GWEN O’MAHONY
Website: gwenfornanaimolantzville.com
X: @gwenomahony
Instagram: @gwen.omahony
Political party: How long have you been a member?
Conservative Party of BC 6 months
Do you live in the riding, and if so, for how long? If not, what is your connection to the riding?
Yes. 6 Years
What is your occupation, and for how long?
Business Consultant 3 years
What do you believe is the biggest issue facing your community and why?
Affordability, healthcare and the drug addiction crisis are the biggest issues impacting Nanaimo and Lantzville.
What actions or efforts have you taken to learn the concerns of your constituents?
I strongly believe in the importance of public engagement as a means of finding solutions and building strong communities. I meet with individuals and groups, usually at a local coffee shop or community meeting place. I attend rallies and community town halls. Whether it’s casual or structured, I’m an active listener.
What do you want to see improved in British Columbia in four, eight and 20 years?
In four years, the care model for people wrestling with addictions must transition to a treatment-focused approach, reducing overdose fatalities and restoring our downtown centers into safe places where people can live and run businesses. Meaningful steps must be taken to recruit and retain family doctors and reduce surgery wait times . Within 8 years, BC should have the strongest economy in Canada boasting balanced budgets with enough revenue for badly needed infrastructure projects. Home ownership amongst young people should be an attainable goal. Within 20 years, BC should have a strong healthcare system, safe streets and a strong economy.
How would you go about addressing contentious issues within your riding?
By continuing to utilize the same public engagement process I used as an MLA and most recently as a business consultant and provincial MLA candidate.
Would you vote against your party and leader if it were best for your constituents?
Yes
Why do you think you are qualified to do this job?
As a former MLA, I have direct, successful, experience for the position I am currently seeking.
Why are you running – what’s your motivation?
BC is a province rich in natural and human resources. We should be a social and economic powerhouse but over the past few years, we’ve experienced historic deficits and unprecedented community health and safety issues that have reached a crisis point. I believe that common sense change is not only possible but necessary.
ABOUT NANAIMO-LANTZVILLE
Nanaimo-Lantzville is a new riding for the 2024 election, created by a redistribution in 2021. It was created out of parts of the former Nanaimo and Parksville-Qualicum electoral districts.
Both of those ridings were won by New Democrats in the last election, but neither of those MLAs are running for re-election in this riding.
All of the 2024 candidates have been through a campaign before: Green Lia Versaevel also ran in 2020, while Gwen O’Mahony, once an NDP MLA for Chilliwack-Hope, is running for the Conservatives. They’re joined by New Democrat George Anderson, a Nanaimo city councillor and lawyer.
THE CANDIDATES IN NANAIMO-LANTZVILLE
The candidates this election are:
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.
