The Comox Valley Record will be running candidate submissions for every candidate running in the two local electoral districts. The following is the submission filed by Courtenay-Comox Liberal candidate, Brennan Day.
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Growing up in the Comox Valley, Brennan Day took childhood in stride – fishing, skiing, and exploring vast forests throughout the Comox Valley; indoors, he played standup bass with the Comox Valley Youth Music Centre.
While attending Highland Secondary School in Comox, he clinched a spot to represent Vancouver Island at the Forum for Young Canadians in Ottawa for a one-week academic adventure into the world of politics – with Parliament Hill as the classroom, and ministers, MPs, senators, and business leaders the teachers for hundreds of like-minded youth from across the nation.
Amid that political whirlwind, Brennan got hooked on the affairs of his country, his province and his community. Soon after, he attended Vancouver Island University and the University of Calgary, focusing on political science and international relations.
At age 21, Brennan took an unpaid summer internship at a Canadian energy company in Central Asia and worked his way up the ladder.
After several years of successfully running his own Canadian-based company providing overseas training, parts and consultants for industrial operations, Brennan and his wife, Jennifer, returned to the Comox Valley to start a family.
Three years ago, around the time his son was born, Brennan brought his business expertise to a local concrete supplier.
By volunteering on several local political campaigns and getting involved in municipal politics, Brennan is appeasing his high school passion to improve the community he has always called home. He’s running for the BC Liberal Party’s Courtenay-Comox MLA to improve the lives of people and businesses – sorely needed in the midst of COVID-19, the biggest health and economic challenge of our time.
During this trying time, Brennan stands behind his party’s election promise: eliminating the PST for one year, then three per cent the following year. The plan, he believes, will lower costs for small businesses, encourage spending in the community and ease financial burdens for low-income families.
As well, Brennan sits on the board of a local mental health organization, which dovetails with the BC Liberal Party’s philosophy: it’s wrong to house the homeless in tents without wraparound support. He believes providing treatment for mental problems can be a win-win for communities plagued by drugs, theft and violence – typical behaviour of many with mental illnesses.
In early March, when Brennan’s family searched the area for a long-term care facility for his 99-year-old grandmother, he was disturbed by crowded rooms, minimal staffing and exorbitant costs. Brennan, whose grandmother has since passed, vows to vigorously fight for improvements to the community’s senior care.
Finally, with a young child, Brennan is committed to improving accessibility, and affordability of childcare in the Comox Valley to ensure that dual-income and single-parent families can pursue meaningful employment without having to worry about giving their children a strong start.
Brennan, a well-rounded businessman with a strong sense of community, promises to provide strong political representation and more opportunities as your Courtenay-Comox MLA.