Coun. Nadine Nakagwa is New Westminster city council’s new representative to Metro Vancouver’s board of directors.
While the mayor has traditionally represented the city as a director on the Metro Vancouver board, Mayor Patrick Johnstone said he no longer wished to serve in that role and wants to focus on some local initiatives. At council’s Nov. 4 meeting, he recommended Nakagawa be appointed as the city’s representative and Coun. Jaimie McEvoy be the alternate – a decision approved in a 5-2 vote.
Johnstone said he thinks that the half-way point in a term of office is a good time to rethink one’s priorities and assess where they’d like to put their energies.
“I've got a few ideas about things I want to do in New Westminster that are taking a bit more time than Metro Vancouver duties are allowing me to take,” he said. “I think that Nadine, having been an alternate director and having served on the board, is the logical choice to take the space of director. She is familiar with what's going on in Metro Vancouver.”
Johnstone said McEvoy has years of experience on council and would serve the city well as an alternate to the board.
Coun. Paul Minhas did not put forward a motion for council’s consideration but noted he had put Coun. Daniel Fontaine’s name forward for the city’s seat on the Metro Vancouver board of directors in the past. He said Fontaine “has been a big critic” of Metro Vancouver and is the first Indigenous person elected to New Westminster city council.
“He also hasn't been appointed to any external committees or anything,” Minhas said Monday night. “I think it would have been a great idea to think about Coun. Fontaine. I do understand we had an opportunity here right now, but I think we're missing the point here.”
While Fontaine said Johnstone “should be applauded and commended” for his desire to focus more on city issues, he did not support naming Nakagawa as the city’s representative and McEvoy as the alternate to the Metro Vancouver board.
“I think Metro Vancouver needs someone on that board that is going to speak their mind, someone that is going to not necessarily vote in group think, somebody who hasn't been necessarily collecting funds from Metro Vancouver for the past two years or beyond,” he said. “I think it needs someone on that board who's prepared to speak out and to speak up on behalf of taxpayers in not only New Westminster, but throughout Metro Vancouver.”
Since being elected to council in October 2022, Fontaine has voiced concerns about a variety of issues related to Metro Vancouver, including the pay of its chief administrative officer Jerry Dobrovolny, travel costs for the board’s former director, the soaring costs of the North Shore wastewater treatment plant, and spending by Metro Vancouver to host networking events at a national convention.
At Monday’s meeting, Fontaine expressed concern that Metro Vancouver had approved a budget calling for 25 per cent tax increase, with only three of 41 directors voting against the budget.
Fontaine, who is Metis, said he has not been appointed to any external committees and barely any internal committees, even though council regularly talks about equity, inclusivity, and diversity.
“Notwithstanding the fact that Coun. Minhas has nominated me for a variety of different appointments, I have been voted down… I'm under no illusion that there is equity in this chamber,” he said. “Certain members of this chamber get appointed to the police board. Certain members of this chamber get appointed to other external bodies, other external committees; I have been overlooked for two years.”
"Excellent case"
McEvoy responded by saying Nakagwa was the first person of Japanese descent to ever sit on city council and one of the first two persons of colour ever elected to New Westminster city council.
“I certainly think that counts as equity,” he said. “And I just want to say congratulations. I hesitate to say congratulations. I don't think it's the most fun table to sit around, but I think you'll do a good job, and not only will you represent equity, but you'll represent the city well also.”
Johnstone said he wanted to “correct the record” about some comments made during Monday night’s discussion of the appointment to Metro Vancouver’s board. He pointed out that Fontaine was the most recent appointment to an external agency.
(At the Sept. 23 council meeting, Johnstone announced that E-Comm is undertaking a governance review and announced council had appointed Fontaine – at a Sept. 9 closed meeting – as the city’s shareholder representative to E-Comm 911. In that role he will vote on behalf of the Class “A” share assigned to New Westminster Fire and Rescue Service.)
“To say he's never been appointed to an external agency or organization is not a truthful statement,” Johnstone said. “I also would say that again, Metro Vancouver did not increase taxes by 25 per cent. … It was closer to nine per cent.”
Johnstone said the “right place” for members of city council to debate the Metro Vancouver budget was at the Council of Councils meeting at Anvil Centre. (The Council of Councils’ Oct. 26 meeting, attended by municipal politicians from across the region, included a presentation and Q&A with Metro Vancouver’s chief administrative officer Jerry Dobrovolny and chief financial officer Harji Varn.)
“I think that if, if someone wants to be appointed to a board of directors, they should attend a couple of shareholder meetings ahead of time and find out what the information is that's going on at that board,” he said. “I think that Coun. Fontaine made an excellent case for Nadine Nakagawa as director. I think Nadine has never been afraid to be outspoken, has ever been afraid to speak her mind and challenge us to think differently about some of the assumptions we are making here and in Metro Vancouver. And so, I have full confidence in her ability to do that role and to be an outspoken person and represent the city well. So, I will give her a vote of confidence.”
The Record contacted Nakagawa for comment.
“I appreciate the faith of my colleagues in appointing me as the New Westminster representative to the Metro Vancouver board,” Nakagawa said in a statement to the Record. “As I do at the New West council table, I expect to bring a perspective of equity, climate resilience, consideration of the community members most impacted by our decisions, and values-led decision-making. Metro Vancouver is responsible for essential services like our clean drinking water, sewers, parks, and a large housing portfolio. I look forward to collaborating with reps from across the metro area.”
