A candidate for Christina Lake regional district director says she would bring a “unique combination” of public sector, business, and grassroots experience to the job.
Rocio Graham is originally from Mexico. She emigrated to Canada in 2002 and has been connected to the Boundary through her husband since 2003. She moved to the area full-time in 2020 and has lived at Christina Lake since 2021.
“This country has given me so much opportunity and it has helped me grow so much,” she said. “When I took my oath to become a Canadian, I wanted to be committed to serve this country as gratitude for all the things that it has done for me.”
Graham has been heavily involved in volunteer work at Christina Lake. She also has public sector and corporate experience. She is a supply chain management professional and has an arts degree.
“I have this very unique set of experiences where I work in business — contracts, managing budgets, policy, administration — and also in community building and community initiatives,” she said.
She has been involved with many non-profits, including the Christina Lake Arts and Artisans Society, where she was executive director, as well as Boundary Family Services, Sunshine Valley Community Services, and the Christina Lake Stewardship Society.
Her other professional experience has included work for the University of BC, LifeLabs, and BC Lotteries, which she said has given her a deep understanding of policy and the complexities of government.
Graham said she is running for regional director because she wants to be at the table where decisions are made that affect the community. She said residents have made it clear that water is a top priority, including the controversial use of a herbicide to battle Eurasian watermilfoil in the lake. She also sees an aging population at Christina Lake with needs around housing, transportation, and access to health care. And while the community relies heavily on seasonal tourism, she would like to explore year-round economic opportunities.
“How do we make sure that our children have a place where they can see themselves returning to and raising their own families? If we don’t have economic development that allows multi-generational families to thrive, we have a problem because we’re not going to have the community resilience that we need.”
She said wildfire and emergency preparedness is another ongoing concern.
Graham said she considers herself someone who brings people together in a respectful way and is not afraid to be challenged on her views or to have uncomfortable conversations.
Graham is running against Rupert Oldroyd. Longtime incumbent Grace McGregor is not seeking re-election.
