Submitted questionnaire

Randy Millis

Multimedia Journalist / Community Advocate

This is the candidate’s public questionnaire. It is not a ForChange recommendation. The committee’s recommended candidates are published on the Candidates page.

1. 01 · Why are you running for Kelowna City Council?

   I’m running because Kelowna has been a wonderful home for me, and I want to give something back to the community. I believe my background, including journalism, technology, community support work and lived experience, gives me a perspective that can be useful at the Council table.

   My lived experience helps me recognize barriers and problems that can sometimes be overlooked, while my analytical background helps me ask questions, examine evidence and think through practical solutions.

   I want to contribute that perspective as one member of a Council made up of eight councillors and the mayor, working with others to make good decisions for the whole city.

2. 02 · Issue #1: the issue, the specific actions you would take, and how City Council can actually influence the outcome.

   Affordability, housing and homelessness are closely connected to quality of life and public safety. I would support preserving and expanding rental housing, using City land strategically, and strengthening partnerships that help prevent people from losing housing in the first place. I also want clear measures showing whether City-supported programs are actually reducing homelessness and improving public spaces.

   Council cannot control income assistance, health care or the justice system, but it can influence land use, zoning, municipal land, local partnerships, infrastructure and how City resources are directed.

3. 03 · Issue #2: the issue, the specific actions you would take, and how City Council can actually influence the outcome.

   Accessibility and transportation should work for everyone. Accessibility should not be treated as a narrow issue affecting only people with recognized disabilities. A transit route, sidewalk, building or City service should work for the people who need to use it.

   I would support identifying recurring accessibility barriers, improving the design of new infrastructure, and reviewing transit routes, scheduling, stops and connections where service is not meeting residents’ needs. Council can influence municipal infrastructure, accessibility, transportation planning and advocacy with regional transit partners. Better transportation can also reduce car dependence and support environmental goals.

4. 04 · Issue #3: the issue, the specific actions you would take, and how City Council can actually influence the outcome.

   Climate resilience and the environment are increasingly important for the Okanagan. We are already experiencing wildfire, extreme heat and other severe events. Council cannot solve global climate change on its own, but it can make Kelowna better prepared and reduce our local environmental impact.

   I would support stronger wildfire, heat and flood preparedness, climate-conscious land-use and transportation planning, protection and expansion of the urban tree canopy, and practical measures that reduce energy use and emissions where the City has authority. I would judge proposals by whether they produce measurable local results rather than simply announcing another plan.

5. 05 · What experience, skills, and community involvement do you bring to the role?

   I’ve lived in Kelowna since 2011 and have watched the city grow and change considerably. My background includes multimedia journalism, three seasons of radio with CiTR in Vancouver, information technology, about ten years running a small consulting practice, and work in outreach, shelter support and community support.

   Journalism taught me to ask questions, investigate issues and communicate complicated information. IT and business taught me troubleshooting, adaptability and working within limited resources.

   Just as important, I’ve always talked to people, listened to their experiences and advocated where I can. I think that combination of analytical skills, communication, adaptability and community experience would be valuable on Council.

6. 06 · How will you approach council decisions when priorities compete for limited resources?

   When priorities compete for limited resources, I would start by asking questions and making sure Council has enough information to make a responsible decision. I would rely on professional advice, examine the available evidence, compare costs and benefits, and look carefully at who would be affected.

   I would also consider urgency, legal or safety obligations, long-term consequences, whether another level of government or partner should be involved, and whether there is a less costly way to achieve the same result. If important information is missing, I would rather ask for it than pretend to know.

   In the end, I would support the option I believe produces the greatest public benefit and can be defended openly to residents.

7. 07 · How do you work with people who see an issue differently than you?

   I would take a collaborative approach with other members of Council and with the public. I would start by listening carefully and trying to understand where the disagreement actually is rather than reacting to the tone or assuming bad motives.

   I would ask questions, look at the evidence and try to identify areas of common ground. If someone makes a better argument or brings forward information I did not have, I am willing to reconsider my position.

   I do not think disagreement has to become personal. I would challenge the argument, not the person, and work toward a practical decision that can be explained and defended to the community.

8. 08 · What else should voters know about you?

   I really love living in the Okanagan. Kelowna has many of the amenities of a larger city, but I still think it has a small-town heart. My first visit was in 2001 on a cycling trip from Calgary on the KVR. It took me a few years to position myself to move here, and I have called Kelowna home since 2011.

   My life has also changed in ways I didn't anticipate. Living with a disability, using a wheelchair, living on disability income and experiencing housing instability have given me perspectives I would not otherwise have had. Some parts have been extremely difficult, but the experience has also introduced me to incredible people from all walks of life.

   It has taught me that circumstances don't define a person and that people can experience the same city very differently. I don't assume my experience is everyone else's, but it has made me more determined to listen to people whose experiences I haven't lived myself.

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