Richard A. Patterson

Thoughts From The Campaign Trail! As we look at election results from across the province, there is no doubt that voters have sent a message. I know there will be plenty of commentators offering their interpretations of what that message is. I wanted to share a few thoughts about what I believe voters are trying to tell us. People are looking for competence from their government, not ideology. Politics can sometimes attract people who are more motivated by a desire to reshape society in their own image than by the practical responsibilities of governing. But I don’t believe that’s where most voters are. First and foremost, people want government to do its job. They want it to deliver the basic services we all depend on, and to deliver them well. At the municipal level, that means good recreation centres, clean parks, potholes filled, snow removed, safe neighbourhoods and responsible management of property taxes. Getting the basics right has been my mantra since the day I walked into City Hall. And I believe the people of Port Coquitlam have responded to that approach. Second, people want results they can actually see and feel. That means being upfront, honest and realistic about what we can accomplish. Increasingly, I see politicians making grandiose promises designed to capture attention and win votes, even when those promises are completely detached from reality. And when those promises inevitably go unfulfilled, the damage goes well beyond the politician who made them. It erodes people’s trust and confidence in government itself. That’s one of the reasons I place so much importance on delivering core public services exceptionally well. It doesn’t mean government shouldn’t be ambitious. Quite the opposite. We should have big aspirations for our communities and our province. We should want to tackle difficult problems and make life better for people. But we also have to be honest about what is possible, realistic about what it takes, and accountable for what we promise. When government consistently gets the small things right, it earns the trust and confidence necessary to take on the bigger challenges. Finally, I think people are looking for a return to some normalcy in our politics. I think people are exhausted by politics built around division, hostility and the demonization of anyone who happens to see the world differently. I can’t think of many other parts of our lives where we would consider that acceptable behaviour. When I’m at the rink or the field watching my two boys, I talk with other parents who have all kinds of different opinions and perspectives. We don’t necessarily agree about politics or everything happening in the world. But I can tell you one thing we do agree on. We all want our kids to be happy, healthy and have the best possible shot at a good life. And I think that says something important about who we really are. I don’t believe the public is nearly as divided as some politicians would have us believe. I don’t believe we’re locked in some do-or-die struggle where one side has all the answers and everyone on the other side is beyond redemption. That’s not how we behave in our families. It’s not how we behave at work. It’s not how we behave on teams. And it’s not how we should behave in our politics. We can disagree without being enemies. We can have different beliefs without questioning one another’s character. And we can recognize that, despite our differences, most of us want many of the same things for ourselves, our families and our communities. I believe there’s far more that brings us together than pulls us apart. And I believe government works best when it focuses on those things we have in common, earns the public’s trust through actions and results (usually smaller, incremental ones), and stays firmly planted where the vast majority of normal people are.

This is an unbelievable stat.. Truly shocking

📬 Douglas College has suspended their men's soccer program for the remainder of the 2026 season, effective immediately. Includes all training and meetings. The decision came after a mass brawl in stoppage time against Capilano on Oct 4th. SIX Douglas players were sent off!

City Council has many important responsibilities, but the responsible management of the City’s finances is fundamental. In Port Coquitlam, we’ve made fiscal responsibility the foundation of how we operate, and the results speak for themselves. Of the 21 municipalities in Metro Vancouver, Port Coquitlam has the lowest combined average municipal property taxes and utility fees. In fact, the average Port Coquitlam homeowner pays $1,589 less annually than the regional average. Those numbers don’t come from the city. They come from the independent Ministry of Municipal Affairs that reports the numbers every year. This didn’t happen by chance, and it wasn’t always this way. PoCo use to be at the regional average - now we are the lowest. This is the result of a lot of hard work, careful planning and a consistent commitment to get the best possible value for every dollar spent. Our annual budget process is rigorous and exhaustive. We review expenditures line by line, ask difficult questions, challenge assumptions, examine alternatives and continually look for more effective and efficient ways to deliver services. It’s a process that requires considerable time, effort and discipline. There are always competing priorities and difficult decisions to make. At the same time, we recognize that fiscal responsibility cannot come at the expense of the services and infrastructure our residents depend on. That’s why we’ve worked to balance affordability with maintaining high-quality city services, investing in infrastructure, improving our parks and recreation facilities, and responding to the needs of a growing community. I’m proud of the approach our Council has taken and the results we’ve achieved together. Maintaining this standard will require the same level of discipline, hard work and commitment in the years ahead. Responsible financial management is very much the foundation that makes everything else we do possible. It’s a responsibility I take very seriously, and one I’m committed to continuing to deliver on alongside our Council.

Will @BCNDP come clean? How many cabinet ministers are using $10/day daycare?, How many ministerial aides? How many party officials? #bcpoli youtube.com/watch?v=RlJ4syr4…

Eby’s handlers said “cut his mic” - that’s why my subsequent questions were off mic. @GlobalBC @CUrquhartGlobal #bcpoli