Monday, September 23, 2019 ~ COLWOOD
by Mary P Brooke ~ West Shore Voice News
Never before a candidate, but now wanting to serve the community in a new capacity, Jamie Hammond has stepped up as the Liberal candidate for Esquimalt-Saanich-Sooke (ESS). His 28-year military career (including overseas) followed by serving under BC Lieutenant Governors Steven Point and Judith Guichon gives him a broad idea of what Canada is all about, from levels deep inside.
For someone who has worked in some tough assignments, Hammond seems relaxed and unaffected. He retired from his post under Lt Gov Guichon in October last year, and he’s got energy to apply elsewhere.
But he does admit that campaigning is hard work. As his official office opening in Esquimalt got rolling on Thursday September 19 he said he’d been up since 7 am, and the day would run long into the evening.
At the opening he hosted former longtime Victoria-area Liberal MP David Anderson who was strong on the environment during his years in Ottawa. View Royal Mayor David Screech also attended.
Hammond is keen to address the climate emergency that is upon the globe now. He feels that the Liberals are Canada’s best shot at getting things done effectively in terms of climate change policy and shifting as rapidly as possible to an innovative green tech economy. He seeks to be part of building a caring society and a nation he can be proud of. He sees the Liberals as the ESS riding’s best shot for a voice in Ottawa, on the inside of a majority or strong minority government.
Hammond finds people respectful as he door knocks in Sooke, Colwood, and other areas of the large ESS riding. People’s concerns are clearly about dealing with climate change; protection of oceans, orcas and salmon; funding for transportation (highways and maybe the west shore ferry); and affordability.
If elected, Hammond says that within 60 days he would put together a Transportation Action Team to come up with ways on “how to influence the federal government” to get things rolling for the south island. Housing affordability is linked to transportation (as in how far people have to travel to work). He says that more can be done with the national housing strategy for this region.
When Justin Trudeau visited the Victoria area September 11 and 12, Hammond had a chance to chat with the Liberal Leader at the Canoe Club. Part of the conversation apparently went like this: “BC’s got a green conscience, something we can bring to other parts of the country,” said Trudeau to Hammond. The idea is to do this by diversifying the economy and shifting to green technology. There are already 100,000 people in the tech community in BC, says Hammond.
Hammond says that Canada has had multi-culturalism at its core for over 40 years now. “Immigrants help build our economy and our society,” he said during an interview last week at the Colwood waterfront at Royal Bay.
Hammond grew up on the south island. He has enjoyed hiking the Sooke Hills, swimming in Thetis Lake, and paddling the coastline. Out Sooke way he has chatted with community leaders about salmon preservation. He’s surprised at how many military families now live in the Sooke area. He recently was door-knocking on Grant Road West and says he finds Sooke folks to be “focussed on the realities of life”.
Hammond’s family is very supportive of his venture into politics. His wife Fern is a psychiatric nurse. His brother is a historian at the Royal BC Museum. Jamie Hammond’s parents retired to BC. His mother still lives in View Royal in the family home. Upon his grandfather’s passing, some of the ashes were scattered over the ocean near the Colwood waterfront.
Doing his first major all candidates debate in Metchosin on September 18 at Pearson College, Hammond was confident on the issues, particularly noting the urgency of addressing climate change and how Canada sets an example as a caring society. Afterward he chatted with students and the public.
Hammond’s campaign office is located at 918 Esquimalt Road. This week there were still signs stacked within the office, awaiting placement around the community. After the opening, the campaign workers were promised a curry dinner!
=========== NOTES:
==== This article was first published on page 3 in the September 20-22, 2019 weekend digest of West Shore Voice News.
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