STEPHANIE HIGGINSON
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Political party: How long have you been a member?
I have been a supporter of the BCNDP since I moved to BC and I officially joined the party in March 2024.
Do you live in the riding, and if so, for how long? If not, what is your connection to the riding?
I live in Cedar, just a few hundred meters from the south east boundary of the riding. I moved here with my family since 2010.
What is your occupation, and for how long?
I live on a small farm in Cedar with my husband and two children. I was an elected school board trustee for two terms. I am a small business owner, currently I am an education consultant.
What do you believe is the biggest issue facing your community and why?
When I talk to people in my community the number one issue is healthcare, especially concerns about access to a family doctor. I understand - my family also doesn’t have a family doctor. Our government is taking action to train and hire more doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers than ever before. And we are building and expanding hospitals here on Vancouver Island. But there is more to do. I’m running for the BCNDP because we are committed to improving healthcare for everyone, not cutting funding to healthcare, like John Rustad said he would do.
What actions or efforts have you taken to learn the concerns of your constituents?
I love my community, and when the previous government caused the closing of schools in my community, I knew I had to get involved. I was elected as a school board trustee and served two terms, 3 years as President of the BCSTA. While working with constituents during my term, which included during Covid, I got to know my constituents and their concerns, not just about education, but about their hopes and desires for a future in our province. Since becoming the BCNDP candidate I have spoken to community leaders constituents across the entire riding.
What do you want to see improved in British Columbia in four, eight and 20 years?
I am so proud to be running for the BCNDP because we are working hard to continually improve heath care, access to affordable housing, and the many other issues that my constituents are talking about. For example, we have made significant changes to how we train, recruit and retain healthcare workers, and it is starting to pay off. We are standing up to housing speculators and have an Action Plan to create 300,000 additional middle-class homes. We are making life more affordable by freezing ICBC rates, raising the minimum wage and eliminating MSP premiums.
How would you go about addressing contentious issues within your riding?
As a school trustee and as President of the BCSTA, I learned the important skill of effective collaboration and consensus building. During my time as a Board of Education trustee I co-chaired the Truth and Reconciliation Advisory Committee. This committee created the Syeyutsus Framework, the policy framework to guide the district work on truth and reconciliation that is still in use today. I am proud of that work. Bringing people together to create solutions is what I did and what I will continue to do as the MLA.
Would you vote against your party and leader if it were best for your constituents?
My priority will always be the needs of my community and the people who live here. I am running for the BCNDP because I know that our party, with David Eby as our leader, reflects the priorities of Ladysmith Oceanside and the shared values of the people of BC. We are working hard to build more homes, to lower costs for people and to hire more doctors, nurses and other health care practitioners because this is what my constituents are asking for.
Why do you think you are qualified to do this job?
It would be an honour to be the MLA for Ladysmith Oceanside. My time as a trustee for 2 terms for District 68 that included 3 years as President of the BC School Trustees Association was a chance for me to support my community as well as the province. I learned the balance between fighting hard for my community while helping to improve public education for all students in BC. The lessons learned during this time are invaluable and will serve me well as MLA.
Why are you running – what’s your motivation?
I am running because I believe I am the best person to be the MLA for Ladysmith Oceanside. I bring the type of skills and abilities that are required for this amazing and complex responsibility. But I am also running because I care deeply about my community and about the future of all of us here in BC. I have two children that I am determined, like all parents, to ensure a future where they and all children can thrive.
ABOUT LADYSMITH-OCEANSIDE
Ladysmith-Oceanside is a new electoral district for 2024. It combines parts of the former Parksville-Qualicum and Nanaimo-North Cowichan ridings.
Both of those went NDP in the last election. Only one incumbent, Adam Walker, is running again — this time as an Independent. (He he was ousted from the NDP caucus because he tried to fire a unionized employee at his constituency office).
Running for the NDP this time is former school board trustee and small-business owner Stephanie Higginson.
The Green candidate is Laura Ferreira, while the Conservatives are represented by Brett Fee.
THE CANDIDATES IN LADYSMITH-OCEANSIDE
The candidates this election are:
- Conservative Brett Fee
- Green Party candidate Laura Ferreira
- New Democrat Stephanie Higginson
- Independent candidate Adam Walker
See the full list of Vancouver Island candidates here. We are posting the candidate questionnaires riding by riding.
ABOUT THE PROFILES
We asked readers what they wanted to ask candidates and used those answers to help shape our election coverage, including candidate questionnaires.
The answers are presented as submitted by the candidates, edited only for length if they exceeded the word limit they were given. We did not correct grammar, spelling or typos.
See an error or something that needs to be changed? You can report it to [email protected] or use the report a typo link below.
