"interesting stories to tell" - of course - they were in China! If I went on a trip to China I would have interesting stories to tell also.

No contracts signed - what does that mean? Nothing accomplished?

Many words used to describe the trip - opportunity - how so? Optimism - how so? With regards to what? Follow up - I smell another trip to China.

As far as I can tell from reading this article they came back with positive vocabulary but nothing concrete to back it up.

Of course, they aren't going to come back and tell us it was a useless venture - they have to try to talk around it, buff it up and attempt to baffle us with their BS.

Please, forgive my bitterness - I hope the mayor and his friends and family enjoyed their trip - and if Prince George did benefit in a tangible way as a result of this trip, please spell it out for me because I just don't see it.

Good write Mom
No one else need respond.

you dont really expect them to go over there and get contracts etc signed on the spot? do you have any concept of business? i agree with you in the fact that the trip could easily be a bust and waste of money...but you have to give it some time! things dont happen overnight.

i love how opinion 250 staff put an extra negative spin on things.

'Just Wait'

I thought we were already waiting for something meaningful to come out of the Torino Toodle.

Yes, Just wait for nothing.

Its not just the opinion250 staff that are sick of these go nowhere trips to China. We all want to see some results for our tax dollars. This isnt the first trip to China, we need to see some results quickly or we need to scrap these junkets all together.

Has the mayors office ever offered a mission statement for these trips, or at least some kind of goals that we can measure the success or lack thereoff for these trips? If these are fishing expeditions then let the private sector make them as at least they will have a clearly defined goal in mind. Spending money to make money is a part of life, spending money so politicians can goto China is part of life too, in PG anyway.

Sounds good....
At least they are doing something to get cash flowing in BC.

With any luck, maybe a Chinese contractor will invest in flattening downtown.

I still want to know who paid for Kinsley's son to go with them!

Did they bring back any egg rolls?

The China trade has already encouraged major development in Prince Rupert. PG should be the hub for traffic to and fro there. If the Chinese were to encourage use of BC pre-fab roof frames, that would present a huge manufacturing market. And, frankly, Chinese construction practices have taken a beating in their local press, after the earthquake.

I hope the politicians talked to the right people.

Do the people in china not have internet?

Posted by: BCRacer on June 24 2008 6:38 PM
I still want to know who paid for Kinsley's son to go with them!

That information should be accessible to the public, go ask at city hall and report back.

I beleive his son either works for RH Jones here in town or is an owner of said business.

I don't believe he is the owner, and I would like to know that if we paid for his trip, what was the purpose of a RH Jones rep to be there? Out of all of the businesses in PG, why did this one in particular make the cut? 10 businesses in Prince George and one of them just "happens" to be his son... Coincidence? Call me skeptical - I'm the first to admit it.

I disagree with those who think we should just take their word and sit and wait and have faith - we have had faith over many years while many trips have been taken - I would like to know whatever transpired from those trips in the past that has resulted in a definite benefit to Prince George, in order to justify the cost of the trips in the first place? So much money is spent on research and studies - why doesn't the city hire a committee to research this and give numbers back to the taxpayers so that we can actually SEE in black and white what the outcome is.

Colin Kinsley is quoted as saying: "I have been on many missions and always come back excited but never more so than from this trip”. He doesn't say WHY! Give us something man, what has you so excited? What do you know that you are keeping such a secret? Share it with us. Once I see something I will loose this chip on my shoulder, but until then, I call Bu$%&sh#t

Many business deals are built on relationships. That doesn't happen overnight. Part of the reason for being visible in China is to position ourselves in their marketplace for the time when they need what we have to offer. When that time comes, they already know who we are and what we have to offer them. That is my understanding of why it's important to go to China. Chester

The biggest minority in PG is from India and these citizens can create contacts with India. Perhaps India should also be put on the mayor's radar.

Both CNC and UNBC have international students, but CNC as one of the oldest colleges in BC has the potential to become a major player in Vancouver student market. For example CNC can open a branch in North Vancouver and strengthen itself by attracting more students and shift part of its operations to Vancouver region. Instead of laying off staff and closing programs, CNC can shift those staff and programs to Vancouver. CNC needs to revise its business model.

I don't know how difficult is for CNC to open a branch in Edmonton. But it will definitly cost much less to visit Vancouver/Edomonton than China or India.

Let's see CNC what will do with this proposal.

What is a minority? I don't get it. Can an Italian be a minority in PG, or is it only for the dark skin people? Can't they just be people of Indian heritage without being a minority? What if individuals themselves refuse to be insulted by the label of minority based on skin color?

Opinion250 on June 23rd: "“We are working hard to have a carrier land the first day we open” says Blake. “We have a team in China now, working with carriers there, that is the goal though to have a carrier land the day we open.” That team has held meetings with eight different Chinese carriers."

Opinion250 on June 24th: "Mayor Colin Kinsley said there have been no contracts signed, however there will be two delegations coming to Prince George later this summer to look at the planned logistics park at the Prince George Airport."

The airport already has a complete handle on this. No need for the Mayor to travel all the way to China to push what is basically being already promoted efficiently by knowledgeable administrators of the airport.

Like Singlemom asked: What else was accomplished by the Mayor?

I think that if anyone of you on this site was the mayor of PG, you had better be doing more to promote PG than sending China a paper flyer in the mail.

If you want to be mayor we expect you to get out there and tell people about PG. And I don't mean driving down to Kamloops with the kids for a soccer game and chatting with the other coaches about the fields in PG being too wet and cold to play on this year.

If you want a mayor to hang around PG and listen to himself talk, vote for Big Dan.

You said it YamaDooPolCat!

I think Colin and H.Backlin have done alot for international investment.!

Oh yes - they have done so much - the proof is in the pudding - take a look around at how Prince George is prospering. Puleeeaaze.

I won't be holding my breath waiting for China to suddenly realize we have something they want. When was the very first trip? Have they wanted anything from us yet?

"I beleive his son either works for RH Jones here in town or is an owner of said business."

You got it lostfiath.

An easy assumption for people to make, however.

What would be interesting for me to see is an interview or two with a few business people like that to see what the story looks like from their point of view based purely on business prospects and what their follow up will be, if any.

What did this trip teach them?

"Be prepared to be patient, but deal with urgency."

I think Confucius said that.

;-)

"Many business deals are built on relationships. That doesn't happen overnight."

Those who are familiar with the trade show business know that the companies that take full advantage of a trade show do most of their work before the trade show.

Those who are new at it, put up a booth and hope that something will happen.

The expereincerd ones will get a list of who are the competitors that will be there with booths and a list of attendees from previous years.

They will then do their research. For the companies they do not know about but appear to have market potential, they will find out as much as they can about them so that they can prepare a presentation specific to their operation. They will then call and try to set up an appointment at the show.

How they present themselves at the show, the amount they know about their prospective client, the refernces they can provide, the offers they can present, etc. etc. will make or break a first deal or a next serious get together with some more of the right people in each firm.

As they say in the business, if you have not "closed" the deal at the end of the meeting, even if it is only a firm committment to meet again at a specific time, place and with specific people and a specific purpose, then you have, in the majority of cases, lost the connection and deal.

YamaDooPolCat, "...the airport people have a team in China now, working with carriers there...That team has held meetings with eight different Chinese carriers."

I am not saying that the Mayor should stay home, but I still would like to now what else was accomplished by him besides reporting "...however there will be two delegations coming to Prince George later this summer to look at the planned logistics park at the Prince George Airport."

Is this all he has to say? Those Chinese *delegations,* are they government people or business people and are they are the same people that the airport has mentioned?