Parent, communications consultant
2006-2011 Friends of Banff Park Radio, Producer then Station Manager
2003-2006 CHUM Radio Group Ottawa, Radio Producer
2002-2003 Jim Pattison Group Lethbridge, Radio Producer
2011-2014 Banff Public Library Board
2013-2014 Banff Economic Prosperity Steering Committee
2011 Banff Land Use Bylaw Working Group (Formula Businesses)
2009-2010 Banff Housing Working Group
2004-2009 Executive Committee of the United Church of Canada (national)
2010-2017 Executive Committee of the World Communion of Reformed Churches
Since 2006
While we've made important strides over the last few years in dealing with the challenges facing Banff I believe we've been focusing on symptoms while ignoring, perhaps unconsciously, the root causes of some of these challenges. I believe as a community it's important to actively acknowledge the legislative and ecological limitations we live within. This will enable us to move forward proactively; seeking long-term solutions, that will make Banff a better, more sustainable place to live. The current Banff Community Plan says we'd like to be a model environmental community. By setting this as the primary goal, I believe we'll do a better job of living within our limits and of improving the lives of everyone fortunate enough to call Banff home for any amount of time. As a councillor I will actively work to ensure we deal with the root causes of an issue as well as looking at how best to treat the symptoms.
I'm an ideas person. I come up with lots of them and enjoy discussing different ideas with others to figure out which ones are worth keeping and which aren't. I enjoy a good conversation, and work hard to see things from multiple perspectives. I believe it's helpful for everyone to be able to see multiple perspectives, which sometimes leads me to enter a discussion from a point of view that I don't actually hold, in order to help present that point of view to others. My love of good conversations about important things has led me to join many boards and committees and has given me lots of experience with various meeting styles and formats. I'm comfortable in that environment and even enjoy the opportunity to participate in a well-run meeting.
I fundamentally believe that in order to continue to be a great and desirable place to live, work, and play Banff needs to focus on how to live within our legislated and ecological limits. This will not be a simple or easy thing to do, but I feel it's the only way to be proactive about our future. Continuing to plan as if a traditional growth model applies to us will only cause us more headaches and lead us to plan for undesirable, and potentially impossible, outcomes. By actively recognizing our limits we position ourselves to be the sustainable, model environmental community we continue to say we want to be. Taking this step now is important so that we have time as a community do discuss how we want to live within these limits before we're faced with more of the potential problems that are caused by planning for continual growth in a place where this is not actually possible. Working to position ourselves as a model sustainable community may also open doors for partnerships with organizations working in this field and allow us to benefit from their expertise as we move forward. I believe it's important to be planning and positioning ourselves for the future, not just focusing on what happens to be going on right now.
I believe our greatest challenge is also our greatest opportunity. (That sounds totally corny, but I actually believe it to be true).
The challenge is to figure out how to be a prosperous community while living within limits. And this isn't about spending more money to buy expensive 'environmentally friendly' stuff. It's about examining how and why we do each and every thing that's done by the municipality, and ensuring it works towards our long-term sustainability. And sustainability means living within everyone's means, not just the means of those that have lots. Becoming a sustainable community can't be about me, the government, or anyone else, telling Banffites how they must behave. It means using incentives and disincentives to encourage behaviour changes that meet our goals. Our challenge becomes an opportunity when we are able to not only have a better quality of life, but when we are able to share with our visitors what it's like to live within limits, what it's like to be a sustainable community.
You can email me at [email protected]
My Facebook Page is https://www.facebook.com/VoteAllanBuckingham/
My website is:
http://AllanBuckingham.ca
And you'll be able to find me Wednesday mornings between 9 & 11 at Jump Start if you'd like to share any of your ideas for how to make Banff an even better place to call home.
