About Mike Klassen

Mike Klassen is a Vancouver city councillor who was elected in October 2022. He formerly served as Vice President, Public Affairs at BC Care Providers Association, where he played a key role in securing over $1 billion in funding commitments from the B.C. government toward strengthening seniors health care. During the early months of the global pandemic, Mike served as BCCPA’s Acting CEO as the continuing care sector faced its greatest crisis. During this time he publicly called for loosening restrictions that kept families apart from loved ones in care. He also championed for measures to expedite the recognition of credentials for internationally educated nurses.

Mike served as board president of PAL Vancouver, a unique social housing organization that supports the local creative and performing arts community. Through his efforts, PAL Vancouver secured provincial government funding for a new 66-unit housing development in New Westminster, BC, set to open in the spring of 2023.

Other board positions held by Mike include as director on the B.C. Small Business Roundtable and Canadian Association of Long-Term Care, and as board Vice-Chair for both the Vancouver City Planning Commission and the DOXA Documentary Festival. Mike was appointed as a board director and finance committee Vice-Chair for Metro Vancouver in November 2022.

As Executive Director of the BC Wine Appellation Task Group, Mike conducted an industry consultation that resulted in regulatory reforms for B.C.’s wine and grape growing sector, by creating a framework for new “geographic indications” for regions including Naramata Bench, Okanagan Falls, Lillooet, the Kootenays and Cowichan Valley.

As B.C. Director for the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB), Mike was recognized by Vancouver Sun business columnist Don Cayo for excellence in advocacy, citing his ‘clear and credible’ campaign leading a nine-member business coalition challenging costly ‘producer pay’ regulations. Mike was later recognized with a Terry Biggar Award for his leadership on this campaign.

Mike was a Vancouver Courier civic affairs columnist from 2015-2020, the city’s leading community publication with a circulation of 107,000 papers, as well as being a former Huffington Post and 24 Hours Vancouver columnist.

A proud moment came just after the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games, when Mike was recognized by the Minister in charge for creating an online free events guide that attracted millions of visits and helped turn that occasion into a “high-fiving” celebration.

Mike is a UBC graduate (B. Arts studying English literature and political science), husband and parent, as well as being a fitness enthusiast and dedicated community volunteer.

About This Website

A published writer since 1989 and web “blogger” since 1995, my articles have been read by tens of thousands from around the globe, attracting responses from North America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and even from a WhiteHouse.gov webmaster during the Clinton administration.

“I have employed all the Wit and Humour of which I am Master in the following History; wherein I have endeavoured to laugh Mankind out of their favourite Follies and Vices. How far I have succeeded in this good Attempt, I shall submit to the candid Reader, with only two Requests:

First, that (s)he will not expect to find Perfection in this Work; and

Secondly, that (s)he will excuse some Parts of it, if they fall short of that little Merit which I hope may appear in others.”

Henry Fielding, 1749
Preface to Tom Jones

As with the quote from Fielding’s momentous novel Tom Jones, my words and ideas are humbly submitted to readers on this website in the hope they will enjoy some part of them.

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