For the Record with Daniel Fontaine & Paul Minhas

As part of our 'Best of the Best in 2024' series we are replaying a number of top interviews we did this year. Right up there in terms of popular downloads was the discussion we had with local business owner Rich Patterson. Rich is a proud New Westie and a vocal supporter of the local business community. He is also an active member of BC's oldest Chamber of Commerce which is located ri...

In our 'Best of the Best" series we are replaying some of the interviews we did with our special guests over the Christmas season. In this edition, we feature Anita Dunn, former owner of Mila and Paige on Columbia Street. Anita was featured on Global TV news regarding some of the serious issues her business was facing with shoplifting and crime. This podcast triggered a lot of conversation...

Co-host Daniel Fontaine sits down with CKNW's Jas Johal to talk about the prospect of 22%+ property tax increases in New West during the first three years of Mayor Johnstone's administration. They also delve into what the $277M capital plan (just approved by a majority on Council) includes. You might be surprised that the funding envelope incorporates $170,063 for some new 'pollinator...

It's the almost last new podcast of 2024 - and it's packed once again with the the hottest topics generating headlines in New West and beyond. Tune in to hear a number of great topics discussed including the recent announcement that Council has a approved a notional 7.6% property tax hike in 2025. What does that translate into for average homeowners and small business operators? More than...

As we countdown to the Christmas holidays, there is no shortage of civic topics to discuss in New Westminster. This week the podcast starts off with a conversation between CKNW's Jas Johal and Daniel Fontaine. The topic is Metro Vancouver and an opinion piece co-authored by Fontaine and city councillors Paul Minhas, Kash Heed and Brent Asmundson. It's a pointed discussion focusing on Metro...

Co-Host Paul Minhas sits down with parents Lyndsay Cotterall and Tony Gilligan for an exclusive interview to discuss the issue of intersection safety. The focus is on 2nd Street and 6th Avenue - adjacent to the Herbert Spencer elementary. Tony and Lyndsay represent over 500 parents who have signed an online petition calling upon City Hall to take action to invest in safety upgrades for this inters...

A first for the podcast this week! We have not one, but two special guests who make an appearance on For the Record. Our first guest is Erica Wong who is once again organizing the special Queensborough Firehall Lighting Ceremony. Erica talks about her involvement with this special community event which is taking place on Saturday, November 30th. She also invites everyone to the Queensborough Chris...

If a staff recommendation is passed on Monday, November 18th, the days of elected officials being able to introduce at least one motion per meeting will be gone. The new rules which could take effect in 2025 would limit opposition councillors (and other councillors too) to a maximum of 5 motions per year. Will this measure which could limit local democracy be approved by a majority on Council - or...

In this special Remembrance Day edition of FTR, we cover a number of topics that generated headlines and water cooler chat in New West and beyond. The podcast starts off with a discussion on the New West Mayor's Code of Conduct hearing at which his breach of the Community Charter Act was discussed and debated. In the end, the Mayor has been asked by Council to take some additional training - b...

This is the first official For the Record podcast co-hosted by Daniel Fontaine and Paul Minhas. That means a few production changes including rebranding "The Way I See It" to "The Way We See It" and some new cover art! First up on the podcast this week for discussion is the massive Columbia Square development project. Once fully built out, it will include up to 8 towers at 53 stori...

Happy 1st Birthday FTR! That's right, For the Record with Daniel Fontaine has turned one year old this week. How quickly one year flies by when you're having fun. That gift wrapped box you see on the table conceals a BIG birthday surprise we've left to the end of our podcast. HINT: it has to do with the future of For the Record and where we go from here! Special guest Coun. Paul Minhas...

In this special edition of For the Record, we share with our listeners a number of media interviews conducted the week of October 21st with For the Record host Daniel Fontaine. The interviews focused on the recent atmospheric river and the retroactive pay hikes at Metro Vancouver. The interviews were broadcast on a number of mainstream media including CBC, Global TV and CKNW. The regular weekly Fo...

This is a special Election Edition of For the Record with guest Coun. Paul Minhas. The podcast looks back at some of the campaign commitments made during the election that could have an impact on the streets, homes and business of New Westminster residents. Why did Richmond-Queensborough come out on top when it came to campaign commitments? Why was there crickets in Burnaby-New West and New West-C...

There have been a lot of promises made in this provincial election that could impact New Westminster. Have a listen to this breaking news announcement about a special For the Record Election Edition we plan to release later this week. We also hint that a BIG announcement regarding the podcast is about to be made soon!

Did the popular political podcast Hotel Pacifico just give a BIG shoutout to Queensborough? Did the hosts really link a $5M Conservative campaign commitment to upgrade Ryall Park to hospital closures in Merritt? How so? We explore the reasons why provincial political parties are falling all over themselves to capture the hearts and minds of Queensborough while literally ignoring the two other New...

It's another great episode of For the Record this week with special guest Coun. Paul Minhas. We open up the podcast with a discussion on an obscure utility set up in 2016 which is owned by New West taxpayers called BridgeNet. We discuss how it will bleed another $677,000 again this year. Have we got your attention yet? There is a downloading dilemma going on in New West and throughout British...

In another jam packed episode of For the Record with host Daniel Fontaine special guest Coun. Paul Minhas makes another appearance. Some of the topics discussed include a viral video recorded on Columbia Street showing a public bus stop being used for private purposes - including the consumption of illicit drugs. We'll share an interview from CKNW's popular Jill Bennett Show on this topic....

What do Bryan Adams, Ringo, Trooper, Chilliwack and Prism all have in common? At some point in their music career they all worked with New West resident Michael Dunn. In this special mini-podcast, For the Record interviews Dunn to talk about the local music scene, his upcoming concert and more. In 2023, he finally recorded his own album “Bridge Across the Years” inspired by the great bands of the...

Port Coquitlam Mayor Brad West makes an appearance on For the Record. In a special interview recorded in Vancouver at the Union of BC Municipalities, West talks about a number of key items of concern to him and other mayors in the Metro Vancouver region. Some of the topics host Daniel Fontaine and Mayor West touch upon include involuntary care, homelessness, transit funding and property taxes. Als...

Later this week, For the Record will release the entire interview with high profile and outspoken Port Coquitlam Mayor Brad West. During the Union of BC Municipalities Convention in Vancouver he sat down with host Daniel Fontaine to discuss a range of issues including public transit, homelessness, involuntary care and keeping property taxes in check. Listen to an excerpt of his interview which foc...

In this week's edition, For the Record covers a number of hot topics in New West and beyond. We have an exclusive interview with Gail North, President of the Queen's Park Resident Association. Learn about Gail's experience restoring her heritage home and find out why she is a fixture at city hall every two weeks. "The Way I See It" focuses on the major policy flip flop by Premi...

Summer's over and For the Record is kicking it back into gear. We have a wonderful podcast this week filled with some of the hottest topics New West politicos are talking about. We start the podcast with a discussion on Mayor Patrick Johnstone's plummeting popularity. Will he decide to run again? Will he face a challenger within his own Community First Party? The summer BBQ circuit was def...

In this abbreviated For the Record Labour Day podcast, host Daniel Fontaine speaks to his personal connection with organized labour. He also speaks how important union wages and benefits were for his family and for countless others who currently rely on them to make ends meet in our new 'gig economy'. CKNW's Rob Fai (guest host for the Jas Johal Show this week) invites Fontaine to appe...

In this week's edition of For the Record with Daniel Fontaine, special guest Coun. Paul Minhas makes another appearance to talk civic politics in New Westminster. Does New Westminster have enough EV chargers? A number of folks don't think so. What more could and should be done? Is it time for New Westminster's tree removal by-law to get reviewed? A local residents writes to Council abo...

In this week's edition of For the Record with Daniel Fontaine, he explores the topic of whether big cities are ready for major fires. In the opening "The Way I See It" segment, Fontaine discusses the recent major fire in Vancouver's westside and how we all dodged a bullet. Has climate change, warmer and drier summers put our people, structures and parks at greater risk? Fontaine al...