Canmore, Alberta
Former housekeeper seeks municipal seat
Mildred German
Canmore, AB – Jyn San Miguel has officially announced his candidacy for the next municipal election on October 18, 2021 in Canmore, Alberta. Canmore is located within the Treaty 7 Region of Southern Alberta, and is the 9th-largest town in Alberta. It is about an hour’s drive from Calgary and 300 km. from Edmonton.
“As an immigrant and having travelled across Canada – from the Pacific to the Atlantic coast – I have come to understand that Canmore is one of the best places I have ever seen, and I am proud to call it my home. More important than the sceneries that make it outstanding are the people who make it a special place,” according to San Miguel on his official candidacy Facebook page, JYN SAN MIGUEL FOR COUNCIL – TOWN OF CANMORE https://www.facebook.com/jynsanmiguelforcouncil
San Miguel is an official candidate as of August 6, 2021 for the municipal council for the town of Canmore, which has a population of 13,992 according to the 2016 federal census via canmore.ca.
A former resident of B.C., San Miguel is not only a traveller, but also a blogger, personal trainer, singer and an artist who started his life in Canmore as a housekeeper. He has lived in Canmore for six years and works seasonally as a settlement worker and a contractual artist in the town of Banff. He shares his talents to the community through Arts, Music, and many community initiatives.
A passionate singer who used to lead a choir of 300 members in the Philippines, San Miguel started the Canmore Singers, an inclusive choir group based in the Bow Valley. During the Filipino Heritage Month celebrations this year, San Miguel and the Canmore singers performed the Filipino folk song “Bayan Ko” on June 2, 2021 at the artsPlace cultural learning circle virtual event called “Focus on Filipino Culture”.
https://philippinecanadiannews.com/canada/bayan-ko-the-canmore-singers-sings-the-kundi man/
Bayanihan
A firm believer in the power of kindness and the Filipino values of “Bayanihan”, San Miguel,who is also a member of the LGBTQ community, has vast priorities for the community.
“I believe in advancing on the path of equitable and affordable access for all persons living in the Bow Valley. I also think that we can have a healthier neighbourhood by seeing the true value of diversity. We can start by reaching out in kindness to our neighbours and celebrate the strengths and abilities that we see within each other,” San Miguel states in his official Facebook page. “Also, it is time that our indigenous community, immigrants, persons of colour, LGBTQ+ members feel as valuable as everyone else.”
San Miguel’s announcement of candidacy also mentions strengthening mental health awareness and services for youth and adults, the quality of life of every family and individual household unit in the Bow Valley, looking after the elderly and people with disabilities, and to provide positive empowerment for the youth “so that they will stay on the right path as they grow.”
The 32-year old San Miguel came to Canada with his family 12 years ago. As an immigrant, he too experienced the struggles of the lack of recognition of foreign accreditations that he found himself having to constantly prove himself. It is therefore not surprising that appreciation for “community contributors” is part of his agenda.
“We also want to appreciate working community contributors such as service workers, housekeepers, doctors, nurses, construction workers, scientists, engineers, business owners, town employees, etc. Furthermore, I also believe that artists and musicians are essential community members in keeping a healthy and harmonious community,” his announcement emphasizes.
According to Wikipedia, Filipino-Canadians are one of the fastest growing groups in Canada-with the 2016 Canadian Census record of 851,410 people of Filipino descent living in Canada. By province, Alberta records 166,195 Filipinos in Alberta as of 2016.
There are nearly 400 Filipinos in Canmore, according to San Miguel, based on the Canmore Filipino Canadian Society’s Facebook group page. As RMOToday.com reported on May 28, 2021 that the Canmore Filipino Canadian Society had partnered with the Town of Canmore in a cleanup event to pick up litter in the community, this community initiative is proving to the growing Filipino community presence in the Bow Valley area and to the Filipino values of “Bayanihan”. https://www.rmotoday.com/mountain-guide/filipino-community-ready-to-break-down-cultural- barriers-3811362?fbclid=IwAR1a0-B9UVYu-mOk5GIpuV-o_SFeZpeHR6D3Bl24fzUfHWRZ ORAKArJVSPk
“We want a community where we take care of our environment, so our children have an exciting future to look forward to,” San Miguel includes.
The election day is on Monday, October 18, 2021. More information on the municipal election in Canmore are posted on the town of Canmore’s website, canmore.ca.
“Let me take this opportunity to thank my family, friends and everyone who supports me. Also, thank you to all the people who signed my nomination paper. Lastly, most gratefulness goes to our God, the Creator,” San Miguel concludes in his announcement.