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Gord McKeever

Campaign slogan: It’s all about balance.

Campaign slogan: It’s all about balance.

Occupation: Owner/operator of Rainbow Retreats property management company

Volunteerism: Chairman of Whistler Creek Merchant’s Association, co-chair of the libarary/museum capital campaign’s local community fundraising committee, Rotary Club

Skiing, snowboarding, mountain biking

Hobbies: Cross-country touring, snowshoeing, canoeing and kayaking.

Web site: www.gordonmckeever.com

Last book read: Call of the Wild by Jack London (to daughter)

Why are you running for council?

The existing mayor and council have done more right than wrong for the past six years, but there are signs that they are losing touch. The need now is for fresh input and fresh perspectives, not revolutionary change.

One of my concerns is the increasing dominance of big business and international corporations in our community. Local enterprise is the basis of our success and it’s being marginalized and threatened.

Referencing the sustainability concept, a balanced position requires all three elements to be in balance – environmental, economic and social. Local enterprise, small enterprise, these are part of the social and economic elements of our community.

The biggest issues are affordability, which is the biggest challenge facing our community; effective implementation of the sustainability concept – I’m looking forward to seeing concrete programs and deliverable results – and economic diversity. On my Web site I expand quite a bit on affordability, sustainability, my own position in the sustainable concept, and economic diversity, as well as issues like transportation and the highway, the Olympics, the train, the community plan and the bed cap, and the Sea to Sky Trail.

What are the major accomplishments/failures of council since the last election?

On a lot of the big picture items, I like the concept of the sustainability initiative. I’m not saying it’s well directed to date, but then it’s a new idea; there’s no manual for this.

I like the role they’ve defined for us in the 2010 Olympic Bid. The exercise of defining our place was well done.

On the other side of the coin, in recent years we’ve seen the increasing dominance of big business and international corporations in our town. Historically, success is based on independent local enterprise and a broad base of stakeholders, and the balance has been seriously affected – that needs addressing.

Another accomplishment… is the steps that have been taken in affordable housing. I shudder to think what this place might look like if they hadn’t done as much as they have.

There are still niches that have been overlooked in terms of economical seasonal housing. We have an urgent need for beds in the hundreds. In the long term, we need beds in the thousands.

At the same time we have to create opportunities for the community that is looking to get settled in right now, that want to buy in and become community stakeholders.

I’m not interested in sniping about things the (previous council) did. They made some decisions I don’t agree with, but they’re done. I’m more concerned with what’s ahead.

What are the key issues facing the next council?

Affordability – specifically for housing, but there are other elements – is certainly on top of the pile. There are other costs of living that we could mitigate in some ways.

Regarding the Callaghan and Cheakamus land banks, I’d like to explore the possibility of instead of building housing on one swatch of land, building on several patches of land nearer to our community. It will be closer, it’s more affordable to build, and it offers access to existing community amenities. Another concern is the deliverance of the Olympics, the fulfillment of our role in the Olympic Bid process we’ve defined. It all sounds good, but we’ve got to make it happen.

(Another priority) is guiding the Official Community Plan to its completion. We’re nearing the conclusion of a community plan of development that’s been our goal for 25 years, and we need to guide it to completion, and fill in the missing elements that are needed, such as affordable housing and community facilities. We need to experience how it works, what it looks like, before we can consider changing it.

The bed cap is for 55,000 bed units, and we’re nearing the end of it, and it’s been challenging working around it in the past. We have to see how that works before we add any more.

We need effective development of the sustainability concept with real programs and demonstrable results.

It’s a small point, but I would also like to the see the Sea to Sky Trail concept resurrected… a multi-use, mountain bike trail from Squamish to D’Arcy, built to Forest Practice Code standards and legally recognized. It was originally started over 10 years ago, but it’s languished in the last few years, kept alive by a small group of dedicated optimists.

I think it’s a benefit for our community and connects all the communities in the corridor, for locals, for tourists, at little cost.

Why should people vote for you?

Because I represent a balanced position as a candidate – strong on economic awareness, strong on social concerns, and strong on environmental respect.

As a small businessman, I bring to council economic and common sense. I’ve survived and lived in this market, and it’s been tough – we’ve had our successes and we’ve had our challenges.

I bring my observances as a student of Whistler for the past 20 years. I bring to the table a thorough understanding of the economy that keeps our community alive, both currently and historically.

Socially, I carry the priorities of a businessperson, but also of a father raising a family, and a long term resident who plans to live here for a long time to come.

I’m in a unique position to understand a broad range of issues. I’ve been a busboy, a waiter, a front desk clerk and more. I’ve been a tenant, a landlord, thanks to Whistler’s affordable housing initiatives, a property owner.

The Olympics are just one of the things we’re doing that is big and global. The sustainability initiative is also important, and one day communities will be looking to us as a model for their own initiatives.