LCCMedia is in the process of getting to know candidates of the council elections through our Getting to Know -Q/A series. We are grateful to Daniel Heikkinen for taking the time to answer these questions.
Please tell us a little about you.
I’m 37 years old, a graduate of the U of A with a BSc in psychology. I was born and raised in Edmonton, but more notably, in what is now ward 7.
I attended Lynnwood for elementary, Michael A. Kostek for 5-6, Sydney Bruce Smith for junior high and Jasper Place for high school (grad class of 2002). I’ve been in retail or customer service for most of my life, and now find myself the proud owner of 3 Benjamin Moore paint stores, 2 in Edmonton and 1 in Sherwood park. I have a diverse education other than the usual psych major
sociology minor. I also took courses on political science, economics, computer programming, and earth and atmospheric sciences, making me a hit at parties.
Why politics ?
I have always been interested in public service, but due to focusing on the growth of my business, I never found the catalyst to run. Federal is too far removed from the people while provincial is so mired in petty squabbling, and I have no interest in name calling. That left municipal politics and the best chance at helping people improve their quality of life. It wasn’t until a friend
mentioned his desire to run that I said “we should run together and take our shot”, and so here I am throwing myself into it with both feet.
Why are you running for council ?
I want to be the voice of the people of the ward, to ensure their needs and concerns are respected and met. My top priorities are to ensure that people get the access and delivery of services that they expect and demand from their city.
I feel I am the best candidate for the ward for several reasons, not least of which is my 28 year connection to it, having grown up throughout it. My business experience I feel allows me to look at city management in a cost benefit way, and how we can make it work better.
If I don’t win, then I gladly continue to serve my communities through my business, and hope that the winner will represent all of ward 7 and the city to the best of their ability. And if I do win, I will strive every day to earn that trust the people of ward 7 gave me by being open with them, sharing whatever information I get from the city so that the people can have a more detailed
look behind the curtain of this city and it’s management.
Can you describe your plan to tackle drug addiction and homelessness?
Homelessness can seem like a daunting problem, because it’s so vast and has a lot of moving parts. First we need to break it down into manageable pieces – those that can be rehomed easily, those that have addiction issues, and those that have unresolved mental health issues. We need to make sure that we have policies and processes in place that remember that these are human beings,
not numbers, and treat them accordingly.
Is there an issue you would like to talk about?
This city and its council, however it should be shaped, needs to do more to be transparent and open with the people, otherwise we will continue to see people not care enough about civic politics because they feel that have no voice.
How important is climate change and what will you do to make sure climate justice is at the forefront?
Regarding climate change, we need to make sure that anything we do development-wise in the city has as little impact on the environment as possible. I of course speak of the capital projects that are
proposed and currently approved for the river valley. We cannot afford to negatively impact habitat for wildlife as well as the carbon sinks that our forests represent, this will only worsen our situation.
. What books inform your knowledge?
Other than the textbooks of my education, and the business books that have helped shape my approach to business, I like to read my flipboard app on my phone. It grants me immediate access to world and local matters as they happen ensuring that I am up to date on the current events before the regular news prints or presents it.
Share a quote or a poem that means something to you.
My favorite quote comes from Robin Hobbs Farseer trilogy, which upon hearing it helped frame how I do business, but also how I feel a politician should act –
“A leader is a sacrifice for their people,
everything you do must be to enrich their lives, not your own”. That really hit home for me.
Where can we learn more about you?
You can learn more about me from my website at dan4yeg.com, my facebook page dan4yeg where I hope to post more videos and content, but also my instagram @dan4yeg where people can see me engaging with
the community!
