At the end of a conversation with Spencer Coyne recently, I asked if he has thoughts of making the switch to provincial politics when Linda Larson retires after this term. He responded without hesitation. “I was here when the mine closed in 1996,” he said. “I watched people leave, including some of my own family, because jobs dried up. It broke my heart. Seeing so many good people leave made me feel lonely. We have a strong community now and my goal is to see it thrive. Local government is where we can be most effective in strengthening Princeton and the entire Similkameen valley. My job as mayor isn’t nearly done.”
Spencer’s family roots go down a long way in Princeton. “I was born here, a descendant of Nora,” he said, referring to the iconic indigenous woman who operated a pack train hauling supplies from Hope to Greenwood. She was the first wife of John Fall Allison, an early settler. Spencer’s great grandfather bought a farm in the Princeton area, wanting to provide for his future family. Spencer grew up in the midst of uncles, aunts and cousins. He and his family live on the farm and his parents operate a market garden there. “I’m very much a product of my family and community.”
As a kid, school wasn’t easy for Spencer. “I was dyslexic,” he said. “Reading was extremely difficult, and I dreaded spelling tests. In time I learned to work around this though and now I’m an avid reader.”
His first foray into the uncertain world of politics came in grade 5 when he managed the campaign of a friend running to be class president. “We lost,” he said with a chuckle.
Apparently the experience whetted his appetite. “I enrolled at the University College of the Okanagan, intending to become a teacher.” He was soon diverted from this goal. “I got elected to the student government as VP of Student Services. We provided all services to students and I was responsible for a budget in the millions. We had extensive negotiations with the Administration concerning food services.”
This political experience was a preparation for the future, but he had a restless mind. “I challenged myself and my profs,” he said. “I wanted to understand what I was being taught. Also, I wanted to know if my thinking was sound. I was learning to think critically, but after three years I wondered what my history major was getting me. I decided I needed to return to Princeton and run for Council.”
At age 24 he ran for a seat on council and won. “We laid a lot of groundwork for the future. We established important relationships, especially with the RDOS and the local band.” He had plenty of energy and ideas, but in a run for re-election, he was defeated. “I don’t think the time was right for me. I wanted change, but Princeton wasn’t ready.”
With the approach of the most recent election, he asked his partner and 2 children (now 7 and 10) how they felt about him running for mayor. They approved and he entered the fray with enthusiasm and determination. Winning the right to sit in the mayor’s chair was the easy part. “We’re going to have more people coming to our community,” he said. “Providing affordable housing is a challenge, a balancing act. We’re spending some money on beautification projects. I’d like Princeton to become a destination, not just a place to pull off the highway for gas and a coffee. We don’t want to limit ourselves by thinking ‘this or that.’ We need to think ‘this and that.’ We’re working to bring in new industry and other opportunities that will provide employment.”
I noticed that Spencer laughs easily. “I focus on the positives,” he said. “I feel joy when city staff are happy, and when citizens are happy.” There are challenges along with the positives. “Your life becomes not your own,” he observed. “There’s lots of scrutiny. Giving time to the public instead of my family is the hardest part.”
He focuses on what he and the council are seeking to accomplish. “We have a strong community,” he emphasized, “and we’re getting stronger. We want a community where families feel welcome and safe. No, I have no inclination to jump into provincial politics. Here there is no Party Whip to tell us what we can or cannot do.”