Hotel Pacifico

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...

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...

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...

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 benef...

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...

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 m...

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 Str...

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, Environment...

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 Su...

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 reconciliat...

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...

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 a...

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...

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 t...

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 Strate...

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...

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...

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 ch...

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 th...

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 a...

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...

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...

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,...

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...

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 re...