Name: J. Craig Ruthven
Age: 30s
Occupation: Teacher
Website: craigruthven.com
Twitter: @CraigRuthven1
Facebook: J Craig Ruthven
Q1. What have you personally achieved, or what initiative have you personally led in recent years that qualifies you to be elected or re-elected as a Maple Ridge councillor?
Democracy is all about representation. In an ideal world, the people pick representatives who understand their priorities, issues, and values, because they share a similar situation. They can identify.
As an advocate, first, for bringing more amenities and servicing to the east and, then, for all of the suburbs, I not only spoke up for people who had little to no voice, but I got to know the issues impacting these communities the most. These issues formed the basis of my campaign and website. I formed my campaign around their issues.
I started the process long before I had any intentions on running for office when I saw thousands of people being overlooked and discounted, so I can truly say that I have emerged as a leader “from the people, for the people.” This, I believe, is the truest form of democracy. I hope to motivate many more people to vote in this year’s election.
Q2. Provide two examples of council’s actions over the past three years and explain why or why not you support them.
2. I would answer this question if I believed that there was anywhere near a level playing field between incumbents and those who have never held office, but that simply is not the case. If it were the case, then I could openly support the two incumbents that I really admire and appreciate. I would like to encourage the public to look for candidates who are addressing rising taxes. Who has real, practical solutions to finding cost savings? Who is committed to supporting alternative sources of revenue, besides residential taxes?
Q3. Do you support the 13-per-cent increase (over three years) in councillor’s salaries approved last summer? Why or why not? Explain what you would do if elected.
3. Nobody else sees raises like those these except, perhaps, high-paid executives who must deliver results or suffer the consequences. (Recall, they gave themselves a 53 per cent raise a mere three years ago.) This mayor and council have not done anything appreciable to lighten the tax burden, nor make Maple Ridge more profitable. Actually, some of the housing projects that they have passed in the past three years have devalued parts of the suburbs, where they have not listened to public concerns. House prices in Albion have been dropping quite rapidly. On some streets, every second house is for sale. Langley saw an average increase somewhere in the neighbourhood of 10 per cent. Can the leadership account for the difference?