Rosey Manhas Announces Candidacy for SD43 School Trustee By-Election

Following Jennifer Blatherwick’s election as MLA for Coquitlam-Maillardville in October 2024, a vacancy has opened on the SD43 School Board. Coquitlam resident Rosey Manhas, a longtime parent advocate with five years of experience on the District Parent Advisory Council (DPAC), has announced her candidacy for the by-election scheduled for Saturday, February 22.

Manhas first became involved with the Parent Advisory Council (PAC) at her son’s elementary school before moving on to DPAC, where she has served for the past five years. She began as the Health and Safety Coordinator, later becoming vice president, and has served as DPAC president for the past three years.

Much of Manhas’ work with DPAC has focused on advocating for parents and acting as a liaison between families and the school district. She sees serving as a school board trustee as the next logical step in her commitment to parent and student advocacy.

In addition to her work with PAC and DPAC, Manhas has worked in health care for 26 years as a medical radiation technologist. She believes her experience in interpersonal communication and advocacy in the healthcare sector will be valuable as a school board trustee. She has also volunteered with Metro Ford Soccer for the past eight years.

Manhas is a strong supporter of STEAM programs, which integrate science, technology, engineering, and math with arts and design.

Among the current SD43 policies she supports is the accumulated surplus policy, which she credits with helping the district avoid layoffs during COVID—a situation that many other school districts were unable to prevent.

If elected, she would advocate for increased funding for mental health resources for both students and teachers. School safety is another major priority, and while she believes SD43 has made progress with anti-bullying initiatives, she says more work remains. As an advocate for inclusivity, she supports the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) program.

On the issue of "Sanctuary Schools," as seen in New Westminster and Burnaby, Manhas takes a more measured stance, stating that while she supports inclusivity, she also values adherence to the law and would prefer a balanced approach.

She is committed to pushing for more provincial funding for SD43, noting that while student enrollment has continued to rise, funding levels have remained stagnant for several years.