Two Prince George city councillors are wrapping up their business trip on Parliament Hill.
The Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) – a body representing 90% of the nation’s municipalities – makes an annual trip to Ottawa to meet with MPs and senators to address issues like affordable housing, public transit, and clean water. Councillor Garth Frizzell is the FCM’s Vice-Chair International and has been on the Board of Governors for eight years. As President of the Union of British Columbia Municipalities, Councillor Murry Krause is also in Ottawa for the trip, despite not being a member of the FCM.
The two brought forward local priorities to Members of Parliament and highlighted national infrastructure upgrades to MPs like Todd Doherty, NDP leader Tom Mulcair, official opposition leader Rona Ambrose, and Finance Minister Bill Morneau. The whole FCM has met with over 160 MPs and senators.
The federal government will soon head into budget, talks and Frizzell hopes to establish reliable, allocated funding for infrastructure that’s similar to the gas tax.
“The Federation of Canadian Municipalities advocated for a gas tax. It was enacted, it was made into a budget item by the previous government and now Prince George, for instance, gets $3 million a year to spend as we need from that gas tax.”
He also says the two have shared the concerns they heard during Prince George’s Talktober sessions with the federal government.
“Bring that to our council and then bring it beyond, bring it up to Ottawa, tell (MP) Todd (Doherty) about it. It’s a great vehicle for getting the will of the people done.”
MP Doherty took the opportunity to applaud councillors for “walking the walk” by bringing these Talktober concerns forward, one of which was strengthening communication between the city, Victoria, and Ottawa.
Also speaking as UBCM’s Chair of First Nations Relations Committee, Krause called it “rewarding and appreciated” to see so many people agree that Canada national housing, and anti-poverty strategies.