Katherine Strongwind came to Sooke three years ago and fell in love with the community – now, she’s on a new journey to give back.
Strongwind is one of seven candidates vying for the open seat on Sooke council in the July 12 byelection.
“I thought when this opportunity came up, I have the skills, I have the experience, the education, and really, I think it’s just time that I take the next step into elected leadership,” said Strongwind, who works with several Sooke community organizations, including the Chamber of Commerce and the Economic Development Committee.
After some time working in child protection, Strongwind moved from her home in Manitoba to Nanaimo to attend Vancouver Island University, where she earned a degree in business administration.
There, she joined the Community Cousins organization, working with Indigenous students – an experience that inspired her to continue working with several Indigenous organizations in Manitoba and eventually in B.C.
A member of the Manitoba Métis Federation, Strongwind was a survivor of the Sixties Scoop. Raised by adoptive parents, it wasn’t until her 30s that she could reconnect with her heritage and discover four siblings she had never met.
“I have that lens of two-eyed seeing,” she said. “I grew up in a non-Indigenous home, but I always knew I was Indigenous. So, to me, it’s actually been a benefit to be able to see both ways.”
Strongwind returned to Vancouver Island to work with the Songhees Nation as an executive director. That’s when she settled in Sooke.
“I fell in love with the community. It still has a small-town vibe, but there are lots of amazing things happening,” she said. “I love the arts community here – markets especially – and I thought, you know, I want to put down some roots here.”
She left her roles with the Songhees Nation and her ongoing advisory work with the provincial government to focus on her marketing and communications business, Strongwind Solutions.
Now, she's turning her sights to municipal politics – motivated in part by the province’s recent enforcement of Bill 44 – which aims to address how local zoning rules have contributed to housing shortages – in Sooke.
She said while the province is doing what it can to make housing accessible, there could be more collaboration between levels of government.
“Sooke doesn’t necessarily have the infrastructure to support some of that. So I think there’s an opportunity to come together with the province and do some really creative solutions.”
A desire to fast-track infrastructure improvements, advocate for health-care support, encourage collaboration and foster economic development is at the heart of Strongwind’s campaign. She believes her fresh perspective, willingness to take a stand, and collaborative mindset would make her a strong voice on council.
“I have a really good understanding of how government works – I’ve worked in government for quite some time now, so I’m familiar with the inner workings,” she said. “I have some fresh ideas and some really great problem-solving skills. I have a good relationship with the B.C. government, and I’m happy to be a conduit. I’m a strong voice – I’ve done quite a bit of advocacy work for survivors of the Sixties Scoop, and I’m not afraid to speak up when I feel it’s necessary.”
This is the first in a series of candidate profiles that will run in the Sooke News Mirror leading up to the July 12 byelection. We are currently reaching out to other candidates for interviews.
