Skills Shortage...Red Herring!

Monday, January 23, 2006 03:47 AM

This week, there will be a special Skills Report released, based on the idea Prince George doesn't have enough skilled workers, in fact, the release makes reference to the loss of the Doepker trailer plant as proof of the depth of the problem.

What in the world do we need to do to get it through the heads of Initiatives Prince George and the City of Prince Geegre that we didn’t, I repeat, didn’t lose Doepker manufacturing because of a lack of skilled labor? Doepker had purchased the necessary land in Salmon Arm months before we were told they weren't going to set up shop here. Does Salmon Arm have more skilled trades people? Hardly!

For you, Gerry Offet and the brass at City hall, read the announcement from Doepker and then quit spinning us some sort of fairy tale that says we missed the company because of a skilled labor shortage and we are about to fix that by holding some sort of forum in this city.

It’s about the same as peddling the story that we are still trying to get some movie makers to set up shop in this city. When Sara Shack left the city, the movie business went with her. Of course we keep pounding the drum, after all, the livelihood of a chosen few rests on the hype being passed around. Reality says we have been a dismal failure.

Instead of trying to lure those tourists from Alberta to make Prince George their snow machine winter haven, or make this their summer fishing destination, Initiatives Prince George is off in some far off land trying to talk someone into coming here to practice for the Olympics .

A two week gig and we have tapped into the taxpayers pocket for in excess of $60,000 dollars.

To be sure, the Mayor may be able to spring from his own pocket the necessary one thousand US dollars needed for a ticket to the gold hockey game . When he earns in excess of 120 K in expenses and salary compliments of the taxpayers (a portion I might add, tax free) he can afford it. He has after all, as he says, a very good job.

Its the taxpayers who are are digging down into our pockets to provide the air fare, the accommodations and the price of the party.

Somehow I had never thought that was the responsibility of the average taxpayer who struggles to make that annual tax payment along with the various city charges.

If Initiatives Prince George were to suggest it was heading to Alberta, Washington, or Montana to stir up some tourist business it would make sense. Heading off to the Olympics smacks of a party all the way.

I'm Meisner, and that is one man's opinion.
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Posted on Monday, January 23, 2006 03:47 AM in Views by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: giterdun on January 23 2006 8:06 AM

RIGHT ON BEN; GERRY AND STAFF SHOULD BE PROMOTING PRINCE GEORGE IN THE VANCOUVER AREA.HERE'S WHY:

LOWEST HOUSING COSTS OF ANY CITY IN B.C.

GREAT EDUCATION CHOICES IE. UNBC CNC.

GREAT RECREATION WINTER AND SUMMER.

GOOD SHOPPING.

GOOD SPORTS PROGRAMS,FOOTBALL,BASEBALL HOCKEY AND LOTS MORE.

GOOD ACCESS TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD .IE.ROAD,RAIL OR AIR.

ABOVE ALL WE HAVE THE GREATEST PEOPLE LIVING RIGHT HERE.

SEEMS TO ME THIS WOULD BE VERY DESIRABLE TO SOMEONE WHO DOES NOT HAVE MUCH OPPORTUNITY
TO OWN THEIR OWN HOUSE AND BE WITHIN 20 MINS. OF THEIR WORKPLACE.

MAYBEE GERRY DOSEN'T PROMOTE THIS BECAUSE HE DOESN'T WANT TO BE HERE.

Posted by: giterdun on January 23 2006 8:06 AM

Posted by: diplomat on January 23 2006 8:52 AM

Ben, I think that you could have done this city and all its citizens a great service by entering into the last municipal election as a candidate for mayor!

You decided not to, but by gosh, it would have given us an opportunity to cast our vote for a person who was REALLY qualified for the job!

How about next time, please!

Posted by: giterdun on January 23 2006 9:04 AM

RIGHT ON DIP, BEN WOULD HAVE BEEN GREAT.MAYBEE NEXT TIME EH' BEN.

Posted by: Palopu on January 23 2006 6:14 PM

There is no doubt this is not anything mor than a fun vacation. Two years from now its off to Greenland for the Mayor. It seems where ever he goes he has to take along a couple of his buddies who of course are also on the City Payroll.

We need a clock which shows the actual City debt as it now stands and how it will continue to rise in the future. This clock should also indicate when this debt will be paid down, and how much it costs to service it every year.

We also need some accountability into what we actually get out of these projects, other than fancy phrases and press releases. If we are getting some benefit, then lets see the **Beef**. Rubber Stamping Councillors have a lot to do with the Mayors and IPG travel, and hopefully at some point they will rein them in. On the other hand I doubt they have the intestinal fortitude to do so.

Posted by: diplomat on January 24 2006 7:19 AM

>"We need a clock which shows the actual City debt as it now stands and how it will continue to rise in the future. This clock should also indicate when this debt will be paid down, and how much it costs to service it every year."<

Great idea, but apparently politically "incorrect."

To service the debt of the province of B.C. requires a daily amount of approximately seven (7) million dollars.

Multiply by 365 and we are looking at serious money. Since the corporations reputedly never pay their "fair" share of the taxes ( a very popular catch phrase) it is us ordinary working stiffs who contribute the most to this corporate (lending institutions) welfare fund.

The Federal Debt....same thing, except it is about 100 million daily.

Depressing, isn't it?