Seven Oaks Magazine.

After 18 years as Svend Robinson’s constituency assistant, New Democrat candidate Bill Siksay knows Burnaby-Douglas. Siksay has helped thousands of constituents gain access to government services and has worked on a multitude of issues. In 1997, he ran unsuccessfully for a parliamentary seat in Vancouver Centre.

Seven Oaks editor Stephen Hui sat down for an interview with Siksay in his campaign office.

1. What have 18 years as Svend Robinson’s constituency assistant taught you about the political game?

You know, after 18 years, I’m not the slightest bit cynical about politics, and I think that’s an amazing place to be after that long. I think part of that’s where I worked. Working with Svend there was always reason to be optimistic about the task of politics, and there was always something very positive happening. Svend always spoke with clarity, and was always outspoken on important issues. He raised the level of debate in this country on many important things. So, after 18 years, it seems like a privilege to be involved in the task of politics in this community.

I’ve been the guy that’s been in the background working with Svend on a lot of the key issues, but on the front lines in terms of dealing with constituents and their problems in the community. So, I think we share a lot in terms of that. You don’t work for somebody for 18 years and not feel strongly and positively about the work that they’ve been doing. So, I don’t know that I differ particularly on a lot of important issues that you raised. I won’t be in the same position that he was, as a new MP, to raise some of those. . . .

But certainly, a key priority for me is service to the community. That’s the work I was doing for Svend. That was a key priority for him, and that’s one that I want to make sure continues. Helping people with their individual problems with government — that’s right up there. But I’m also strongly committed to things that are in the NDP platform this time. Our concerns about health care, and the environment, education are key things that are important to me personally but also to people in the riding.

3. Why should Burnaby-Douglas voters choose you over Bill Cunningham, George Drazenovic, and Shawn Hunsdale?

I think they should choose me because I have a lot of experience working for people in this community and with community groups in Burnaby. So, I think I know what the issues are at a very grassroots kind of level from sitting across from people and hearing what’s exactly gone on with them. So, I think that’s a really important thing.

But I also think that I understand what it means to be an advocate for people in the community. I don’t think Bill Cunningham understands that. Clearly, as a high official in the Liberal party, he didn’t understand how to advocate for members of his own party who were seeking the nomination, and had filed proper nomination papers, and didn’t even get an answer on that.

In terms of the Conservatives, I’m really concerned about their platform, and I think that people in Burnaby-Douglas are concerned about the direction that they’re heading in. Their main plank is massive, billion-dollar tax cuts. People in B.C. know what happens when you do that. They’ve got the example of Gordon Campbell and the B.C. Liberals, who went down that road, and we’ve seen how it’s devastated so many important programs for people.

So, I think there are very specific reasons about the work that I’ve already done in the community. But I think there are also political and platform issues that are important as why people should choose me over the others.

The Green party’s got lots of important things to say and good policies on environmental issues particularly. But the NDP shares a lot of that, and we go farther on many other issues of concern to people. I think our platform is broader, and I think our experience in government and in Ottawa counts for something. So, I think that we can be more effective in Burnaby-Douglas in promoting those kinds of issues. I think that the NDP has a sophisticated green platform this time. It doesn’t just come from me, but analysts in the environmental movement have said that of the NDP platform. So, I’m proud to take those issues forward as well.

4. In May, Jack Layton took a lot of heat from political opponents and media commentators for holding Paul Martin responsible for the deaths of homeless people in Toronto. Those deaths followed Martin’s decision as finance minister to cut funding for affordable housing. Do you agree with your party leader’s comments?

I think Jack is absolutely on the right track with that. You know, politicians have to take responsibility — that their decisions have real ramifications for people. The fact that there are so many people in Canada, in such a prosperous country, living on the street without appropriate housing, that so many people in this country are paying way more than they should and they can afford for housing — it’s outrageous. The fact that Canada is one of the few industrialised countries that doesn’t have a national housing program — all of those things are outrageous, and they need our attention. The fact that Paul Martin hasn’t done that is a significant issue, and I think Jack was right to raise it given his personal experience in the city of Toronto and given his expertise, as one of the major writers in Canada on homelessness issues.

It just strikes me as currying favour again in a specific kind of way. If they can’t do a national platform that demonstrates how each region can be fairly treated in this federation, I’m thinking it speaks volumes to the way they do politics. We’re just coming out of a period where they’re mired in a huge scandal because they were trying to pay particular attention and particular favours for one part of the country, and I don’t think that kind of stuff works or impresses anybody. If they believe in doing the right thing on public transit, or on environmental issues, or on health care, they need to do it all the way across the country and show that they can do it fairly in every region as a national government. I think they’ve failed in that area, and I’m not particularly impressed by their B.C. platform.

6. Do you think the nationally televised party leaders’ debates should include Jim Harris of the Green party?

Well, it’s not a decision that’s up to me and the parties. I hope that they’ll be part of the debates here in the riding, and I’m happy to debate them in any forum that I’m part of. I’m not part of the decision about what happens with the leaders’ debate. But here in the riding, I welcome their participation, and I’m happy to participate with them whenever I can.

7. A few weeks ago, I didn’t think abortion and same-sex marriage were going to be election issues. Now I’m not so sure. So, how important are social equality issues in this riding?

I think they’re absolutely important. Over the years, Burnaby-Douglas has been involved in a lot of debate on important issues — certainly on gay rights because of Svend’s coming out and the action that he took. So, I think they are important issues to people. Abortion is a crucial issue to women in this riding. I don’t think women in Burnaby-Douglas want to see a turning back of the clock to go back to any suggestion of criminalisation, or any suggestion that women shouldn’t have the right to choose, make their own decisions on that issue.

So, I think there are significant issues. There may be others. People don’t want a turning back on capital punishment. They don’t want increasing militarisation of Canada. They don’t want participation in Star Wars or the weaponisation of space. I think a lot of those issues are going to come to the fore in the next while, because I don’t think the Conservatives are coming clean with Canadians on those issues.