Meet the Burnaby school board candidates

Election Day is just around the corner! Burnaby residents will head to the polls on Oct. 15 to choose their mayor, eight councillors, and seven school trustees.

Earlier this week, we listed out all the current candidates for city council. You can find that list here, along with a few details about each candidate.

And below, you can find the list of people who have announced their intention to run for the Burnaby Board of Education. Running for mayor, council, or the school board in the upcoming election? Let us know at [email protected].

School board candidates

Bill Brassington, Burnaby Citizens’ Association, incumbent: Brassington was first elected to the school board in 2018 and has served as vice-chair since then. He represents the Kingsway South Zone and is also the provincial council delegate for the BC School Trustees’ Association.

Gary Wong, Burnaby Citizens’ Association, incumbent: Trustee for the Central West Zone, Wong has sat on the board since 2008. He has experience on the boards of several organizations, including the Vancouver Legal Assistance Society, vice-chair for the Burnaby Public Library Board, and as governor for Langara College.

Harinder Parmar, Burnaby Green Party: Parmar says she has been active with the Burnaby District Parent Advisory Council since 2010, and as chair of an elementary school Parent Advisory Council. She’s also served as a facilitator for Parent Support Services of BC.

Jeff Courson, Burnaby Green Party: Raised in Burnaby, Courson is a Metis lawyer who describes himself as passionate about Truth and Reconciliation. If elected, he promises to work for “safe and inclusive schools, and preparing students for a world where environmental action and climate change solutions are urgently needed.”

Jen Mezei, Burnaby Citizens’ Association, incumbent: Mezei is currently serving her first term as a school trustee. She is chair of the board and represents the Burnaby North and Kingsway South Zones. She is also the chair of the English Language Learners Consortium.

Kristin Schnider, Burnaby Citizens’ Association: Schnider describes herself as an advocate for inclusive public education. She has three children and actively volunteers with the school district, including 10 years on the District Parent Advisory Council.

Larry Hayes, Burnaby Citizens’ Association, incumbent: Hayes is currently serving his sixth term as a trustee in the Cariboo Lougheed Zone. He was chair of the board when it became one of the first school boards in BC to formally address anti-homophobia in 2011.

Mikelle Sasakamoose, Burnaby Citizens’ Association: A member of the Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation, Sasakamoose is also Secwepemc and Syilx and is the first Indigenous person to run for office in Burnaby. She’s worked for the federal government in Indigenous relations, is a current parks commissioner, and has also served on the Simon Fraser University Childcare Society.

Paul Kwon, independent: If elected, Paul Kwon says he will work to ensure Burnaby students receive an education that will prepare them for life’s challenges, but also support a welcoming and inclusive environment for everyone. He works full-time at UBC, including on the board for the UBC Staff Pension Plan, and is also on the Burnaby Community Heritage Commission.

Peter Cech, Burnaby Citizens’ Association, incumbent: Peter Cech was first elected in 2018 and represents the Brentwood North Zone. If re-elected, he’s pledging to “advocate for diversity, inclusion and student voices.”

Rocky Dong, independent: Rocky Dong previously ran for MP of Burnaby North-Seymour in the 2019 election, for the Peoples’ Party of Canada. He says he has 20 years of experience in the educational field, mostly with facilitating international student programs.

Spenser Sproul, independent: Spenser Sproul is a graduate of the Burnaby school system and says he comes from a family of educators, “with a deep love of learning”. If elected, he is promising to keep decision-making and policies close to Burnaby’s community values, while reflecting the changing world and new voices around us.

What issues are most important to you as a voter in Burnaby? Let us know by sending us an email at [email protected].