As part of its ongoing series on candidates running for municipal office in British Columbia, on this page the Fitzhugh features profiles of candidates Raj Basran and Allan Frederick, who are running for McBride council, and Loranne Martin, who is running to be mayor of McBride.

The Fitzhugh is continuing in its process of contacting each candidate in Valemount and McBride for interviews. Any candidates wishing to get a jump on the process can feel free to contact reporter Nicole Veerman at reporter@fitzhugh.ca or 780-852-4888.

Look for more candidate profiles next week.  

Local businessman seeks council seat

McBride business owner Raj Basran is running for council because he wants to help bring new industry to the valley.

“I kind of want to establish a well-paying industry for our kids, the next generation coming up, and I’m seeing less and less of that happening in our community right now,” he said. “I want to help promote the town itself, so we can create more jobs for the future, so our kids don’t have to move out when they graduate. So they can sustain a lifestyle here.”

Basran has been living in the valley for 11 years. During that time he has raised two kids and generated three businesses: Stedmans, BKB Cedar Products and Cougar Den Cabins.

He said now that his businesses are up and running, he has some free time that he wants to devote to bettering his community.

“I just need to help out with the community and make sure there’s stuff here for our future families coming up.”

He said residents of McBride have a lot of ideas that he wants to foster, rather than stifle.

“I believe there’s so many individuals that have so many fresh ideas, but they get turned down, they get run against walls and stuff like that, and I want to try to take some of those ideas and maybe assist (in bringing them to fruition).”

Basran said there needs to be more positive feedback for residents and businesses showing interest in the valley.

For example, he said, the community needs to encourage the proposed EcoTECH project.

“I’d like to be a part of that – to help promote that and make sure there is positive feedback going through there,” he said.

Frederick makes push for diversification

Allan Frederick is taking another crack at McBride village council.

The former councillor was first elected in 2002 and served two terms – six years. He ran again in 2008, but was not re-elected. 

Frederick, who owns McBride Trading Company Ltd. and works for Community Futures, said he’s running again because he wants to share his experience, commitment and dedication with the community.

“I think that if there was a big turnover in council, experience would be helpful to have on,” he said.

So far, the focus of the election has been the economy and the need for new industry in the valley. 

Frederick said he doesn’t disagree, but what the community needs is numerous businesses employing a smaller number of people, rather than one large company employing 100 or more.

“I’m not going to kick anybody out for having 100 employees,” he joked, “but you go through such peaks and valleys with that kind of employer in the community, so if we had 10 (employers) hiring 10 people or 12 people, or maybe even getting bigger, that would be my ideal target. That way, hopefully, if the economy turns down or if a particular industry, like forestry, were to suffer, maybe only two of those companies would be withdrawing employment and therefore it wouldn’t affect us as badly. 

“I think we just got to diversify a bit and get some stability.”

He said in order to attract numerous businesses, the Village of McBride needs to be willing to hear pitches from anyone interested in setting up shop in the area.

“I think we need to have an open-door policy,” he said.

“We just need to attract something to town and get one (industry) in town and maybe that will attract others.”

Martin wants to seize the day as mayor

McBride village councillor Loranne Martin said her dedication and hard-working attitude makes her the best candidate for mayor.

Martin was elected to council in 2008, only two years after moving to the community. 

She said although she knows the next three years are going to be tough for council, now is the time for her to vie for the mayor’s seat. 

“It’s the next step in the process,” she said. “There’s so much that can be done here to make McBride successful and I think we need a group for mayor and council that’s willing and dedicated to give it their all for the good of the community – I bring a willingness to do that,” she said.

Martin, who has more than a decade of experience working for the City of Prince George, said one way council can help McBride is by thinking outside the box. She said it’s time that the village take control of its destiny.

“We’re waiting for BC Hydro, we’re waiting for everybody else, the powers that be, to determine what our outcome’s going to be and it doesn’t seem to be really working, so we need to sort of start to look at what we can do ourselves and the most economical way to do that.” 

She said the McBride Community Forest is one of the things council should focus its attention on.

Right now it only provides short-term jobs and what the village needs are long-term permanent positions, said Martin.

“We need to use that money in a more beneficial way that would provide long-term employment,” she said, noting that she plans to look into what can be done to make that happen.

Martin has committed to bringing a brochure forward outlining concerns and resolutions to problems facing the community forest.

She said she hopes that will increase the transparency and accountability of the mayor, council and the community forest board.