JODIE WICKENS, BCNDP [incumbent]: COQUITLAM-BURKE MOUNTAIN
It's not easy being in opposition, says BC NDP candidate Jodie Wickens, who is running to retain her Coquitlam-Burke Mountain seat on May 9.
"I can honestly say it's taken years off my life," the mother of two elementary school-aged children says about her job as MLA for the past year. But the challenge has been worth the effort to meet so many new people, and learn about some of the many programs, such as the work local streamkeeping groups do, Wickens said, and working to represent constituents.
In fact, it's constituency work — including dealing with the problems of local families that have issues with provincial government bureaucracy — that brings Wickens the most satisfaction.
Still, these cases are one-off situations that Wickens believes could be dealt with in a more coherent way if the BC NDP were in government making policy for health care, education, housing and social services.
Before politics, Wickens was an advocate for more services for special needs students and started a local autism support network. It was her presentation to the School District 43 board of education that brought her media attention, although she failed in her run for a spot on the board of education in 2014. Eventually, she became the executive director of the Autism Support Network and, a few months later, got the call from Port Coquitlam MLA Mike Farnworth asking her to run in the 2016 byelection to fill a spot vacated by BC Liberal Doug Horne, who quit to run in the federal election.
"It was a call I wasn't expecting," Wickens said. But she believes working as an MLA is an extension of her advocacy work only on a bigger scale.
Among the issues she feels passionately about are education and services for people with special needs, crowded schools, especially on Burke Mountain, the lack of affordable daycare and affordable housing (she and her husband are renting a basement suite in the area). Wickens has also been vocal about the slow timeline of school seismic upgrades and blames the current Tri-City daycare shortage, where school daycares are being shut down to make way for classrooms, on nine school closures in SD43 over the past 13 years.
THE ISSUES:
• On daycare: As the BC NDP's spokesperson for early childhood development and childcare, Wickens said she supports the $10-a-day-child care plan. "It's a pretty comprehensive plan. It's a 10-year process but it's really reforming the system." The plan would be to create more spaces through an $855-million investment in the first four years, either in homes, schools or private centres, and paying staff more so they stay in the industry. "We've committed with starting with infants and toddlers because they are the hardest [to find care for] and most vulnerable."
• On transit and transportation: "Congestion is an issue… We've said we support the [TransLink] mayors' 10-year plan. Months ago, we said we would increase the provincial portion of transit to 40%. At that time, I remember [Minister for TransLink] Peter Fassbender laughing, saying, 'Where are you going to get the money for it?' And right before the writ was about to drop, they said they were going to do it, too. Transit is an important thing for governments to invest in."
• On her issue pick, schools: "Schools need to be built on Burke Mountain and we need child care spaces as well. We know that this area is in great stress and we are going to fast track those things because we know people are struggling."
To contact Jodie Wickens, call 604-945-4766 or visit jodiewickens.bcndp.ca.
