🎙️ NEW EPISODE! For the Record – Episode 107

Two Exclusive NWP Candidate Interviews, Budget Battles & a Heated Council Moment

This week’s episode of For the Record with Daniel Fontaine and Paul Minhas features two exclusive interviews, a deep dive into the 2026 budget debate, and a preview of the much-anticipated Top 10 New West Political Stories vodcast.

The episode opens with an in-depth, exclusive conversation between Daniel Fontaine and Karima Budhwani - former NWP president and past council candidate.

Karima discusses:

• Why she has decided to run again
• The issues she’s most passionate about in New Westminster
• Her perspective on community leadership and the road to the 2026 civic election

It’s a thoughtful and candid discussion about values, priorities, and the future of the city.

Next, Fontaine sits down with Rick Folka, another newly announced council candidate who also ran in the 2022 civic election.

Rick shares:

• What motivated him to put his name forward again in 2026
• The challenges he sees facing New Westminster
• What excites him about the upcoming campaign and community engagement

The conversation then turns to the 2026 budget, where Councillors Fontaine and Minhas introduce a motion to trim $1.5 million from city spending in an effort to ease what is shaping up to be a record property tax increase.

New Westminster is now on track to potentially hold the highest cumulative property tax increase in Metro Vancouver over a four-year term - exceeding 30%.

The podcast features an excerpt from a heated moment at City Hall, where Mayor Patrick Johnstone falsely but publicly accuses Daniel Fontaine of lying about tax increases. The exchange is played in full, allowing listeners to hear exactly what was said on the council floor.

To close the episode, Fontaine and Minhas preview their annual Top 10 Civic & Political Stories vodcast, recorded once a year.

Stories likely to make the list include:

• The London Street bike lane controversy
• Safety upgrades at 6th Avenue & 2nd Street
• Nearly 30% property tax increases over four years
• Costco traffic chaos in Queensborough
• Liberal Jake Sawatzky defeating NDP Peter Julian in the federal election

🎧 For the Record is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms.

📣 If you enjoy the podcast, please share this episode with friends, family, and neighbours — community conversations matter.

🚨 NEW EPISODE! For the Record – Episode 105

FIFA Funding Fight, NW City Matters Momentum & Queensborough Concerns

This week’s episode of For the Record with Councillor Daniel Fontaine and Councillor Paul Minhas dives into a major debate at City Hall, strong community engagement across New Westminster, and big updates affecting Queensborough and the school district.

The episode opens with a deep dive into the heated debate over whether New Westminster should spend $320,000 of taxpayer money on local FIFA World Cup “activation” events and parties.

The initial motion, championed by the Mayor, failed 4–3, with two Community First councillors breaking ranks. A secondary motion later passed, but it could still cost taxpayers over $200,000.

To bring listeners the full picture, the podcast features:

🎥 A Global News story outlining the controversy

🎙️ Jill Bennett (AM 730) interviewing Daniel Fontaine on why he voted NO

🎙️ Jas Johal (AM 730) interviewing Paul Minhas about both his FIFA NO vote and the current 3.5% climate action tax

The popular NW City Matters series continued this week in the West End / Connaught Heights neighbourhood, drawing 50+ residents for lively discussions on bike lanes, taxes, crime, road repair issues, and more.

The full NWP council team attended, including:

• Coun. Daniel Fontaine, Mayoral candidate
• Ken Armstrong, Council candidate
• Ray Porcellato, Council candidate
• Maryann Morrison, Council candidate
• Coun. Paul Minhas, Council candidate

Residents shared strong concerns and practical ideas and the energy behind NW City Matters continues to grow.

Two key issues affecting Queensborough residents are explored:

1. Conservative MLA Steve Kooner’s petition in the BC Legislature calling for dedicated school bus service in Queensborough - as promised by the NDP government in the last election.
2. Significant traffic impacts linked to the newly opened Costco Business Centre.

The podcast features MLA Kooner’s remarks in the Legislature and discusses what’s next for the community.

For the first time since being elected in 2018, NWP School Trustee Danielle Connelly has been chosen as Vice-Chair of the New Westminster School Board.

The episode breaks down the political dynamics behind the decision and what it may signal for the year ahead in the civic council campaign.

As the podcast heads toward its annual Christmas break after December 19, Daniel and Paul preview the popular Top 10 Stories of the Year Vodcast and invite listeners to submit their own picks.

The episode closes with a community call-to-action:

💌 Operation IRV

Irv is a New Westminster veteran who turned 100 years old on November 13. Community members are encouraged to help reach the goal of sending 100 Christmas cards to Irv this holiday season.

🎧 For the Record is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms.

📢 Please share this week’s episode with friends, family, and neighbours as local engagement matters!

🚨 NEW EPISODE! For the Record – Episode 104

Downloading, New Taxes, Community Pushback & Two Big Candidate Announcements

This week’s episode of For the Record with Councillor Daniel Fontaine and Councillor Paul Minhas covers a packed list of major civic and regional issues affecting New Westminster residents.

The episode opens with the story of the provincial downloading report initiated by the NWP.

City staff produced a framework to measure how much provincial and federal downloading is impacting New Westminster - but Community First councillors (all NDP-affiliated) voted it down 4–2.

As a result, the public may never get a clear picture how much NDP government cost-shifting is hitting municipal taxpayers.

Popular AM 730 host Mike Smyth interviewed Daniel Fontaine about new tax ideas being floated by transit advocates - including:

• A new tax on cars
• A regional sales tax
• Additional fees for Metro Vancouver commuters

Fontaine discusses real alternatives that don’t involve piling more taxes onto already overburdened residents.

Six councillors from five cities issued a public call asking Premier David Eby to pause approval of the 10-year Metro Vancouver Liquid Waste Management Plan, citing poor consultation with member municipalities.

FTR features a CTV News story summarizing the concerns.

Another NWP motion returned from staff - this one aimed at improving communications and engagement on major projects in New Westminster.

After years of hearing from residents frustrated with last-minute notices and weak consultation, the motion opens the door to stronger communication practices across the city.

Instead of "letters of the week," the podcast spotlights two impressive delegations:

• Danielle
• Zach

Both spoke passionately at City Hall about the impacts of parking loss on 13th Street, and the podcast shares clips from their presentations.

The NWP’s November 20th fundraiser was the most successful in the organization’s history, showing strong momentum and community enthusiasm heading into 2026.

Fontaine and Minhas discuss what this means in the fight against the powerful District Labour Council (Community First) machine.

The next NW City Matters event is happening on November 26 at 726 12th Street.

Residents are encouraged to attend and participate in shaping New Westminster’s future.

FTR closes with some major political news:

• Ray Porcellato, General Manager of the Salmonbellies
• Maryann Morrison, Executive Director of the North Fraser Métis Association

Both have officially announced they are running for City Council under the NWP banner.

These strong additions significantly bolster the team - and two more council candidates and seven school board candidates are still to come.

🎧 For the Record is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms.

📢 If you enjoy the podcast, please share this post to help bring more community voices into the conversation.

Two Special Guests, City Matters Momentum & A Look at New West’s Rising Costs

Episode 103 of For the Record with Councillor Daniel Fontaine and Councillor Paul Minhas features two special in-studio guests and a deep dive into sports, community engagement, and the latest developments at City Hall.

Councillor Minhas speaks with Ray Porcellato, the highly regarded and well-known general manager of the New Westminster Salmonbellies.

In the interview, Ray discusses:

• The team’s emotional and hard-fought run for the Mann Cup
• The state of local sport and recreation facilities in New Westminster
• What more can be done to support youth athletes across lacrosse, hockey, soccer, and more
• How investments in sport and recreation in New West can reduce crime in our city

Ray’s longstanding involvement in local sports gives this segment real depth and community insight.

Coun. Daniel Fontaine sits down for an interview with Maryann Morrison, volunteer chair of the NWP and facilitator for the new NW City Matters initiative.

A longtime Sapperton resident, Maryann shares:

• Her vision for City Matters
• What she heard from residents at the first Massey Victory Heights event
• Why neighbourhood-driven engagement will be vital in the months ahead

Her update offers listeners an inside look at how the initiative is evolving.

This episode also includes an excerpt from Daniel Ampong’s vodcast, where the Columbia Street small-business owner sat down with Councillor Fontaine for a one-hour conversation.

Listeners will hear part of that interview - Daniel interviewing Daniel - offering a unique perspective from a local entrepreneur’s point of view.

Fontaine and Minhas wrap up the episode with a quick review of recent council decisions, including:

• Large utility rate increases proposed over the next five years
• A new 1% capital levy (effectively an added tax) to help pay for a growing list of capital projects - some of which critics describe as mayoral “pet projects”

They outline what these financial changes could mean for residents and businesses.

🎧 For the Record is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms.

If you enjoy the show, please share it with friends, family, and neighbours to help expand the conversation across New Westminster.

🎙️ For the Record – Episode 102

Metro Mayhem, Budget Blows & Political Power Plays

In this week’s episode of For the Record with Daniel Fontaine and Paul Minhas, the discussion kicks off with a bold new proposal: a 2026 referendum on reforming Metro Vancouver. The idea? Ask voters whether they want to directly elect Metro board members and shrink the size of the board. A Global TV story on the release is featured, along with reflections on what real reform could look like.

🎧 The conversation continues with an excerpt from Jas Johal’s AM 730 show, where Daniel Fontaine discusses Metro Vancouver’s skyrocketing spending and how it's directly impacting property taxes - including a projected 30% increase in New Westminster over four years.

🏨 Tourism New West vs. Affordable Housing?

Questions were raised this week by Coun. Paul Minhas after it was revealed that Tourism New West funding was being redirected to an affordable housing reserve. He pressed for answers, especially after a presentation by Tourism New West Executive Director Gerardo Corro.

🪶 Acting Mayor Role Gets Political?

A seemingly minor request to "depoliticize" the acting mayor schedule during election season — raised by Coun. Nakagawa and supported by Coun. Campbell — sparked debate. The twist? Coun. Fontaine is scheduled to serve as acting mayor during the 2026 election. The podcast explores whether the discussion and request to staff itself is, ironically, politicizing the role.

💰 Federal Budget Breakdown

The 2025 federal budget dropped last week — so who came out ahead? Cities like White Rock, Surrey, and Victoria were named in the budget for key infrastructure investments. New Westminster? Not mentioned. What does that mean for the city moving forward?

🚶‍♀️ Queensborough Sidewalks: Election-Year Timing?

A new report looks at accelerating sidewalk construction in Queensborough, raising questions about the timing — just ahead of the 2026 election. Minhas asked staff for clarity on how priorities were set.

📅 Upcoming Events & Community Engagement

• 🕊️ Remembrance Day – November 11 at City Hall (3rd largest event in B.C.)
• 🏘️ Next NW City Matters: November 26 in Connaught Heights / West End
• ✅ Recap: The November 6 event in Massey Victory Heights was a tremendous success.

🎧 For the Record is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms.

📣 If you enjoy the show, please share with friends, family, and neighbours — growing the audience helps amplify the conversation in New Westminster!

Terry Leith is a proud veteran and currently serves as the Past President of the Royal Canadian Legion No. 2. He sits down with co-hosts Coun. Daniel Fontaine and Coun. Paul Minhas to discuss the modernization of the Legion and what it is doing to support veterans, their families and our community.

Leith let's us know about the new and popular chili contest that takes place now in the fall. His special chili recipe made to the top of the heap!

Also on deck is a discussion of the upcoming Remembrance Day ceremonies and the important initiative to establish a new "Lest We Forget" crosswalk in the Royal City. Leith talks about how you don't need a membership to visit the Legion and how all the proceeds of poppy sales in New West stay in our city.

It's a captivating interview with an amazing veteran who has contributed so much to our country. You'll definitely want to listen to the end for the special book presentation Leith makes to Coun. Minhas. If you want to support the Legion and our veterans, consider putting up a poppy box at your business establishment or make sure to donate generously when you pick up a poppy. If you want to have a poppy box at your establishment in New West please call the Legion at 604-524-1511.

🎙️ For the Record with Daniel Fontaine & Paul Minhas – Episode 101

It’s Halloween week and this episode starts with a spooky soundtrack and an even scarier topic: Budget 2026.

👻 Budget 2026 – Trick or Tax?

With a potential 7% property tax increase, and the prospect of more than 30% in total hikes over four years under the current Community First majority, Daniel and Paul refer to this budget as one of the scariest things in New Westminster. Paul’s motion to explore a 0% and 2.5% increase was voted down by Community First, leaving taxpayers bracing for another costly year.

🏘️ NW City Matters Launch

The New West Progressives are launching a major community engagement effort - starting with their first town hall on Nov. 6 (6:30–8 p.m.) at Mount Zion Lutheran Church. Daniel and Paul explain how this series of town halls, surveys, and neighbourhood canvasses will help shape the NWP’s 2026 election platform.

🎖️ Exclusive Interview: Terry Leith, Royal Canadian Legion Branch #2

Past President Terry Leith joins the podcast to discuss the Poppy Campaign, what defines a veteran, and how the Legion is modernizing its outreach. He reminds listeners that everyone is welcome at the Legion - membership not required - and encourages New Westminster residents to wear their poppies proudly through Remembrance Day. If you want to have a poppy box at your establishment in New West call the Legion at 604-524-1511.

🚓 Chamber of Commerce Panel – Chief Paul Hyland on Stigmatization

Daniel and Paul reflect on comments made by Chief Hyland, who said stigmatization can play a positive role in curbing harmful behaviours - from drunk driving to public illicit drug use - and that the NDP government's decriminalization experiment has failed.

💌 Letter of the Week

This week features two letters - one about the 7th Street bike lane, and another from a listener outside New Westminster who praised Daniel for his ongoing accountability work on Metro Vancouver issues.

🎧 Tune in now for thoughtful discussion, accountability, and community voices - available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms.