Port Coquitlam fire officials and Mounties escorted the new city council into its inaugural meeting, held tonight (Nov. 8) in the newly built Port Coquitlam Community Centre.
The first meeting of the 2022–2026 council started with a singing of "O Canada" by Alexis and Alicia Malelang, as well as a blessing by kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (Kwikwetlem) First Nation Chief Ed Hall, who on Monday, also honoured Coquitlam City Council at its inauguration.
Provincial Court Judge Wilson Lee read out the oaths of office as each council member repeated the words and later signed the declarations.
Mayor Brad West, who was acclaimed, joked with Judge Lee after he signed his document for forgetting to place the mayor's chains around his neck.
Then, each council member spoke about the upcoming term and singled out friends, family and supporters — many of whom worked on their campaigns and were in the audience.
Also in the crowd were Freedom of the City recipients former mayor Greg Moore and former city councillor Mike Forrest; Port Coquitlam and deputy premier Mike Farnworth (as well as Solicitor General and Minister of Public Safety); PoCo board of education trustees Michael Thomas and Christine Pollock, who were also acclaimed; Coquitlam/Port Coquitlam RCMP Supt. Keith Bramhill; and Leslie Courchesne, CEO of the Tri-Cities Chamber of Commerce.
