Hotel Pacifico

Hotel Pacifico was created by Air Quotes Media with support from our presenting sponsor TELUS, as well as FortisBC, Wild First, and British Columbia School Trustees Association.Mike & Geoff welcome Brad Zubyk, former chief of staff to BC Conservative leader John Rustad, for a full-length Strategy Suite discussion.  The trio dig deep into the BC Conservative leadership race, including the latest conflagration involving Kerry-Lynne Findlay, Peter Milobar, and Iain Black; the Eby government’s political challenges and where they go next; and how Alberta separation debate could impact B.C., but is anyone paying attention? In the Strategy Suite, a miner’s middle position on DRIPA, where the ball is bouncing on the Whitecaps, and the latest on the Conservative leadership.🏨🌄 Check into Hotel Pacifico for insights and interviews covering the latest in B.C. politics.Thank you for joining us on #HotelPacifico. Please take a moment to give us a rating and review on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts or your favourite podcast app.Watch conversations from Hotel Pacifico via Air Quotes Media on YouTube.The sponsored ads contained in the podcast are the expressed views of the sponsor and not those of the publisher.

Hotel Pacifico was created by Air Quotes Media with support from BC Dairy and the Energy Futures Institute.Mike McDonald and Dylan Kruger co-host episode five of Hotel Pacifico's Race to Replace, a special series focused on the ins and outs of the BC Conservative leadership race which concludes on May 30.  The hosts discuss track conditions, how the candidates are jockeying for position, the running order of the candidates over the past week (who had a good week, who didn’t), and the hosts each pick a campaign to receive a checkered flag or a yellow flag.🏨🌄 Check into Hotel Pacifico for insights and interviews covering the latest in B.C. politics.Thank you for joining us on #HotelPacifico. Please take a moment to give us a rating and review on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts or your favourite podcast app.Watch conversations from Hotel Pacifico via Air Quotes Media on YouTube.The sponsored ads contained in the podcast are the expressed views of the sponsor and not those of the publisher.

Hotel Pacifico was created by Air Quotes Media with support from our presenting sponsor TELUS, as well as FortisBC, and Wild First.Mike and Geoff welcome Global News BC Legislative reporter Ben O’Hara-Byrne to Hotel Pacifico.  Relatively new to the Press Gallery, Ben discusses covering stories in Ukraine, Beijing and other hot spots, his impressions of BC politics, the trajectory of journalism, and his upcoming role as moderator at final B.C. Conservative debate on Global News BC1 on May 9. In the Strategy Suite, a miner’s middle position on DRIPA, where the ball is bouncing on the Whitecaps, and the latest on the Conservative leadership.🏨🌄 Check into Hotel Pacifico for insights and interviews covering the latest in B.C. politics.Thank you for joining us on #HotelPacifico. Please take a moment to give us a rating and review on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts or your favourite podcast app.Watch conversations from Hotel Pacifico via Air Quotes Media on YouTube.The sponsored ads contained in the podcast are the expressed views of the sponsor and not those of the publisher.

Hotel Pacifico was created by Air Quotes Media with support from BC Dairy and the Energy Futures Institute.Mike McDonald and Dylan Kruger co-host episode four of Hotel Pacifico's Race to Replace, a special series focused on the ins and outs of the BC Conservative leadership race which concludes on May 30.  The hosts discuss track conditions, how the candidates are jockeying for position, the running order of the candidates over the past week (who had a good week, who didn’t), and the hosts each pick a campaign to receive a checkered flag or a yellow flag.🏨🌄 Check into Hotel Pacifico for insights and interviews covering the latest in B.C. politics.Thank you for joining us on #HotelPacifico. Please take a moment to give us a rating and review on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts or your favourite podcast app.Watch conversations from Hotel Pacifico via Air Quotes Media on YouTube.The sponsored ads contained in the podcast are the expressed views of the sponsor and not those of the publisher.

Hotel Pacifico was created by Air Quotes Media with support from our presenting sponsor TELUS, as well as FortisBC, and Wild First.Geoff and Mike welcome Don Bain, former Deputy Chief of Staff to John Horgan and former Executive Director of the Union of BC Indian Chiefs. They discuss the back story to DRIPA and what happens next. In the Strategy Suite, Geoff and Mike tackle the DRIPA drama, Conservative leadership twice, Freedom of Information, and a pipeline expansion that isn’t about oil.    🏨🌄 Check into Hotel Pacifico for insights and interviews covering the latest in B.C. politics.Thank you for joining us on #HotelPacifico. Please take a moment to give us a rating and review on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts or your favourite podcast app.Watch conversations from Hotel Pacifico via Air Quotes Media on YouTube.The sponsored ads contained in the podcast are the expressed views of the sponsor and not those of the publisher.

Hotel Pacifico was created by Air Quotes Media with support from BC Dairy and the Energy Futures Institute.Mike McDonald and Dylan Kruger co-host episode three of Hotel Pacifico's Race to Replace, a special series focused on the ins and outs of the BC Conservative leadership race which concludes on May 30.  The hosts discuss track conditions, how the candidates are jockeying for position, the running order of the candidates over the past week (who had a good week, who didn’t), and the hosts each pick a campaign to receive a checkered flag or a yellow flag.🏨🌄 Check into Hotel Pacifico for insights and interviews covering the latest in B.C. politics.Thank you for joining us on #HotelPacifico. Please take a moment to give us a rating and review on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts or your favourite podcast app.Watch conversations from Hotel Pacifico via Air Quotes Media on YouTube.The sponsored ads contained in the podcast are the expressed views of the sponsor and not those of the publisher.

Hotel Pacifico was created by Air Quotes Media with support from our presenting sponsor TELUS, as well as FortisBC, and Wild First.Mike and Geoff are joined by BC Conservative House Leader Áʼa꞉líya Warbus, her second visit to Hotel Pacifico. Warbus discusses the latest events in the DRIPA drama that has unfolded in BC politics in recent weeks, the government’s shifting position, the BC Conservatives’ critique, and the unique role she plays, as the Conservatives’ only Indigenous MLA, in the debate. Warbus also discusses the potential Confidence vote and the Conservative leadership race.  In the Strategy Suite, Geoff and Mike go deep on DRIPA-related political fallout, the prospect of a ’Site E’ hydroelectric dam on the Peace River, and the latest on the BC Conservative leadership race.  Mike sneaks in a plug for the Institute of Future Legislators before retreating to the mini-bar with Geoff. 🏨🌄 Check into Hotel Pacifico for insights and interviews covering the latest in B.C. politics.Thank you for joining us on #HotelPacifico. Please take a moment to give us a rating and review on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts or your favourite podcast app.Watch conversations from Hotel Pacifico via Air Quotes Media on YouTube.The sponsored ads contained in the podcast are the expressed views of the sponsor and not those of the publisher.

Hotel Pacifico was created by Air Quotes Media with support from BC Dairy and the Energy Futures Institute.Mike McDonald and Dylan Kruger co-host episode two of Hotel Pacifico's Race to Replace, a special series focused on the ins and outs of the BC Conservative leadership race which concludes on May 30.  The hosts discuss track conditions, how the candidates are jockeying for position, the running order of the candidates over the past week (who had a good week, who didn’t), and the hosts each pick a campaign to receive a checkered flag or a yellow flag.🏨🌄 Check into Hotel Pacifico for insights and interviews covering the latest in B.C. politics.Thank you for joining us on #HotelPacifico. Please take a moment to give us a rating and review on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts or your favourite podcast app.Watch conversations from Hotel Pacifico via Air Quotes Media on YouTube.The sponsored ads contained in the podcast are the expressed views of the sponsor and not those of the publisher.

Hotel Pacifico was created by Air Quotes Media with support from our presenting sponsor TELUS, as well as FortisBC, and Wild First.Geoff and Mike welcome to Hotel Pacifico the Hon. Bob Rae — Canada’s Ambassador to the UN (2020-2025), former Premier of Ontario and former leader of the Liberal Party of Canada — for a wide ranging discussion on global issues impacting BC and Canada, the Iran conflict, US relations, China, India and the lingering impact of the Air India bombing, LNG and energy exports, DRIPA, confidence votes and more! In the Strategy Suite, it was all DRIPA Drama and Conservative leadership for Geoff and Mike. 🏨🌄 Check into Hotel Pacifico for insights and interviews covering the latest in B.C. politics.Thank you for joining us on #HotelPacifico. Please take a moment to give us a rating and review on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts or your favourite podcast app.Watch conversations from Hotel Pacifico via Air Quotes Media on YouTube.The sponsored ads contained in the podcast are the expressed views of the sponsor and not those of the publisher.

Hotel Pacifico was created by Air Quotes Media with support from BC Dairy.Mike McDonald and Dylan Kruger co-host the first episode of Hotel Pacifico's Race to Replace, a special series focused on the ins and outs of the BC Conservative leadership race which concludes on May 30.  The hosts discuss track conditions, how the candidates are jockeying for position, the running order of the candidates over the past week (who had a good week, who didn’t), and the hosts each pick a campaign to receive a checkered flag or a yellow flag.🏨🌄 Check into Hotel Pacifico for insights and interviews covering the latest in B.C. politics.Thank you for joining us on #HotelPacifico. Please take a moment to give us a rating and review on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts or your favourite podcast app.Watch conversations from Hotel Pacifico via Air Quotes Media on YouTube.The sponsored ads contained in the podcast are the expressed views of the sponsor and not those of the publisher.

Hotel Pacifico was created by Air Quotes Media with support from our presenting sponsor TELUS, as well as FortisBC, and Wild First.Geoff and Mike welcome Dr. Benoit-Antoine Baçon, 17th President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of British Columbia.  Leading BC’s largest university with over 66,000 students and over 20,000 faculty and staff, Bacon discusses UBC’s key economic role, its accessibility to students, university funding, and the growing impact of UBC Okanagan.  With a Ph.D in Neuropsychology, he offers his views on BC’s overdose crisis, addiction, and mental health.  He also announces that when the Broadway Subway ultimately arrives at UBC (*pending), it will be the busiest station in TransLink’s network. In the Strategy Suite, Geoff outlines his blockbuster  post on his Lotusland substack regarding the politics of DRIPA, Mike ensures all credit downgrades are heard and observed, a Clipping of the Week from an Obama heavyweight, and the latest in the BC Conservative race, including a plug for the “Race to Replace” pod series starting Sunday, April 12, for the duration of the leadership race, that Mike is co-hosting with politico Dylan Kruger. 🏨🌄 Check into Hotel Pacifico for insights and interviews covering the latest in B.C. politics.Thank you for joining us on #HotelPacifico. Please take a moment to give us a rating and review on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts or your favourite podcast app.Watch conversations from Hotel Pacifico via Air Quotes Media on YouTube.The sponsored ads contained in the podcast are the expressed views of the sponsor and not those of the publisher.

Hotel Pacifico was created by Air Quotes Media with support from our presenting sponsor TELUS, as well as FortisBC, and Wild First.Mike and Geoff welcome George Heyman, a man who has worn many hats - Minister of Environment, head of BCGEU and head of Sierra Club in BC. They discuss labour deals, the evolution of climate politics, and forestry among other topics. In the Strategy Suite, Geoff and Mike check in on DRIPA, LNG, and the latest on the BC Conservatives including a visit from a special guest and an announcement on a new spinoff podcast series. 🏨🌄 Check into Hotel Pacifico for insights and interviews covering the latest in B.C. politics.Thank you for joining us on #HotelPacifico. Please take a moment to give us a rating and review on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts or your favourite podcast app.Watch conversations from Hotel Pacifico via Air Quotes Media on YouTube.The sponsored ads contained in the podcast are the expressed views of the sponsor and not those of the publisher.

Hotel Pacifico was created by Air Quotes Media with support from our presenting sponsor TELUS, as well as FortisBC, and Wild First.Geoff and Mike welcome to Hotel Pacifico, fellow podcasters and co-hosts of the Culture Lab, Kyla Ronellenfitsch and Gabe De Roche. The Culture Lab duo are public opinion researchers and data scientists and come prepared to talk about today’s public opinion landscape, demographic flips, class vs values, and generational differences. In the Strategy Suite, Geoff tries to bolt for the minibar but Mike makes him discuss Milobar mania, the recent Paul Wells nerd fest, and the most unsurprising credit downgrade.🏨🌄 Check into Hotel Pacifico for insights and interviews covering the latest in B.C. politics.Thank you for joining us on #HotelPacifico. Please take a moment to give us a rating and review on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts or your favourite podcast app.Watch conversations from Hotel Pacifico via Air Quotes Media on YouTube.The sponsored ads contained in the podcast are the expressed views of the sponsor and not those of the publisher.

Hotel Pacifico was created by Air Quotes Media with support from our presenting sponsor TELUS, as well as FortisBC, and Wild First.Mike and Geoff welcome Aaron Pete, Chief of the Chiwathil First Nation and host of the Nuanced podcast. Chief Pete discusses how he got into podcasting and how he has sought out a range of views from across the political spectrum, and on sensitive topics such as reconciliation, the Cowichan ruling, and the recent federal-Musqueam agreement. He discusses the need to hear from all perspectives and challenges some of today’s conventional wisdom.  In the Strategy Suite, Mike and Geoff discuss Hoodiegate, the pothole chasin’ Poco mayor, the recent NDP provincial council meeting, and the latest on the Conservative leadership race as would be contenders bolt the barn and back other horses, while one leadership contender claims to be the bell cow of the bunch. 🏨🌄 Check into Hotel Pacifico for insights and interviews covering the latest in B.C. politics.Thank you for joining us on #HotelPacifico. Please take a moment to give us a rating and review on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts or your favourite podcast app.Watch conversations from Hotel Pacifico via Air Quotes Media on YouTube.The sponsored ads contained in the podcast are the expressed views of the sponsor and not those of the publisher.

Hotel Pacifico was created by Air Quotes Media with support from our presenting sponsor TELUS, as well as FortisBC, and Wild First.Geoff and Mike welcome ‘Brother’ Scott Lunny of the United Steelworkers (Director, District 3) to Hotel Pacifico.  Lunny discusses the challenges facing his members in the forestry sector and the various issues impacting harvesting levels and jobs, and touches on the opportunities for his members in the mining sector. Also active in the NDP, Lunny distinguishes between the approaches of the provincial NDP and federal NDP when it comes to policies supporting industry.   In the Strategy Suite, Geoff and Mike welcome communications consultant Lesli Boldt to discuss a range of topics that includes the BC and federal government’s handling of the Musqueam agreement, deepfakes faking out politicians, the latest in the BC Conservative race, and what the rising price of oil will mean to the good people of BC. 🏨🌄 Check into Hotel Pacifico for insights and interviews covering the latest in B.C. politics.Thank you for joining us on #HotelPacifico. Please take a moment to give us a rating and review on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts or your favourite podcast app.Watch conversations from Hotel Pacifico via Air Quotes Media on YouTube.The sponsored ads contained in the podcast are the expressed views of the sponsor and not those of the publisher.

Hotel Pacifico was created by Air Quotes Media with support from our presenting sponsor TELUS, as well as FortisBC, and Wild First.Mike and Geoff welcome Ray Castelli to Hotel Pacifico for a discussion Canada’s increasing defence spending and how BC can get its fair share of defence procurement.  Ray is CEO of Weatherhaven, a BC-based company that is a world leader as a designer, manufacturer and installer of portable  shelters, camps and field hospitals, and he’s lent his advice to federal and provincial governments, including the initiative to bring a Defence Bank to Vancouver. He also brings his reflections as former chief of staff to Rt. Hon. Kim Campbell who served as Defence minister and Canada’s first and only female, and first and only BC born prime minister.  In the Strategy Suite, Mike and Geoff welcome back Jess Ketchum to join the discussion.  The trio discuss the continuing coverage of the BC Budget, the appropriate manners around voting on 1st reading, the recently announced federal-Musqueam agreement, and an update on the Conservative race.  Watch out above for the cowbirds!🏨🌄 Check into Hotel Pacifico for insights and interviews covering the latest in B.C. politics.Thank you for joining us on #HotelPacifico. Please take a moment to give us a rating and review on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts or your favourite podcast app.Watch conversations from Hotel Pacifico via Air Quotes Media on YouTube.The sponsored ads contained in the podcast are the expressed views of the sponsor and not those of the publisher.

Hotel Pacifico was created by Air Quotes Media with support from our presenting sponsor TELUS, as well as FortisBC, and Wild First.Mike and Geoff welcome UBC economist Kevin Milligan to Hotel Pacifico to discuss the recent B.C. Budget. Milligan discussed BC’s debt trajectory, credit ratings and how B.C. stacks up against other provinces, among other insights. There is also a special appearance from Peace River South MLA Larry Neufeld who provides an important update on Tumbler Ridge. In the Strategy Suite, Mike and Geoff debate the politics of the Budget and the state of the Conservative leadership race. 🏨🌄 Check into Hotel Pacifico for insights and interviews covering the latest in B.C. politics.Thank you for joining us on #HotelPacifico. Please take a moment to give us a rating and review on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts or your favourite podcast app.Watch conversations from Hotel Pacifico via Air Quotes Media on YouTube.The sponsored ads contained in the podcast are the expressed views of the sponsor and not those of the publisher.

Hotel Pacifico was created by Air Quotes Media with support from our presenting sponsor TELUS, as well as FortisBC, and Elk Valley Resources.Mike and Geoff record hours after the release of the BC Budget and look what’s inside.  The BC government released its budget that forecasts record-breaking deficits and an increase in public debt to over $230 billion in the next few years. With the benefit of attending the lock-up, Mike spares no statistic in describing his fear of drowning… in red ink.  Geoff, a seafaring type, is much calmer in the turbulent seas and doesn’t feel the need for a life preserver.  Listen in, as they are both ‘indebted’ to their listeners. 🏨🌄 Check into Hotel Pacifico for insights and interviews covering the latest in B.C. politics.Thank you for joining us on #HotelPacifico. Please take a moment to give us a rating and review on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts or your favourite podcast app.Watch conversations from Hotel Pacifico via Air Quotes Media on YouTube.The sponsored ads contained in the podcast are the expressed views of the sponsor and not those of the publisher.

Hotel Pacifico was created by Air Quotes Media with support from our presenting sponsor TELUS, as well as FortisBC.With Geoff away, it’s two Michaels hosting, what could go wrong? - Our regular Mike, and Michael Gardiner, a veteran of backroom NDP politics. They welcome Greater Vancouver Board of Trade CEO Bridgitte Anderson back to Hotel Pacifico. Anderson discusses the Board’s call for 3% GDP growth and how BC’s economy is not yet measuring up.  Major projects will help, but it will take a lot more to prime the economic pump, such as a new Defence Bank that the Premier and the Board of Trade are backing.  They discuss the upcoming budget and how investors are getting the shivers due to recent Court decisions and the opportunity and impact of Vancouver hosting FIFA. In the Strategy Suite, Mike and Michael look ahead to upcoming Legislative session, the Greens going from yellow to red on their confidence agreement with the NDP, duelling Geoffs on DRIPA (but not our Geoff), and the latest on the BC Conservative leadership race.  The horses won’t all fit on one racetrack. 🏨🌄 Check into Hotel Pacifico for insights and interviews covering the latest in B.C. politics.Thank you for joining us on #HotelPacifico. Please take a moment to give us a rating and review on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts or your favourite podcast app.Watch conversations from Hotel Pacifico via Air Quotes Media on YouTube.The sponsored ads contained in the podcast are the expressed views of the sponsor and not those of the publisher.

Hotel Pacifico was created by Air Quotes Media with support from our presenting sponsor TELUS, as well as FortisBC.The 12th Premier of the Yukon, Honourable Currie Dixon, joins Mike & Geoff for a special edition of ‘Hotel Arctico'.  Dixon’s Yukon Party won a decisive majority in the 2025 territorial election.  He discusses his attendance at the recent First Ministers’ meeting, major mining proposals in the Yukon, a grid connection to British Columbia, and arctic sovereignty.  In the Strategy Suite, Mike and Geoff discuss treason (!), austerity (!), ICE (!), and Conservative purity tests (!).  Mike even discusses John A. (!) All that and more.🏨🌄 Check into Hotel Pacifico for insights and interviews covering the latest in B.C. politics.Thank you for joining us on #HotelPacifico. Please take a moment to give us a rating and review on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts or your favourite podcast app.Watch conversations from Hotel Pacifico via Air Quotes Media on YouTube.The sponsored ads contained in the podcast are the expressed views of the sponsor and not those of the publisher.

Hotel Pacifico was created by Air Quotes Media with support from our presenting sponsor TELUS, as well as FortisBC.This week, it’s Hotel Davos. In the wake of Prime Minister Carney’s address, Mike and Geoff invite former premier Glen Clark and former federal Industry minister James Moore to discuss its meaning and where to from here, including analysis of Pierre Poilievre’s response. In the Strategy Suite, Aileen Machell, former deputy chief of staff to Premier Eby, joins Mike and Geoff to discuss natural resource development, a new op ed on Indigenous issues from a former A-G, and Darrell deals himself into BC Conservative leadership race. 🏨🌄 Check into Hotel Pacifico for insights and interviews covering the latest in B.C. politics.Thank you for joining us on #HotelPacifico. Please take a moment to give us a rating and review on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts or your favourite podcast app.Watch conversations from Hotel Pacifico via Air Quotes Media on YouTube.The sponsored ads contained in the podcast are the expressed views of the sponsor and not those of the publisher.

Hotel Pacifico was created by Air Quotes Media with support from our presenting sponsor TELUS, as well as FortisBC and the Coalition of Child Care Advocates of BC.Mike and Geoff welcome longtime BC public servant Doug Caul.  He walks into Hotel Pacifico with three decades of experience in the BC Public Service including leadership roles in Indigenous Relations & Reconciliation, Environmental Assessment, various economic ministries, along with serving as Deputy Minister in the Premier’s office until his recent retirement.  With a lot of debate taking place in BC on Indigenous rights, Doug helps break down Section 35 constitutional rights, First Nations treaties, DRIPA, and the tools in the toolbox for agreements between First Nations, industry, and government.  In the Strategy Suite, Geoff and Mike comment on a change in staffing at the top of the Premier’s Office, Decrim in the Dustbin, the state of the Conservative race - who’s in, who’s out, and, before the lights turn out, Resource Impresario Sarah Weber is a late check-in, bringing news of the upcoming BC Natural Resource Forum and ensuring Mike has his bags packed for frigid but friendly Prince George. 🏨🌄 Check into Hotel Pacifico for insights and interviews covering the latest in B.C. politics.Thank you for joining us on #HotelPacifico. Please take a moment to give us a rating and review on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts or your favourite podcast app.Watch conversations from Hotel Pacifico via Air Quotes Media on YouTube.The sponsored ads contained in the podcast are the expressed views of the sponsor and not those of the publisher.

Hotel Pacifico was created by Air Quotes Media with support from our presenting sponsor TELUS, as well as FortisBC and the Coalition of Child Care Advocates of BC.Mike and Geoff welcome independent MLA Elenore Sturko to Hotel Pacifico. They discuss Sturko’s experience inside and out of the BC Conservative caucus, her media presence and stance on justice, DRIPA, and LGBTQ+ issues. In Strategy Suite, Mike and Geoff continue to chew over the field of Conservative leadership contenders, the PM’s visit to rainy Prince Rupert, and next week’s annual natural resources conference in frigid Prince George.  🏨🌄 Check into Hotel Pacifico for insights and interviews covering the latest in B.C. politics.Thank you for joining us on #HotelPacifico. Please take a moment to give us a rating and review on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts or your favourite podcast app.Watch conversations from Hotel Pacifico via Air Quotes Media on YouTube.The sponsored ads contained in the podcast are the expressed views of the sponsor and not those of the publisher.

Hotel Pacifico was created by Air Quotes Media with support from our presenting sponsor TELUS, as well as FortisBC and the Coalition of Child Care Advocates of BC.This week, Mike and Geoff welcome Interim Leader of the BC Conservatives, Trevor Halford. Together, they dig into the upcoming leadership race, if the party is ready for a snap election, and how the Conservatives envision reconciliation if they succeed in repealing DRIPA.   In the Strategy Suite, Geoff and Mike review their holiday reading lists, speculate about what’s on the Provincial Government’s agenda for 2026, and review the field of potential BC Conservatives leadership contenders.🏨🌄 Check into Hotel Pacifico for insights and interviews covering the latest in B.C. politics.Thank you for joining us on #HotelPacifico. Please take a moment to give us a rating and review on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts or your favourite podcast app.Watch conversations from Hotel Pacifico via Air Quotes Media on YouTube.The sponsored ads contained in the podcast are the expressed views of the sponsor and not those of the publisher.

Hotel Pacifico was created by Air Quotes Media with support from our presenting sponsor TELUS, as well as FortisBC.Mike, Geoff… and Kate(!) preside over the Hotel Pacifico Holiday Extravaganza.  Political observers Justin McElroy and Richard Zussman look back on the main political stories of the year and politicians to watch.  Former BC Premier Mike Harcourt drops in to talk about the year that was and looks ahead to 2026.  Hot on his heels is former BC Premier Christy Clark who discusses the state of ‘free enterprise’ in BC and the upcoming BC Conservative leadership race.  Then Vancouver-Kingsway MP and national interim leader of the NDP, Don Davies, visits Hotel Pacifico as part of his national comedy tour (okay, now we are joking) following his highly praised address to the annual Ottawa Press Gallery Dinner (and we have clips).  Davies talks about the state of the NDP and how it’s time to refocus on the needs and concerns of working people.  The co-hosts retire to the mini-bar for final thoughts on an exciting year in politics in BC and Canada.  All the best to our listeners for the holidays and the new year. Ho Ho Ho.🏨🌄 Check into Hotel Pacifico for insights and interviews covering the latest in B.C. politics.Thank you for joining us on #HotelPacifico. Please take a moment to give us a rating and review on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts or your favourite podcast app.Watch conversations from Hotel Pacifico via Air Quotes Media on YouTube.The sponsored ads contained in the podcast are the expressed views of the sponsor and not those of the publisher.

Hotel Pacifico was created by Air Quotes Media with support from our presenting sponsor TELUS, as well as FortisBC.Mike & Geoff are joined by press gallery legend Vaughn Palmer to review the BC politics landscape.  Topics include the Cowichan ruling, transparency and secrecy, the issues to watch in 2026, and a tour of BC’s political parties and their prospects.  In Strategy Suite, Geoff and Mike unveil the “12 Substacks of Christmas”.  Given that they don’t do math good, Geoff and Mike actually provide more than 12.  Substack pics include: The Real Story with Terry Glavin, Vanity & Learning by Allan Gregg, Northern Beat edited by Fran Yanor, Blindingly Obvious by Don Wright, Charlie Don’t Tweet by Charlie Demers, Law for Breakfast by Prof. Dwight Newman, Without Diminishment co-founded by Caroline Elliott, Writings from Lulu Island by Jane Gallo, Khelsilem’s substack, AdamOlsen.ca, Claire Rattee’s substack, Just and Reasonable by Richard Mason, The Breaker with Bob Mackin, The Bureau with Sam Cooper, Relay with Kyla Ronellenfitsch, and the Pollara substack feat. Matt Smith, Dan Arnold, and Andre Turcotte.  And don’t forget, Lotusland by Geoff Meggs! 🏨🌄 Check into Hotel Pacifico for insights and interviews covering the latest in B.C. politics.Thank you for joining us on #HotelPacifico. Please take a moment to give us a rating and review on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts or your favourite podcast app.Watch conversations from Hotel Pacifico via Air Quotes Media on YouTube.The sponsored ads contained in the podcast are the expressed views of the sponsor and not those of the publisher.

Hotel Pacifico was created by Air Quotes Media with support from our presenting sponsor TELUS, as well as FortisBC, and Port of Vancouver.Mike & Geoff conduct an "exit interview" with former BC Conservative leader John Rustad.  Fresh from his decision to step down last week, Rustad reflects on the meteoric rise of his party, almost taking power in 2024, and the rocky road he has traveled since then.  He makes it clear he has more to say and do as MLA and discusses his stand on DRIPA and private property rights. In the Strategy Suite, the hosts are joined by veteran campaigner Gurpreet Vinning.  They chew over the Canada/Alberta MOU, the recent Court decision concerning DRIPA and how a legislative debate on the topic will unfold, and BC Conservative leadership dynamics with the chatter at full speed but no candidates in the starting blocks… yet. 🏨🌄 Check into Hotel Pacifico for insights and interviews covering the latest in B.C. politics.Thank you for joining us on #HotelPacifico. Please take a moment to give us a rating and review on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts or your favourite podcast app.Watch conversations from Hotel Pacifico via Air Quotes Media on YouTube.The sponsored ads contained in the podcast are the expressed views of the sponsor and not those of the publisher.

Hotel Pacifico was created by Air Quotes Media with support from our presenting sponsor TELUS, as well as FortisBC.This week, Mike and Geoff welcome Alberta’s 19th Premier, the Honourable Danielle Smith, to Hotel Pacifico. Premier Smith makes her case for a bitumen pipeline to the West Coast. She outlines the MOU she signed with Prime Minister Carney,  Alberta-BC relations, how Alberta plans to work with BC First Nations, and her vision for how a sovereign Alberta can exist within a united Canada.In the Strategy Suite, Geoff and Mike welcome back polling expert and Conservative strategist Dimitri Pantazopoulos to unpack the frenetic events leading up to John Rustad’s resignation as leader of the BC Conservatives. The trio speculates on who will throw their hats into the ring for leadership and aspects of the leadership process.🏨🌄 Check into Hotel Pacifico for insights and interviews covering the latest in B.C. politics.Thank you for joining us on #HotelPacifico. Please take a moment to give us a rating and review on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts or your favourite podcast app.Watch conversations from Hotel Pacifico via Air Quotes Media on YouTube.The sponsored ads contained in the podcast are the expressed views of the sponsor and not those of the publisher.

Hotel Pacifico was created by Air Quotes Media with support from our presenting sponsor TELUS, as well as FortisBC, and Port of Vancouver.Mike & Geoff interview BC business leader Ryan Beedie (CEO, Beedie) to discuss the state of BC’s economy, views on the real estate market, mining, BC politics, and his Beedie Luminaries initiative that provides scholarships to BC students.  In the Strategy Suite, Mike & Geoff dish it out on the BC-Alberta-Canada oil pipeline debate, discuss the outlook for BC Conservatives, and the NDP’s Look West economic strategy.🏨🌄 Check into Hotel Pacifico for insights and interviews covering the latest in B.C. politics.Thank you for joining us on #HotelPacifico. Please take a moment to give us a rating and review on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts or your favourite podcast app.Watch conversations from Hotel Pacifico via Air Quotes Media on YouTube.The sponsored ads contained in the podcast are the expressed views of the sponsor and not those of the publisher.

Hotel Pacifico was created by Air Quotes Media with support from our presenting sponsor TELUS, as well as FortisBC, and Port of Vancouver.Mike and Geoff welcome back Global BC’s outgoing legislative correspondent Richard Zussman as he sets sail for new horizons. Richard reflects on his time at the Legislature covering the major stories of the past decade and answers some short snappers on the personalities that stood out. In the Strategy Suite, Mike and Geoff welcome former BC Liberal comms director Carlie Pochynok for a discussion on the federal budget vote, major projects, Looking West, and the recent BC NDP Convention.🏨🌄 Check into Hotel Pacifico for insights and interviews covering the latest in B.C. politics.Thank you for joining us on #HotelPacifico. Please take a moment to give us a rating and review on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts or your favourite podcast app.Watch conversations from Hotel Pacifico via Air Quotes Media on YouTube.The sponsored ads contained in the podcast are the expressed views of the sponsor and not those of the publisher.

Hotel Pacifico was created by Air Quotes Media with support from our presenting sponsor TELUS, as well as FortisBC, BC Dairy and Port of Vancouver.With Mike away, Geoff will play. And with the B.C. NDP’s convention coming up this weekend, Geoff welcomes NDP veteran Raj Sihota for a deep dive. Leadership review coming? Snap election?Then two sharp-eyed Leg reporters , CBC’s Katie Derosa and CP’s Wolfgang Depner, join Geoff to tell us what they’re seeing in the strife-torn Opposition, with demands for John Rustad’s resignation, a new Green leader finding her feet and much more.🏨🌄 Check into Hotel Pacifico for insights and interviews covering the latest in B.C. politics.Thank you for joining us on #HotelPacifico. Please take a moment to give us a rating and review on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts or your favourite podcast app.Watch conversations from Hotel Pacifico via Air Quotes Media on YouTube.The sponsored ads contained in the podcast are the expressed views of the sponsor and not those of the publisher.

Hotel Pacifico was created by Air Quotes Media with support from our presenting sponsor TELUS, as well as FortisBC, BC Dairy and Port of Vancouver.This week, Mike and Geoff leave no Stone unturned - Todd Stone, that is. The CEO of  the Association for Mineral Exploration (AMEBC) and former BC Liberal/United MLA for Kamloops-South Thompson checks into Hotel Pacifico for a one-year “wellness check” since leaving politics. The three dig into modern mineral exploration in BC, what it’s like lobbying the provincial government from the outside, and his advice for those considering a future in politics.  Stone serves up some nuggets. In the Strategy Suite, Geoff and Mike welcome back public affairs consultant and political commentator Maeghan Dewar. Together, they discuss the possibility of a snap election in BC, Premier Eby’s U-turn on his  ad campaign targeting US decision-makers, and what the latest Angus Reid poll reveals about public opinion on reconciliation. Also, they consider whether the Green Party’s new strategy to raise taxes on the rich will lead to electoral fortunes.🏨🌄 Check into Hotel Pacifico for insights and interviews covering the latest in B.C. politics.Thank you for joining us on #HotelPacifico. Please take a moment to give us a rating and review on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts or your favourite podcast app.Watch conversations from Hotel Pacifico via Air Quotes Media on YouTube.The sponsored ads contained in the podcast are the expressed views of the sponsor and not those of the publisher.

Hotel Pacifico was created by Air Quotes Media with support from our presenting sponsor TELUS, as well as FortisBC, BCGEU, BC Dairy and Port of Vancouver.This week, a special guest returns to the hotel – the 37th Premier of British Columbia, Hon. David Eby. Geoff and Mike talk with the Premier about the year that was and what’s changed since the 2024 election. They discuss challenges with the deficit and resourcing in healthcare, how BC is following Ontario’s lead with a new ad campaign targeting President Trump’s tariffs, and what landowners can expect from the government following the Cowichan Decision. In the Strategy Suite, Mike and Geoff are joined by hotel regular and Conservative political advisor Kory Teneycke. The trio chew over the Trump Trade War, the impact of Ontario’s ad on both sides of the border, and whether all Conservative parties are doomed to succumb to infighting.🏨🌄 Check into Hotel Pacifico for insights and interviews covering the latest in B.C. politics.Thank you for joining us on #HotelPacifico. Please take a moment to give us a rating and review on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts or your favourite podcast app.Watch conversations from Hotel Pacifico via Air Quotes Media on YouTube.The sponsored ads contained in the podcast are the expressed views of the sponsor and not those of the publisher.

Hotel Pacifico was created by Air Quotes Media with support from our presenting sponsor TELUS, as well as FortisBC, BCGEU, BC Dairy and Port of Vancouver.This week, Geoff and Mike welcome Tamara Vrooman, CEO of YVR, Chancellor of SFU, and former Deputy Minister of BC’s Finance Ministry. Together, they discuss YVR’s role in trade, the increasing role of air cargo, and what BC needs to do to attract investment and get on track.    In the Strategy Suite, Mike and Geoff analyze the latest polling on BC politics, dig into letters of warning from the Mayor of Richmond to landowners about the Cowichan decision, review the mass resignation of ob-gyns in Kamloops, and discuss Vince Ready coming to the rescue in the BCGEU negotiations. There’s also a visit from a surprise guest who is launching a new BC-based publication.🏨🌄 Check into Hotel Pacifico for insights and interviews covering the latest in B.C. politics.Thank you for joining us on #HotelPacifico. Please take a moment to give us a rating and review on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts or your favourite podcast app.Watch conversations from Hotel Pacifico via Air Quotes Media on YouTube.The sponsored ads contained in the podcast are the expressed views of the sponsor and not those of the publisher.

Hotel Pacifico was created by Air Quotes Media with support from our presenting sponsor TELUS, as well as FortisBC, BCGEU, BC Dairy and Port of Vancouver.This week, things are a little different at Hotel Pacifico. Mike and Geoff kick off with Cheryl Oates and Erika Barootes of Alberta’s “The Discourse” pod to unpack the escalating pipeline battle between Danielle Smith and David Eby, bringing perspectives from either side of the Rockies. Later, Geoff and Mike welcome George Abbott, longtime cabinet minister and current BC Treaty Commissioner, to discuss his new book “Unceded.” Together, they explore the unique historical context of Indigenous relations in BC and how it has shaped modern reconciliation efforts, including modern treaties and the recent Cowichan decision. To wrap it up, Geoff and Mike give an update on the BCGEU strike, which is now in week 7.🏨🌄 Check into Hotel Pacifico for insights and interviews covering the latest in B.C. politics.Thank you for joining us on #HotelPacifico. Please take a moment to give us a rating and review on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts or your favourite podcast app.Watch conversations from Hotel Pacifico via Air Quotes Media on YouTube.The sponsored ads contained in the podcast are the expressed views of the sponsor and not those of the publisher.

Hotel Pacifico was created by Air Quotes Media with support from our presenting sponsor TELUS, as well as FortisBC, and BCGEU.This week, Geoff and Mike welcome veteran journalist and author Rod Mickleburgh, co-author of “John Horgan: In His Own Words”, which was formally launched this week. Together, they reflect on Premier Horgan’s career and legacy, as well as the candid thoughts he shared while working on the memoir in his final year.   In the Strategy Suite, Mike and Geoff are joined by Maria Dobrinskaya, former BC director of the Broadbent Institute, for a lively discussion on the week in BC politics: Premier Eby in the hot seat with developers, whether there are too many “czars”, and the brewing mutiny in the Conservative caucus. 🏨🌄 Check into Hotel Pacifico for insights and interviews covering the latest in B.C. politics.Thank you for joining us on #HotelPacifico. Please take a moment to give us a rating and review on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts or your favourite podcast app.Watch conversations from Hotel Pacifico via Air Quotes Media on YouTube.The sponsored ads contained in the podcast are the expressed views of the sponsor and not those of the publisher.

Hotel Pacifico was created by Air Quotes Media with support from our presenting sponsor TELUS, as well as FortisBC, and BCGEU.Geoff and Mike welcome back Fran Yanor of Northern Beat for an extended Strategy Suite. Together, they analyze the key moments from last week’s UBCM: mayors taking the government to task on street disorder, the Green Party’s newly elected leader, and … ostriches? Plus, they discuss Premier Danielle Smith’s controversial plan to build a new pipeline to BC’s West Coast. 🏨🌄 Check into Hotel Pacifico for insights and interviews covering the latest in B.C. politics.Thank you for joining us on #HotelPacifico. Please take a moment to give us a rating and review on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts or your favourite podcast app.Watch conversations from Hotel Pacifico via Air Quotes Media on YouTube.The sponsored ads contained in the podcast are the expressed views of the sponsor and not those of the publisher.

Hotel Pacifico was created by Air Quotes Media with support from our presenting sponsor TELUS, as well as FortisBC, and BCGEU.This week, polling expert and political strategist Dimitri Pantazopoulos returns to the Hotel Pacifico for a debrief on the Conservative leadership review. Along with Mike and Geoff, they discuss John Rustad’s future as leader of the Conservative Party and recap Elenore Sturko’s sudden departure from caucus. In the Strategy Suite, Mike and Geoff discuss the topics taking centre stage at UBCM, including the Heritage Conservation Act, challenges facing the forestry sector, and how smaller communities are dealing with street disorder. They also cover the latest candidates in Vancouver’s mayoral race and provide updates on the races in New Westminster, Richmond, and Surrey. 🏨🌄 Check into Hotel Pacifico for insights and interviews covering the latest in B.C. politics.Thank you for joining us on #HotelPacifico. Please take a moment to give us a rating and review on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts or your favourite podcast app.Watch conversations from Hotel Pacifico via Air Quotes Media on YouTube.The sponsored ads contained in the podcast are the expressed views of the sponsor and not those of the publisher.

Hotel Pacifico was created by Air Quotes Media with support from FortisBC.In a special episode, Mike welcomes back frequent guest Global News reporter Richard Zussman to discuss the upcoming Union of BC Municipalities Convention and why it matters. They discuss the hot topics for mayors and councillors such as the Cowichan decision, Heritage Conservation Act, street disorder, and the natural resource economy. Mike and Richard squeeze in a few minutes on the ongoing B.C. Conservative leadership review with results expected shortly. Plus, the final days of the Green leadership battle.🏨🌄 Check into Hotel Pacifico for insights and interviews covering the latest in B.C. politics.Thank you for joining us on #HotelPacifico. Please take a moment to give us a rating and review on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts or your favourite podcast app.Watch conversations from Hotel Pacifico via Air Quotes Media on YouTube.The sponsored ads contained in the podcast are the expressed views of the sponsor and not those of the publisher.

Hotel Pacifico was created by Air Quotes Media with support from our presenting sponsor TELUS, as well as FortisBC, and BCGEU.This week, Geoff welcomes Judy Darcy, feminist, union leader and then cabinet minister, who got her start in politics infiltrating a beauty contest on behalf of the women’s movement. She went on to lead CUPE, Canada’s largest public sector union, negotiated with Premiers in most provinces, and headed BC’s biggest health care union before moving into BC politics where she confronted the fentanyl crisis and COVID. It’s all in her new autobiography, Leading from the Heart.In Strategy Suite, Geoff, Kate, and Mike take a look at BC’s dismal finances and consider the turmoil inside all three parties in the Legislature.  The hosts review David Eby’s supposed $450,000 contract with a comedian and Mike brings a Top 10 list of Eby jokes. Kate has an important announcement. 🏨🌄 Check into Hotel Pacifico for insights and interviews covering the latest in B.C. politics.Thank you for joining us on #HotelPacifico. Please take a moment to give us a rating and review on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts or your favourite podcast app.Watch conversations from Hotel Pacifico via Air Quotes Media on YouTube.The sponsored ads contained in the podcast are the expressed views of the sponsor and not those of the publisher.

Hotel Pacifico was created by Air Quotes Media with support from our presenting sponsor TELUS, as well as FortisBC, and BCGEU.Mike & Geoff welcome Don Wright back to Hotel Pacifico.  The former head of BC’s public service has unleashed his views on his substack, Blindingly Obvious.  The hosts discuss Wright’s hot takes on how Canada’s immigration levels have come at a cost to the economy, jobs, and the housing market; how we can have our own values, but can’t have our own arithmetic; and how energy illiteracy could kill us.  In the Strategy Suite, Mike & Geoff discuss the latest Angus Reid numbers on Premier Eby’s approval rating, the Teck Anglo mining merger, Premier Eby’s pending trip to Ottawa, BCGEU labour action, and reverberations from the Cowichan decision. 🏨🌄 Check into Hotel Pacifico for insights and interviews covering the latest in B.C. politics.Thank you for joining us on #HotelPacifico. Please take a moment to give us a rating and review on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts or your favourite podcast app.Watch conversations from Hotel Pacifico via Air Quotes Media on YouTube.The sponsored ads contained in the podcast are the expressed views of the sponsor and not those of the publisher.

Hotel Pacifico was created by Air Quotes Media with support from our presenting sponsor TELUS, as well as FortisBC, and BCGEU.Pollster and veteran campaigner Dimitri Pantazopoulos joins Mike for a rare 1:1 interview. He shares his perspective based on over three decades in national and provincial politics, including playing key roles in major political victories for Christy Clark, Stephen Harper, Jason Kenney, Andrew Wilkinson, and Doug Ford. Mike and Dimitri discuss how polling has changed over the past few decades, what it will take for the Conservatives to win federally, and what the BC Conservatives must do now to take their near win to a majority government in the next provincial election. 🏨🌄 Join Mike McDonald, Kate Hammer, and Geoff Meggs for insights and interviews covering the latest in B.C. politics.Thank you for joining us on #HotelPacifico. Please take a moment to give us a rating and review on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts or your favourite podcast app.Watch conversations from Hotel Pacifico via Air Quotes Media on YouTube.The sponsored ads contained in the podcast are the expressed views of the sponsor and not those of the publisher.

Hotel Pacifico was created by Air Quotes Media with support from our presenting sponsor TELUS, as well as FortisBC.🏨🌄 Mike & Kate are joined by Skeena MLA Claire Rattée, a first-term MLA serving as the Conservative Mental Health & Addictions critic.  Rattée discusses her background as someone who battled and overcame addiction, and her journey that led her to northern BC and into municipal, federal, and provincial politics. Discussion includes how the newish BC Conservative caucus is taking shape, her priorities as Mental Health & Addictions critics and how those issues hit home in her own riding, and the impact that LNG development has had on her home community of Kitimat and the region-at-large.  They wrap with a reflection on tattoo art. In the Strategy Suite, Mike and Kate welcome political strategist Nicole Brassard who helps put the cuss into discuss as they debate the prime minister’s elbows, the “Grand Bargain” put forward by Energy minister Adrian Dix in a recent Globe & Mail profile, and the new phenomena of partisan party labels being affixed to municipal politics.  Join Mike McDonald, Kate Hammer, and Geoff Meggs for insights and interviews covering the latest in B.C. politics.Thank you for joining us on #HotelPacifico. Please take a moment to give us a rating and review on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts or your favourite podcast app.Watch conversations from Hotel Pacifico via Air Quotes Media on YouTube.The sponsored ads contained in the podcast are the expressed views of the sponsor and not those of the publisher.

Hotel Pacifico was created by Air Quotes Media with support from our presenting sponsor TELUS, as well as FortisBC.🏨🌄 Award-winning CBC Indigenous Affairs Reporter Wawmeesh Hamilton joins Kate and Mike to talk about his career and his indirect path to journalism, those who inspired him along the way, the evolution of Indigenous journalism, and reflections on the debate around the recent Cowichan decision.  In the strategy suite, Kate and Mike are joined by Richard Zussman from Global News.  The trio do some housekeeping on recent viewer comments, a reckoning with a cat, and onto issues of the day including the Cowichan decision, recent BC fundraising results, the question of what direction West is – Brad West that is, and cap it off with a clipping of the week from a noted journalist-hiker.Join Mike McDonald, Kate Hammer, and Geoff Meggs for insights and interviews covering the latest in B.C. politics.Thank you for joining us on #HotelPacifico. Please take a moment to give us a rating and review on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts or your favourite podcast app.Watch conversations from Hotel Pacifico via Air Quotes Media on YouTube.The sponsored ads contained in the podcast are the expressed views of the sponsor and not those of the publisher.

Hotel Pacifico was created by Air Quotes Media with support from our presenting sponsor TELUS, as well as FortisBC.🏨🌄 Geoff, Kate, and, even, Mike, welcome back the 31st Premier of British Columbia Glen Clark. The hosts and Clark talk about the parallels running a big business and government, the challenge of reducing government costs, whether or not an oil pipeline makes sense, the situation in the forest industry and what’s important to understand about dealing with 🇺🇸. Clark joins the hosts for the mini-bar and offers a contagious toast. Join Mike McDonald, Kate Hammer, and Geoff Meggs for insights and interviews covering the latest in B.C. politics.Thank you for joining us on #HotelPacifico. Please take a moment to give us a rating and review on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts or your favourite podcast app.Watch conversations from Hotel Pacifico via Air Quotes Media on YouTube.The sponsored ads contained in the podcast are the expressed views of the sponsor and not those of the publisher.

Hotel Pacifico was created by Air Quotes Media with support from our presenting sponsor TELUS, as well as FortisBC.🏨🌄 This week at Hotel Pacifico, we explore the growing political consensus in BC to crack down on gender-based violence. Angela Marie MacDougall, a leader in that battle and head of Battered Women’s Support Services, takes Geoff through the latest developments.  In the strategy suite, Geoff and Mike talk LNG, softwood lumber, update on the Charleigh Pollock issue, Gavin Dew’s recent substack post, and the Green leadership race.Join Mike McDonald, Kate Hammer, and Geoff Meggs for insights and interviews covering the latest in B.C. politics.Thank you for joining us on #HotelPacifico. Please take a moment to give us a rating and review on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts or your favourite podcast app.Watch conversations from Hotel Pacifico via Air Quotes Media on YouTube.The sponsored ads contained in the podcast are the expressed views of the sponsor and not those of the publisher.

Hotel Pacifico was created by Air Quotes Media with support from our presenting sponsor TELUS, as well as FortisBC.🏨🌄 This week, something completely different. As British Columbians head into the annual BC Day weekend, Mike & Geoff invite BC Press Gallery legend and hallway haunter Keith Baldrey (Global News),  and data loving, BC nerd, cult favourite Justin McElroy (CBC) to face off in a BC Day BC Politics Trivia Duel.  As they field questions from Mike & Geoff and vie to be Hotel Pacifico’s 2025 Trivia Champion, the lens-hardened human Hansards choose from five topics: (1) Leaders & Leadership Conventions; (2) General elections and by-elections; (3) Ridings and representation; (4) Floor crossers and party switchers; and (5) Library Stacks – a catch all category.  Check out whether Baldrey or McElroy claims the crown, and hear some stories about what makes BC politics always interesting and sometimes a little weird.Join Mike McDonald, Kate Hammer, and Geoff Meggs for insights and interviews covering the latest in B.C. politics.Thank you for joining us on #HotelPacifico. Please take a moment to give us a rating and review on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts or your favourite podcast app.Watch conversations from Hotel Pacifico via Air Quotes Media on YouTube.The sponsored ads contained in the podcast are the expressed views of the sponsor and not those of the publisher.

Hotel Pacifico was created by Air Quotes Media with support from our presenting sponsor TELUS, as well as FortisBC.🏨🌄 It’s ‘Hotel Pacifico Rim’ this week as Mike and Geoff welcome Canada’s Ambassador to Japan Ian McKay.  Ambassador McKay discusses the importance of Canada-Japan trade, especially for BC which sends minerals, lumber, LNG, propane and other goods across the Pacific.  McKay highlights the geopolitical tensions impacting Japan, Canada’s interests in the Indo-Pacific region, the challenge of Japan’s aging population, and the value of trade missions in reinforcing Canada’s and BC’s interests in the region.  In the Strategy Suite, Anita Zaenker joins Mike and Geoff as Kate is away this week.  The trio chews over public sector negotiations in BC, the previous week’s cabinet shuffle, the ultimate resolution to who is funding medication for Charleigh Pollock, this week’s Council of Federation meeting, and BC’s opportunity as it relates to increased defence spending. Join Mike McDonald, Kate Hammer, and Geoff Meggs for insights and interviews covering the latest in B.C. politics.Thank you for joining us on #HotelPacifico. Please take a moment to give us a rating and review on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts or your favourite podcast app.Watch conversations from Hotel Pacifico via Air Quotes Media on YouTube.The sponsored ads contained in the podcast are the expressed views of the sponsor and not those of the publisher.

Hotel Pacifico was created by Air Quotes Media with support from our presenting sponsor TELUS, as well as FortisBC.BREAKING NEWS: Join Mike and Geoff for a special "Emergency Cabinet Shuffle Reaction" episode.🏨🌄 Join Mike McDonald, Kate Hammer, and Geoff Meggs for insights and interviews covering the latest in B.C. politics.Thank you for joining us on #HotelPacifico. Please take a moment to give us a rating and review on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts or your favourite podcast app.Watch conversations from Hotel Pacifico via Air Quotes Media on YouTube.The sponsored ads contained in the podcast are the expressed views of the sponsor and not those of the publisher.

Hotel Pacifico was created by Air Quotes Media with support from our presenting sponsor TELUS, as well as FortisBC.🏨🌄 Mike and Geoff welcome Kim Haakstad, president and CEO of the Council of Forest Industries, to Hotel Pacifico. They discuss the troubling state of the industry, impacts of government policy, low harvest levels, and other factors leading to job losses and mill closures. Haakstad prescribes measures that will help get forestry on the comeback trail. In the Strategy Suite, Mike and Geoff are joined by longtime public affairs advisor and media commentator Jess Ketchum. The trio touch on forestry, summer to do list for Premier Eby and John Rustad, crime and addiction, the politics of measles, and how one industry association is leaving no Stone unturned. Join Mike McDonald, Kate Hammer, and Geoff Meggs for insights and interviews covering the latest in B.C. politics.Thank you for joining us on #HotelPacifico. Please take a moment to give us a rating and review on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts or your favourite podcast app.Watch conversations from Hotel Pacifico via Air Quotes Media on YouTube.The sponsored ads contained in the podcast are the expressed views of the sponsor and not those of the publisher.