JOAN ISAACS
BC LIBERAL
Twitter: @Joan_Isaacs
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.bcliberals.com/joanisaacs
Phone: 604-472-5522
Joan Isaacs has knocked on plenty of doors and spoken with many residents since announcing she would run as a BC Liberal in the upcoming Coquitlam-Burke Mountain byelection. But while she has canvassed a diverse range of opinions, she said that one constant issue continues to come up with potential voters: a lack of services in the area.
The 30-year resident told The Tri-City News she believes she can be an effective voice for improving public amenities in the riding and is the candidate best suited to represent its residents in Victoria.
“I feel like I can have a very loud voice,” she said during an interview at her Westwood Street campaign office. “I will fight for what I think is right and I will raise it and raise and raise it until I get the action I am looking for.”
It is that tenacity she said will work to bring improved bus service to Burke Mountain, even though the BC Liberals haven’t made that happen so far and the provincial government can’t force TransLink to make such changes.
With the $1.4-billion Evergreen Line set to open next year, Isaacs said improving connections to rapid transit are paramount to maximizing the investment.
“Especially for people that have children and teenagers,” she said. “They are working and they can’t just drop their activities or leave their work just to transport their kids around.”
The same goes for schools, Isaacs said, noting the lack of new facilities on the mountain. While she was happy to hear an elementary school is on the way, she said pushing for funding for a middle school and high school in the riding would be a top priority.
Isaacs has also heard from residents regarding the future of the Riverview Hospital grounds.
While she did not say whether she supports the development of market housing for the property, she noted that the land is an important greenspace for the city and should be preserved.
But perhaps the issue she is most passionate about is youth justice.
Isaacs is a member of the Tri-Cities Family Court and Youth Justice Committee, a group that has called on the federal and provincial governments to make amendments to the Youth Criminal Justice Act and the Criminal Code to include bullying and cyberbullying. She has long been a proponent of using restorative justice to deal with bullying so that those who cause harm can make amends to their victims, she said.
“It sets the stage where the person that is in a restorative justice process to understand the wrong they have made against somebody and they make it right,” she said, adding that the process has a 90% success rate when it comes to recidivism. “It is a big difference than sending somebody to a detention facility and hoping they have learned their lesson.”
But while she is quick to point out her policy positions, she said she understands that balance is necessary when working within government. She pointed to her background in the financial services industry, noting that she understands the need for creating a healthy environment for businesses
“I do have that economic skill set,” she said. “I feel I understand the challenges for families and businesses.”
@gmckennaTC
