Local governments matter

HSA REPORT, OCTOBER 2014

BY CAROL RIVIERE

Choosing the politicians who govern our communities at the municipal or regional district level, and the school trustees who make decisions that affect our children's education, is a critical issue for working families.

On November 15th, British Columbians will choose the people who will hold these positions throughout the province for the next four years.

Decisions made at the local level affect every part of our lives on a daily basis – from transportation and housing, to our local environment and our schools. Local politicians are the closest to our communities, and we also count on them to ensure that senior levels of government understand our needs.

HSA is affiliated with local labour councils around the province, through our membership in the Canadian Labour Congress. Labour councils work with local politicians on an ongoing basis on a range of issues affecting our communities. In the lead-up to this fall's local government elections, labour councils have been working to identify candidates who share the values of working families and who want to make a difference on municipal councils and school boards.

In deciding whether or not to endorse a candidate, labour councils consider the candidate's position on a range of issues important to working families, as reflected in such things as the voting record of incumbents, the candidate's responses to a labour council questionnaire and, in many cases, an interview with labour council delegates from several different unions. HSA will be letting members know which candidates their local labour council has endorsed, so that you can consider this when deciding how to cast your ballot.

HSA's labour council delegates around the province are involved in this candidate endorsement process. This is just one of many reasons why HSA encourages members to become delegates to your local labour council. Chapters will be nominating labour council delegates during HSA steward elections this fall. If you're interested in becoming a delegate, then please contact your chief steward, or Carol Riviere at @email.

And if you're running or working in a local government election this fall, contact Carol Riviere for information about the support that HSA's Political Action Fund can provide to assist you in this work.