Maybe Hall can grab a pair, instead of crying like a victim?

From this news article, it sounds like the organizers have not invited all the groups that need to be there. That needs to be fixed. Otherwise, any report from there will, in my opinion, lack credibility.

So, there is a major symposium to discuss a major transportation problem along a major highway but the Minister of transportation will not be attending. Is the government serious about this issue or are they just going through the motions to make it look as if they are doing something, while they sit on their hands once again?

I agree with PG101. Why isn’t Hall being more proactive and calling the organizers to offer to send a representative from PG rather than sniveling to the media? That’s a poor example he’s setting for city staff and councillors.

He should call for an invite, and if turned down find out why and publicize it.

Are there no missing men?

Also these special interest groups where complaining about having to pay their own way to the meeting.

The public doesn’t get special invites so why should a city? The public is informed by the media or officials of government and if the Mayor saw the info in news stories he was informed about the symposium by reading it. Just show up and say who you are!

Or maybe if they don’t have all the players involved with the situation they can just keep on having meeting after meeting with nothing being done? You would think if the organizers are looking for real success they would have definitely invited reps from PG.. Setting themselves up for failure.

pookerjams, it is a closed meeting and even the media will not be allowed in. Would be pretty simple to get in for the city, just ask if you really care.

The announcement reads: “The First Nations Health Authority and B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure are partnering to host a transportation symposium that will hear from First Nations communities and municipalities along the Prince Rupert to Prince George Highway 16 corridor.”

The first mentioned in the announcement is “The First Nations Health Authority” … it then goes on “…symposium that will hear from First Nations communities …”

The symposium is in Smithers. The main concern, as I perceive it from reading about the transportation situation is along the corridor, not at the end nodes of the corridor, Prince George and Prince Rupert and even Kitimat. That is why the symposium is in Smithers since it is located in the geographic center of the area which has the issue.

I mean, if we took the apparent approach of Lynn Hall, since it is a First Nations issue and since the Department of Indigenous and Northern Affairs is responsible for First Nations, perhaps the Prime Minister of Canada should be attending. At least he has some direct influence over working with the Province to change the provincial minister’s mind about not providing funds for a shuttle bus network along the corridor. I believe that decision is what got us to this symposium.

This is a corridor wide, RURAL, transportation problem. The City has no jurisdiction. It is a provincial as well as federal jurisdiction. The small communities along the corridor are brought into it because of their location and because some of their shuttle services – private or public – may be a start of a network that can be coordinated.

Again, this is one of those issues which other rural communities may have already solved or improved on. Whatcom county in Washington State, for instance, has a county wide integrated public transportation system operated by the DOT. It is heavily subsidized. A ride costs $1. The buses will go several blocks off their route to pick up and drop off handicapped people at their door if they phone 2 hours ahead.

As far as the Minister not going, I am sure that there are ample people there from Transportation who can deal with the technical matters which appear to be the main points for discussion.

I guess Mr Hall is not God afterall?

Anyone can go, Mr Hall should drive up there. Maybe take Brian along.

“Anyone can go,”……the Canadian Press story says up to 100 people are expected. I don’t know how many people the largest room in Smithers can hold, but I doubt that it’s large enough for a come one come all event.

And it further says “Discussions will also take into account previous community engagement and reports including the 2006 Highway 16 Transportation Symposium Report and the 2012 Missing Women Commission of Inquiry recommendations” of Commissioner Wally Oppal.

The commission called for the government to take urgent action “to develop and implement an enhanced public transit system to provide a safer travel option connecting the Northern communities, particularly along Highway 16.
————-
Almost 10 years after one of the first calls for action and 3 years after well respected Commissioner Wally Oppal called for the Government to take urgent action, the Government will do yet another ‘Road Show” to appease the people on the highway 16 corridor.

But yet Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation Minister John Rustad and Transportation Minister Todd Stone won’t be attending.

I suggest that Mayor Hall not waste his or his staff’s time attending yet another Government’s “Smoke and Mirror Show”

The commission called for the government to take urgent action “to develop and implement an enhanced public transit system to provide a safer travel option connecting the Northern communities, particularly along Highway 16.”

Like I said before -Talk is cheap and this Government likes to talk and not do anything. I think all Mayors should have had an invite.

i find it hilarious in this day of technology, they don’t stream the symposium and allow as many as possible to join in..

This all Talk, it will never be ,unless you are willing to spend Millions of Taxpayers Money. Do you have a Bus going down Blackwater or Haldi Road or to Beaverly and many more. Public Government run Busses along our Highways, if so every Side Road want them to and why not are we not all Equal ?

It looks like a bunch of Indians wanting to squeeze more money for us tax payers. There is a transportation link called greyhound and via rail. Give them a subsidized ticket on one of those links.

dpj…..= trash…..

Well said tliotg . Made my skin crawl reading it . Maybe this is why pg wasn’t invited . I still think the first thing should be better cell phone coverage . Very few people now don’t have cell phones . A ride share program would be easy to set up . No need to reinvent the wheel . This way if people keep disappearing at least there would be a digital trail to follow . Via is a joke for all but tourists . The grey hound is sparse at best and seem to not want to even be here .