Guest: Nicolas Baudouin (diplomat and consul general of France)
Nicolas Baudouin’s job takes a ton of energy but he loves it. As a diplomat and consul general of France in Vancouver. In addition to running the consulate, he helps to form business and cultural relations between Canada and France, whether it be working at trade events, attending film festivals featuring French films, or any other tasks that strengthen the ties between France and Canada, especially in Western Canada and Vancouver. This was seemingly a calling, growing up in a part of France that had classmates from different parts of the world, with stories that resonated with Nicolas for life.
As mayor of Vancouver entering a municipal election, Ken Sim has to transition into an additional role as mayoral candidate. This means this is a double-duty role, having to run the city and run a campaign at the same time. But he sees himself as just one member of the council chamber and campaign team – he follows the advice of the team that he has assembled, connecting to the city’s residents and businesses as much as he can.
What does it take to be a principled and strong opposition city council member? Pete Fry learned how to do that when he was placed in that situation after the rise of Ken Sim as Vancouver mayor. After all, his journey as an entrepreneur and longtime resident of the city gives him an insight on what it takes to build a life in Vancouver, and his personal struggles allows for an understanding of what families in crisis may go through.
When she was a city council at Vancouver City Hall, Colleen Hardwick wanted to assemble a team that had academic and professional backgrounds, to lead the city in the direction that she felt it should be going. To her, the key to success is to have a team of people who have the experience and background knowledge that can affect the change that the city needs.
Rebecca Bligh is the party leader of Vote Vancouver, but she is aiming higher – she wants to be mayor of the entire city of Vancouver. “We are the ultimate political startup,” she says of the parallels between starting a political party and business. She saw a need for a centrist party in the city, which was not being filled. With the right team that believes in Vancouver, she is hoping to govern in a way that benefits everyone who has a stake in the city.