Dear Editor,
I’m so excited about this upcoming election for our Bowen Island Council. We have so many new faces, a diversity of perspectives, and, it appears, a shared desire to make this council open, collaborative and willing to listen to the hopes, values and concerns of everyone in the community.
There are so many qualified women running too. Sue Ellen Fast and Maureen Nicholson are two women who will bring thoughtful, intelligent and inclusive processes to council. Sue Ellen has served our Island so well, as an educator, and as someone who understands the importance of both our natural ecosystems and human systems. Sue Ellen has worked so hard to help create that network of interconnected trails across Bowen and I know she’ll work just as hard to create the community networks we’ll need to make good things happen on this Island.
Maureen is super bright, and brings rigorous analytical skills to our new council; I believe she also understands the importance of systems thinking and sees how many of our community values—environmental, heritage, economic, social, etc.—are deeply interconnected.
I think we’ll have a terrific Mayor, whoever we choose, and I look forward to supporting our new council in building an inclusive, open, compassionate and positive civic culture.
Kathryn Thomson
