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Gibsons names new youth councillors

Mayor Bill Beamish has sworn in Gibsons’ newest youth councillors, Elphinstone Secondary students Eilis Mackenzie and Gravity Guignard. “We had six applications from the high school this year,” Beamish said.
youth council
Members of Gibsons council with new youth councillors Eilis Mackenzie (third from left) and Gravity Guignard who were sworn in before the Nov. 19 council meeting.

Mayor Bill Beamish has sworn in Gibsons’ newest youth councillors, Elphinstone Secondary students Eilis Mackenzie and Gravity Guignard.

“We had six applications from the high school this year,” Beamish said. “They were all very qualified and we hope the ones who didn’t get chosen by council will continue to find some other way to volunteer with the Town or within the community.”

Beamish introduced Mackenzie and Guignard by reading from their application letters, in which both students expressed a strong commitment to environmental issues.

“Having heard so many local politicians voice that they were ready to begin initiatives to combat the climate crisis, I began looking for ways that I could help those initiatives become a reality,” Mackenzie wrote. “The best way I could think of was to apply for the Gibsons youth representative position.”

Beamish said Mackenzie also wrote about her “passion and involvement in politics” as well as her “drive to create positive change in my community and the world around it.”

Guignard said in her application that she wanted to start an entrepreneur training program for youth as well as work for “necessary and effective environmental action,” including better public transit and banning single-use plastics.

“As a youth representative to council, I would like to work with council to help make Gibsons a leader in climate responsibility.”