Jim Pattison quotes:

During school, I'd advertise cars in the University of British Columbia newspaper.

My grade 3 teacher put on a kids' Christmas concert, and I played the kazoo, so my mother bought me a trumpet. I took lessons for eight years, was in the Kitsilano Boys Band, and I played in the Vancouver Junior Symphony for two years.

Today, public companies don't like the idea of conglomerates. People want to buy something in which they know where they are putting their money - into the food business or the oil and gas business. They don't want to put their money into a hodge-podge as a general rule.

My dad made a huge impact on me in terms of right and wrong.

In my job, I have many operations, so I tend to use time in my car to think. I get in the car after work and drive all night -11 hours, Vancouver to Banff.

No matter what business you are in, there is change, and it's happening pretty quickly.

I probably fly twice a week, within Canada and the States.

What I like most about an aquarium is that all ages, from toddlers to pre-schoolers to retired grandparents, can really enjoy the wonders of the sea.

People in the high-tech sector are living with change every hour. They can get up in the morning and find themselves behind already.

I've always believed that competition is good for consumers and good for businesses.

When I came out of high school, my objective in life was to get a job selling used cars, but after trying for two weeks, nobody would hire me.

Radio had been very good to me as a car dealer. It's flexible, and it's fast - you can get on the air in an hour and change your message - and compared to other types of media, it's very good value.

I track some long hours.

It's quite normal to hear of a change and see it as a problem, but it's probably an opportunity, depending on how quickly you can adjust.

I come to work, and I have a good time. I have no reason to change anything that I do.

I've got a lot of respect for tuba players, just carrying that thing around.