What's next for New West's outgoing mayor

On Jan. 1, current New West Mayor Jonathan Cote took to Twitter in a nine-tweet thread to talk about how, over the holiday season, he’d found “clarity and peace regarding [his] future.”

“...and thus I will not be running for re-election in 2022,” came the announcement in tweet number three.

Fast forward to our sit-down, and as Cote takes a moment to look back at how he came to the decision, the 17-year municipal politician calls it a process that was amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I think a lot of us were reflecting more about our lives and what future directions we wanted to go. The first thing that really hit me during that period is the mayor’s role is incredibly demanding,” says Cote, adding that before COVID it was common for him to skip dinner with his wife and three daughters.

“[During COVID], I was home for dinner every single night. Sometimes it takes something [like this] to hit you right in the face, and be that obvious about…[not having] really achieved some of the work-life balance,” he says. “I have no regrets in terms of being able to do what would probably be the most interesting, unique job I ever do.”

Cote says in the lead-up to the announcement, he and his wife had been chatting about making a decision. “My wife had said, ‘By New Year’s Day, I want to know.'”

When asked if there’d been any conflict or falling out with those he ran with in 2018, Cote responded by saying that no matter the level of politics, there will always be conflicts and disagreements.

While he’s confident about stepping away from the role, he’s in no rush to jump head-first into the next gig. The dream is to continue to work in the field of urban planning, perhaps focusing on transit in particular.

“I’m really hoping to find a good role that allows me to take my experiences and background, and my passions and find a good next role—but obviously in a different way,” says Cote, noting that his first choice would be to remain local.

There is one role he’s ruled out taking on again: Johnny X. Mayor Cote is the only sitting Metro Vancouver mayor to have ever been in a wrestling ring—and given an elbow drop, to boot.

“Yes, there were tough days [as mayor], but there’s a lot of rewarding and meaningful work, and there’s also a lot of fun that comes along with the role.”

The match, which was the main event during 2019’s Royal City Rumble, involved Cote training for one month. At the time, he tweeted that it would be his first—and only—wrestling match of his life. Fortunately, he’s on record as nabbing a win with his tag team partner, Mr. India. He also delivered the finishing move that allowed the duo to take home the victory against Team USA.

But why get into the ring? Cote says it’s all about the humanity of his role as mayor.

“Well, I was voted in to be mayor, and then as part of my job requirement, I’m in a wrestling ring at Royal City Centre,” he reminisces with a laugh. “I think that’s part of the fun I’ve had as mayor, is just being open to having a bit of fun with the role.”

And while many will likely remember him for the gold lamé pants—which have been stored in the New Westminster Museum and Archives, and may perhaps end up on display one day—one of his other memorable moments during his tenure was to try and visit every single park in New Westminster in one day.

“I don’t even know where the idea came from, but I was like, ‘Let’s do it.’ That was just a wild day where we just went…and there were a lot more parks than I ever thought there were parks I’d never been to in the city.”

The park pilgrimage finished at 11pm.

“You know, to anyone doing this type of role, there’s a seriousness to it: you have to be professional in terms of the work you’re doing at City Hall. But I would tell anyone, when you do take on this role you have to show your human side as well. Sometimes you have to be not too serious,” says Cote.

“When you do that, [people] go, ‘Wait a second. He’s a guy with a family. He’s going through some of the same challenges as me. I’ve found that to be hugely important to this role, is to make those connections.”

Cote is more of an explore-the-parks kind of guy—and reiterates he could probably do without seeing the gold lamé pants he once donned as Johnny X.

“They’re in safe keeping, but I take a lot of joy out of thinking that 50 years down the road there’ll be some archivists in the City of New Westminster who opens this dusty box, sees these gold pants, and goes, ‘what on earth are these?’”