What’s the difference between shaming people and shaming harmful behaviour?

Parksville councillors Joel Grenz and Sean Wood take on one of the trickiest words in modern politics: stigma.

From anti-smoking campaigns and seatbelts to vaping, littering, and impaired driving, this episode explores how culture and policy have worked together to steer society, using stigma as a tool for good.

And with B.C.’s legislature debating whether schools should promote stigma against drug use, the conversation turns to where compassion ends and accountability begins.

🎧 Listen in for:

• Why stigma isn’t always the villain it’s made out to be
• How shaming actions (not people) changed public behaviour... from smoking to drunk driving
• The fine line between compassion and consequence in addiction policy
• Bill M 213 and what both sides of the aisle might be missing
• How governments can use culture—not just legislation—to drive change

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From street disorder and involuntary care to a record-setting provincial deficit and party leadership reviews, this year’s UBCM had no shortage of debate …or drama.

Hosts Joel Grenz and Sean Wood sit down on the deck (yes, with fingerless gloves) to unpack the biggest stories and sessions from the 2025 Union of B.C. Municipalities convention in Victoria.

They dig into the shifting tone on addiction and public safety, Premier David Eby’s acknowledgement of policy missteps, and the growing conversation around stability, leadership, and what “compassionate” policy really means.

🎧 Listen in for:

• The evolving debate on decriminalization, hypoxia and involuntary care
• B.C.’s record deficit and what it means for services
• Advocacy wins (and a resolution about resolutions)
• #bcpoli plot twists, from new party leaders to a mid-speech heckler

👉 Catch this wrap-up episode and revisit our UBCM interviews with Pete Fry, Jeff Ferrier, and Rob Shaw at nonpartisanhacks.com.

What separates functional government from frustrated government?

In this special episode recorded amongst the hustle and bustle of the Union of B.C. Municipalities convention in Victoria, hosts Joel Grenz and Sean Wood sit down with political reporter Rob Shaw (CHEK News, Business in Vancouver, Political Capital) to explore what makes governments succeed or stumble.

From the tension between local and provincial priorities to the challenge of maintaining trust in an age of cynicism, Shaw shares insights from years of covering B.C. politics and the people behind it.

🎧 Listen in for:

• What separates a successful government from a face-plant one
• The shifting tone in B.C. communities and at UBCM
• How local governments can build leverage and unity
• The evolving relationship between reporters and power
• Why authenticity matters more than ever in politics and journalism

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What do speed-dating meetings with ministers, lobbyist myths, and Shania Twain’s brother have in common? Government relations.

In this second of three special episodes recorded live at the Union of BC Municipalities convention in Victoria, hosts Joel Grenz and Sean Wood sit down with strategist Jeff Ferrier to talk about the “Super Bowl of advocacy.” From how to frame a winning ask in just ten minutes, to why local governments should pick one priority and hammer it relentlessly, the conversation digs into what actually works when trying to get a yes from the Province.

🎧 Listen in for:

• Why “making the ask” beats long speeches every time
• The difference between advocacy and activism (and why it matters)
• How local governments can turn constituents into their biggest asset
• The fine line between stupid and clever in lobbying

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What do 275 resolutions, municipal downloading, and a possible mayoral race have in common? Councillor Pete Fry.

This is the first of three special episodes recorded live at the Union of BC Municipalities convention in Victoria. In this installment, hosts Joel Grenz and Sean Wood sit down with Vancouver Councillor Pete Fry on a patio next to a beautiful but somewhat noisy fountain. Discussion ranges from the reality behind UBCM resolutions, to the mental health toll of public office, to the question on everyone’s mind: will Pete run for mayor in 2026?

And yes, partway through our audio recorder called its own “point of order” when the memory card filled up. We stitched things back together so please consider it a procedural hiccup with all three readings passed.

🎧 Listen in for:

• Why UBCM resolutions matter and why fewer might be better
• That time Pete Fry was on Jimmy Kimmel
• The realities of mental health, online outrage, and finding support in office
• Pete’s thoughts on a 2026 mayoral run

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In this milestone 10th episode, Parksville councillors Sean Wood and Joel Grenz break down one of the most talked-about issues in local government: housing.

What’s the difference between market and non-market housing? Why is non-market housing so hard (and slow) to build? Who actually pays for it? And what does the “Vienna Model” have to do with any of this?

From permissive tax exemptions to project delays at BC Housing, this episode pulls back the curtain on how housing decisions actually get made—and who carries the cost. Featuring a fiery quote from Courtenay councillor Wendy Morin and a potential idea for how BC builds homes.

Whether you’re a taxpayer, tenant, policymaker, or just housing-curious, this episode is for you.

👉 Subscribe, rate, and review on your favourite podcast platform.

Find all our episodes at nonpartisanhacks.com and be sure to drop us a line.

The BC Green Party is about to pick a new leader, and the three candidates joined Joel and Sean on the deck to make their case. Adam Bremner-Akins (political science student and party secretary), Dr. Jonathan Kerr (Comox councillor and family doctor), and Emily Lowan (climate organizer and researcher) sat down for an unfiltered conversation about strategy, ideology, and what it takes to grow beyond two seats.

Should the BC Greens court centrist voters or build a "Fight the Oligarchs" coalition? How would they tackle BC's deficit, and what role government should play in subsidizing the energy transition?

The conversation covers everything from BC's unnamed new dam to healthcare reform, offshore wind farms, and why one candidate thinks we need fewer EVs and more e-bikes. Plus: how to work with existing Green MLAs when you don't have a seat, and whether "crisitunity" is the approach to BC's multiple challenges.

🎧 Listen in for:

• Membership growth numbers revealed!
• Why healthcare reform could fix BC's budget crisis
• Three very different visions for the party's future
• How the confidence agreement gets renegotiated this fall
• Whether Greens should fight or finesse their way to power

BC Green members vote September 13-23.

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Find all our episodes at nonpartisanhacks.com and be sure to drop us a line.

What’s next for Vancouver Island’s rail corridor? Is just a relic of the past, or the backbone of its future?

In this episode of Non-Partisan Hacks, hosts Joel Grenz and Sean Wood sit down with Thomas Bevan, CEO of the Island Corridor Foundation (ICF), to talk trains, trestles, and the tangled politics of one of Vancouver Island’s most unique public assets.

Bevan shares what it’s like to work with every level of government—federal, provincial, regional districts, municipalities, and 14 First Nations—while trying to reimagine a 290-kilometre corridor that runs through the backyards of about 80% of island residents. From Scotch broom removal and firebreaks to high-rail buses and long-term transit-oriented development, the conversation uncovers both the risks and the opportunities of this corridor.

🎧 Listen in for:

• Corridor ownership: Whose Line Is It Anyway?
• Why the corridor still matters for housing, planning, and the future of Vancouver Island
• The Wesley Ridge fire’s impact on trestles and infrastructure
• Creative short-term uses, including high-rail buses
• How governance silos shape (and sometimes stall) progress
• Whether this “forgotten corridor” can become the island’s true spine

👉 Subscribe, rate, and review on your favourite podcast platform.

Find all our episodes at nonpartisanhacks.com and be sure to drop us a line.