GRAEME JAMES
How have you advocated for the LGBTQ+ community and supported inclusion for the LGBTQ+ community in the past (i.e. have you spoken out publicly for policies at your place of business, testified before government bodies, adopted written policies for your employees, marched for equal rights, etc.)? Please feel free to include events you have participated in and relevant organizations who have endorsed you.
I have not participated in any of the above to date.
Please comment on your opinion of the SOGI123 resources from the Ministry of Education.
I am in favour of these resources being used in the classroom.
The LGBTQ community in Kelowna continues to face harassment, bullying and violence because of sexual orientation and/or gender identity. How will you work to promote a safer, more inclusive Kelowna?
Many children, youth, and adults experience harassment, bullying, and violence regardless of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity. However, I believe progress for the LGBTQ+ community must happen from the small to the large, e.g. the SOGI 123 policies in the schools, local businesses providing safe and inclusive work places, UBCO and Okanagan College ensuring that policies are in place to address these issues, etc.
Mental health and addictions issues have impacted our community like many others. The LGBTQ+ community is disproportionately affected due to many social and economic factors. What will you do to improve and address these issues, and improve the mental health and wellness of our community?
While the there may be a disproportionate number of the LGBTQ+ community affected by mental health and addictions I believe these access to services to address these issues needs to be improved for all members of the community. Initiatives like Foundry have started to make small inroads into the lack of immediate services but we have a long way to go. Embedding clinicians, social workers, etc. who have experience with the LGBTQ+ community within these services would help but I believe a healthy community addresses the needs of all of its citizens equally.
LGBTQ+ youth and young adults routinely leave Kelowna for larger cities once they have reached the age of majority. What factors do you think lead to this mass exodus, and what would you do to address these issues?
In my experience youth and young adults leave Kelowna once they reach the age of majority because they are looking for freedom from parents, freedom from the confines of a small community, and they are looking for the opportunity to be themselves somewhere else. I think it’s a valuable life lesson for young adults to live in larger cities so they can experience the cultural and other diversities that these cities have to offer.
GRAEME JAMES
How have you advocated for the LGBTQ+ community and supported inclusion for the LGBTQ+ community in the past (i.e. have you spoken out publicly for policies at your place of business, testified before government bodies, adopted written policies for your employees, marched for equal rights, etc.)? Please feel free to include events you have participated in and relevant organizations who have endorsed you.
I have not participated in any of the above to date.
Please comment on your opinion of the SOGI123 resources from the Ministry of Education.
I am in favour of these resources being used in the classroom.
The LGBTQ community in Kelowna continues to face harassment, bullying and violence because of sexual orientation and/or gender identity. How will you work to promote a safer, more inclusive Kelowna?
Many children, youth, and adults experience harassment, bullying, and violence regardless of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity. However, I believe progress for the LGBTQ+ community must happen from the small to the large, e.g. the SOGI 123 policies in the schools, local businesses providing safe and inclusive work places, UBCO and Okanagan College ensuring that policies are in place to address these issues, etc.
Mental health and addictions issues have impacted our community like many others. The LGBTQ+ community is disproportionately affected due to many social and economic factors. What will you do to improve and address these issues, and improve the mental health and wellness of our community?
While the there may be a disproportionate number of the LGBTQ+ community affected by mental health and addictions I believe these access to services to address these issues needs to be improved for all members of the community. Initiatives like Foundry have started to make small inroads into the lack of immediate services but we have a long way to go. Embedding clinicians, social workers, etc. who have experience with the LGBTQ+ community within these services would help but I believe a healthy community addresses the needs of all of its citizens equally.
LGBTQ+ youth and young adults routinely leave Kelowna for larger cities once they have reached the age of majority. What factors do you think lead to this mass exodus, and what would you do to address these issues?
In my experience youth and young adults leave Kelowna once they reach the age of majority because they are looking for freedom from parents, freedom from the confines of a small community, and they are looking for the opportunity to be themselves somewhere else. I think it’s a valuable life lesson for young adults to live in larger cities so they can experience the cultural and other diversities that these cities have to offer.