Richmond mayor fosters cultural harmony

In a predominantly Asian city, Malcolm Brodie finds the right approach for keeping growth and prosperity on track

Malcolm Brodie has been the Mayor of Richmond since 2001, making him tied for second as the longest standing mayor in the city's history.

His secret? Since his first election, Brodie has stayed committed to the community, which has responded by handing him six consecutive terms.

Being the mayor of a city whose population is predominantly Chinese, Brodie has shown his openness to diversity and an ability to create cultural harmony. Richmond has gained a reputation for being a model for multiculturalism and a leading force in international relations.

In "our relationships with the Pacific Rim countries where we reached out, I think we've enhanced our international relations and our international image," he said.

Before becoming Richmond's mayor, Brodie has been Richmond's city councillor since 1996 and a practicing lawyer. He became a resident of Richmond in 1977 and graduated with a bachelor's in commerce and law from the University of British Columbia.

Brodie has been an active member in all standing committees of the Richmond City Council, a director of Metro Vancouver, chair of the zero waste committee and has been involved with the South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority (Translink) since 2001.

Brodie is especially involved in environmental and sustainability issues. In 2015, the city received the sustainable community award from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and the 2015 Climate and Energy Action Award Honourable Mention for the Richmond Ice Centre project.

Mayor Brodie has also received a commemorative medal for the 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada in 1992, the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002.

During the 2014 campaign, he said: "The city is either growing in many different ways or it's going on a downhill slope. I believe we have to continue growing and grow with quality of life in mind... to be the most appealing, livable and well-managed community in Canada."

Over the last few years, Brodie has been involved in the controversy over the use of the English language on the mostly Chinese-language signs displayed around Richmond. Groups have expressed their concerns that the Chinese-only signs were not inclusive.

Back in 2013 when the debate emerged, Brodie said "we welcome people from all over the world to come live in Richmond and to set up their businesses in Richmond." People should be free to advertise to their target audience. "With a population of half of our people or more being of Chinese origin, you can't be surprised to see some Chinese language."

Statistics show that 70 percent of Richmond's population consists of minorities, and 47 percent of the population is of Chinese decent.

After Brodie's re-election in 2014, the signage controversy was finally put to rest last year.

"There will be no language bylaw that's going to be invoked," he said. To achieve cultural harmony, the city expects to modernize its bylaws by de-cluttering signage on windows and educating merchants on the importance of including English on their signs.

"I believe it's just the start. It's not the finish," Brodie said, acknowledging that achieving cultural harmony on this issue will take hard work.

In his annual address on Feb 12, Brodie highlighted Richmond's progress in 2015, as well as the city's progress on the council's 2015-2018 Term Goals.

Over the years, Brodie's commitment to the city has earned him the title "Richmond's Trusted Leader." He has dedicated himself on issues such as community safety, quality of life, community improvements, the environment and the economy, to name a few.

His involvement with the Chinese community has been a priority since he was first elected, whether it is bringing mooncakes and lanterns to the Mid-Autumn Festivals or representing the interests of Chinese citizens.

He continues to reach out and show his support to Chinese residents. "My hope is that the year of the Monkey for all of you, your friends, your family, will be a time of great joy, happiness, great success, and good health," he said.