educate others as well. I am always impressed with her integrity, intelligence and dedication to our town. She has the strength to stand her ground on tough issues, but is humble enough to invite input. I look forward to working with this clever and capable leader.
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HEATHER MIDDLETON
My name is Heather Middleton and I fell in love with Hudson’s Hope (and my future husband) when I came here to work with BC Hydro in 2009. 5 years later, my husband and I now have a two year old son with another child on the way, and are looking forward to raising our family in Hudson’s Hope.
I am running for council because I believe in supporting my community through giving back, and feel my skills and experience can support Council in making decisions to continue to make our hometown a great place to live and work.
I currently work for BC Hydro as a Planning Manager. Prior to joining BC Hydro, I gained experience working for the Provincial Government in roles related to the environment and service delivery – which prepared me well to support the community as we participate in multiple major resource projects.
I am passionate about building a strong community for families and residents to thrive in. Over the past 5 years, I have volunteered with the Hudson’s Hope Historical Society, Girl Guides of Canada and the Fall Fair committee, coached minor soccer, and assisted with Nature Nuts (a group encouraging families to enjoy nature by hosting monthly events).
If elected to a council position, I will work hard to:
Ensure that the concerns and ideas of community members are being brought forward to the Council and addressed
Engage with large resource development projects in a meaningful manner that provides long lasting benefits to the community
Continue to grow Hudson’s Hope as a vibrant community for families and residents to work and live in by supporting key programs and services
1. Why did you decide to run for council?
I am running for council because I believe in supporting my community through giving back, and I feel my skills and experience can support Council in making decisions to continue to make my hometown a great place to work and live. I enjoy working with others, and look forward to working with the residents of Hudson’s Hope to ensure their concerns and ideas are brought forward.
2. What would be your top three priorities if elected to council? Why do you think your municipality should focus on each of those three issues now?
My vision as a Councillor would be to focus on: ensuring that the concerns and ideas of community members are being brought forward to the Council and addressed appropriately in a timely manner, engaging with large resource development projects in a meaningful manner that provides long lasting benefits to the community, and continuing to grow Hudson’s Hope as a vibrant community for families and residents to work and live in by supporting programs and services that are important to the members of the community.
I believe in being a part of developing a vibrant community to raise my young family in. In order to grow and sustain that growth in our community we must remain focused on providing outstanding services and programs to families and residents of Hudson’s Hope. In addition, there are a number of resource projects being proposed for the Peace area, and I believe that meaningful consultation and engagement with these projects will lead to long term benefits for the community. There have been great strides in working to support some of these priorities already, such as the establishment of the medical working group, and I look forward to working with Council to continue focusing on these issues.
3. Almost no one wants to raise taxes, but would you vote to raise taxes if you thought it would help accomplish your council’s goals? Or are you committed to not raising or even lowering taxes? Please explain why.
Taxes support the delivery of municipal services to our community, and I feel that the delivery of services is a key goal for local governments. I would look for creative opportunities to support the council’s long term goals rather than raising taxes in order to continue to develop a vibrant community for families and residents to work and live in.
4. If you were required to cut or reduce one specific program or service from your city’s budget, what would that be? Why?
I would like to ensure that any cuts or additions to programs in the budget are given careful and thoughtful consideration. Many of the current services and programs support us in building a thriving community and provide key services to residents, and it would be difficult to cut one specific program if required. I would also rely on the input of the community to ensure any decisions are made with transparency and clarity.
5. What experience or skills, either on councils or boards in the past or in your overall life to this point, do you feel best qualifies you for council? Why should people vote for you?
I have been a member of various boards, both regional and national, bringing diverse groups of people together to make decisions while developing skills in decision making, policy setting, financial management and leadership. My experience in Government has given me a strong knowledge base to support asking questions and making decisions around the major resource development projects that are being proposed for the Peace Area. In addition, my current role and knowledge of maintenance planning will support the community by providing me insight into the provision of municipal services such as sewer and water services to residents.
People should get out and vote in this election, this is their opportunity to choose who will be involved in making decisions that support the services and programs that are provided by their local governments. I believe based on my skills and experience that I will be a great addition to the Council and am willing to work hard to support the community.
6. This term will have an unusually large number of big resource development trends, such as Site C and LNG, which could affect the future of your town. How for or against this resource development are you? Can you give us an example of how your council can take advantage if the winds blow the way you prefer, and one example if they don’t?
Given my background in environmental policy, I believe that resource development can occur in a balanced and sustainable manner when all impacted parties are engaged with in a meaningful manner. I believe our council can work with major resource development projects to ensure the proposed projects benefit the community in the long term. It is difficult for me to speculate on the outcome of these projects without all of the information, and I believe that once presented with all of the information a decision can be made that would provide benefits to the town.
7. The government has extended terms to four years with the hope that councils can better meet long-term goals. What long-term projects or accomplishments would you like to be remembered for after this term?
I would like people to remember that while I was a councillor, council listened to and respected the opinions and ideas brought forward by residents and addressed them in a timely manner. I believe I will benefit from the longer term to spend the time to really learn and understand the key issues in our community, and work to develop and implement creative solutions.
8. Seven of Northeast B.C.’s eight local governments have joined together in a coalition of “resource municipalities.” Hudson's Hope is not one of them. Do you agree or disagree with this move by Hudson's Hope not to join this coalition? Why? Name one suggestion you would make to this coalition, and explain how it should implement that idea.
Should I be elected I look forward to working with Council and the coalition of resource municipalities to better understand the reasons behind this decision and how we can bridge those gaps between Hudson’s Hope and the coalition.
9. Do you believe that the mitigation measures BC Hydro has put in place for Site C can adequately mitigate the damage that the dam could place on Hudson's Hope? If not, what new conditions would you place on the project, or would you like to see the project scrapped entirely?
I feel that Site C has potential benefits and impacts to Hudson’s Hope, and the details of the mitigation measures will continue to be developed to ensure they address the impacts. Given that the project has been granted environmental assessment approvals by both Provincial and Federal Governments, I believe that the community and council should continue to work with BC Hydro to articulate the impacts of Site C (both during construction and long-term) and mitigate those impacts to provide benefits to Hudson’s Hope. As a member of council, I will support efforts to respectfully engage with BC Hydro to ensure our community receives adequate mitigation for the impacts from Site C should the project proceed.
10. How do you plan to work with Mayor Gwen Johansson now that she has been acclaimed into office?
I look forward to working with Mayor Johansson as a member of Council and learning from her experience serving the community as both a council member and mayor. As a councillor, I wouldn’t hesitate to ensure that I ask questions regarding any decisions or items I am not comfortable with.
