Mayor Brad West on Port Coquitlam, BC Politics & Common Sense Leadership

Port Coquitlam Mayor Brad West joins Ship of Fools Podcast for a wide-ranging conversation about leadership, municipal politics, BC politics, and what makes PoCo one of the most distinct communities in Metro Vancouver.Brad shares his background, how he first got involved in public service, and the path that eventually led him to becoming Mayor of Port Coquitlam. Steven and Brad discuss the realities of local government, the pressures facing cities, and the issues residents are raising most — including housing, public safety, infrastructure, taxes, community character, and regional decision-making.They also get into the bigger political picture in British Columbia, including the recent BC Conservative leadership race, the relationship between municipal and provincial politics, and what “common sense” means in public life today.This episode is about Port Coquitlam, the Lower Mainland, and the future of politics in BC from the perspective of a mayor who deals with these issues on the ground every day.