The Coquitlam election to choose a new city councillor is coming up on May 15. We have been in contact with all of the candidates, and we asked them a few questions to get a feel for where they stand. Andy Shen responded, and his answers are printed verbatim.
1. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself, and why you are running for council?
As a 20-year-old student currently studying computer science; this is my second time running for city councillor of Coquitlam, while actively working on the Multiculturalism Advisory Committee for the City of Coquitlam while learning and understanding the variety of cultures in Coquitlam and also how Council works. I advocate with the Advocacy Committee of the Simon Fraser Student Society – a committee that lobbies for more buses, affordable housing and increase in post-secondary education funding from the provincial government.
I am working hard to understand the needs of the minorities of Coquitlam – both the youth and the immigrant groups. Seeing that youth (18-30) have the lowest voting turnout in any election and with most immigrants who do not know or understand who to go to when they have concerns. Coquitlam needs a city councillor who will be available to write or speak the same language as the majority of the immigrants and citizens; I can speak both Mandarin and English fluently with secondary-level French. Actively involved on Facebook and Twitter, the main social network choice for the new generation of youth and immigrants who communicate with family and friends in other countries; and with these social media application being my primary means of connecting with youth, so that they will be informed about the issues that matter to them.
Most of the elected councillors and some current candidates have promised to start and complete the Evergreen Line on schedule, but are still debating on whether to add a new station. I personally take public transit and no other candidates use public transit as much as I do. On behalf of the transit riders in Coquitlam, I will work with other council members to see the Evergreen Line built as soon as possible. Once elected to Council, I will find out what I can to ensure progress on the Evergreen Line and act upon our public transportation system so that we can proceed in further green developments.
As a councillor, I want to begin dialogue with Translink towards ensuring that Coquitlam starts to head towards the twenty-first century by being as technologically advanced and greener as other cities or more than those cities; both in transport and in reducing carbon emissions.
2. What do you see as the most important issues currently facing the City of Coquitlam?
Transit: As mentioned before, the Evergreen Line is one of the most important issues currently facing the City of Coquitlam. A Skytrain line to Coquitlam has been promised since the Expo years, before I was even born and now being 20 years old with construction on the Skytrain having yet to begin. I will work to ensure progress on the Evergreen Line. In addition to improve bus service in Coquitlam. Once on City Council, I will gather the Councillors and Mayor together to help facilitate a 5 year plan to increase transit ridership and the number of carpool users to 50%. Increased ridership will bring commercial developments with more employment and a greener tomorrow for all citizens of Coquitlam. Not to mention the ability of citizens to get from Coquitlam to places of employment, entertainment, recreation and other zones where goods and services can be had within Coquitlam.
3. How will you work together with Mayor Richard Stewart and Council to make Coquitlam better?
In order for Council to work together, the councillors and the mayor need to have common goals/visions for Coquitlam. I believe that my visions/goals are similar to the views of the current councilors and mayor who want to see the Evergreen Line in Coquitlam as soon as possible. The City of Coquitlam needs to see a sustainable and more prosperous Coquitlam; I would attempt to connect with the citizens of Coquitlam and to work with Council to help convince them deliver on all of these above stated proposals; past, present and future ones. As a man of action, I am willing to spearhead the rapid growth with sustainable development of our great city.
4. How will you encourage more people to become involved with their civic government?
The current problem is communications with the citizens and Council. Lately Council is not communicating and informing with enough data with the people they represent. When I am voted onto Council, I will help by (a) hosting regional town halls or open houses to identify public priorities; (b) encouraging greater participation in community associations; (c) using Facebook and Twitter to encourage greater communication between Council and residents; and (d) introducing mail-outs every 18 months for residents to evaluate public services.
For more information, I run a personal blog to inform my constituency what is going on in their community. I did not get a blog or Twitter just due to the election. I created them so that I can share common city information with greater society. When I get on Council, I will continue blogging about city issues that matter and maintain it so that residents will be able to read and become informed about them by using social media as a means to increase civic awareness and involvement of the citizens in the City of Coquitlam.
I’d like to thank Andy for taking the time to get back to us. And I would like to encourage all Coquitlam residents to get out and vote on May 15. Local politics matter!
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