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Delta council candidate looks to multicultural background to bring communities together

Kay Khilvinder Hale hopes to use her ‘cultural … and professional experience’ to connect Deltans
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Kay Khilvinder Hale, a council candidate in the 2018 Delta election. (Kay Hale/Facebook photo)

Delta council candidate Kay Khilvinder Hale is hoping her multicultural background will spark community connection in city hall.

“It’s more important now than ever before that we build a community connection across all our diverse demographics,” Hale, a business management consultant, said in a statement to the North Delta Reporter.

Hale, who is running as an independent in the upcoming election, grew up in Hong Kong speaking five different languages: English, Cantonese, Punjabi, Hindi and elementary Mandarin. Having moved to Canada in 1989, and adding Urdu to her list of languages, she’s hoping these international experiences will bring Delta’s three communities together.

There is a “psychological separation” between North Delta, Ladner and Tsawwassen, she said in her statement, and bridging the three communities requires a “good line of communication.”

“As your Delta city councillor, with my multi-lingual ability, I would be able to strengthen the community as a whole, leverage the cultural … and professional experience I have to bring a new perspective to the table,” she said.

However, Hale’s run for council isn’t just about bridging Delta’s differences; she also has some specific goals if elected, including advocating for more general practitioners and health-care providers to come to Delta. Hale said she believes Delta needs to develop a long-term, community-based health-care plan to increase in-patient mental health resources and increase the number of surgical beds in the community.

RELATED: Nearly all 26 Delta council hopefuls at first public all-candidates meeting

Hale also said Delta needs to work with all levels of government to relieve traffic congestion at the George Massey Tunnel — her preferred option is a twinning of the tunnel.

She said that Delta needs to work to protect its agricultural land and help maintain or grow its food production levels, as well as protect Delta’s mature trees. She said this could by done by protecting farmland from encroaching urbanization and expropriation and updating Delta’s tree protection bylaw.

She also touched on the Enviro-Smart Organics composting issue, which has dogged the campaigns of several council-hopefuls this election.

“The odour currently generated from this facility is unacceptable and is clearly impacting residents in Ladner,” Hale said. “We need a cohesive approach to work with related authorities to solve this odorous emissions problem.”

The civic election will take place on Oct. 20, with advance voting on Oct. 6, 10 and 11.

To read more about Delta’s candidates, see“43 candidates running in Delta civic election.”



grace.kennedy@northdeltareporter.com

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