Auli Parviainen, an independent business consultant, has embraced Squamish as the true home for her family for the past two years.
Parviainen has been thrilled to discover the town's unique resource industry-based history, youthful entrepreneurial spirit and exceptional recreational and arts and cultural opportunities. Having invested the last six months speaking with a diverse group of residents, she has come to appreciate the diverse passions, interests and concerns of the community at large.
"I love everything Squamish has to offer but I do see the need to bring different voices to local government. My impression is that the actions of the local government haven't reflected the evolving fibre of the community despite significant public consultation over the course of the last decade," Parviainen explains.
"Broader representation, full accountability and a mandate on transparency are needed to repair local government's reputation. We must work on uniting the community towards a common purpose and encourage on-going participation via variety of methods. That means demonstrating leadership that not only encourages community engagement but embraces new technologies and takes action on diverse sustainable economic development to build our tax base. We have the innovation within to build an iconic town vibrant with life, work, arts, culture and recreation. I believe I have the skills to lead a team toward a common vision and I am honoured to run for Mayor."
Auli looks forward to getting her fill of coffee with the local residents in the coming weeks. She has spearheaded opportunities for serious, transparent and on-going citizen engagement (Facebook group: Squamish Speaks). She is eager to see the 7 seats filled with passionate residents willing to make change and inspire confidence everywhere with their actions.
Auli Parviainen information:Website: www.auli.caTwitter: @auidotcaFacebook: "Auli Parviainen for Mayor"
