Dale Bass
Candidate for City Councillor
Contact Information
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Phone: 250-572-4620
Personal Information
Resident of: Dallas
Current Occupation: Retired
Political Experience:
Dale spent many years of her journalism career commenting largely on municipal government issues and decisions. She is finishing a four-year term on Kamloops City Council and the TNRD. At the City she chairs the Community Services committee and sits on the finance committee. She is also a member of the policy committee at the TNRD.
She has also sat on numerous boards throughout the city.
Biography
Dale's a retired journalist who spent decades asking the hard questions. Her reputation and tireless work ethic were just two of the reasons she was elected to Kamloops City Council in 2018.
In her first term, city council faced many unexpected challenges — a pandemic, wildfires, floods, health-care crises, a struggling economy — but a lot of good was accomplished.
Dale wants to continue building on those successes and make stronger inroads into the ones still challenging the city. That is the reason she will be seeking a second term on Kamloops city council.
Her campaign will emphasize fiscal and environmental responsibility, housing, health, safety and inclusion.
External Page Links
| KTW |
Posted: June 22, 2022 Bass confirms re-election bid in October civic election |
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Organization Endorsements
Kamloops & District Labour Council
We are the elected representatives of roughly 13,000 unionized workers in the Kamloops area covering Merritt to Valemount and Chase to Lillooet.
Our affiliates work collaboratively to advance the economic and social welfare of workers and with other progressive organizations in the promotion of social justice and human rights as described in the United Nations’ Charter of Human Rights.
We are members of the BC Federation of Labour and the Canadian Labour Congress, the latter of which represents over three-million unionized Canadians.
View WebsiteAnswers to Questions from the Public
What do you believe are the critical issues facing your community and school district?
Dale Bass Answered
Safety. Health safety. Housing safety. Education safety. Street safety. We need IHA to fix our hospital and public health systems. We need good affordable safe housing for everyone. We need our schools to be safe and that means fewer portables, replacing aging structures, building schools to deal with overcrowding. We need our judicial system to address the existing catch and release police work with. We need treatment centres for people who need help. I could go on but basically it all comes down to a safe and livable community and we need senior levels of government to do their parts achieving this too.
Describe how you would prioritize fire and flood management and other infrastructure issues such as poor roads and services in our community. Are you prepared to raise taxes to pay for improved infrastructure?
Dale Bass Answered
The city does a good job on fire snd flood management. It learned a lot from the Juniper fire and stringer steps have been followed. Infrastructure issues are more of a challenge because they are costly. Do we put up with patched potholes to avoid raising taxes? A year ago I would have said no but with today’s economy, we have to avoid burdening our citizens with a heavier tax load. So I guess my answer is it depends on the impact to Kamloopsians.
Millions of jobs were lost during the pandemic. Describe how you will advocate for replacing those lost jobs with good union jobs.
Dale Bass Answered
The city’s union is strong, its contract has good provisions and I believe our hiring practices respect this duty.
What steps will you take to work towards action on Truth and Reconciliation?
Dale Bass Answered
This council has established a strong relationship with TteS, one Senator Murray Sinclair has said should be a model for other communities. It is front and centre in what we do and it needs to continue.
How will you promote ethical purchases, including local unionized goods and services, where available?
Dale Bass Answered
This is an operational question but council can play an active role in setting the tone. I believe finally getting a liaison to the labour council was a first step in reminding council and staff unions represent workers and local workers are vital to our economic growth. We need to revisit our procurement policies regularly to determine if they are following the ethical guidelines and that local suppliers are engaged in the process. As a side note, if re-elected plan to promote a social sustainability component in purchasing so there is a focus on leaving some social impact whenever possible.
What steps would you take to ensure your local government hiring practices reflect the community’s population diversity? Are you aware of any existing Employment Equity policies in your community or other communities?
Dale Bass Answered
Council recently approved hiring an equity and diversity staffer to work on this imperative and determine necessary steps thst must be taken.
Describe how you will address housing needs and housing that people can afford in your community?
Dale Bass Answered
Inclusionary zoning. It was introduced in my hometown in the 1980s and it worked. Whatever you are uulding, a percentage need to be allocated for rent geared to income or multi-family for sale that is below single-family market values. It was particularly effective in market rentals. We also need to become more creative in multi-family. Take a look at Park 17 in Denver -- really crrative modular housing. Argyle Gardens in Portland Oregon is another reative modular design.
We need to do other things. We need to improve the efficiency of the permitting system. We need to study the viability of tax exemptions for missing middle housing. We need to find more cost-effective energy efficiencies.
What can local governments do to attract and create green jobs and businesses in their community?
Dale Bass Answered
In Kamloops, business attraction is done at arm's length from council through Venture Kamloops and Community Futures Thompson-Nicola. Council's role is to establish priorities supporting these industries, which we have through our climate-action plan, and co-ordinate those priorities with the two organizations.
Define Fiduciary Responsibility and how would you personally apply this to an elected role in Council or the TNRD.
Dale Bass Answered
It’s been quite the experience being in TNRD as it deals with its many issues. I think we have made a lot of good decisions to fix it. We hired a new CAO who is dealing with a all of this. We have a new legislative supervisor who knows good governance. We it the policy committee to work — I’m on it — and we are fixing governance issues. Some of us have also been quite blunt with directors about how to fix this long-standing mess.
Many communities are facing drug addiction challenges, homelessness and have seen increase in crime and property crimes. How would advocate for our disadvantaged community members and what solutions would you propose?
Dale Bass Answered
We need complex-care beds and I’ve been arguing for them for months. We need a sobering centre and our business case has sat on the health minister’s desk for five years. I continue to ask him to at least read it.
Many municipalities are facing ongoing problems and are dealing with staffing issues as part of the current health care crisis. Describe from a local government perspective how would you plan to recruit workers to our community?
Dale Bass Answered
Health-care worker recruitment is not an issue municipalities can deal with directly. We are legislatively not responsible for it. However, morally we should do what we can to assist recruitment. That means ensuring Kamloops is seen as a great place to live and work. We do that in many ways, from marketing through Tourism Kamloops to continuing to take steps to improve livability.
One area I’ve been active in addresses exactly what that question poses. It is incumbent on the Interior Health Authority to fix the many challenges at our hospital, public health and long-term care facilities. Many of us on this council have been vocal in our concern IHA is not doing that. I’ve been criticized for being so vocal but I’ve also heard from nurses, doctors, other health-care workers at RIH they appreciate councillors speaking up for them as they fear reprisals if they speak to the issues.
What steps would you take to ensure a Pay Equity policy is in place and that the policy is applied to all staff employed by the local government?
Dale Bass Answered
I would hope the unions representing city staff will continue to address this issue. The CUPE 900 contract which covers a majority of city staff has a no-discrimination clause that addresses wages among other issues and I would expect that is being applied.
Describe your position on Contracting Out and Public Private Partnerships and how they effect existing jobs.
Dale Bass Answered
Fundamentally I have always been against contracting out if it impacts unionized workers. That’s a given. In terms of P3s, I see them as a potential solution in some situations but I’m not a big fan of them.
The important consideration for both issues is how does it impact Kamloopsians?
Do you support the Living Wage for Families Campaign? Please explain why or why not.
Dale Bass Answered
I not only support it, I’ve been working with Living Wage for Families BC. I’m also working at the federal level to see a universal basic income become a reality.
What are the top three critical issues facing your community?
Dale Bass Answered
Safety is a key issue and it encompasses so many aspects. Safety on the street is impacted by homelessness, mental health, lack of affordable housing, a justice system that makes effective policing a challenge, poverty and fear. During this term I’ve been active alongside my colleagues to address these issues. That work must continue. It means continuing to lobby the province to work with municipalities to find solutions. Unfortunately, municipal councils need answers more quickly than the provincial government provides them.
Inclusion is another issue to be addressed. It also covers many aspects from accessibility to listening to the public. I campaigned in 2018 to improve the public’s voice at City Hall and successfully saw all neighbourhood associations given a voice to our safe and secure Kamloops engagement group. I also successfully saw council’s procedural bylaw amended to provide caregiver and parental leave from physically attending council meetings, a small step that hopefully might make it easier for people to run for council who have those concerns. I also was successful in seeing council and staff address the childcare crisis in the city, a significant economic impact that needed to be addressed.
Are you or have you ever been active in any community organizations, actions, or campaigns?
Describe your volunteer work, positions, and any tangible change to the community from your involvement. Are you still involved with this work?
Dale Bass Answered
Where to begin? My community involvement began decades ago when I was elected to the board of the humane society in my hometown. I also volunteered with the former Childfind organization. Those positions addresses animal and child safety issues.
In Kamloops I was president of the Kamloops Therapeutic Riding Association board, which provides equine therapy for children living with challenges.
I was president of the Kamloops Family Resources Society, now known as the Family Tree and it continues to do amazing work.
I was president of what was formerly known as the Kamloops Society for Community Living, now called Kamloops Society for Community Inclusion, which also provides services to Kamloopsians who live with challenges.
I was president of the Kamloops Child Development Society board, which provides needed childcare taught through nature. We proudly became the Kamloops prototype of the provincial $10/day childcare.
I was also a board member for People in Motion and Volunteer Kamloops and president of SD73 DPAC.
Nationally I was chair of the Canadian Association of Journalists.
Currently I am a member of a national committee working to lobby the federal government to create a universal basic income.
In terms of impact on community, every board I have served in has focused on livability, inclusion, respect and safety. They all continue to have this impact today due to the wonderful people who step up to take in this needed work.
If you are a Union member, does your union (provide union/local name) offer endorsement to members running for public office? If so, have you applied for/received endorsement from your union?
Dale Bass Answered
I’m now considered a retired Unifor member. In the past I have belonged to PSAC and the Newspaper Guild. I am not asking for an endorsement; I leave it to my brothers and sisters to make that decision based on my record and history.
Have you ever been a candidate or volunteered in a previous civic, provincial, or federal election? If so, please give details.
Dale Bass Answered
As a journalist I avoided active participation in political campaigns with one exception. In the mid-1980s I helped with my father’s council campaign in my hometown. As a teenager I volunteered in provincial and federal campaigns and organized a mock federal election in my high school that saw all federal candidates appear in a debate at my school.
Active involvement obviously happened four years ago when I ran for council.