Coast Reporter sent a Q&A out to each of the six West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country candidates for the 2025 election. The candidates include Jäger Rosenberg, Peyman Askari, Gordon Jeffrey, Patrick Weiler, Keith Roy and Lauren Greenlaw. Election day is April 28. See more at elections.ca.
Name: Jäger Rosenberg,
Party: NDP
Age: 18
Do you live in the riding? Where and for how long?: Gibsons, born and raised
Social media: jagerrosenberg.political, Jäger Rosenberg for MP, jagerrosenberg.bsky.social,
Website: jagerrosenberg.ndp.ca
Why are you running in this election? Time and time again those in power have made empty promises then failed to deliver real solutions for regular people. I decided I couldn't stay on the sidelines and wait for someone else to fix things. Regular people deserve a voice and young people need a seat at the table.
How can the federal government help mental health and addictions support and recovery on the Sunshine Coast? We need to invest in early care and prevention. Mental health affects us all and should be incorporated into the public healthcare system. We need to train more specialists and give incentives to move to isolated communities that are lacking the necessary resources. We must collaborate with municipalities and provinces.
How would your party help address the need for affordable housing? My party will address the housing crisis by building more affordable homes, expanding rent control and offering low-interest mortgages to first-time homebuyers. We’ll also provide financial support to low-income renters, ensuring that all Canadians can access safe, affordable housing without having to struggle.
How will your party fight climate change? The NDP will fight climate change by tackling industrial emissions, ending subsidies for oil and gas, and investing in clean energy. We support large-scale retrofitting of homes, expanding green public transportation and creating green jobs to build a sustainable, low-carbon economy while protecting workers and communities.
There are more than 7,000 Sunshine Coast residents without doctors; on the federal side, what's your party's plan to support health care? My party is committed to ensuring all Canadians have access to a family doctor. On the federal side, we will work to increase funding for provincial healthcare systems, address healthcare worker shortages, and expand community-based healthcare initiatives. We’ll also push for more mental health services and preventative care like pharmacare.
Amid rising economic uncertainty, small businesses are hurting. How does your party propose to support them? We will support small businesses by investing in innovation, improving access to affordable financing, and promoting fair wages for workers. We’ll prioritize small businesses over large corporations by ensuring they have the resources they need to grow, reducing barriers to success, and fostering sustainable, local economic development.
Small towns across B.C. are struggling with crime, what's your party's plan to address this? The NDP is committed to tackling crime in small towns by prioritizing community-based solutions. We’ll invest in local safety programs, provide better resources for police, and expand access to mental health, addiction services, and rehabilitation. Our focus will be on prevention, addressing the root causes of crime for safer communities.
Do you believe the coastal B.C. ferry system should receive federal financial support at a level commensurate with similar systems elsewhere in the country and how would you work to ensure that is achieved? We believe the coastal B.C. ferry system is crucial for local communities and should receive federal support comparable to similar systems across Canada. We will advocate for fair, stable funding from the federal government to ensure affordable, reliable ferry services, recognizing their importance for both residents and the economy.
What's your party's plan to advance reconciliation with Indigenous peoples on the Sunshine Coast? The NDP is committed to advancing reconciliation by supporting Indigenous communities on the Sunshine Coast through investments in housing, education, and healthcare. We’ll implement the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Calls to Action, work to make amends for wrongs committed against Indigenous peoples, and collaborate with Indigenous leaders on moving forward.
What's an issue you personally wish we talked more about in this election? We need to talk more about improving our democracy. We've seen democracies around the world and just down south being weakened by rising extremism. Now is the time to introduce a better more representative voting system and lower the voting age so all Canadians can feel represented by their government.
