More Than City Hall: The Values of True Community Leadership with Brad West

I had the privilege of sitting down with Brad West, Mayor of Port Coquitlam, for an insightful discussion on this episode. We get into the nitty-gritty about local governance, family values, and the changing political landscape.Mayor West shares his inspiring personal story, detailing how his mother's incredible work ethic as a single parent shaped his commitment to public service and his belief that government should prioritize hardworking everyday people. We also explore Port Coquitlam's unique identity as a community focused on family-friendly amenities and core municipal services while maintaining the lowest property taxes in Metro Vancouver.Our conversation takes a fascinating turn as we delve into the shifting political dynamics across Canada and globally – Mayor West even offers his perspective on how traditional left-wing parties have moved away from their working-class roots toward identity politics. He and I discuss the infrastructure challenges facing municipalities due to rapid population growth and the disconnect between federal promises and local realities.Whether you're interested in municipal governance, political realignment, or community building, this episode gives you insights straight from the source: a mayor dedicated to making his city "the best place in the province to raise a family."___________I’m excited to be partnering with Tristin Hopper to launch a giveaway. His book, "Don't Be Canada", is one I think every Canadian should read - this is your chance to win it!The contest rules are simple:1. Subscribe to my free Substack at politicalpulse.ca (1 entry)2. Share this post on X and tag me @ryanlpainter in your post (1 entry)3. Tag 5 people in your post promoting this contest (5 entries - make sure you tag @ryanlpainter as well)4. Become a Political Pulse Monthly Subscriber at $5 (1 entry)5. Become a Political Pulse Annual subscriber (5 entries)6. Become a Political Pulse Founding Subscriber (15 entries)Subscribe at politicalpulse.ca!GOOD LUCK!!*Note: YOU MUST BE A SUBSCRIBER TO MY SUBSTACK TO BE ELIGIBLE. CURRENT SUBSCRIBERS GET ONE ENTRY AND CAN PARTICIPATE USING ALL THE ENTRY OPTIONS ABOVE. Get full access to Political Pulse with Ryan Painter at www.politicalpulse.ca/subscribe