Here is a link to his filing and a link to a piece in the Tri-City News.

More commentary from me to follow.

During the campaign, Greg was the victim of false, negative campaigning, similar to what I endured early in the process plus a co-ordinated phone bank calling residents repeating these false “facts”.  But for Greg, this was worse as it was close to the end of the campaign.  Many people felt the lies came from his main opponent, Mike Bowen, but that has yet to be confirmed.  Greg overcame this hurdle with grace, class and using the truth.

At the victory party I spoke with a number of people who said they knew the phone calls and flyers were – and I am quoting a number of folks – “crap”.  In fact, this led regular folks to get out into the community and share with neighbours and friends about how Greg would make a great Mayor.  This is truly a making lemonade out of lemons story.

Greg will be quite a contrast to our soon to be former Mayor.  Greg is personable, a caring family man, patient, a creative thinker and accessible to the public.  I have no doubt Greg will lead the way to bringing pride and positive press back to Port Coquitlam.

While Greg is my buddy, I will also be keeping tabs on how well he progresses on on his “5 Keys to a Better Port Coquitlam” – his platform for the election.  This was by far the most comprehensive document from a current or past Port Coquitlam candidate.

Way to go buddy.

We have a new mayor in Greg Moore.  I have worked with Greg in the past and look forward to working with him on community projects.

The other elected City Councillors are Michael Forrest, Michael Wright, Sherry Carroll, Brad West, Glenn Pollack and Darrell Penner.

For School Board John Keryluk was re-elected and new comer Judy Shirra joins him.

I will be calling all of the folks above to offer my congratulations and desire to work together to build a better Port Coquitlam.

I cannot thank my wonderful team of volunteers and supporters enough.  You folks were the heart and soul of my campaign and kept things humming along.  Should we do this again, I would be proud to have each and every one of you on my Team.

Thank-you once again for your support and congratulations to our new Port Coquitlam City Council.

Here are the complete results:

For the results in PDF format broken down by polling station CLICK HERE:

You have 12 hours – 8am to 8pm – to select a new Mayor, choose the six individuals who will be your City Councillors and the two folks for School Board Trustee.

For voting locations and information CLICK HERE.

Thanks in advance for your support and I will post the results here tonight around 8:30pm once available.

As this is my last “post” for the campaign I simply want to thank all my volunteers and supporters and to encourage you to get out and vote.

Over the last 10 years, I have been active with organizing the Terry Fox Hometown Run, co-ordinating the Wear Pink Anti-Bullying Day, speaking out on the Shell Condo by Lions Park, organizing public meetings in support of the Extreme Cold Wet Weather Mat Program, encouraging recall legislation for failing politicians and served on dozens of boards throughout the community (Homelessness Task Force, Crystal Meth Task Force, Youth Matters!, Live @ Leigh Square, etc.).  It is through this public service and advocacy that led people to ask me to run – to move into a position of decision maker.

Now I need your vote.

I have clearly outlined my plan for Port Coquitlam in the Issues section of my website and in the flyer delivered to Port Coquitlam homes over the last couple of days.

These are some of the things I will do:

• Work as a region to end homelessness using “Streets to Homes” as the model.
• Draft recall legislation so we can fire our local politicians.
• I will create a Heritage Levy funded by developers.
• Restore the water grant for seniors and create new housing options.
• Create dog parks so our canine friends do not have to take us outside of PoCo to roam free.
• Hire at least one more Bylaw Officer and three more Police Officers IMMEDIATELY to ensure we keep our communities safe and our quality of life high.

Many people have asked how they can help me in this election and if you would also like to assist – and no, it is not too late – here are a few ways:

• Take a lawn sign to let your neighbours know you support my campaign.
• Make a donation to my campaign – no amount too small (or too large!).
• Visit my website – www.Dave.ca – and check out my responses to various surveys, my positions on issues, read regular updates, take part in surveys and join in on the conversation by commenting on the website articles.
• VOTE – and encourage your friends and family to do the same!  CLICK HERE for the voting station locations and information.

You can vote at one of the following Polling stations on Saturday, November 15, 2008 from 8am to 8pm:

1. Blakeburn Elementary School, 1040 Riverside Drive
View Larger Map and Directions

2. Castle Park Elementary School, 1144 Confederation Dr
View Larger Map and Directions

3. Cedar Drive Elementary School, 3150 Cedar Drive
View Larger Map and Directions

4. Irvine Elementary School, 3862 Wellington Street
View Larger Map and Directions

5. Kilmer Elementary School, 1575 Knappen Street
View Larger Map and Directions

6. Kwayquitlam Middle School, 3280 Flint Street
View Larger Map and Directions

7. The Outlet,
#2100 – 2253 Leigh Square
View Larger Map and Directions

8. Westwood Elementary School, 3610 Hastings Street
View Larger Map and Directions

For more information and where to vote and who is eligible CLICK HERE.

The results of the election should be ready by 8:30pm on November 15th.  I will post on my site – www.Dave.ca – as quickly as possible.

I want to once again thank all my volunteers and supporters for giving me the help I need to be successful.  The last part of this process is to earn your vote.  If you have any questions or comments, please call me (604) 418-9177, send me an email dave@dave.ca or leave a comment below.

Thanks again.

This flyer gives you some of my background, my history as a community advocate over the years and on the back, I highlight six of my campaign points.  I wanted to produce a single yet informative piece to outline what I will do when elected.  I have already received a couple dozen phone calls and emails asking questions, pledging support and providing feedback.

With the election taking place this Saturday I am asking for your vote (CLICK HERE for voting locations, times and information).  You have a real opportunity to select the decision makers who will lead the City of Port Coquitlam for the next three years.  I hope to earn your vote.

Here is the complete text of this final mailout piece of campaign literature:

FRONT OF FLYER

Elect
Dave Teixeira
for Port Coquitlam Council

During the past 11 years living in PoCo I

. Organized the Terry Fox Hometown Run (2003 to present)
. Spoke out against the 26 storey condo on the Shell Station site near Lions Park
. Served on the Tri-Cities Homelessness and Crystal Meth Task Forces
. Was an active member of the 2003 Official Community Plan (OCP)
. Advocated for the Fremont / Burns Road Connector
. Produced concerts for Live @ Leigh Square
. Board Member for Youth Matters!
. Co-Ordinator of the Wear Pink Anti Bullying Day

My record shows I am up to the task of providing solutions to our growing city. Can I count on your support?

BACK OF FLYER

What I WILL do for you:

SAFER STREETS
Hire more police and bylaw officers and shut down drug labs / homes.

SENIORS WATER GRANT
Restore this grant for our seniors.

RECREATION
Create dog parks, a third ice sheet, expand library and restore fields.

FIRE OUR POLITICIANS
Draft recall rules to remove failing officials.

HOMELESSNESS
Work as a region to solve the issue using the “Streets to Home” model.

HERITAGE
Establish a Heritage fund financed by developers.

For a PDF version of this flyer please CLICK HERE.

If you have questions or comments please call me at (604) 418-9177, write to dave@dave.ca or leave feedback below.

Port Coquitlam Minor Softball

The questions on this survey are a single selection of Strongly Agree, Agree, Disagree and Strongly Disagree.

I feel that organized youth sports have a significant impact on the community and are directly linked to prevention of crime.
Agree

I feel that organized youth sports have a significant impact on the community and are directly linked to scholastic improvement.
Agree

I feel that organized youth sports have a significant impact on the community and are directly linked to health and well being both physical and mental.
Strongly Agree

I feel that organized youth sports have a significant impact on the community and are directly linked to economic benefits for the businesses of Port Coquitlam.
Agree

I feel that more work is needed in our city to create fair and balanced gender equity in regards to access to and quality of recreational services and facilities for women/girls.
Agree

In light of recent reports of cost overruns for the Coast Meridian Overpass I feel that 2009 and 2010 Parks and Recreation Capital Budgets are a top priority and should not be impacted either directly or indirectly in order to pay for those cost overruns.
Disagree

I believe in a coordinated voice between the city, organized sport/recreation groups and the School District in Port Coquitlam and that City council should have a formal direct link to that coordinated voice.
Strongly Agree

Other Comments:
Sports in our City are important to the health and overall sense of community.  I support the need to upgrade current facilities and the need to remove the financial barriers to sports / recreation participation.  This means lowering or doing away with user / registration fees and securing funds to offset this cost.  This part of my plan would most likely take five to seven years to complete but I have the will to start this process – something which has not yet been done in Port Coquitlam.

As you have pointed out, this Council has not planned for the cost over runs of the Coast Meridian Overpass and other “hits” to the City’s Capital Budgets.  It would not be prudent for me to say that all other areas in the City will be affected – but not recreation – if funds are limited.  Instead, I commit to working with the community recreation leaders to minimize impacts and to devise a revised plan in order to ensure we improve recreation and organized sports in Port Coquitlam.

I am also interested in having feedback or other suggestions from your membership so please contact me at (604) 418-9177, dave@dave.ca or visit my website www.Dave.ca.  Thank-you for the opportunity to address you and your membership.

Regards,

Dave Teixeira

PoCo Minor Hockey sent out a short survey to Candidates in the upcoming election. These surveys really force me to analyze the positions in my campaign and test my ability to communicate answers back which balance the need for services and the need to hold the line on tax increases.

I am not sure if the answers to this survey will be made public or if PoCo Minor Hockey will come out and endorse some candidates.  That said, I wanted to publish the questions and my answers here on my website.  As always, I would enjoy your feedback.

Why is Port Coquitlam Minor Hockey important to you?
I played hockey in my hometown of Mississauga, Ontario from the age of 7 to 16.  It was during these years I learned the importance of teamwork, exercise and friendship – many lessons I have carried forward to today.  Parents of children in sports are connected and invested in the community.  They have a unique and varied perspective on what needs improving and what should remain in place.  This is why during this election I have been connecting with “the soccer moms” and “hockey dads” as they are truly in touch with Port Coquitlam.

If elected, how will you support Port Coquitlam Minor Hockey?
Two of the ways I have proposed to assist Port Coquitlam Minor Hockey is to build a third sheet of ice and look into the lowering or even removing of “user fees”.  PoCo can use sponsorship models (as the City of Port Moody did) to finance the construction of this third sheet of ice.  Coupled with the savings from having to rent ice time outside of the City, the cost should have little impact on the property taxes of residents while improving the available ice time to our local teams.  We need to remove the financial barriers to sports / recreation participation.  This means lowering or doing away with user / registration fees and securing funds to offset this cost.  This part of my plan would most likely take five to seven years to complete but I have the will to start this process – something which has not yet been done in Port Coquitlam.

Can we share your answers with our membership?
You can certainly share my answers with your membership.  I am also interested in having feedback or other suggestions from your membership so please contact me at (604) 418-9177, dave@dave.ca or visit my website www.Dave.ca.  Thank-you for the opportunity to address you and your membership.

Many people have asked how they can help me in this election and if you would also like to assist, here are a few ways:

• Take a lawn sign to let your neighbours know you support my campaign.
• Make a donation to my campaign – no amount too small (or too large!).
• Visit my website – www.Dave.ca – and check out my responses to various surveys, my positions on issues, read regular updates, take part in surveys and join in on the conversation by commenting on the website articles.
• VOTE – and encourage your friends and family to do the same!  CLICK HERE for the voting station locations and information.

Now I need to earn your vote.

In the 2005 Port Coquitlam election only 19% of eligible voters voted – less than one in five. This election you have the chance to select a new Mayor, six Councillors and two School Board Trustees. The power of selecting the next City Council rests with you.

Here is where I need your support.

Issues drive a person to run for office. This is why I have attempted to clearly spell out my position on a number of issues. I will not just say “I will represent you”, “I believe in accountable government”, etc. because really, what does that mean? When I vote for someone it is because I agree with their views – not their ability to recite pithy statements with no meaning.

These are some of the things I will do:

• Work as a region to end homelessness using “Streets to Homes” as the model.
• We need to be able to fire our elected officials through recall legislation.
• I will create a Heritage Levy funded by developers.
• Restore the water grant for seniors and create new housing options.
• Create dog parks so our canine friends do not have to take us outside of PoCo to roam free.
• Port Coquitlam needs at least one more Bylaw Officer and three more Police Officers IMMEDIATELY to ensure we keep our communities safe and our quality of life high.

Be sure to read more of what I believe are the issues in Port Coquitlam by CLICKING HERE and let me know what you think by writing to dave@dave.ca.

I hope you will then see I am your best representative on City Council. This is why I am asking you to vote for me – Dave Teixeira – on November 15th.

The format for the City Councillor portion of the meeting was a one minute opening statement; one minute response to three questions and then a one minute closing statement.   This meant each Candidate spoke for a total of five minutes over the course of 2 hours.  This was a difficult format in which to really present one’s platform and solutions – but from the applause and comments I received, looks like I did well.

Here are the three questions asked and my answers as I recall:

Should we develop the industrial lands near our waterways?
In Port Coquitlam, we are running out of land and will soon only be able to build upwards.  The industrial lands by the water offer an opportunity for us to create revenue generating industry for our City which will give us the money needed to tackle social issues such as homelessness, heritage, etc.  The New Westminister Quay  – or something similar – could be the model for this plan.  We will of course have to balance the needs of industry with the protection of the environment.  This means we need to be cautious – but not afraid to move forward.

What would you do to tackle the homelessness problem?
Other candidates talk about getting the Provincial and Federal governments to do “something”.  While I support lobbying senior governments to get involved – specifically opening up the Riverview Lands – we are running for City Council and need to do what we can do locally.  This means relaxing zoning for basement suites, lane and “backyard” houses and for temporary shelters.  We cannot tackle the problem by ourselves – we need to work as a Tri-Cities Region and within the Metro Vancouver Regional District (MVRD) using Toronto’s “Streets to Homes” as the model.  One thing I will NOT do is vote to spend another $150,000 on gates to lock out the homeless from what little shelter they can find.

What should we do to protect Heritage in Port Coquitlam?
We need to create a Heritage Plan so we have a blueprint as to what and how we will protect heritage buildings in PoCo.  In terms of financing, I am the only candidate with a financial plan to make this happen.  Namely, I would create a Heritage Fund financed by developers – either through a levy of 20 cents per new square foot being built or assigning a portion of the Parkland Acquisition Fund (which the developers pay into) for Heritage.  It is a shame we do not have a museum for the Greatest Canadian and Port Coquitlam’s own, Terry Fox.  Preserving Terry’s legacy in our City via heritage preservation and a museum would generate tourist dollars and restore pride to Port Coquitlam.

If you were at the All Candidates Meeting – what are your thoughts on the event?  If you did not attend – why not – and what do you think of my comments above?

ArtsConnect

As I have written before, I enjoy these surveys as it forces me to analyze the positions in my campaign and test my ability to communicate answers back which balance the need for services and the need to hold the line on tax increases.

The answers to this survey may be made public.  Helen Daniels with ArtsConnect wrote, “We will be sharing this information with our members and other community contacts, as well as with Sarah Payne, Reporter for the Tri-City News, who will be writing an article on the topic of the arts and the election.  It may also be used for our Cultural Mapping project.”

The Mission Statement in Port Coquitlam’s Parks, Recreation and Culture Master Plan (January 27,  2007) states “The City of Port Coquitlam is dedicated to meeting community needs for the benefit of all citizens through the provision of parks, recreation, athletics, arts, culture and fitness.”

Leigh Square Arts Village celebrated its 1st Anniversary in May, 2008 and the Summer in the City campaign created a lot of awareness about all that’s happening in the realm of arts and culture in Port Coquitlam.

What does “culture” mean to you?
Culture is made up of the unique events, people and places in our City which define who we are.

What role do arts and culture play in your life?
Arts and culture play a large and positive role in my life.  I have been a musician for almost all my life; a creative writer; and a producer of live events or Board member for organizations such as Live @ Leigh Square; Youth Matters! Project Garage; professional wrestling events and in my teen years I formed the organization Mississauga Unlimited Sounds in the City (MUSIC) to assist young musicians with their craft.

On the culture side, Port Coquitlam was home to one of the all time greatest Canadians – Terry Fox.  To honour Terry and his Marathon of Hope, I have been the organizer of the Terry Fox Hometown Run since 2003.  In this way I can help promote Terry, his work and the City of Port Coquitlam in a positive light.

In 2007 I combined the arts with the Terry Fox Run by hosting a week long Terry Fox Art Exhibit at the Outlet in Leigh Square (see photo above).  Students from around British Columbia sent in poster designs and roughly 300 of these drawings were displayed.  The local press covered the event which gave positive focus for the arts and the Terry Fox Run.

I have forwarded ideas to the Fox family, City Hall and our Heritage Society which could see a greater focus on Terry’s legacy right here in Port Coquitlam.  Hopefully this will come to be in the near future.

How do you think that arts and culture can help develop a sense of place, identity and belonging in Port Coquitlam?
Arts and culture are the interesting sights and sounds of life which enhance our City.  This was evident when I attended the Grand Opening of Leigh Square in early 2007.  We need to continue to focus on events which give our City purpose and community spirit.  The Terry Fox Hometown Run, May Day, art exhibits, music concerts in the parks, etc. all help define and enhance Port Coquitlam.

What steps will you take, if elected (or re-elected), to help Port Coquitlam to keep up the momentum in reaching the goals stated above, with respect to arts and culture?
I stated on my website – www.Dave.ca: “The investment we have made in the arts with the Leigh Square Arts Village needs to continue with a focus on expansion and attracting complimentary businesses to the area. Complete communities, healthy communities, creative communities.”  Working together as a Tri-Cities region to promote the facilities, events, cultures and talents of the individual cities will go a long way in ensuring the arts are kept top of mind.  I would work towards creating this regional approach.

Any additional comments you would like to make on culture in Port Coquitlam?
Our culture in Port Coquitlam is directly affected by all of us who live in the City.  If you like “something” please support it.  If you want something new or something changed, get involved.  We all can define, change and create the Port Coquitlam culture – so get involved!

These surveys really force me to analyze the positions in my campaign and test my ability to communicate answers back which balance the need for services and the need to hold the line on tax increases.

I am not sure if the answers to this survey will be made public or if the firefighters will come out and endorse some candidates.  That said, I wanted to publish the questions and my answers here on my website.  As always, I would enjoy your feedback.

Why do you want to be a councilor/Mayor?

After years of community service and advocating on issues a number of residents have told me they believe it is time that I move into the role of decision maker.  I have proven I can make the decisions required to keep Port Coquitlam moving forward and bring new ideas to the table.

What is your work history/background?

2008 to Present – Owner, Dave.ca Communications
1996 to Present – Owner, Extreme Canadian Championship Wrestling
2005 to 2008 – Assistant to MLA, Harry Bloy
2002 to 2005 – Store Manager, HomeSense
2000 to 2001 – Director Brand Management, Communicate.com
1997 to 2000 – District Manager, Western Canada AT&T Canada
1991 to 1997 – Store Manager, STAPLES

My recent volunteer experience is as follows:

2003 to 2006 – Port Coquitlam Official Community Plan (OCP) Task Force
2003 to present – Terry Fox Hometown Run Organizer
2004 to present – National Wrestling Alliance, Director
2006 to present – Tri-Cities Crystal Meth Task Group
2006 to present – Tri-Cities Homelessness Task Group
2006 to present – Live @ Leigh Square event producer
2006 to present – Youth Matters! Director
2008 to present – Wear Pink Anti-Bullying Day Communications Director and co-founder

What is your education background?

York University – Sociology and Religious Studies

How long have you lived in Port Coquitlam?

11.5 years

What are your concerns with Port Coquitlam?

Some of the issues on which I am running:

World Police and Fire Games – get involved by loaning our fields to the athletes for practice sessions during July and August of 2009
Police Services – hire 3 more police officers and 1 more bylaw officer
Property Taxes – hold the line on property tax
Recall Legislation – we need the ability to fire our local politicians
Heritage Fund – create a heritage fund from the existing 5% DCCs collected from developers
Highrise Condos – support high density development through highrise development
Homelessness – create a regional approach with the MVRD to tackle the problem based on Toronto’s “Streets to Homes”
Dog Parks – create up to three dog parks so our canine friends do not have to take us outside of PoCo to play off leash

What is the first thing you would like to see changed or improved upon once elected?

We need to get a full account of the City’s financial health.  Our reserves are all but gone and price overruns on the Coast Meridian Overpass have caught most of the community off guard.  Until we get our finances in order we cannot properly plan for growth, improvements or prosperity.

List in priority sequence all the issues you feel need to be addressed inside our City.

Finances
Public safety / hiring of more police, fire and bylaw members
Homelessness Regional Plan
Implementation of the Recreation Plan

What do you think you could do to improve what the current Mayor and council has achieved during their term?

Communication.  There have been times when accurate and timely information has been slow in being communicated (e.g., Coast Meridian Overpass cost overruns, financial health of City).  The use of clear plain language in place of “government speak” is needed so the residents truly know what is happening.  Council also needs to schedule Open Houses on issues when it is convenient to the public not just for City Hall.  Further, once these public input sessions are complete Council should vote according to the input received.

There have been times when Council members vote one way saying this is what they heard from the public when clearly that was not the case.  Case in point – the 26-storey Shell Condo near Lions Park.  Over 90% of the public input said NO to the condo yet a majority of council voted yes and one Councillor even said a majority of the input was in favour of the project!  Clearly more attention needs to be made to the area of communications.

Council sets the level of service provided; do you know what the service is that is provided by the fire department?

To start with, the 2009 budget for Port Coquitlam Fire Services is roughly $7.046 million which is less than a 4% increase over 2008 which shows some solid financial management by our fire management team.

As of November 1, 2008 the Performance Measures expected by the City from the Fire Services area have not been developed (which I find interesting that such measures have not be provided thus far).

Below are the services provided by the fire department:

Fire Administration Division

• Plan, organize and direct the Department’s 5 major divisions: Training/Public Education, Protective Service, Fire Operations, Fire Facilities, and Emergency Preparedness.
• Coordinate for all matters related to staff, budget, and personnel issues.
• Administrate the Pre-Fire Planning Programs.

Training/Public Education Division

• Develop and instruct relevant fire fighting training programs.
• Conduct employee promotional exams.
• Administer departmental safety programs.
• Coordinate and deliver a variety of public education and awareness programs to the citizens of Port Coquitlam.

Fire Protective Services Division

• Provide a high level of life safety & fire protection for businesses and residents.
• Conduct Code and Bylaw Enforcement.
• Upgrade existing non-conforming buildings.
• Plan check and approval for new construction.
• Business license review.
• Review/approve fire safety plans, occupied premises, and demolition sites.
• Administrate the Fire Inspection Programs.
• Conduct fire investigations.

Fire Operations Division

• Responsible for all Fire Department equipment and emergency preparedness radio equipment.
• Respond to all emergencies.
• Manage subordinate Officers and Fire Fighters.
• Contracted fire dispatch services within the City.

Fire Facilities Division

• Ensure fire hall facilities are well maintained and resources are secured.
• Respond to all emergencies.
• Maintain and secure the City’s emergency preparedness equipment.
• Manage subordinate Officers and Fire Fighters.

Emergency Preparedness

• Recruit emergency preparedness volunteers.
• Train, develop, and implement the City’s Emergency Preparedness Community courses.
• Train, develop, and implement the Neighbourhood Program.
• Administrate the City’s overall emergency plan.
• Manage acquisition and maintain the emergency preparedness equipment.

Are you satisfied with the level of public safety in Port Coquitlam and if not what can be done to improve it?

Port Coquitlam has one of the lowest police officer to citizen ratio in the Lower Mainland and we have only two Bylaw Officers for a city of roughly 58,000 residents.  This is unacceptable.  As our city continues to grow further service level pressures – and safety issues – will impact our police, fire, ambulance and bylaw services.  Greater funding and leveraging regional supports will be needed.  I have made public safety a top priority in this election and will follow through once I am elected.

Do you know what your firefighters do in their daily operations?

The Mission Statement of the Port Coquitlam Fire and Emergency Services Department really sums up the daily operations:

The primary Mission of Port Coquitlam Fire and Emergency Services is to protect the lives and property of the citizens of Port Coquitlam from the adverse effects of fires, sudden medical emergencies, exposures to dangerous conditions or disasters created by man or nature.

A significant portion of our Mission will be accomplished through fire prevention, education, training programs and emergency preparedness.

My brother-in-law Alex is a Firefighter in Mississauga, Ontario and one of the members of the Terry Fox Hometown Run – Keith Olson – is a PoCo Firefighter.  Both have given me great insights into the joys and challenges of firefighting.  One of the greatest joys which does not always get highlighted is the giving back to the community that each fire member provides.  Be it having their heads shaved for the Terry Fox Foundation to raise funds for cancer research or helping with neighbourhood block parties our Firefighters are always giving back to the city.  Thank-you!

Did you know that Work safe B.C. has changed the entry protocol for structure fires affecting our staffing issue at a structure fire?

Section 31.3 of the Work Safe BC regulations on firefighting states:

31.23 Entry into buildings

(1) When self-contained breathing apparatus must be used to enter a building, or similar enclosed location, the entry must be made by a team of at least 2 firefighters.

(2) Effective voice communication must be maintained between firefighters inside and outside the enclosed location.

(3) During the initial attack stages of an incident at least one firefighter must remain outside.

(4) A suitably equipped rescue team of at least 2 firefighters must be established on the scene before sending in a second entry team and not more than 10 minutes after the initial attack.

(5) The rescue team required by subsection (4) must not engage in any duties that limit their ability to make a prompt response to rescue an endangered firefighter while interior structural firefighting is being conducted.

Also with the first of the highrises starting construction in Port Coquitlam, our firefighters will also have new procedures:

31.5 Procedures

(2) Written procedures must be established and followed by a fire department or industrial fire brigade for the following situations, where applicable:

(a) fires in buildings 7 storeys or over;

These procedures are in place to protect our firefighters.  As a City, we must provide the funding and support to meet and possible exceed these safety standards.  If elected, I will vote in favour of such additional funding.

With the new overpass construction, Port Coquitlam, for the first time could be like most cities in the lower mainland and be in a deficit situation.  With possible public pressure to reduce spending, how would you defend spending more money to improve public safety and fire fighter safety? If faced with either reducing services to maintain tax levels or increasing taxes to maintain services, which would you choose?

I am on record at the last three years worth of public input sessions for the city budget that while no one likes tax increases I would support additional spending to support public safety services.  Port Coquitlam deserves a higher level of service from our police and firefighters and as a City, I would ensure the funding is there to ensure the safety of our families.

What are you doing to make sure you are successfully elected?

Engaging the public.  Each day since the end of September I ensure I am in the community delivering flyers, door knocking, meeting with residents, updating my website, calling for support, etc.  I respond to every question posed and always ask for a person’s vote – and their support in asking their friends and family to vote for me as well.

What do you think you are you doing differently than the other candidates in order to get elected?

I believe my years of community involvement and service and my speaking out on issues over the years (Fremont Connector, Shell Condo development, Cold Wet Weather programs, homelessness, etc.) sets me apart.  I have a proven track record of being involved and not just putting my name on a ballot and appearing on the scene during an election. I am using these experiences and contacts I have made over the years to gain support from residents.

Finally, my website – www.Dave.ca – is by far the most comprehensive, user friendly and interactive of all the candidate sites.  As I have said before communication is key and this is my small way of ensuring information is available for residents.

Why do you think you have a better chance to get elected over everyone else?

Same as above.

Who on the list of candidates can you best work with?  Who could you least work with?  Any opinions on other candidates?

I have had positive experiences with all of the incumbents on the ballot and would enjoy working with most of them as Council colleagues.  While I have been outspoken on the need for Mayor Scott Young to resign and then not seek re-election, should we both be elected, I would do what is right for the City of Port Coquitlam.

As for the new candidates on the ballot, I have worked with Bob Lee and Brad West on various projects and know they can be thoughtful elected officials.  During the course of the campaign I have seen Todd Delaurier, William Issa, Chris Jones and Michael Thomas working hard to get out their message.

While many politicos would say I should not mention my “competition” in a positive light, at the end of the day I want my City Council to work.  I know that the incumbents – minus Scott Young – the above mentioned new candidates and me – Dave Teixeira – would all work together for the benefit of Port Coquitlam.

While at a public meeting last evening I asked a number of City staff when the next increase to the CMO was coming.  One person summed it up by saying “soon”.  Yikes.

That public meeting had to do with the Shaughnessy Prairie Area Transportation Plan.   This looks to be an solid plan to get traffic moving in the area.  Not just cars, but the plan includes improvements for pedestrians, cyclists and transit.

I encourage you to read the documents and attend these open houses.  These meetings are a great chance for you to speak with knowledgeable staff, ask probing questions and get some one-on-one time with the local politicians.  In my experience, citizens can influence the future of the City more during these types of gatherings than at stale and often time controlled Council meetings.

There are a variety of transportation choke points in the City.  What are your biggest Port Coquitlam traffic nightmare points?  Are these issues being addressed?  I would love to have your input.

The event was hosted by Sandy Burpee, Chair of the Task Force and the three person panel (as seen in the photo from right to left) consisted of Rob Thiessen, Managing Director of Hope for Freedom; Shain Carruthers, an outreach worker for Hope for Freedom and Michelle, an outreach psychiatric nurse with Hope for Freedom.

I have served on the Task Force for the last two years so I have a good grasp on what the issues are but these sessions always serve as a reminder for the work which needs to be done.  The biggest reminder for me was that health comes from having secure, safe housing.

I have written elsewhere on the site that Port Coquitlam needs to “control the controllables” and do what they can to help with the issue.  This means relaxing zoning for shelters, assisting with the co-ordination of volunteers and creating an avoidable housing strategy.

We have to work as a region (within the Tri-Cities) and as a larger region as part of the Metro Vancouver Regional District (MVRD).  Each city has a set of existing services and expertise which could benefit the others.  By co-ordinating these efforts we will get the most of our tax dollars and allow support services to come online faster.

Finally, we need to adopt Toronto’s Streets to Homes program while still leveraging the good work of groups like Hope for Freedom as they set up temporary solutions such as mat programs.  This will take the entire MVRD getting on board and if elected I will push for this to happen quickly.

Keep in mind that answers are limited to 50 words so in an effort to be brief some detail may be lacking.  If you have questions or comments, please let me know.

Civic Election Questions Candidate name
Dave Teixeira

Contact information (home, office, cellphone #s)
(604) 418-9177 – dave@dave.ca – www.Dave.ca

Age
39

Occupation
Communications Consultant

Political experience
Managed campaigns for a number of candidates including Port Coquitlam City Councillor Greg Moore and Coquitlam City Councillor Richard Stewart.

How many times run for office?
This is my first time.

Community involvement/volunteering
2003 to 2006 – Port Coquitlam Official Community Plan (OCP) Task Force
2003 to present – Terry Fox Hometown Run Organizer
2004 to present – National Wrestling Alliance, Director
2006 to present – Tri-Cities Crystal Meth Task Group
2006 to present – Tri-Cities Homelessness Task Group
2006 to present – Live @ Leigh Square event producer
2006 to present – Youth Matters! Director
2008 to present – Wear Pink Anti-Bullying Day Communications Director and co-founder

Port Coquitlam questions
Will you lobby the provincial government to change the Community Charter to create recall provisions for politicians who have a criminal record? Why or why not?
Inappropriate, incompetent and/or illegal behaviour while in office should be a trigger for the public to fire their local politicians. Waiting until the next election for change is not always good for the community. Such legislation should be in line with the current recall rules of our Provincial government.

Is redevelopment the answer to cleaning up crime (ie. Crack shacks) in downtown Port Coquitlam? Why or why not?
A small part, yes. Also need landowners to be vigilant as to how their homes are being used by tenants; hire additional police and bylaw officers to ensure quality of life is high; and clean up graffiti, litter, etc. which devalues our communities and are precursors to higher crime.

Aside from a permanent shelter, what other ideas do you bring to the table to address homelessness?
Work with entire MVRD and tackle problem regionally while using Toronto’s “Streets to Homes” as a guide. Council needs to relax zoning for basement, granny and lane suites along with programs administered by churches (mat programs, food banks, etc.). Lobby government to develop part of Riverview lands for this issue.

Again, I would enjoy hearing your comments or answering your questions – dave@dave.ca.

An individual from the City wrote to ask me to change the piece since he / she “can not [sic] come up with anything that would substantiate [the] phrase that this was a fixed cost project”.

I called four people who attended many or all of the CMO meetings and asked them the following, “As of December 2007, did you understand that the CMO was a fixed-cost project with a final price of $132 million?”.  All four said YES.  In addition, when door knocking last night I asked 12 residents the same question and 100% said YES that they thought the price was confirmed and did not know the figure could continue to increase.

So where did I get the idea this was a fixed- price project? Directly from materials supplied by the City of Port Coquitlam, conversations at public meetings and information on the City’s website.

The Fall 2008 CMO Update document published by the City in September 2008 states the following on page 2:

{The $94.5 million fixed-price contract…}

Then, on the following page on the CMO section of the PoCo website:

{The final project budget for the [CMO] is $132 million…which is a fixed price (including inflation)…the City does not anticipate changes of any consequence to the final CMO budget figure.}

In addition, the Tri-Cities News wrote in late 2007 that “The City said it does not anticipate the bill to go any higher as the design-build contract is a fixed price.”

So what does this all mean?  Some may say this is an attempt by the City to hide what is really going on.  I disagree.  For me, I believe it is a matter of semantics.  The language used in government can differ greatly from the language used by the rest of us.

Further emails between myself and the City over the last 18 hours seem to show that the “fixed-price” contract was for one part of the project (the physical structure construction) and not the entire project (e.g., land acquisition, relocating utilities, etc.).  While this may be the case it was really not what the general public understood.  I have encouraged the City to communicate this now (and in future projects) with simple wording such as  “We have a figure of $132 million for the Coast Meridian Overpass.  There is a possibility this number could go up as it is NOT a final fixed-price for the total project.”

Now that we have this new cost information conversation must now turn to how much a tax increase are Port Coquitlam residents going to endure?  What services will be cut?  Which projects will be deferred and for how long?  Are other funding sources available?  This conversation will certainly be interesting.

What do you think?

What is bothersome is that at the December 7, 2007 Public Hearing; the September 9, 2008 Open House and the Fall 2008 CMO Update email newsletter all mentioned that this was a fixed cost project at $132 million.  This was explained to mean that the City would not be on the hook for ANY cost overruns.  Apparently, this was not correct.

The debate on whether this project is good or bad is moot as construction has already started.  The questions on how could this Council allow the cost overruns and how communication has been poor still remain.

When I sat on the Official Community Plan (OCP) Committee in 2003, the cost of the project was $40 million.  It then went to $60 million then $70 million before I finished with the OCP.  I said at that time if construction did not start by 2007 this project will be in the area of $100 million.  In early 2007 the project budget jumped to $98.73 million.

At a City Council meeting in mid-2007 I asked of Council during the question period of a City Council meeting what the cost of the project would really be.  Port Coquitlam’s Chief Administrative Officer, Tony Chong, said that a proper figure could not be given however for each month of delay, he confirmed that cost was increasing by $700k to $1 million.  Quick math then dictated the cost would be roughly $110 million by the end of 2007.  In November 2007 the City announced the “fixed cost” contract was $132 million.

Residents in PoCo will be paying 1.2 percentage points each year on our property taxes for the next 30 years to pay for the project.  This means before we add any new services, improve any existing roads, buildings, etc. we have to start at 1.2%.  With this latest increase we are now looking at 1.4% to 1.5% each year for the next 30 years.  An increase that will be forced upon the new Council to approve.

Mr. Chong says, “We certainly don’t expect any most cost increases.” – this means that we could indeed have further increases, as has been the case over the last six years.

The figures and process relating to the Coast Meridian Overpass have been secretive throughout.  This has resulted in mistrust of the Council and questioning the competency of the negotiation process.

Communication is key.  If elected, I will ensure that such cost increases on future projects are minimized and communicated quickly and effectively with the residents.  There is no going back on the CMO but we need to learn from these mistakes and correct the process for the future.

Starting around 8:30am this morning, I received phone calls from half a dozen residents, City staff, members of a running group and even fellow candidate Brad West telling me that signs (as pictured above) were taped to bus stop benches along Coast Meridian and Prairie and taped to the front windows of Hyde Creek Community Centre (where I workout at the gym).  On the back of the signs was a single page of a court action filed against me in 2006.

Had the person or persons who put up the signs had any integrity, they would have also pointed out that this case never went to court.  In fact this was all an error which resulted in the action against me being removed and letters from the Plaintiff sent to my bank, the courts, credit bureaus, etc. stating that they are deleting the listing from records.

Let me explain the background.

Sometime in the 1990’s I took out a Mastercard credit card from Canada Trust.  In 2000, Canada Trust was purchased by Toronto Dominion Bank and the Mastercard was transferred to a TD Mastercard.  Shortly after that, the TD Mastercard business was sold to Citibank and at that point I cancelled my card.

During the transfers from Canada Trust to TD to Citibank, records of my payments were lost which led to years of back and forth with my pleading my innocence.  To make matters worse, Citibank sold my “past due credit file” to a credit collection agency and this agency sold it to another and then in 2005 the file landed with Contact Resource Services who sent it to the courts.

When I met with a representative of Contact Resource Services in 2007, the errors / problems were acknowledged and this matter closed without getting to court.  In fact, CRS sent me a letter dated June 29, 2007 – CLICK HERE to view in PDF – stating that the records on this file were being deleted.

In short, while an action was indeed filed against me, after some meaningful conversation took place the matter was resolved.  I hope that the person / persons who put up these signs will contact me directly for some more of this meaningful conversation.  I also hope that this election does not continue in this manner.

UPDATE: The Tri-City News published a related article on October 21st under the headline, “PoCo civic election gets nasty”.  I wish they mentioned – as I discussed with the reporter – the charges never when to trial.  Other than that, not bad.