Candidate: Charlie Smith
Riding: Richmond-Bridgeport
Party: Independent
Occupation: Editor
Where do you live (city)? Vancouver
Top priorities for Richmond
My top priorities are more housing options in Richmond, enhancing Richmond as an arts and cultural centre, supporting anti-racism initiatives, promoting renewable electricity generation in homes and businesses, and promoting evidence-based responses to the toxic-drug crisis.
Past achievements
I launched two online media outlets focusing on arts and culture. I was editor of the Georgia Straight for 17 years. I researched stories on CBC Radio’s The Early Edition for 12 years. I’ve won two Western Magazine Awards for business writing and received two Jack Webster nominations for science and business writing. I’ve received awards from the Vancouver Asian Heritage Month Society, Spice Radio, Radical Desi, and TAIWANfest. I managed a mid-sized newsroom through the 2008 global economic meltdown and through the 2020-21 pandemic. I taught aspiring journalists at Kwantlen University College (now Kwantlen Polytechnic University) for seven years.
Yes/no questionnaire (candidate can give 150-word answer to three questions)
1. Do you support a provincial carbon tax? YES
2. Do you support Bill 44/47 to increase density in residential areas and near rapid transit? YES
3. Are you committed to keeping SOGI policies in B.C.’s education system? YES
4. Do you support Truth and Reconciliation with B.C.’s Indigenous population? YES
5. Do you support lower taxes for B.C. businesses?
I support a graduated corporate tax with lower taxes for small and mid-sized enterprises majority owned by B.C. residents. I do not support offering the same deduction to corporations with more than 100 employees. For companies with more than 100 employees, I support tying the provincial corporate tax to the differential between the CEO’s pay and the average employee’s pay. The bigger the gap, the more taxes the company pays. Robert Reich outlines how this could work in his 2015 book called Saving Capitalism. Plus, I want B.C. Hydro to make it easier for companies and homeowners to sell surplus renewable power into the grid through feed-in tariffs. This would enable building owners, including companies, to generate more income by installing rooftop solar panels. But first and foremost, we need more responsible fiscal policy than what’s being offered by the B.C. Conservatives and the B.C. NDP. Evidence-based policymaking is the solution.
6. Should the provincial government do more protect businesses from vandalism and other crimes? YES
7. Do you think the province should lobby the federal government for bail reform? YES
8. Do you support privatization of health care in B.C.? NO
9. Should health-care workers who lost their jobs for not being vaccinated be compensated? NO
10. Do you support a safe supply of drugs for people with a severe substance-use disorder? YES
11. Do you support a safe drug injection/consumption site in Richmond? YES
12. Do you believe in mandatory (involuntary) care for people with a severe substance-use disorder? NO
13. Do you think there should be more supportive housing in Richmond? YES
14. Should the province be building more subsidized housing to combat the housing crisis?
YES, Canada’s percentage of social housing in comparison to overall dwellings is among the lowest of all western industrialized countries. Canada has the lowest number of overall housing units per 1,000 population of all G7 countries. Canada’s ratio lags far behind the European Union average. If there is a famine, you deliver food to the people. We are in the midst of a housing famine in Metro Vancouver. We need to make more homes available for people.
15. Should the market be allowed to determine rents?
I support the provincial government putting ceilings on annual rent increases that are linked to the inflation rate. However, landlords should have latitude to seek variances if they can document exceptional building costs justifying a higher annual rent increase. I’m skeptical about vacancy controls because I worry that this policy will stifle much-needed new housing supply.
16. Do you support reverting to a bridge plan to replace the George Massey Tunnel? NO
**Editor's note: The News will be publishing profiles of candidates who submitted them before our deadline. They will be published between Monday, Oct. 7 and Thursday, Oct. 10.
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