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Our policies are based on 3 guiding principals. Honesty, Transparency and Freedom. We believe in less government, allowing private business to fulfill the demands of the free market. We believe that everyone is essential, no lockdowns.

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Climate Change

Active Transportation

Joe Kennedy's promise

Let the people decide - Those that can walk will, those that can drive can. To each, their own

Electric Bikes & Scooters

Joe Kennedy's promise

Wonderful inventions and the city is full of bike lanes - Have at it!

Energy-Efficient Buildings & Retrofits

Joe Kennedy's promise

If housing is an issue, it should be up to the builder and what the market will support. Energy efficient home or save $100,000, you decide?

Green Space

Joe Kennedy's promises

Surrey has wonderful Green Spaces and should remain that way.
Green space should be preserved as much as possible, densify areas that are willing to sell and be developed

Parking

Joe Kennedy's promise

Parking will inevitably become an issue as cost per square foot increases for living space. Surrey is huge and needs car parking.

Private Vehicles

Joe Kennedy's promise

I'm for it! There's no reason why someone shouldn't be allowed to save up and buy a private vehicle.

Zoning

Joe Kennedy's promises

As has already happened, zones around skytrain stations should be densified.
If people are willing to move after a rezoning, then let it be developed. The professionals are not partisan and have been doing great.

Environment, Social, Governance

Joe Kennedy's promise

I am firmly against this as a requirement for funding or investment. It makes businesses less competitive and moves jobs to other nations.

Housing & Homelessness

Affordability

Joe Kennedy's promises

Surrey needs to densify and build units, regardless of the "green requirement" - let builders and buyers decide.
Call out Ottawa and Victoria for help with new immigrants and refugees. Have them offer the same programs to citizens of Surrey.

Building Maintenance & Occupant Health

Joe Kennedy's promise

There are requirements for Strata's regarding maintenance as it is - Unsure of what Occupant Health is.

Co-Op Housing

Joe Kennedy's promise

If owners want to try co-op housing that's between themselves. However it would not be something that government should create.

Housing Accessibility

Joe Kennedy's promise

Should be between the landlord and the tenant - tenant should be able to make reasonable modifications at their own cost. Ramp for instance

Property Taxes

Joe Kennedy's promise

Need to be lowered as a whole! We need accountability for the spending and less spending on DEI and virtue signaling programs.

Public Housing

Joe Kennedy's promise

I personally don't believe the government should be in the business of public housing. There is no incentive to improve.

Rent

Joe Kennedy's promise

Rents are a direct result of money policy, demand for the area and cost of living. Rent should be reflective of what the market will bear.

Rental Stock

Joe Kennedy's promise

If we need more rental stock we should make it easier for landlords to evict bad tenants and recoup their loses.

SROs

Joe Kennedy's promise

While not ideal for most, it is sufficient for some. If a tenant and landlord can agree, then I'm all for it.

Street Sweeps

Joe Kennedy's promise

The government also has a responsibility to the residents to keep streets safe and clear.

Unhoused People

Joe Kennedy's promises

This is often accompanied by substance abuse and there is no easy answer.
There are a number of charities and government programs already in place. Often it comes down to the individual not wanting to accept help.

Zoning

Joe Kennedy's promises

As has already happened, zones around skytrain stations should be densified.
If people are willing to move after a rezoning, then let it be developed. The professionals are not partisan and have been doing great.

Human Rights

Physical Accessibility

Joe Kennedy's promise

They would have the same rights as any other citizen, no more, no less.

Recent Immigrants

Joe Kennedy's promise

Citizens of Canada should be prioritized. There are many existing programs and charities available. Surrey is a popular destination.

Refugees & Undocumented Immigrants

Joe Kennedy's promises

Citizens of Surrey should be prioritized by their government. There are many charities already helping refugees and all the power to them.
Undocumented Immigrants should be removed. There is a way to enter legally and the law should be followed.

Sex Workers

Joe Kennedy's promise

They would have the same rights as any other citizen, no more, no less and should be held to the same standards under the law.

Trans Rights & Access to Services

Joe Kennedy's promise

This is complicated - Not sure what services is referencing. They are human and should have the ability to request services as anyone else.

Local Government & Democracy

Budgeting

Joe Kennedy's promise

Budget should be balanced and hopefully with a surplus. Raise a small nest egg and cut taxes.

Good Governance

Joe Kennedy's promises

Without a doubt, government should be transparent, accountable and responsible to the people.
If government pays for it, it should be available to the public as a whole, including data, surveys and statistics for scrutiny.
Should be a 3rd party responsible for auditing government spending

Public Engagement

Joe Kennedy's promise

Government should always be accessible to the public, from public hearings to genuine and complete answers, not canned messages.

Youth Engagement

Joe Kennedy's promise

Youth is our future and should be encouraged to take on responsibility.

Mental Health, Drugs, & Addiction

Drug Decriminalisation

Joe Kennedy's promise

Not for it.

Mental Health Crisis Response

Joe Kennedy's promise

Complicated for sure. Self medicating isn't the answer but some people don't want help.

Overdoses & the Contaminated Drug Supply

Joe Kennedy's promise

Laws are on the books and should either be enforced or removed. Let the government decide and have police fulfill their duty to the public.

Safe Supply

Joe Kennedy's promise

Government should not be in the business of offering safe injection sites or helping to facilitate drug use.

Treatment Programmes

Joe Kennedy's promise

There are a number of treatment programs in place and I'm sure more could be used. It comes down to the individual to make the choice.

Public Safety & Policing

Non-Police-Based Public Safety

Joe Kennedy's promise

People in crisis can be unpredictable. I believe Police are the best tool for making that judgement on de-escalation.

Police Funding

Joe Kennedy's promise

Police are absolutely needed in a modern city such as Surrey. To defund would be insanity.

Police Wrongdoing & Accountability

Joe Kennedy's promises

Police are in a high stress situation every day on the job. We entrust them to perform at very high standards. We should hire only the best
If intentional mistakes are made, then accountability needs to happen.
However we need police to do their jobs without fear of baseless claims - Transparency is a must. Maybe police cams should be manditory.

Street Sweeps

Joe Kennedy's promise

The government also has a responsibility to the residents to keep streets safe and clear.

Public Spaces & Services

Fitness & Sports Facilities

Joe Kennedy's promise

Many are used and available, often below capacity

Green Space

Joe Kennedy's promises

Surrey has wonderful Green Spaces and should remain that way.
Green space should be preserved as much as possible, densify areas that are willing to sell and be developed

Public Washrooms

Joe Kennedy's promise

Public washrooms are often available at Parks and in a pinch have been sufficient.

Sidewalks & Bike Paths

Joe Kennedy's promise

As development happens, sidewalks and bike paths are created. They are not needed in all situations.

Zoning

Joe Kennedy's promises

As has already happened, zones around skytrain stations should be densified.
If people are willing to move after a rezoning, then let it be developed. The professionals are not partisan and have been doing great.

Transit & Getting Around

Active Transportation

Joe Kennedy's promise

Let the people decide - Those that can walk will, those that can drive can. To each, their own

Electric Bikes & Scooters

Joe Kennedy's promise

Wonderful inventions and the city is full of bike lanes - Have at it!

New Transit Projects

Joe Kennedy's promise

Should come down to a cost/benefit analysis that is put to vote.

Parking

Joe Kennedy's promise

Parking will inevitably become an issue as cost per square foot increases for living space. Surrey is huge and needs car parking.

Private Vehicles

Joe Kennedy's promise

I'm for it! There's no reason why someone shouldn't be allowed to save up and buy a private vehicle.

Ride-Hailing

Joe Kennedy's promise

Wonderful, from taxis to Uber. Keep it coming.

Sidewalks & Bike Paths

Joe Kennedy's promise

As development happens, sidewalks and bike paths are created. They are not needed in all situations.

Transit Fares

Joe Kennedy's promise

Already subsidized and should reflect the cost of the actual fare.

Biography

submitted by the candidate or their team
I'm an impassioned person that was looking for common sense representation - When I didn't find it, I felt compelled to run back in 2021. Now I have joined the People's Council Surrey Team. We bring Honesty, Transparency and Freedom. For Surrey, for Canada!

Joe Kennedy is a self motivated entrepreneur and owner of a small business located in Surrey. Politically minded, he stepped up to represent everyday Canadians in the 2021 Federal Election, his first venture into politics. With a background in the service industry and having sat as president of a strata council through a multi-million dollar renovation, he is not afraid to ask the questions that deserve answers.

Locally minded, not beholden to any globalist agenda, he believes that Surrey is at its best when people can pursue what they find meaningful in life. Operating within the framework of truth, transparency and freedom, he respects the individual as paramount.

A husband and father of two young children, he is actively invested in protecting the fundamental freedoms we as Canadians have enjoyed and wish to maintain.

Excited to be running with Amrit Birring and the People’s Council Surrey team.

I don't always talk in 3rd person... but sometimes I copy and paste when it's convenient! Shabam! aaaaaaaandd... Done!

Reason for running

submitted by the candidate or their team
We need to have people willing to say 'No' to the madness. The road to ruin is paved with good intentions. We may well destroy the very foundations that we take for granted if we keep it up. We need people like myself that aren't afraid to stand up to the far left ideologies.

Straight up, we need some sanity in government. Our platform stands on eleven points.

  • Rehire employees terminated due to COVID policy
  • Confront rising housing costs - call out Ottawa/Victoria - offer transparency of what's happening with any money that's given to the city for immigration and refuge settlement
  • Fight against SOGI 123 and Critical Race Theory indoctrination
  • Raise standards of academics and sports in schools
  • Protect religious institutes against closure in the future crisis
  • Advocate for small businesses, cut red tape and taxes
  • Promote transparent, independent journalism
  • Ensure RCMP or Surrey Police obeys the Charter of Rights and Freedoms
  • Motivated youth to build professional careers and embrace responsibility
  • Children belong to parents, not the government
  • Persecute criminals instead of legal firearm owners

Anything that stands beyond our purview as a local government, but affects our citizens nonetheless, we will work with them and help fight for their rights as Canadians.

joekennedy.ca joekennedy.ca