Allison Habkirk, former Mayor and Councillor for the District of Central Saanich, thought she knew what she was getting into when she decided to run for council.  She had worked as a town planner and had a good working knowledge of the processes in the municipal workplace. But when she started work on the other side of the council chambers after being elected, she was struck by how difficult it was.

This session will offer transparency on what being a Mayor or Councillor entails, ensuring that potential candidates are better informed about what to expect when elected, making better community representatives. This event is for anyone thinking of running for municipal election and anyone who would like to know more about what our municipal officials do.  Come join Allison as she answers key questions to help inform candidates and the general public of what makes good municipal candidates and councils. She will also share her key learnings from her experience as Mayor.

The presentation with Allison will be followed by a Q&A and open networking opportunity.

Allison Habkirk, BA, MA (Planning), MPA, MCIP has over thirty years of experience in local government as a professional, elected official, and educator.  Allison is a Registered Planner who has worked as a staff planner, consultant and trainer for local governments, the Province of BC, and the Local Government Management Association. She is the author of several publications on local government topics and maintains a keen interest in leadership development, elected official and staff training, strategic planning, and small town planning. Ms. Habkirk is an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the School of Public Administration at the University of Victoria, and an Instructor with Capilano University.  She also served as Program Manager for the Local Government Leadership Academy (LGLA).