It was out on the water in his sailing boat when Rob Botterell realized what he should do with his retirement: run as the B.C. Green Party candidate for Saanich North and the Islands.
A keen sailor in his spare time, Botterell and his partner of 45 years, Inga, were navigating the waters around Quadra Island in June when the news suddenly came through on his cellphone that Green MLA Adam Olsen would not be seeking re-election.
“I was looking for a way to give back to this community, because I love the community in which I live,” said the Pender Island resident, who describes the moment as “being in the right place at the right time.”
A retired lawyer who has represented First Nations governments, Botterell also has experience working with a number of B.C. government ministries, including the Ministry of Finance.
“It’s like I’ve been training for this job for 25 years,” said Botterell, adding that he has experience of moving the B.C. government from a ‘no’ to ‘yes’.
Kicking off his campaign for election by going door-to-door, speaking to constituents across the riding, Botterell says the top three concerns, in no particular order, are health care, affordable housing and the climate emergency.
“There’s more to do and and it’s urgent,” said Botterell on the subject of health care. “There’s lots of folks whose doors I’ve knocked on who say, ‘Well, I don’t have a doctor,’ … and then in this particular riding, emergency hours have been cut back at the Saanich Peninsula Hospital. And folks say to me, in a very heartfelt way, ‘I can’t schedule my emergency to fit the hours.’”
About housing, Botterell says there is a difficult balance to strike between those wanting more affordable housing and others that want to preserve the rural nature of the area. And he adds that provincial solutions “imposed’ on communities, such as allowing up to four units on a standard residential lot, “rubs people the wrong way.”
“That’s a classic example of how things get done the wrong way,” said Botterell, describing some provincial decisions as ‘solution first, details later’.
“You’re far more likely to get a creative solution if you have the community at the table with lots of experience and ideas, than if it’s cooked up in an office in downtown Victoria.”
To help fight climate change, Botterell says the community wants improved public transport, to reduce their reliance on cars and their carbon footprint.
When he’s not knocking on doors, Botterell enjoys sailing, hikes and taking his cocker spaniel Sally for walks.
“It’s a wonderful community,” said Botterell. “I just love the rural nature of the community, and then the ability to be close to areas like Sidney and Brentwood, where you can get your jolt of the urban experience. I mean, it’s just a magical place in terms of the opportunity to be in nature, whether it’s on the water or hiking.
“That’s really the challenge that we have for future generations,” he added. “To keep protecting the islands so our kids and grandkids can enjoy what we’re enjoying.”