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Port Coquitlam City Council candidate Cindy Carkner shares her vision for the City with Nancy Furness of We’ve Got Issues. Cindy has been an interior designer for about twenty years and has lived in Port Coquitlam for thirty years where she and her husband raised three daughters. She has used all the services and amenities in the City. Cindy wants to listen to citizens and be their advocate. She brings a calm spirit, good decision-making, and creativity to the table. Cindy has connected with the community through volunteering and talking to people. She says people are happy with where they live, except some are looking for more things to do. Cindy supports a ‘creative agenda’ to have more food festivals and other large cultural events. The City can support local artists by using their art and some of that is already happening. Cindy would like to keep Port Coquitlam’s ‘small-town charm’ by bringing in small shops and cafes. Port Coquitlam is a busy City with congested areas. We can’t change what’s already there but could upgrade sidewalks and cross-walks. A well-marked, safe bike-lane and upgraded sidewalk from Mary Hill bypass into downtown are needed. Cindy noticed the loss of trees in the downtown core and was told by the City that the trees had reached their lifespan and could be a danger. She supports planting native species. Cindy says climate change is real. We need trees now that will survive our changing climate and Cindy will look to specialists to figure out which species to plant. She feels Port Coquitlam has a really good environmental plan in place and we need to stick with that, while continuing to learn and improve. She feels the City shows leadership in recycling and everyone has a responsibility to recycle. Cindy says the community is trying really hard with respect to action on Reconciliation. However, she questions whether minority ethnic groups are being invited into the conversation at City Hall. She feels there are voices not being heard at Council and she could be the link. Cindy is doing a lot of door-to-door canvassing to engage voters and non-voters. Listening calmly before speaking to find common threads is important to maintaining a respectful workplace.