Andy Shadrack: Bio
I immigrated to Canada in 1970 as an agricultural labourer. Involved in politics since 1963, I taught political science at Selkirk and Okanagan University Colleges from 1989 to 2005. Have been the Area D director since 2005 and chair of the RDCK’s rural affairs committee since 2009. A member of the Association of Kootenay Boundary Local Government executive since 2008, I currently serve as the vice president. Have a life long passion for politics and enjoy working with people from across the political spectrum to find solutions to problems.
As director I have enjoyed working with various community groups and individuals in Area D to implement their priorities in: fire protection, first responders, recreation, employment, fire interface, land use planning, water conservation and treatment, library service expansion and a plethora of local issues.
Over the last six years we’ve worked at a pace that allowed residents and property owners to think about the options before them, and when necessary we have held referenda, small community meetings and petition processes to ensure that a majority felt comfortable with the direction being taken.
Not shy at speaking my mind, I always try to listen carefully to opposing points of view before voting on issues.
Overall I feel I have earned the respect of colleagues and a variety of government officials. I look forward to having an opportunity to serve the residents and property owners of Area D for another three years, if that is your wish and consent.
Top 3 issues
1. At an Area D and RDCK level I want to continue to work with residents and property owners on services they have prioritized for expansion and improvement, such as fire service in Ainsworth-Woodbury, a new wharf in Lardeau, new fire hall for Kaslo-Area D; and rejuvenating the economy in the Lardeau Valley. I am looking forward to implementing the recently completed RDCK agricultural plan and continuing to participate in development of the Kootenay Lake Stewardship Partnership. I want to continue working on streamlining services so they can be delivered in a fiscally sound manner. I wish I could have done more to help with employment issues in the Lardeau Valley over the last six years, but building relationships with regional organizations and provincial agencies takes time and patience. I am glad to have helped with the greenhouse project, Lardeau Valley Community Centre renovations and Glacier Creek Regional Park upgrades.
2. At the regional AKBLG executive level I will continue to support the development of a rural economic strategy, in conjunction with the work of Selkirk College innovation chair and the Columbia Basin Trust’s rural development initiative; and the ongoing work of the local government Columbia River Treaty committee, which is preparing to participate in discussions around the 2014 deadline by which Canada has to serve notice of its desire to continue and/or renegotiate the Treaty. In particular, I would like to focus on trying to obtain multi-year funding for the Lardeau Valley mosquito abatement program, particularly when a high run-off spring freshet causes the cost of the program to double; and, funding for periodic flooding of adjacent farm land. I also intend to carry on working with our two regional MPs, obtaining funds, for example, to build a public washroom at the historic Ainsworth wharf.
3. At the provincial level of the Union of BC Municipalities I hope to continue to serve on the small water systems working group, where we are negotiating with representatives from the Ministries of Health, Environment, Community Services and the health authorities on amendments to the safe drinking water regulations that will allow small water systems like Fletcher Creek Improvement District and the Mirror Lake Water Users community, and micro systems like Howser, to make affordable and attainable choices around water treatment. I will also continue to oppose downloading, for example the transfer of responsibility for dikes to local government that would make residents and property owners adjacent to Cooper Creek financially responsible for upgrading and maintaining the dike there to, as yet, undetermined provincial standards. I will also continue to press for a resolution to the situation surrounding Meadow Creek Cedar.