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Diane Brennan to be made Freeman of the City

Former City Councillor honoured for over 40 years of community service

NEWS RELEASE - Distributed June 24, 2021 4:15 PM

Summary

Longtime community advocate and former City Councillor, Diane Brennan, will be awarded Nanaimo's highest civic honour this fall - Freedom of the City.

Throughout her career, Ms. Brennan has spent decades creating better lives for not only the citizens in our community but those throughout BC. She is a community advocate with a substantial history of volunteer efforts. Ms. Brennan was a Director for the Nanaimo Association of Intervention and Development (NAID), formerly known as the Nanaimo Crisis Centre, assisting individuals experiencing and struggling with illicit drug use. Over time, NAID changed its focus from illicit drugs to a wider cross section of issues and finally concentrated on two services: legal assistance and crisis counselling.

In 2002, Ms. Brennan was elected as a City Councillor for Nanaimo. She served from 2002 to 2008 and was re-elected for two more terms from 2011 to 2018. During her time with the City, Ms. Brennan chaired or was a member of several Council Committees including the Social Planning Committee, Heritage and Culture Committee, and the Protocol Agreement Working Group with the Snuneymuxw First Nation. She was also the Deputy Chair of the Regional District of Nanaimo where she served on the Executive Committee and chaired both the Regional Transit Committee and the Regional Parks and Trails Committee.

Ms. Brennan continues to give back to the community by sitting on the Board of Directors for Island Health. She was first appointed to the Board of Island Health on March 20, 2019 with her term expiring on July 31, 2023.

More information, including details of the Freedom of the City event will be provided in the fall.

Link to Strategic Plan: The Freedom of the City honour furthers the goals of the Cultural Vitality (Creativity, Diversity, Heritage and Innovation), economic and livability pillars of the Strategic Plan.

Key Points

  • In British Columbia, the Community Charter gives municipalities the legislative authority to confer "Freedom of the City" status to honour a person who has made a significant contribution to the City.
  • Freedom of the City is the highest honour the City of Nanaimo can bestow.
  • To bestow this honour on a distinguished person or military unit requires a unanimous vote of Council.

Quotes

Leonard Krog

"For over 40 years, Ms. Brennan has been one of the 100,000 voices committed to making Nanaimo a livable City, full of opportunities for as many people as possible. She is a truly compassionate leader in every sense of the word supporting leadership qualities in others who are then inspired to pursue their dreams, making Nanaimo a better place for all. She is indeed a worthy recipient of this special honour."

Leonard Krog
Mayor
City of Nanaimo

Images

Ms. Diane Brennan
Ms. Diane Brennan
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Contact:

Leonard Krog
Mayor
City of Nanaimo
250-755-4400
For media enquiries, please contact
Communications
City of Nanaimo
250-754-4251

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