THE SHORT VERSION: Having a supportive and attractive community is important for our young people- they deserve a great community to grow up in. It is also important for our sustainability. For long term community health, we need to invest in our next generation of workers, business owners, volunteers, parents, and civic leaders. One of the best ways we can care for our youth is by giving them opportunities for engagement. I want to see this happen by involving them in City decisions, gathering accurate information about what is going on in their world, supporting the great youth organisations we have, and by giving young people opportunities to get involved in sport, recreation, and cultural activities. However, engagement is also about leadership. We need leaders who are optimistic about the future, who earn the right to lead young people, and who invite youth into the democratic process.
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My first week in Grande Prairie did not go well.
Disaster had struck and our new house had tens of thousands of dollars in damage. My new job was proving to be very stressful. And my new city had no disc golf course. I thought I could fix one of those problems.
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I first got excited about politics playing ball hockey. I was running a ball hockey program in a junior high school. It was fun; many students were immigrants who had never held a stick. This school was in a rough neighbourhood. Lacking opportunity and belonging, most of the students became disillusioned. They seemed apathetic about most things.
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