Leadership

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After a hectic municipal election campaign that wound up on October 20, 2018, election day, Oak Bay voters elected a new Mayor and Council.  I was gratified to be among the seven candidates elected and am deeply grateful to Oak Bay voters for their support, awarding me over 3,800 votes and giving me the privilege … Read more

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With a new year, the Capital Regional District (CRD) Board welcomes a new Board Chair, Mayor Barb Desjardins of Esquimalt. In addition to Mayor Desjardins’ election, one that suggests a desire for positive change and new direction, newly appointed Chairs/Vice-Chairs of Standing and Select Committees also take their seats.  These appointments involve careful thought and … Read more

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With the federal election campaign roughly beyond the halfway mark, politics and politicians — what they say, how they behave and who might get and not get elected — are on the minds of many Canadians.  For those running for office, getting elected is only half the battle.  The other shoe to drop is stepping … Read more

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In the last six months, some of the most interesting and complete investigative journalism into local and regional government has occurred in Focus Magazine by editors Leslie Campbell and David Broadland and on-air with journalist and reporter Ian Jessop of  CFAX 1070 Radio. SAANICH The ongoing situation in Saanich, reflected by an apparent disconnect between … Read more

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The Pitfalls of Poor Leadership A lot is written about leadership these days, probably because our complex world requires skilled and strong leaders to find solutions that make a positive difference to the human condition.  Unfortunately, the flip side of good leadership is poor leadership, and recognizing some of the fundamental differences is essential if … Read more

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Focus Magazine Takes Aim at Oak Bay’s Urban Deer Cull Oak Bay’s plan for a deer cull continues to grab attention from the public and the media.  Leslie Campbell, editor of Focus Magazine, has written a strong and thought-provoking article in the March 2015 edition of Focus Magazine here:  http://bit.ly/1Faa4td  It seems that Oak Bay … Read more

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CBC News covered a new study released by the non-profit group Catalyst Canada (promoting women in business), that shows that gender equality on corporate boards in Canada puts us in the “middle of the pack.”  As of October 2014, the study reveals that 20.8% of seats at the Board table of companies listed on the … Read more

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Women seem to be making a breakthrough in local politics in the Capital Regional District (CRD), especially during the 2014 municipal election cycle.  Two new female faces in the City of Victoria and in Sooke (Mayors Lisa Helps and Maja Tait) join other CRD women Mayors Barb Desjardins, Carol Hamilton and Alice Finall.  While this … Read more

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The new Oak Bay Council announced that over the next three months, it will review roles and responsibilities of its advisory commissions and committees, avenues for meaningful volunteer involvement that signifies a commitment to citizen engagement.  A priority of mine during the last municipal election, it makes good sense to review, from time to time, … Read more

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To change and shift an organization’s culture from “what was and is, to what can be,” may be one of the most challenging issues facing any new leader.  While new leadership can be exciting and promises positive opportunities, change can also be threatening.   Therefore, making change should always be approached as a process over time, … Read more

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In a recently published report by OSLER, titled “Planning for 2015:  A 2014 Canadian Proxy Season Retrospective,” gender diversity on boards and in senior management is acknowledged as a long standing concern.  Among Canada’s 500 largest companies, the report indicates that board seats held by women sits at just 15.9%.  While there have been improvements … Read more

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I read with interest Mayor Nils Jensen’s “to do” list in the December 7th Times Colonist profile on his election win.  While many of the priorities sounded familiar to me (part of my own campaign platform), the following is a more complete list of what I believe Oak Bay’s Mayor should focus on during the … Read more