Coquitlam City Council candidate Leslie Roosa joins TCCTV’s Patrick McCarthy. Leslie has lived in Coquitlam for over 30 years. Although a lot has changed, Coquitlam is a wonderful community to live, raise a family, and start a business. Leslie wants it to remain that way. Leslie is an educator with several degrees and works with the Vancouver School Board. This has given her the opportunity to work with a wide range of cultures, backgrounds and diversity. She feels this is a voice she can bring to Council as the population continues to grow. Leslie is a Trustee for the BC Teachers’ Pension Plan, a Director on Community Savings, and a Secretary-Treasurer for the Vancouver Teachers’ Elementary School Association. Her background is largely financial. Leslie is concerned about core services such as seniors’ centres, safety initiatives, and parks and recreation keeping pace as Coquitlam’s density expands. She would advocate for housing especially for seniors, families, and single people. Leslie says the City will see challenges with inflation and also with making transit as accessible as possible. Realistically transit won’t solve all the problems, effective traffic calming is needed as well. For seniors, a challenge is staying in their homes if possible, having home support, and transitioning into assisted living and long-term care. Many of these issues fall under Provincial jurisdiction, however Coquitlam still needs to ensure seniors’ services are available. The City must also advocate for better hospital facilities. Appropriate zoning and affordable housing will help all generations to remain in Coquitlam. Leslie has brochures going out in the City mailer. She feels this is good for democracy and helpful to citizens and in offsetting some costs to candidates. Candidates need to recognize they will have to spend some money in order to run for office. Changes to the Elections Act barring large donations from Unions and businesses has helped to level the playing field.