The Burnaby NOW asked every candidate running for office in the OCt. 20 civic election to fill out a questionnaire. We hope this helps you make an informed decision at the ballot box.
Candidates were given strict word limits and a deadline to submit their answers. Those who missed the deadline will not have their questionnaires posted and answers exceeding word limits will be cut off.
More candidate questionnaires can be found here and more of our election coverage can be found here.
Name: Baljinder Kaur NARANG
Current occupation: Burnaby School Trustee
Tell us about yourself.
I have been a Burnaby resident since 1995. I was born in Uganda, lived in India for 5 years where I completed my high school. I moved to England for post secondary education and became an Occupational Therapist and an Alcohol Counsellor. I also worked in Zambia for a short period before returning to England where my three children were born. As a family, we moved to Halifax, NS in 1990. I completed my Masters in Health Education from Dalhousie University. All my adult children graduated from Burnaby South. My husband is a physician in Surrey and my rock!
What are the top three issues in Burnaby right now and what would you do to fix them?
1. I believe that affordable housing is the main issue that concerns our communities, not only in Burnaby, but across the region. I would work in collaboration with senior levels of government to increase supportive housing for the most vulnerable, non-market units, co-op housing and private units available through secondary suites.
2. Inadequate numbers of child-care places available in the city is a barrier to the well-being and prosperity of many working families. I would continue to build on the collaboration with the Burnaby School District and the Provincial Government to increase the number of child-care spaces available.
3. Although Burnaby is well served by Skytrain networks, the challenge is to manage commuter traffic that regularly passes through the city creating problems for residents trying to move easily within the City. Again I would work in collaboration with Translink to find creative/innovative solutions to continue addressing this challenge.
If you have run for office before, what have you learned? If you have not, why are you running now?
I have been a School Trustee for 10 years and am seeking a seat on Council for the first time. As a trustee, I advocated to all levels of government and maintained good working relations with community partners to achieve success for students. As a councillor, working in collaboration with partner groups including senior governments, unions, other employee groups, business partners and city residents are essential in achieving prosperity for all our diverse communities.
What is one achievement and one failure of Burnaby council in the last four years?
Achievement: The strong relationship between the City and the School District is an exceptional achievement that benefits all our families. The City’s support for Community Schools and crossing guards program is something to be proud of. As is the collaboration on numerous initiatives with Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Services.
Failure: The City produces regular newsletter and other forms of communication. However, residents have not been able to appreciate the challenges that the City faced on an ongoing basis. Communications with residents on housing and other important issues, could be better, and I look forward to help working on this.
What would make you a good councillor?
I bring to the table proven leadership, experience, and a passion for social justice. I am a strong team player, which is critical to being an effective Councilor. I believe integrity and transparency are the cornerstones for public office, and I will uphold these values in my work on Council.
What movie is most relevant to your life and why?
I confess my favorite movie is a classic - Sound of Music - which speaks to personal courage, hope, determination, collective well-being, responsibility for oneself and standing up for what you believe in; and doing the right thing by those that you care for – your community (or country).
How can voters reach you?
