Lyn Hall Heads to Ottawa to Meet with Federal Officials
Prince George, B.C. – Prince George Mayor Lyn Hall is headed east.
According to the city, he will be in Ottawa Monday and Tuesday “pursuing priorities for the City of Prince George.”
It will include meetings with many of his federal counterparts including Minister of Veterans’ Affairs Kent Hehr.
There’s no official word on the reason for that meeting though the closure of the Veterans Affairs office in Prince George has been a contentious issue and the Liberals promised to reopen it during last fall’s election campaign.
Hall also has meetings set up with representatives from the Ministry of Infrastructure and Communities; the Ministry of Innovation, Science, and Economic Development; the Federation of Canadian Municipalities; and the Forest Products Association of Canada.
He will also be representing Prince George at the Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance awards (CSTA) banquet as the 2015 Canada Winter Games is up for two national awards (event of the year and sustainable event of the year. Games Host Society Chair Anthony Everett is also a finalist for Volunteer of the Year).
“Over the last while, a number of conversations at Council have identified the importance of other levels of government to advancing priorities for Prince George. These include transportation infrastructure, RCMP service, and the performing arts centre,” says Hall.
“Being invited to attend the CSTA awards in Ottawa provided a perfect opportunity to arrange meetings with government officials and other organizations that are important for advancing the city’s interests.”
City manager Kathleen Soltis and director of external relations Rob van Adrichem will be joining Mayor Hall on the trip.
Comments
While the closure of the Veteran’s Affairs Office here in PG is an issue, I would hope Mr. Hall uses this meeting as an opportunity to raise concerns about the chronic lack of infrastructure funding Prince George and other cities / municipalities have been receiving. Increasing infrastructure spending was a Liberal election promise as well.
“Like municipalities throughout Canada, we know that Prince George has underfunded infrastructure for decades.” said Frizzell, “Even now we can only budget a fraction of the costs each year that we require to keep our roads, water and sewer maintained.”
www. 250news.com/2012/09/11/infrastructure-report-card-due-today/
WHY is that Rob guy going??? They been hiding him in the back room since he got in at City Hall… Maybe he’s going so he can do up the Mayor’s tie
In the meantime back in Prince George, no word on the millions it cost for the winter games. Its kept hush hush while we celebrate how great it was. Be strong taxpayers.
So since this rob guy has started his $140,000 a year job has anyone heard anything from him about anything? And now he is on a trip that seems as useless as his job… Wow.. Hope our taxes keep going up to,pay for city halls stupidity.
First Ottawa, next China?
Couldn’t they just phone these people? It’s not as thought they’re off to meet T2 or any of his cabinet ministers, they’re just meeting a bunch of civil servants. I can guarantee you that none of the people they’re meeting have any authority to do anything other then “pass the message along”.
Another photo to add to his collection..why worry about the cost? it is not their dollars but taxpayers.. Rob is needed to write a 2 sentence detailed description of the trip. Why is the city manager going? Another airmail adventure for the three!
oops …should read airmile ….
Must need their shoes shined. What else would he be good for? Half these politcos on the Federal level don’t even care about the views of Provincial government reps. Why would they give a rat’s ass for the views of a mayor from a no account city full of Conservatives.
maybe his plane won’t be able to fly back and Ontario can keep him!
I sure don’t think we will miss him except for the photo op competition he has been having with Ms Bond…actually I think he has her beat so far this year.
So, and this is where I get a little confused, in a parliamentary democracy like ours, each riding get’s to elect a member of parliament to represent the interests of his constituency to the government. My understanding is Prince George has two M.P.’s who I think cost about $250,000 a year each all in with travel, etc.
So how come they aren’t meeting with Ministers of the government and related bureaucrats? Why does the mayor have to spend taxpayer’s money to do a job they’ve already been paid to do. I mean, with cracked pavement, leaking waterlines, Connaught Youth Centre needing money, sidewalks in disrepair, need I go on – I sure hope the mayor isn’t just looking for a reason to take a late winter holiday.
Couldn’t he just meet with the MP’s that are here, and get them to do the job? If the only reason is the CSTA awards, really Mr. Mayor, you’d rather spend $5,000.00 or so tax money to be at an award banquet to maybe go up and get a trophy, rather than give a grant to a youth center that benefits all of us. Sadly the Mayor suffers from the same ailment of all those who eat at the public trough, they just can’t seem to grasp that it’s someone elses money they’re chowing down on, and it should be spent wisely.
Skype?
Google Hangouts?
A myriad of options that are much cheaper than air fare and hotels never less than 4 star.
Oh wait, all of our elected representatives are not qualified because they won a popularity contest, and are Luddites without any actual skills other than producing tainted wind noises.
Agree that it is a gross waste of P.G. taxpayers’ money to go to Ottawa in order to accept an award. To add insult to injury, the Mayor had to bring an entourage—–WHY?
Somehow elected officials seem to think that these ‘junkets’ are beneficial to those they represent.
metalman.
Maybe we are being twinned with Ottawa.
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