Greater Victoria has many municipal leaders who have been on council for some time, a situation that can yield a broad understanding of local and regional issues.
One of those individuals, Esquimalt-Metchosin BC Liberal candidate Barb Desjardins, is looking to take her knowledge to the next level. This native of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont., who spent her high school years playing sports and making friends in Sudbury, believes spending 11 years on Esquimalt council B次元官网网址� the last seven as mayor B次元官网网址� would give her a running start as MLA.
B次元官网网址淥ne of the reasons I actually decided to run is because over the years, IB次元官网网址檝e seen that if we had somebody in government in this area, things would have moved faster, better and we would have saved a lot of money, I think,B次元官网网址� she says, making specific reference to the sewage treatment process.
During her time in local politics, sheB次元官网网址檚 found various connections between Esquimalt and municipalities on the West Shore, from the military to traffic, and even the way councils in the western communities do things.
B次元官网网址淎t the CRD IB次元官网网址檝e always related strongly with a West Shore position,B次元官网网址� she says. B次元官网网址淎s governments theyB次元官网网址檙e more nimble, theyB次元官网网址檙e more flexible. IB次元官网网址檝e tried to do what I can to bring Esquimalt toward that in many ways B次元官网网址� theyB次元官网网址檙e very much run like a business, and running like a business makes a lot of sense to me.B次元官网网址�
Business was far from DesjardinsB次元官网网址� mind in her first career path. She attended Laurentian University in the late 1970s, hoping to become a phys-ed teacher. But when the job market dried up for teachers she branched into physiotherapy, which became her long-term career, mostly on the West Coast.
During a stint at Royal Jubilee Hospital, she began doing outpatient work, which fuelled her interest in orthopedics and sports therapy. After another move back east she returned to Victoria and set up shop in James Bay.
Desjardins speaks fondly of her time operating a physio clinic and seniors-oriented fitness centre there. B次元官网网址淚t was based around things like balance and light activity, but they had a riot,B次元官网网址� she says of her clients. B次元官网网址淭he oldest person that used to come in was 103.B次元官网网址�
The proximity of her clinic to the legislature prompted professional colleagues to request that she take their collective causes to government. When Desjardins found they still werenB次元官网网址檛 being heard, she determined that she needed to be B次元官网网址渙n the insideB次元官网网址� to affect change, which helped move her toward politics.
Her work advocating at Esquimalt and Victoria for replacement of the Westsong Walkway bridge lifted her presence in the community when friends suggested she take a run at Esquimalt council back in 2005. After serving one term as a councillor, she unseated Chris Clement for the mayorB次元官网网址檚 chair in 2008.
Between her workload as mayor, CRD board chair and Victoria-Esquimalt police board co-chair, as well as caring for her ill daughter, who passed away in January, Desjardins hasnB次元官网网址檛 had a lot of time for more personal pursuits in recent years.
B次元官网网址淚 love to sew and I love to walk,B次元官网网址� she says. B次元官网网址淛ammie pants are the thing that IB次元官网网址檝e had the most fun with. People will ask me to make some for someone and IB次元官网网址檒l ask about their personality, and the (pattern) fabric will reflect the person.B次元官网网址�
She recalls that her parents used to give her the child tax credit (family allowance) of $30 as a monthly clothing allowance. B次元官网网址淚 learned very quickly that I could not afford to buy clothes, so IB次元官网网址檇 better learn how to make them, and it paid off.B次元官网网址�
She carries that frugal sense with her today and it underpins her ideas about spending public money.
Running as a Liberal in a longtime NDP stronghold is B次元官网网址� an uphill challenge,B次元官网网址� she admits. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 not under any illusion this is going to be easy B次元官网网址� You can never assume anything,B次元官网网址� she says. B次元官网网址淚t feels like my her first campaign as mayor when I ran against the incumbent.B次元官网网址� Having one term as councillor under her belt in a town where residents expect their mayor to be B次元官网网址渨ell seasoned,B次元官网网址� Desjardins convinced voters she was the right choice.
She believes the broader electorate in Esquimalt, View Royal, Colwood and Metchosin will feel the same way come May 9.
