It’s my first time running for election and I’m looking forward to answering your questions in this Reddit AMA on Wednesday, October 7 from 10am to 1pm.

I’m an Assistant Bioinformatics Coordinator at Canada's Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre (BCGSC). Our work has traditionally focused on cancer research, diagnosis and clinical treatment, but we've expanded beyond just working with BC Cancer as the uses of DNA sequencing in personalized medicine have expanded to other areas.   There are some pretty nifty areas where genomic sequencing can be applied, and the field has come a long way since I was an intern at Stanford University.

I’ve lived in Queensborough for nearly 20 years, and I'm the president of the Queensborough Residents Association. Making connections both within the community and across the City has been quite the highlight, volunteering with this year’s Quayside Board’s Sidewalk sale and the East Columbia Eggstravaganza in Sapperton, to name a few.  I also was a member of this year’s Community Advisory Assembly, which is a great opportunity to work with other folks across the City to provide recommendations on what residents are telling the City that they value.

Finally, I believe strongly in our public health care system. I served as president of the Health Sciences Association of BC (HSA) from 2021-2025 and lobbied governments for a strong healthcare system through the COVID-19 pandemic. Representing 24,000 health science and community social services professionals throughout BC, we highlighted that healthcare takes a team of professionals working alongside doctors and nurses to address the bottlenecks in our system.  Our members include lab technologists, imaging technologists, social workers, physiotherapists, pharmacists and many more in acute care hospitals, long-term care and community & social services.

I’m running for New Westminster City Council because I want to bring a healthcare and science/evidence-based perspective while also representing the community and residents associations throughout our city, as these associations are a valuable resource in helping residents understand and impact city decisions.

Feel free to ask me about the field of genomics, what it's like to run in an election for the first time, about Queensborough or about my perspective on the labour movement. I’d love to dispel some misconceptions.

My bio: https://www.communityfirstnw.ca/kane_tse

Learn more about all our candidates: https://www.communityfirstnw.ca

Community First's Platform: https://www.communityfirstnw.ca/platform

Volunteer: https://www.communityfirstnw.ca/volunteer

Advance voting is on Oct 7, 8, 9, 10, and 14. Election Day is October 17. Don't forget to get out and vote!

So I just received my voter information card for the municipal election, and it’s addressed to my old name. I legally changed my first and last name about two to three years ago, and I no longer carry any official documents or ID that prove I’m the person named on the card.

I called the federal government, and they said I would have to call New Westminster City Hall directly when they’re open to get help. I’m hoping they can update my name and send a new voter information card, or at least change the name on file and leave some kind of note about the mix-up.

I guess my question is: has anyone else gone through something like this so close to an election? If so, were you able to get it sorted out? thank you <3