Vancouver Overcast with Mike Klassen (Episode 16): 2021’s Top Stories in B.C. Local Gov’t (Part One‪)‬ Vancouver Overcast with Mike Klassen

Our podcast guest Daniel Fontaine is a longtime friend with a superlative background in politics and government. He is the Deputy Minster and CEO of Métis Nation British Columbia.
Daniel has more than 15 years of senior management experience in public relations and governmental affairs, including serving as Chief of Staff to Mayor of Vancouver, Sam Sullivan, where I had the pleasure to work closely with him.
Fontaine was Chief Public Affairs Officer for Mitacs, an influential non-profit organization that links industries and post-secondary institutions to advance relevant industry research. He then took the post as CEO of the BC Care Providers Association, where we once again had the opportunity to work together in support of B.C. seniors and the people who care for them.
It is our work together as co-founders of CityCaucus.com, a groundbreaking civic politics website that garnered over 5 million page views during its three-and-a-half-year run. Daniel continues his active interest in local government politics as the founding board president of the New West Progressives elector organization.
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Recorded on the traditional lands of the Coast Salish peoples including the Squamish, Musqueam and Tsleil-Waututh nations.
 
STORIES REFERENCED IN THIS EPISODE
January
Sadhu Johnston quits as Vancouver city manager
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/vancouver-city-manager-sadhu-johnston-to-step-down-at-start-of-2021-1.5725102
 
February
New West backs down on de-funding police proposal
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/new-west-council-police-budget-1.5897257
 
Vancouver: Kitsilano site may become home to six-storey rental building https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/courier-archive/real-estate/kitsilano-site-may-become-home-to-six-storey-rental-building-3116697
 
March
Bike lane debate: Vancouver businesses aim to block motion proposing return of route to Stanley Park | CTV News https://bc.ctvnews.ca/bike-lane-debate-vancouver-businesses-aim-to-block-motion-proposing-return-of-route-to-stanley-park-1.5333790
 
April
Vancouver's NPA picks John Coupar to run for mayor in 2022 | CBC News https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/john-coupar-2022-candidate-1.5976740
 
Reaction from NPA councillors
https://twitter.com/sarahkirby_yung/status/1379643853867651081
 
Marissen follows suit and announces mayoral run
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/vancouver-mayor-race-2022-mark-marissen-1.5399419
 
Will Jody Wilson-Raybould run for mayor of Vancouver, or not? https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/local-news/will-jody-wilson-raybould-run-for-mayor-of-vancouver-or-not-3975473 
 
Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum to face off against Coun. Brenda Locke in Surrey's 2022 election | CBC News https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/surrey-mayor-2021-mccallum-locke-1.6115492
 
May
Surrey police chief hopes for 'soft launch' this fall https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/surrey-police-chief-hopes-for-soft-launch-this-fall  via @VancouverSun
 
June
Vancouver: Gas-powered sports cars, SUVs face higher street parking fees under Vancouver's anti-pollution proposal | CBC News https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/city-vancouver-parking-climate-emergency-parking-proposal-1.6065135
 
Burnaby: Hillman / NWVDLC byelection split — Longtime federal Liberal breaks Big Labour’s grip on Burnaby council https://www.burnabynow.com/local-news/council-byelection-marked-by-low-voter-turnout-burnaby-mlas-shot-at-one-candidate-3917583
 
New West: Downtown business group and new political party clash over Together New West name https://www.newwestrecord.ca/local-news/downtown-business-group-and-new-political-par