Family and community are the two most important things in my life. I’ve lived in Prince Rupert for 47 years and married local girl Carrie Dickens. We raised three children here, Christina, Jeremy, and Marie, and now have eight grandchildren. Throughout my family’s younger years I was involved in many of their activities, such as volunteering as a coach for Prince Rupert Youth Soccer, or being involved with the executive of the Prince Rupert Minor Hockey Association.
I started my professional career here as a flooring contractor for many years with my partner Darrell Cochrane and joined the Canadian Coast Guard in 2000. After three years on the Lighthouse Rejuvenation Project, I spent the rest of my career as a Pollution Response Officer — a perfect job that allowed me an active role in my passion for environmental issues. I was shop steward as well as President of the Union of Canadian Transportation Employees Local 20213, and was for many years active in the Prince Rupert Labour Council. I’m now retired from the Coast Guard.
I’ve served on Prince Rupert City Council since 2013. I am president of the Prince Rupert Seniors’ Centre Association and a director of the Unemployment Action Society, an organization run by Dave Smith, with advocates Paul Legace and Arnie Nagy, all very strong advocates for housing and rental problems in Prince Rupert. I represent the city on the Community Advisory Board of the Prince Rupert Aboriginal Community Services Society. I have spent over four years as city representative on the North Coast Regional District, and among my accomplishments was a motion to obtain additional funding for the Lester Centre of the Arts and the Museum of Northern BC. I also serve on the Kitimat-Stikine Regional District Hospital Board, the BC Ferries Ferry Advisory Committee, and also served as a City director on Tourism Prince Rupert.
Over my time on Council, I hope you’ve had a chance to see who I am, and what I do. I’m strong on health care and housing, but I take very serious interest in every issue that comes before Council. I’m very proud of all of the great work this Council has achieved, but I also understand the challenges that still lie before us. I believe in the 2030 plan, but I also believe that we can make this a better place through simple things like bylaw enforcement, or through helping anyone who wants to build or improve their properties. I’ll help anybody who needs help navigating City Hall. But more than anything else, I’m passionate about making Prince Rupert a better and better place to live.