Editor's Note -- Coquitlam Mayor Richard Stewart writes on the value of attending the Union of BC Muncipalities or UBCM Convention. Read that here
Courtesy of the City of Williams Lake:
The City of Williams Lake delegation to the Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) Convention was pleased to see the Supreme Court of Canada’s Tsilhqot’in decision as a focus of a plenary session at the convention Tuesday.
A packed room of nearly 600 delegates heard opinions from Chief Roger William, Xeni Gwet’in First Nation and a Director on the Cariboo Regional District; Chief Percy Guichon from Alexis Creek First Nation; and Gregg Cockrill from Young Anderson on the recent decision.
Chief William discussed the lengthy legal process leading to the Supreme Court of Canada decision, noting that the Xeni Gwet’in First Nation appealed an earlier BC Court of Appeal decision that limited aboriginal title to “postage stamp” lands within existing village boundaries. By granting title over a large territory, “governments and industry should work with First Nations to seek their consent to development. The Supreme Court of Canada judgment points to a new path for reconciliation.”
“The decision is one of the most important in B.C. history, and will have impacts all municipalities, including Williams Lake, and on resource development in the Cariboo Chilcotin and the province as a whole,” says Mayor Kerry Cook. “We’re pleased that local government leaders from across the province were able to hear from Chief William and Chief Guichon on what this decision means to them, and the impacts it will have on all of us.”
Cook also commended Premier Christy Clark for her recent visit to the Nemaiah Valley and her commitment to improving the provincial relationship with the Tsilhqot’in people.
During a meeting of the BC Mayor’s Caucus Sept. 22, the province’s mayors have called for action related to crucial mental health and addiction issues facing communities across British Columbia.
“Mental health and addiction is an urgent issue facing every BC community regardless of size,” the caucus says. “We, the members of the BC Mayors’ Caucus call on the provincial government to:
Urgently establish long-term residential beds for state-of-the-art care of people with severe addictions and mental illnesses;
• Increase mental health and addiction services at the community level to ensure all citizens have access to care;
• Develop a provincial social policy framework to ensure tax dollar efficiency by better integrating health care, police, corrections, and social service supports for people with mental illness and addiction.”
Mayor Kerry Cook also attended a meeting with the Interior Health Authority on Monday. On Tuesday, the Williams Lake Council delegation, which also includes Councillors Sue Zacharias, Laurie Walters, and Geoff Bourdon, and Chief Administrative Officer Darrell Garceau, attended the Mid-Sized Communities Forum.
The City welcomes the announcement of a new provincial rural advisory council to provide input to government policy decisions to best support thriving rural communities, while keeping in mind government’s need to control spending and ensure an overall balanced budget for the Province. The council was a key commitment from a report on rural development produced by Cariboo Chilcotin MLA Donna Barnett.
In September 2013, the Rural B.C. Steering Committee, comprised of Board members of all three Beetle Action Coalitions (BACs), including Mayor Cook, met with the Premier and cabinet ministers to advance a rural B.C. agenda. The Premier responded by assigning Steve Thomson, Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations as Minister Responsible for Rural Development. Parliamentary Secretary for Rural Development Donna Barnett was asked to support Minister Thomson in this role. The ministers then produced the report recommending a rural advisory council.
The initial focus of the council will be to provide advice on:
• Avenues to support greater rural access to capital;
• Stronger business development support for rural entrepreneurs and businesses; and
• Moving forward on the Rural Dividend.
The Rural Advisory Council will have representation from throughout rural British Columbia with membership to be announced before the end of December. The initial intake of council members will consist of two- and three-year appointments.
Council also supports a special UBCM resolution calling on the provincial government to engage with municipalities to strengthen local government finance system:
• Whereas the UBCM membership unanimously endorsed the Strong Fiscal Futures report at the 2013 Convention;
• And whereas UBCM has sought to engage the Province on strengthening the local government finance system and improving taxpayer value through a spirit of collaboration and partnership;
• And whereas the Province, through the "Core Review" process, without consultation with UBCM, identified areas of provincial concern with the local government finance system:
• Therefore be it resolved that UBCM urge the Province to commit to meaningful engagement under the Strong Fiscal Futures framework in order to meet our respective mandates of strengthening the local government finance system.
On Thursday, Williams Lake delegates will meet with the Premier and a number of cabinet ministers to discuss a wide range of issues:
o Blue Ribbon Panel on Crime, Rural BC, Williams lake government offices
o Truth and Reconciliation with First Nations
o Sam Ketcham Pool upgrades, grant programs, and services at Woodland Drive
o Funding and support for the Williams Lake campus of Thompson Rivers University
o Mount Polley tailings dam breach and the local mining industry
o BC Transit Service Review
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