Nonpartisan Hacks

20 Years of Lessons from Local Government to the Legislature In this episode of Nonpartisan Hacks, Joel Grenz and Sean Wood sit down with Peter Milobar, MLA for Kamloops Centre and BC Conservative leadership candidate. Milobar's political résumé spans city councillor, three-term mayor, regional district chair, and provincial legislator — what Sean calls "a full political bingo card." The conversation covers what he learned managing a city through the 2008 financial crisis, why infrastructure funding has dried up, and how he got all 10 regional district projects funded when no one else could get one. Milobar also shares candid advice for anyone thinking of running for local office, explains why councillors shouldn't try to make it a full-time job, and makes the case that fixing a road has nothing to do with how you vote federally. Listen in for: How Milobar delivered infrastructure under the rate of inflation during the 2008 economic crisis The story of getting all 10 regional district projects funded by refusing to re-prioritize the list Why BC's $13.5 billion deficit concerns him as the province's finance critic His advice on what voters actually look for — and why single-issue candidates should reconsider Why councillors showing up with hedge trimmers creates more problems than it solves The case for staying in your lane at every level of government 👉 Subscribe, rate, and review on your favourite podcast platform. Find all our episodes at nonpartisanhacks.com and drop us a line. Episode keywords: Peter Milobar, BC Conservative leadership race, MLA Kamloops Centre, local government governance, BC provincial budget deficit, municipal infrastructure funding, running for local government, nonpartisan municipal politics, BC politics podcast, elected officials and staff relationships, civic engagement podcast

Two city councillors break down how public hearings, emails, and civic engagement actually work Public hearings, council emails, Facebook rants — everyone has an opinion on how to make their voice heard in local government. But most people have no idea how any of it actually works from the other side of the table. Joel Grenz and Sean Wood — both three years into life as Parksville city councillors — break down what public engagement is actually for, what works, what doesn't, and why your strongly worded Facebook post probably isn't moving the needle the way you think it is. Listen in for: What public hearings are (and aren't) designed to do, including why council can't correct misinformation on the spot Why a personal email will always outperform a form letter The underrated power of just asking your councillor for coffee The uncomfortable truth about social media as a civic tool Why "being heard" and "getting your way" are two very different things — and why that's actually okay We're a representative democracy. That means we elect people to make tough calls on our behalf — even the unpopular ones. This episode is about understanding that system well enough to actually work within it. 👉 Subscribe, rate, and review on your favourite podcast platform. Find all our episodes at nonpartisanhacks.com and drop us a line.

What does it actually mean to be mayor? In this episode of Nonpartisan Hacks, Joel Grenz and Sean Wood sit down with Mayor Nicole Minions of Comox to talk about leadership at the municipal level, and how governing really works when you move from being one vote at the table to chairing the meeting. Minions reflects on becoming mayor by acclamation in 2022 under extraordinary circumstances, what surprised her most about the role, and why “mayoring” is less about power and more about facilitation, decorum, and trust. From public hearings with hundreds of residents to regional collaboration across the Comox Valley, the conversation digs into the skills that separate functional councils from dysfunctional ones. Recorded in Sean’s kitchen (fresh bread included) the discussion ranges from core services and infrastructure financing to Bee City designations, asset management, working with opposition MLAs and MPs, and why most of the mayor’s real work happens far from the spotlight. Listen in for: What actually changes when you become mayor Why facilitation matters more than force at the council table How to run public hearings without letting them derail The difference between core services and the “extra” 10–20% that signals values Why good governance is often invisible until it fails 👉 Subscribe, rate, and review on your favourite podcast platform. Find all our episodes at nonpartisanhacks.com and drop us a line.

How do citizens turn frustration into outcomes, without picking a party or burning bridges? Joel Grenz and Sean Wood sit down with Donna Hais, longtime community leader, business executive, and chair of the Fair Care Alliance, to unpack how advocacy really works inside complex municipal, provincial, and federal systems. Recorded in Nanaimo, just steps from the regional hospital at the centre of Fair Care’s work, the conversation uses healthcare as a case study to explore something bigger: how communities organize, how governments actually hear messages, and why meaningful change only happens when voices are aligned across institutions. Hais draws on years of experience spanning chambers of commerce, port governance, hospital foundations, and grassroots advocacy to explain why isolated pressure fails, how to build credibility across political cycles, and what it takes to speak the language of government without becoming partisan. The discussion moves from relationship-building and message discipline to media strategy, professional risk, and why persistence, not outrage, moves billion-dollar decisions. 🎧 Listen in for: Why advocacy fails when it happens in isolation How grassroots organizations build one message across many institutions What it means to “speak government” without losing community values Why non-partisan advocacy lasts longer than election cycles The role of media, lobbying, and public pressure in sustaining momentum 👉 Subscribe, rate, and review on your favourite podcast platform. Find all our episodes at nonpartisanhacks.com and drop us a line.

Lessons on leadership inside British Columbia politics after 20 years in the Legislature. Joel Grenz and Sean Wood sit down with former Conservative Party of BC leader and longtime MLA John Rustad for a wide-ranging conversation on leadership, governance, and the forces reshaping provincial politics. Rustad reflects on serving under multiple leaders, the rise and collapse of centre-right coalitions, and why he believes conviction matters more than triangulation in today’s polarized political landscape. From cabinet decision-making and the growing power of the premier’s office, to affordability, productivity, reconciliation, and the hollowing out of the middle class, Rustad offers his unfiltered reflections and thoughts on where he believes British Columbia has gone off track. 🎧 Listen in for: Rustad's leadership takeaways from Campbell to Eby The fall of the BC Liberals and the rise of the BC Conservatives Why affordability can’t be fixed without productivity and wage growth Rustad’s case for “economic reconciliation” and why the current approach is failing 👉 Subscribe, rate, and review on your favourite podcast platform. Find all our episodes at nonpartisanhacks.com and drop us a line.

How does effective chairing turn a room full of strong opinions into real decisions? Joel Grenz and Sean Wood sit down with Nanaimo councillor and former Regional District of Nanaimo board chair Tyler Brown to unpack what it really takes to run meetings that work, keep a 19-member board aligned, and steer governance without theatrics, gavels, or power plays. Brown traces how Nanaimo moved from national-news dysfunction to a functional council, why “righting the ship” was only the beginning, and how the real work of a chair happens long before the meeting starts. He breaks down staff–council dynamics, the pressures elected officials actually face, and why healthy governance depends on clarity, preparation, and a steady hand. 🎧 Listen in for: Why meetings fail and the quiet work that prevents them from going sideways How to prepare for decisions when information is incomplete and emotions are high What effective chairs do behind the scenes to keep debates productive How councils can respect staff roles without surrendering decision-making Why public anger escalates and how to set ground rules that protect everyone’s voice Where B.C.’s Local Government Act falls short and why modernization matters for communities 👉 Subscribe, rate, and review on your favourite podcast platform. Find all our episodes at nonpartisanhacks.com and drop us a line.

What happens when short-term politics collides with long-term obligations? Joel Grenz and Sean Wood sit down with former MLA Adam Olsen to break down what the Cowichan Tribes decision actually means for British Columbia and why the province keeps deferring the same structural problems. The conversation traces the pattern: governments chasing headlines, grant cycles built for ribbon-cutting, and a land system held together by avoidance. Olsen lays out how exclusion shaped B.C.’s foundations, why litigation produces lose-lose outcomes, and what responsible negotiation should look like when title is already established in law. 🎧 Listen in for: How four-year (at most!) political cycles block long-term governance Why B.C.’s funding model for municipalities and First Nations is structurally unsound What the Cowichan ruling clarifies about title and why appeals won’t settle it What a depoliticized, whole-of-government approach to reconciliation requires 👉 Subscribe, rate, and review on your favourite podcast platform. Find all our episodes at nonpartisanhacks.com and drop us a line.

What’s the difference between shaming people and shaming harmful behaviour? Parksville councillors Joel Grenz and Sean Wood take on one of the trickiest words in modern politics: stigma. From anti-smoking campaigns and seatbelts to vaping, littering, and impaired driving, this episode explores how culture and policy have worked together to steer society, using stigma as a tool for good. And with B.C.’s legislature debating whether schools should promote stigma against drug use, the conversation turns to where compassion ends and accountability begins. 🎧 Listen in for: Why stigma isn’t always the villain it’s made out to be How shaming actions (not people) changed public behaviour... from smoking to drunk driving The fine line between compassion and consequence in addiction policy Bill M 213 and what both sides of the aisle might be missing How governments can use culture—not just legislation—to drive change 👉 Subscribe, rate, and review on your favourite podcast platform. Find all our episodes at nonpartisanhacks.com and drop us a line.

From street disorder and involuntary care to a record-setting provincial deficit and party leadership reviews, this year’s UBCM had no shortage of debate …or drama. Hosts Joel Grenz and Sean Wood sit down on the deck (yes, with fingerless gloves) to unpack the biggest stories and sessions from the 2025 Union of B.C. Municipalities convention in Victoria. They dig into the shifting tone on addiction and public safety, Premier David Eby’s acknowledgement of policy missteps, and the growing conversation around stability, leadership, and what “compassionate” policy really means. 🎧 Listen in for: The evolving debate on decriminalization, hypoxia and involuntary care B.C.’s record deficit and what it means for services Advocacy wins (and a resolution about resolutions) #bcpoli plot twists, from new party leaders to a mid-speech heckler 👉 Catch this wrap-up episode and revisit our UBCM interviews with Pete Fry, Jeff Ferrier, and Rob Shaw at nonpartisanhacks.com.

What separates functional government from frustrated government? In this special episode recorded amongst the hustle and bustle of the Union of B.C. Municipalities convention in Victoria, hosts Joel Grenz and Sean Wood sit down with political reporter Rob Shaw (CHEK News, Business in Vancouver, Political Capital) to explore what makes governments succeed or stumble. From the tension between local and provincial priorities to the challenge of maintaining trust in an age of cynicism, Shaw shares insights from years of covering B.C. politics and the people behind it. 🎧 Listen in for: What separates a successful government from a face-plant one The shifting tone in B.C. communities and at UBCM How local governments can build leverage and unity The evolving relationship between reporters and power Why authenticity matters more than ever in politics and journalism 👉 Subscribe, rate, and review on your favourite podcast platform. Find all our episodes at nonpartisanhacks.com and drop us a line.

What do speed-dating meetings with ministers, lobbyist myths, and Shania Twain’s brother have in common? Government relations. In this second of three special episodes recorded live at the Union of BC Municipalities convention in Victoria, hosts Joel Grenz and Sean Wood sit down with strategist Jeff Ferrier to talk about the “Super Bowl of advocacy.” From how to frame a winning ask in just ten minutes, to why local governments should pick one priority and hammer it relentlessly, the conversation digs into what actually works when trying to get a yes from the Province. 🎧 Listen in for: Why “making the ask” beats long speeches every time The difference between advocacy and activism (and why it matters) How local governments can turn constituents into their biggest asset The fine line between stupid and clever in lobbying 👉 Subscribe, rate, and review on your favourite podcast platform. Find all our episodes at nonpartisanhacks.com and drop us a line.

What do 275 resolutions, municipal downloading, and a possible mayoral race have in common? Councillor Pete Fry. This is the first of three special episodes recorded live at the Union of BC Municipalities convention in Victoria. In this installment, hosts Joel Grenz and Sean Wood sit down with Vancouver Councillor Pete Fry on a patio next to a beautiful but somewhat noisy fountain. Discussion ranges from the reality behind UBCM resolutions, to the mental health toll of public office, to the question on everyone’s mind: will Pete run for mayor in 2026? And yes, partway through our audio recorder called its own “point of order” when the memory card filled up. We stitched things back together so please consider it a procedural hiccup with all three readings passed. 🎧 Listen in for: Why UBCM resolutions matter and why fewer might be better That time Pete Fry was on Jimmy Kimmel The realities of mental health, online outrage, and finding support in office Pete’s thoughts on a 2026 mayoral run 👉 Subscribe, rate, and review on your favourite podcast platform. Find all our episodes at nonpartisanhacks.com and drop us a line.

In this milestone 10th episode, Parksville councillors Sean Wood and Joel Grenz break down one of the most talked-about issues in local government: housing. What’s the difference between market and non-market housing? Why is non-market housing so hard (and slow) to build? Who actually pays for it? And what does the “Vienna Model” have to do with any of this? From permissive tax exemptions to project delays at BC Housing, this episode pulls back the curtain on how housing decisions actually get made—and who carries the cost. Featuring a fiery quote from Courtenay councillor Wendy Morin and a potential idea for how BC builds homes. Whether you’re a taxpayer, tenant, policymaker, or just housing-curious, this episode is for you. 👉 Subscribe, rate, and review on your favourite podcast platform. Find all our episodes at nonpartisanhacks.com and be sure to drop us a line.

The BC Green Party is about to pick a new leader, and the three candidates joined Joel and Sean on the deck to make their case. Adam Bremner-Akins (political science student and party secretary), Dr. Jonathan Kerr (Comox councillor and family doctor), and Emily Lowan (climate organizer and researcher) sat down for an unfiltered conversation about strategy, ideology, and what it takes to grow beyond two seats. Should the BC Greens court centrist voters or build a "Fight the Oligarchs" coalition? How would they tackle BC's deficit, and what role government should play in subsidizing the energy transition? The conversation covers everything from BC's unnamed new dam to healthcare reform, offshore wind farms, and why one candidate thinks we need fewer EVs and more e-bikes. Plus: how to work with existing Green MLAs when you don't have a seat, and whether "crisitunity" is the approach to BC's multiple challenges. 🎧 Listen in for: Membership growth numbers revealed! Why healthcare reform could fix BC's budget crisis Three very different visions for the party's future How the confidence agreement gets renegotiated this fall Whether Greens should fight or finesse their way to power BC Green members vote September 13-23. 👉 Subscribe, rate, and review on your favourite podcast platform. Find all our episodes at nonpartisanhacks.com and be sure to drop us a line.

What’s next for Vancouver Island’s rail corridor? Is just a relic of the past, or the backbone of its future? In this episode of Non-Partisan Hacks, hosts Joel Grenz and Sean Wood sit down with Thomas Bevan, CEO of the Island Corridor Foundation (ICF), to talk trains, trestles, and the tangled politics of one of Vancouver Island’s most unique public assets. Bevan shares what it’s like to work with every level of government—federal, provincial, regional districts, municipalities, and 14 First Nations—while trying to reimagine a 290-kilometre corridor that runs through the backyards of about 80% of island residents. From Scotch broom removal and firebreaks to high-rail buses and long-term transit-oriented development, the conversation uncovers both the risks and the opportunities of this corridor. 🎧 Listen in for: Corridor ownership: Whose Line Is It Anyway? Why the corridor still matters for housing, planning, and the future of Vancouver Island The Wesley Ridge fire’s impact on trestles and infrastructure Creative short-term uses, including high-rail buses How governance silos shape (and sometimes stall) progress Whether this “forgotten corridor” can become the island’s true spine 👉 Subscribe, rate, and review on your favourite podcast platform. Find all our episodes at nonpartisanhacks.com and be sure to drop us a line.

BC’s political landscape seems to change by the week... new parties, shifting allegiances, and plenty of noise. But what about the voters in the middle who just want good government? In this episode of Non-Partisan Hacks, Parksville councillors Joel Grenz and Sean Wood welcome Karin Kirkpatrick, leader of CentreBC and former MLA for West Vancouver–Capilano. From her time as Shadow Minister for Housing, Childcare, and Families to her leadership in the non-profit sector, Karin brings a unique perspective on how government can serve people better, without the partisan dogfights. The conversation covers: Why CentreBC was formed and what it means to be “in the middle” The challenges of housing, affordability, and short-term rentals (including Parksville’s Resort Row) How governments can (and should) collaborate across levels The risks of polarization and the case for pragmatic, data-driven decision-making Why “boring” government might actually be good government Recorded from Joel’s deck (with fresh bread in the background), this episode blends substance, banter, and a look at what’s next for BC politics. 👉 Subscribe, rate, and review on your favourite podcast platform. Find all our episodes at nonpartisanhacks.com and be sure to drop us a line.

Thinking about throwing your hat in the ring for local office? Or maybe someone told you you should run? In this episode, we pull back the curtain on what it really takes to run — and serve — in local government. Joel and Sean share candid reflections on why people run, what the job actually involves, and what they wish they knew before signing up. From campaign prep and council dynamics to emotional stamina and reading 2,000-page agendas, this episode is packed with real talk (and a few warnings). Plus... An apology from a Nanaimo city councillor who suggested sending busloads of people to a cabinet minister’s house, and had the courage to walk it back. Whether you’re gearing up for the next municipal election or just curious what goes on behind the nameplates, this episode is for you. 👉 Subscribe, rate, and review on your favourite podcast platform. Find all our episodes at nonpartisanhacks.com and be sure to drop us a line.

Can provincial housing targets be a smarter way to plan future housing across the province? In this no-guest episode of Non-Partisan Hacks, Joel and Sean unpack a new Parksville resolution headed to the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) that seeks to uplevel how the Province sets housing targets for local governments. It’s a call for smarter, more climate-resilient, infrastructure-ready planning for BC's future. In this show's quote take, we confront the awkward truth: local governments are trying to make housing more affordable… using the limited tools they have: taxing homes. We also touch on: Factors besides population growth predictions that need to be part of the housing equation Insurance industry may have some insight into planning and Sean's take on Sean's take Want more background on the resolution? Read Joel’s full blog post: joelgrenz.ca/advocacy/ubcm-resolution-supporting-climate-resilient-and-infrastructure-ready-housing-targets Find all our episodes at nonpartisanhacks.com And now... you can also watch and subscribe to Non-Partisan Hacks YouTube. And hey — if you’ve got a good government story, a guest idea, or just want to say hi, we’d love to hear from you.

Is a 0% property tax increase really something to celebrate? Or is it just kicking the financial can down the road? In this episode of Non-Partisan Hacks, we’re joined by Chris Brown, host of Cross Border Interviews, for a candid conversation about municipal responsibility, political courage, and the dangerous allure of short-term wins. We dig into Chris’s viral editorial on local governments that prioritize popularity over planning — and why some municipalities might need to look in the mirror before pointing fingers at higher levels of government. We also touch on: What Chris has learned from 350+ interviews with elected officials Why rural communities feel left behind The power imbalance between provinces and municipalities And yes — the bread makes another appearance. Learn more about Chris and his show at crossborderinterviews.ca Find all our episodes at nonpartisanhacks.com

Welcome to Non-Partisan Hacks, where hosts Sean Wood and Joel Grenz, both Parksville city councillors, take you behind the scenes of good governance. This episode is extra special as we welcome our very first guest, Michelle Stilwell—Paralympic champion, former MLA for Parksville-Qualicum, and passionate advocate for inclusive communities. Michelle shares her journey from winning gold medals to navigating the complexities of provincial politics. We dive deep into her transition from elite sports to serving as Minister of Social Development and Social Innovation in British Columbia. Michelle also offers candid insights on the realities of public service, the importance of relationship-building in governance, and what was involved in her role as caucus chair. And yes, there’s fresh-baked bread involved, courtesy of Sean! Don't miss our "Quote Take" segment, where we unpack the latest headlines and discuss integrity in politics. 📢 Tune in to learn about leadership, resilience, and what it truly means to serve your community. Visit nonpartisanhacks.com to catch up on past episodes and share your thoughts.