Rosalie Sawrie
Website: www.rosaliesawrie.ca
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosaliesawriefornorthcowichan
Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosalie09s
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rosaliesawrie/
Are you associated with or running as part of a slate? If so, which one?
No
Do you live in the municipality where you are running, and if so, for how long? If not, what is your connection to that community?
Yes, I have lived in the Westholme area of North Cowichan for almost 8 years and in the Cowichan Region for 10 years. I grew up in Nanaimo and am originally from a small mining town in Northern Ontario.
What is your occupation, and for how long?
I am a North Cowichan councillor and am currently employed at Social Planning Cowichan since April 2018 but am on leave to run in this election. I will resign if successfully elected as Mayor
Tell us about your previous elected and/or community experience.
I was elected onto North Cowichan Council in 2018, in that role I was a member of Our Cowichan Health Network, Policing Advisory Society Liaison, Public Engagement Committee and am on the Vancouver Island Library Board of Directors to name a few. I’ve also served as Deputy Mayor for eight months. I’ve attended the UBCM, LGLA, AVICC and FCM conferences. Additionally, I have 15 years of community building and engagement experience on environmental, housing and poverty issues.
Why are you running? What’s your motivation?
I strongly believe that we need to collaborate and work together both in government and in the community. During the past 4 years on Council, I’ve often felt like I was sitting in the middle of the table, watching the pendulum swing back and forth trying to decide where I should land that would get us to the best possible outcome for our community. I know that I can set the stage for collaborative leadership both at the Council table and in the community through respectful dialogue, sound governance and decisive decision making.
What are your top three issues?
Housing across the spectrum is needed in all areas of North Cowichan and across the Region including for our most vulnerable, for busy families, employed youth, for our elders who need to downsize, and for single parents and adults. This will require collaboration with all levels of government while we also work on improving our development approval processes and ensure we preserve and improve upon our environment and natural assets. Ensuring we are efficiently prepared for droughts and flooding is also a top priority. We need to support agriculture as they face the challenges of climate change. In addition to working on housing for workers, find innovative ways to support our local businesses.
What’s your vision for your community in 25 years?
My vision for North Cowichan is a place where everyone is safe, healthy and feels connected to their community. This means everyone has a home they can afford comfortably, that they feel included and able to meaningfully contribute, and we have a creative and vibrant economy that respects the environment. We need to have tight knit neighbourhoods that look after each other, are resilient, accessible and can easily connect to services and amenities. We’re living in harmony with our First Nations Communities and the environment.
What’s one “big idea” you have for your community?
My main focus is to work together with people of diverse backgrounds and experiences to listen and learn from each other to solve the major challenges we are all facing in our communities. This isn’t a radical “big idea” but it is so necessary. Climate disruption, mental health issues, the toxic drug crisis, economic stability, reliable healthcare; all require housing. Without adequate housing and a stable economy, we can never include everyone to take climate action. These issues are so interrelated and everyone needs to work in collaboration to make any progress. Instead of being stuck in our corners in our ideologies, my goal is to bring people together to have these hard conversations and start moving forward with solutions.
