I object to my city tax dollars being used for this purpose. This is a provincial jurisdiction that they should be dealing with. Minister Bond and Bell get off your Lotus Land express and deal with this please. Either that or pass along the dollars to the city to deal with it !

agreed: I also object to the people that are going. Colin is not going to be on city council so unless he is paying his own way and why a rep from the real estate board. The tax payers arte being asked to trim the fat so city council shoukld set the example.

should

With todays computer and communication technologies there is no longer a need to personally visit other cities to investigate what they are doing to make things better for themselves. It can all be done in meetings online.

Simply a taxpayer funded trip is all this is. No need for it.

How about sending some homeless guys there so they can learn sumthin'? They might like it better there than here and stay there!

Too bad the PG to Seattle plane wasnt still flying - could have saved some bucks!!

Another junket on the public dollar? This city council has taken part in far too many of them. The ones to China are right over the top. Throw them all out on Election Day. Let's look for some new people that will clean up this blatant tax payer funded corruption.
lostfaith is correct. We have the technology, they should use it.
Pay close attention to the civic election and vote. Throw the bums out!

Damned right faithful, what a sick joke these turkeys are playing on us! Especially Kinsley, why on earth send him?
After all, he is quitting his job. Word has it that most of us do not understand how stressful his job is. Answer; hizzoner is sending himself, after all, who is going to over rule his decision?
And why does the head of purchasing need to go to witness the Portland experience? All he has to do for a living is cut purchase orders for orders generated by the people who do the work (yes, that is somewhat of an oxymoron) Like lost says, there is no need for these lame ducks to travel to Portland, it is just another excuse for a road trip. Please, do not vote for KRause or Munoz, they are accepting this b.s. waste of our dollars, just like the China holiday. By the way, how many 'companions' or significant others are accompanying the civic dignataries on their little road trip? And are they paying their own way? or are we?
Has any ordinary Jane or Joe been invited to go along? Have they considered inviting any native indian leaders to go and see how Portland says they did it?
Enquiring minds need to know.
metalman.