Candidate profiles for Coquitlam mayor were published to our website in alphabetical order.
Adel Gamar
- Age: 47
- Years as a Coquitlam resident: 35 (not consecutive)
- Occupation: CEO of a leadership consultancy
- Website: gamarforcoquitlam.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Facebook: @AdelGamarCoquitlam
- Instagram: @adel.gamar
- Twitter/YouTube: @adelgamar
Who is your campaign manager?
"We don’t have a traditional campaign manager, but we have various people who have been supporting with specific lens and expertise."
(Gamar later emailed the Tri-City News that he has special advisors for "Seniors & Age-Friendly Coquitlam;" "City-to-Nation Partnership;" and "Families, Children & Public Spaces;" however, he declined to share their names.)
Why are you a better candidate?
"I ran four years ago. As a new candidate with five weeks campaigning, I was very proud of the work that we were able to do. We gave people an opportunity to be heard, and a choice. I came in second. I was very proud of the outcome. Over the last four years, the challenges that we’ve had have failed to be addressed. What I’ve learned is that seniors on fixed incomes are more anxious than ever about becoming homeless or having to move out of Coquitlam. I’ve heard families are still waiting 3.5 years to secure child care in Coquitlam. With my leadership experience, I recognize where there’s an unmet need. Having a person who has served the city for 21 years, I think it’s time for change."
Since the last campaign, how have you been a part of city hall discussions?
"Shortly after the election, I applied to a couple of committees and received a letter that a lot of people applied, and I was not offered a position. I have served on the Coquitlam Foundation board. My wife and I co-founded the Gamar Foundation and, for the last three years, we have been advising and mentoring young people to look around their cities."
If you’re not at city hall in an advisory role, how do you get your information about municipal affairs?
"I pay close to attention to what’s going on at council. I attend hearings. I watch the virtual meetings. And anything that’s made public, and engaging with residents."
What is your education?
"University of Calgary, bachelor’s of education. I was a kindergarten, Grade 1 and Grade 3 teacher. We moved to the Emirates where I was a high school teacher for Grade 11 and 12 with a Canadian organization. I have a master’s in education degree in Educational Leadership and Management at the University of Leicester (UK) and worked with UNESCO as an educational specialist. At Harvard University, I graduated with a master’s in public administration. I got a teaching position there, and was appointed a policy fellow at Harvard Law School."
You are board chair of Douglas College. Why is there no student housing at the Coquitlam campus?
"That is a good question that’s on the minds of many of us. We recently celebrated the announcement that we have been working on for so long at 808 Royal Ave. in New Westminster. Housing is critical. How wonderful would it be to have student housing in Coquitlam? The transit is right there. It’s just waiting to be tapped."
What is leadership?
"Leadership is not a position and a seat to occupy. Leadership is the capacity to bring people together where you can help make progress on complex challenges. If the mayor is just sitting in his seat or just being seen in the city at events and not advocating for seniors in Victoria or youth with mental health or single mothers facing homeless, it’s not effective."
How is your campaign different from four years ago?
"From a policy perspective, the challenges are now more dire. There is a mood for change. The same mayor served for 14 years to the best of his ability. I salute him for that, but the challenges that we have today have clearly outgrown the capacity for change that people are expecting. I’ve seen a confirmation in collaborative politics. I also believe in hopeful issues that instill trust in their future mayor and elected representatives. I believe in the inspirational power of politics. People expect their mayor to make progress by listening, to help build a responsive city hall and to put people and their neighbourhoods first. Maillardville is not the same as Burke Mountain."
Est-ce que tu parles français?
"Un peu."
In your daily life, how do you acknowledge that you live, work, play and learn on unceded First Nations’ territory?
"Before I committed to run, I asked for a meeting with Kwikwetlem First Nation Chief Ed Hall and his council. I asked for their blessing and wisdom. They said, 'We’ve never had somebody come to us in this way. This is reconciliation.' As we look to develop, I want to learn from the wisdom of Elders. I seek Chief Hall’s advice regularly. It is part of our faith to acknowledge and honour their land."
What is your vision for σəμιθ̓ʷəʔελə/Riverview Lands?
"I certainly want to see it open and provide a lot of the mental health support that people need. When we immigrated here in 1987, my mom’s first job was working at Riverview as a registered nurse. We have seen a lot of talk over the past few years and a lot of fingerprinting that somebody needs to do something. I don’t think that residents of Coquitlam expect their mayor to solve every problem, but they do expect their mayor to convene people and use their platform to find ways to address these challenges."
Who is endorsing you, and who are you endorsing?
"So far, about 15,000 residents of Coquitlam. The biggest endorsement is every door that I’m at where they say, 'It’s about time for a change.' I appreciate that the people of Coquitlam want independent candidates. They don’t like slates or party politics. I will not be endorsing any candidate."
Are you in favour of implementing a living wage at city hall?
"Yes, absolutely. PoCo is. If we become a living–wage city, I know that businesses around the city will take the lead, but if we’re not even having that conversation then we’re not seeing progress. The mayor hasn’t met the people that work at our leisure centres who work 40 hours a week — and they’re still below the poverty line. He doesn’t understand the data around it, that those who earn a livable wage spend locally. He’s out of touch with good civic policy."
Why are you running for mayor and not council?
"People are yearning and asking for change, and that’s with the mayor. We need change at the top. If you believe you have something to contribute to the city and want to inspire, you run irrespective of who’s in office. I want to run a city for everyone. I don’t want to have a long-term tenure. I commit to four years of hard work. I believe in term limits. Two terms is the cap; you can do wonders in two."
