Born in Magherafelt, Northern Ireland in 1958, Mike came to Canada in 1983 at the age of 25.

He moved to Burnaby in 1988 and joined the Burnaby Fire Department that same year. Throughout his career, Mike held many positions, including lieutenant, captain, and acting assistant chief.

As head of the BC Professional Fire Fighters’ Burn Fund, Mike led a multi-million dollar fundraising effort to build the Burn Fund Centre, which provides accommodations for families and burn-unit outpatients.

In recognition of his substantial contributions to public life and charitable causes, he was awarded the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002, the Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012 and the Platinum Jubilee Medal in 2022.

Concerned about long-time Burnaby residents losing their homes due to demovictions, Mike ran for mayor in 2018 and won. He then implemented the strongest renter protections in North America and pushed for the construction of new rental housing. In 2022, he was re-elected as mayor by acclamation and continued his work creating a brighter future for all Burnaby residents.