ANd what does that Rob guy do??? Gets everyone coffee??

I think a few people have to admit, this trip is not a waste of time or money. Important information is being exchanged about important and relevant issues for this city, particularly as it applies to infrastructure funding, and our closed veterans affairs office.

Those who see the negative in everything, should at least be thankful our city delegation is not on a trip to China.

The Federal Budget comes out on March 29th.

Then the questions of what programs and how many dollars allocated,

will be answered.

After that, the local governments can start making applications.

For funding under the different programs once the intake process for

applications has been announced.

I would agree that this is not a wasted trip. Prince George and the surrounding area need to be front and centre for the next few years to ensure that we get our fair share of infrastructure funding.

We need to ensure that we get as much money as possible for roads, bridges, water sewer, swimming pools, fire halls, and other structures that are getting long in the tooth.

At the end of the day how much money we receive and where it will be spent, will require input from the citizens at large in addition to City Staff, and Politicians. We need to keep in mind that all this money is in effect tax dollars, and therefore all tax payers should be benefiting not just vested interest groups.

no matter how bad the meetings are really going we are going to be told they are going well if for no other reason than to justify the expense of a trip that could have had the same things accomplished using teleconferencing at a small percentage of the cost..

Your right to some extent bcracer, however Hall will be more interested in actually making some progress, as opposed to just going through the motions as some of our Mayors have done in the past. I think he does his homework and has the best interests of the City in mind over the long haul.

There is no doubt that there will be significant Federal Infrastructure available in the next few years, and we need to ensure that we get our share. Being in Ottawa works in our favour.

On strategic occassions, having our Mayor’s voice and presence in Ottawa is more important now than ever. Remember, our Federally elected representatives are now backbenchers in opposition, and are not a part of the ruling government. Whether anyone cares to admit it or not, this makes them less effective. So how important is it to have our Mayor’s presence and voice in Ottawa now?

Just why is Rob along on the trip when basically he is a propagandist. Is this trip really about the PAC and he is along to write diversions around that fact? Just wondering.

Someone should really introduce this thing called ‘Skype’ and ‘The Internet’ to city council. You don’t have to travel the world on the dime of the taxpayer to achieve nothing.

This Veterans Affairs office in PG is a big joke. When theres was an office you could never find it. You had to call a 1-800 number and you would be directed to Winnepeg that would refere you to Penticton or Vancouver to establish a claim.

At most the office would consist of office space and a couple of employees.
Cheers

Don’t forget that the Mayor was also on hand in Ottawa to receive those prestigious awards they were handing out for the Winter Games.

Rob Van Andrichem, is probably travelling with the group because he is now responsible for economic development, plus he needs to get his feet wet.

The veterans affair office had few active clients. Service could be handled by phone, those in town trained to help and when a veterans affair representative traveled to PG. Also every Thursday morning there are two representatives from the local conservative offices on site at the legion to assist.

I hope the infrastructure money is being spent on aging infrastructure first, bridges, water, sewer. Stuff that is going to have to be upgraded or replaced at some time.

Now is the time to do it when workers are available, and interest rates are low. It would cost us much more later on.

Things like a performing arts center would be far down on my list.

I have to rethink this. Galt’s right, we’ve got two opposition MPs and truth is, even when they were in government, our MPs didn’t seem to make much of a splash. Trudeau is a left wing sort of guy, and Hall is also a left wing sort of guy. Might not hurt for the Ottawa gang to have in their recent memory a guy much like their own boss is mayor of PG. Our current MP’s probably fuel the knuckle dragging red neck stereotype, whereas Hall and crew would contraindicate that.

I do not know what Mr Hall has in mind for Project’s but based on what I have seen recently i think most of the money (Fed. ) has already been allocated .
Marine Atlantic (ferries to Newfoundland ) has a request for proposal for 2 new Vessel’s.There is only a 3 week window for proponents to
respond , that Tell’s me they already have some one lined up.( to build the vessel’s )
BC Ferries applied because they want to replace their Mid Coast Vessel , they (as far as I know ) have not heard any thing back on their proposal.
Shovel Ready, maybe you might get something , Wish List line is over here…

Correction::: Rob Van Andrichem is the External Relations Director for the City. I thought that since he came around the time that IPG was leaving that he had something to do with economic development.

In any event as External Relations Director, I guess he could make a case for being in Ottawa.

I just hope they don’t bring up the problem we are having with bears eating the chickens in PG. But then you never know there might be some funding for that type of problem also.

At least he’s in Canada meeting with people that can make a difference. It’s not like all the trips Colin Kinsley wasted time and our money on so he could drink in China.

External Relations Director for the City, like I said, fancy words for a propagandist.