By Lily Harvey

I am Lily Harvey, a two-term board member of the False Creek Community Centre from 2005 to 2008. I arrived in Canada from China in 1995, and since then I have operated a successful business, earned an MBA and PMP (Project Management Professional credential), and became a Canadian citizen. I am proud of my long history of community volunteering, including being a part of the False Creek Community Centre and the community grassroots leadership for the Winter Olympic readiness efforts in 2008.

I am running as an independent for a position on the Vancouver school board.

Here, I will tell you:

1. Why I’m running in this election.

2. My pledge, IEEE: Inspire! Encourage! Empower! Enable!

3. Why you should vote for me.

4. My vision for a new VSB.

The reason I am running for the VSB is because I understand:

• The public’s great need for their children and themselves to experience a better education, better communication process.

• Teachers’ stress and frustrations. Their work responsibility is expanding while job security remains issue amongst teachers.

• The operational difficulties caused by underfunding and funding cuts.

I believe:

• A safe and inspiring education environment at school is critical to shape each of our children’s confidence and character that will have an impact on their career success and the future prosperity of our community. Improving English proficiency among immigrant students and parents will empower them to grow into our Canadian multicultural setting, empower them with democratic minds and strong sense of responsibility as citizens of the City of Vancouver and Canada.

• VSB needs to have a balance of power to insure the public’s interest is always paramount. VSB leadership should seriously make room for new strength from new immigrant professionals in other fields such as project management that have been lacking in VSB. As a PMP, business consultant, and an immigrant with a history of community leadership, I believe my familiarity with the immigrant communities will make a significant contribution to the VSB.

• My pledge, my mantra of IEEE, is an important part of the elements to empower our citizens for career success, and enable everyone to take ownership to grow a prosperous future.

Why should you vote for me:

• I will inspire the citizens of the community to believe in the education sector and encourage you to speak out on your ideas and unleash your community leadership with the IEEE pledge.

• My project management skills will be used to help solve problems such as:

- Educational underfunding, declining expert teachers, earthquake readiness.

- Bullying on the playgrounds, crimes on the streets.

- Mental and disabilities issues.

• I will listen to your ideas and concerns, be your voice, your advocate for an inclusive, open, transparent decision-making process in our VSB.

My vision for a new VSB:

• Out of the box solutions using PM approach.

• VSB leadership to speed up problem solving.

• Better planning and better use of resources.

• Inclusive, open, transparent decision-making.

I am looking forward to working with you!

Lily Harvey is an independent candidate for the Vancouver school board.