I like Greg Moore, the mayor of Port Coquitlam. I think he’s one of the good guys—in public service for the right reasons. We don’t always agree (especially on Metro Vancouver and TransLink issues), but he is a national leader in political transparency.

His latest effort is one we would like every politician across Canada to emulate (Credit where credit is due: Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi did it first). Mayor Moore has posted his calendar online—showing anyone and everyone who he is meeting with and what topics were discussed.

As Mayor Moore told the Coquitlam Now:

“I think a lot of people understand that the mayor’s office is very busy and wouldn’t mind finding out what the mayor is up to and who he is meeting with,” said Moore. “I thought to myself, ‘let’s put it online.’”

“Something I’m continually trying to work on is engaging [taxpayers] in the conversation about what’s happening with their local government. A blog may be a good way to do it,” he said.

Last month, Moore met with the Business Council of British Columbia, Simpson Society, TransLink, the National Historic Railway Society and Minister James Moore, among others.

Despite his busy mayoral schedule and serving as the newly-appointed chair of Metro Vancouver, he said the blog will remain one of his top monthly priorities.

“I think it’s a fundamental thing that I need to do as mayor to try and engage in conversation. I try and prioritize it to make sure that it is part of what I do on a weekly basis.”

Moore is the first mayor in the Lower Mainland to publish his monthly calendar and hopes to encourage other mayors and city councillors to do the same.

“You try to lead by example when you can, hopefully this is one areas where it will,” he said.

We’d like to see more Moore-type mayors.