Ahmed Yousef
RUNNING AS AN INDEPENDENT
Consultant, age 44
Central Maple Ridge resident who’s lived here 12 years
I’m a husband, father, business professional, consensus builder, volunteer, car enthusiast, and a lover of politics and democracy.
I am currently serving as a city councillor.
I also currently serve on the boards of KidSport, Friends in Need Food Bank, Ridge Meadows Climate Hub, Ridge Meadows Ukrainian Welcoming Committee, and Ridge Meadows South Asian Cultural Society.
I’m a proud lifetime member of the Alouette River Management Society.
I will focus on policies that affect everyday things like feeling safe on the streets, shopping at home, creating more recreational opportunities, and respecting taxpayers’ pocketbooks.
Small and medium businesses are the backbone of our economy. Establishing more retail and office space, so that home-based businesses have space to grow into, and create local jobs shifting our reliance on residential taxes, is the way forward.
One job at a time!
Facebook: www.facebook.com/voteyousef
Twitter: @Yousef_PMMR
Instagram: @MapleRidgeYousef
Website: voteyousef.com
Phone: 236-880-6623
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Have you held office in past? If so, please specify: Yes, I’m currently serving as a City Councillor.
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CLICK TO CHECK OUT OUR FULL ELECTION GUIDE ONLINE
Questions:
(These answers are presented as the candidates submitted them)
1. Does the City have a handle on the problems created by homelessness?
No.
2. Do you believe residents of the City feel safe?
No.
3. Do you support the City borrowing funds to build a new aquatic centre?
Yes, and partner with the private sector and other levels of government to share costs.
4. Are you in favour of development along the Alouette River?
No.
5. Can City hall do more to attract new businesses to open in Maple Ridge?
Yes, longer hours of operation and expeditious inspection and permitting would be a good start.
6. Should the City borrow funds to build a new arena facility?
Yes, and partner with the private sector and other levels of government to share costs.
7. Should Maple Ridge take more direct action to combat the local opioid crisis?
Yes.
8. Is the City taking adequate measures to lower carbon emissions?
No.
9. Are tax levels too high in the City?
Yes.
10. Should the City commit to making a decision on proposed new developments within 12 months or less?
Yes.
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CLICK ON OUR ELECTIONS 2022 TAB TO FIND A WIDE VARIETY OF RELEVANT STORIES
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EDITOR’S NOTE:
How the questions were presented to each candidate
Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows news readers have told us how much they value this important, straight-forward reference guide that helps orient them with the range of choices on the ballots – both at the council and school board levels.
Towards that end, we have attempted to make this package available (along with the following instructions) to each of the candidates in a timely fashion ahead of the Oct. 15 election.
Please read carefully before you start to fill this out.
To help voters in Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows make their choices on election day, The News is asking local candidates 10 issue-based questions.
You must provide a ‘yes,’ a ‘no,’ or a ‘don’t know’ (Y, N, D) response to EACH of these questions.
Each question MUST be answered with yes (Y), no (N), or Don’t Know (D). This will be published in a grid in the Oct. 6 edition. Any questions not answered will be LEFT BLANK.
Candidates may also expand on ANY OR ALL of these questions (to a maximum of 200 words each). Please note any responses longer than that will be cut off at the 201-word mark.
Due to space limitations, we can only guarantee to run one of these answers in The News print edition ahead of the election. You must CLEARLY indicate which expanded answer you want to see published in print. If you do not specify, we will choose. Any and all expanded answers provided will be published online at www.mapleridgenews.com.
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Have a story tip? Email: editor@mapleridgenews.com
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