If not us, then who?
If not now, then when?
The current trends in the district have driven my decision to run for NS Councillor. I believe there is an urgent need to resist the destruction of the environment in North Saanich. We are blessed with a vast array of natural and human resources that can provide creative possibilities for maintaining and enhancing our high quality of life emphasizing environmental sustainability.
With some of the best farmland, abundant backyard-gardening, beekeeping, animal husbandry, and plentiful fishing, North Saanich has an extensive reserve of knowledge, experience, and expertise related to promoting food security within our own community. The lush green tree-cover contributes to the viability of the local flora and fauna. I thus believe that our beautiful rural district can lead in creating a Canadian sustainability model in the climate crisis era.
I look forward to listening to community members and working together to find constructive solutions to the challenges of our times, particularly for supporting our rural and marine environment.
Sanjiv Shrivastava
I moved to North Saanich with my wife and our elderly dog on Christmas Eve in 2014. The magnetic pull of North Saanich was unmistakable for us for its natural beauty and rural setting as well as its proximity to amenities in Sidney. We love North Saanich for its lush greenery, the amazing bird life, the iridescent Salish Sea, and the glimpses of ancient mountains. Above all, the idyllic W̱SÁNEĆ region is blessed with close-knit neighbourhoods and engaged community members where we found ourselves amidst our family-of-choice.
I grew up in Kenya and Zambia, earned my master’s degree in nuclear physics and doctorate in condensed-matter physics in South Africa. I worked for over two decades as a university professor in South Africa with numerous international collaborations in Germany, Greece, and the USA before moving to Edmonton in 2011, where I started a scientific consultancy.
Additionally, I volunteer for a number of projects involving multicultural education, inner-city youth skills enhancement, marine mammal conservation (Saturna Island), and I have been fortunate to participate in a number of Indigenous ceremonies. Our island home has also inspired me to develop a keen interest in gardening and photography.
