Episode 110: Exclusive interviews with Steele and Fajber, Metro Governance, Pier Park Pause, YNWP Launched, Metis Display

🎙️ For the Record – Election Year Conversations Continue

 Metro Governance, the Pier That Never Returned & New Voices for 2026

This week’s edition of For the Record features Maryann Morrison, NWP council candidate, sitting in as guest co-host alongside Coun. Daniel Fontaine, as the podcast continues its deep dive into the issues shaping New Westminster’s 2026 civic election.

🏛️ Metro Vancouver Governance: Hope vs. Skepticism

The episode opens with a discussion on Metro Vancouver’s governance committee, which met this week to examine potential reforms to the region’s 41-member board.

Morrison expresses cautious optimism that meaningful change could still emerge, while Fontaine remains skeptical that the current structure will deliver real accountability or reform.

🌊 Pier Park: Five Years Later, Still No Plan

Attention then turns to Pier Park, which was destroyed by fire in 2020 and remains unrebuilt. The hosts discuss how a resurfaced Facebook post of the original Global News story sparked tens of thousands of views, underscoring ongoing public frustration.

For contrast, they highlight White Rock’s pier, where the mayor publicly committed to rebuilding within a year - successfully securing provincial and federal funding and reopening the pier to the public. The comparison raises questions about leadership, priorities, and follow-through in New Westminster.

🧑‍🎓 Youth Engagement: YNWP & the NW City Youth Forum

Fontaine and Morrison then discuss the newly launched Youth New Westminster Progressives (YNWP) initiative and the NW City Youth Forum, announced before a large crowd at the Inn at the Quay.

The forum aims to increase youth engagement at City Hall and encourage young voters to participate in the October 17 election, a topic both hosts agree is critical to the city’s democratic future.

🪶 Métis Representation at City Hall

The conversation also touches on a Métis cultural display at New Westminster City Hall. Both Fontaine and Morrison, who are Métis, share their appreciation for seeing Indigenous culture reflected in civic spaces - and reflect on how visibility and representation still matter in local government.

🎓 Exclusive Interviews: School Trustee Candidates

The second half of the episode features two exclusive sit-down interviews with New West Progressives school trustee candidates:

• Liz Fajber joins the podcast to discuss why she’s running, her priorities for public education, and takes part in a fun rapid-fire segment.

• Lucas Steele shares his vision for bringing a stronger youth voice to the school board and the broader NWP caucus if elected.

Both interviews offer listeners a chance to get to know the candidates beyond campaign literature, directly from the studio.

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

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