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Hazelton election: Dennis Sterritt

Hazelton mayoral candidate Dennis Sterritt on his priorities.
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Dennis Sterritt

As the Housing and Infrastructure Advisor for the Gitksan Government Commission and with over 30 years of experience working in many industry sectors, both public and private, such as government services, banking, media, higher education and health care in Canada and the UK, I believe that we can’t sit back and wait for opportunities to come to us. We need to create those opportunities ourselves and develop strong alliances and partnerships. I was born in Hazelton and my family roots are shared between the rich culture and history of the Gitxsan people and the pioneering spirit of grandparents who came here to build a new life. With my varied experience and optimistic outlook, I have the energy and enthusiasm to regenerate pride in our community and showcase what we have to offer. I believe in the future of Hazelton!

My priorities as Mayor for the Village of Hazelton are Communication – encouraging more and varied communication to improve how information is shared with residents and property owners. It’s time to broadcast outwards how creative and innovative our community is with so much to offer! Community Involvement – create opportunities for community meetings and events to generate excitement and involvement in planning for the future of the Village; Local Capacity – continue to develop local capacity so that those in senior positions are invested in the improvement of the community; Housing – is at the core of any community and in Hazelton we need to remove barriers for developing creative housing strategies and explore partnerships with neighbouring communities; Grant Applications –increase grant applications for funding infrastructure and housing projects for community improvement and local employment opportunities.

Please vote Dennis Sterritt for Mayor of Hazelton.

Dennis Sterritt – Candidate for Mayor, Village of Hazelton

DETERMINED TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Part of the community. Like my mother, Ann Sterritt, I was born in Hazelton. She and my father, Jerry Sterritt, grew up, married and started their family here. My maternal grandfather, Frank Pipe, emigrated to Hazelton from London, England in the 1920s, and with my grandmother, Lou Pipe, raised their family here. Walter Sterritt, my paternal grandfather, was Gitxsan from the House of Wii Gaak.

Experience. I have worked for organizations in the public and private sectors, both in Canada and the UK, such as the Government of Canada, Barclay’s Bank, the British Broad Casting Corporation (BBC), Exeter University, Abbotsford Regional Hospital and Cancer Centre and the Gitksan Government Commission, where I am currently employed as the Housing and Infrastructure Advisor. I served on the Gitanmaax Band Council for one term and during my tenure, Gitanmaax experienced unprecedented growth and an openness for partnerships and community involvement. We increased loan and subsidy amounts and approved 10 new private homes and have built 17 living units for vulnerable community members like seniors, families and individuals facing homelessness. I am also a member of the Indigenous Services Canada BC Aboriginal Capital Committee.

By building partnerships, we will build our community our way. We’ve all seen our communities experience economic highs and endure economic lows. There is so much that we can do to inspire our communities and revitalize Old Hazelton! We can partner with First Nations and other communities for municipal agreements and tourism projects. We need to ensure that our administration is invested in this community. There are grants for municipal infrastructure and community growth projects that we can apply for. People in our town are skilled, passionate and have great ideas and a willingness to turn our future around. Together, we can do this.

I believe in Hazelton. It is home to so many interesting and innovative individuals and organizations, working hard to promote health, family and creative economic solutions. Hazelton has a great identity, history and rich cultural presence. I decided to run for mayor to create opportunities for our community and to help others feel included and an important part of the community. Every person has a voice in our future and I believe that our capacity to learn and develop together is limitless.

How do we come together as a community? This starts at home, talking to our neighbours and asking them what they want and need. We all have many connections so let’s use those connections to make our community better. As your mayor, I will be open and provide as many opportunities for communication as possible. I will work hard to reduce the challenges that stand in the way of progress, projects and great collaboration. My roots are here and I am invested in the future of Hazelton.

No Barriers. I wish to create a community where there are no barriers to housing and where we all have the ability to look after ourselves, our families and those we care for.

Inspire New Entrepreneurs. Over the years, Hazelton has changed a lot. Many businesses have closed and a sense of connection has been lost. If we support current business owners and inspire new entrepreneurs and organizations to invest in Hazelton, we can guide our community to be healthy, sustainable and economically vibrant again. I am a creative and innovative problem-solver, but I don’t have all of the answers. I want to gather them from you and anyone who wants to share.

We are in this together and it is time to work towards a better future.