Bienvenue a la Ville de Quebec, postcards from the FCM

Prince Rupert Mayor Herb Pond seems to have found the charms of Quebec City to be quite intoxicating, as he tended to business at the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, an organization that has been exchanging ideas and travel plans since 1901.

The Mayor led a delegation of Prince Rupert officials who have apparently been working the halls of municipal togetherness, exchanging ideas and serving on committees and such, all while finding time to enjoy the variety of cultural treats that one of Canada’s great cities has to offer.

The annual meeting also provides for a trade show of sorts where municipalities can wander the aisles and browse at many of the latest in gadgets that no self respecting city can do without (unless of course they don’t have any money, in which case it’s truly a wish list for Santa…)

The official program of the conference provides much in the way of detail as to what our local representatives could have availed themselves of, when they weren’t out exploring the narrow streets steeped in Canadian history.

Perhaps some slides and pictures will be shown at the next council meeting on Monday night, as our traveling political class share the details of their recent visit to Quebec and give us some background on what they’ve learned and how it will benefit us. Hopefully all who participated will provide us with a report on their stay and how we stack up with the rest of the nation when it comes to services, infrastructure and taxes…

One person who should have rather detailed report on things will be the Mayor, who serves as part of the British Columbia Regional Caucus on the national board of directors and also sits on the standing committee on Community Safety and Crime prevention, where perhaps he exchanged ideas on battling vandalism, crime trends and explaining the Prince Rupert way of keeping the peace, with less police officers.

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He also sits on the Standing Committee on Social Economic Development, making for a busy bit of work over the last few days we suspect as he explains the socio-economic challenges for our port city.

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Despite all of that, the Mayor took time out from the two day event to give Rupertites a small sample of what he’s seen and taken in during the more social aspects of the trip.

His travelogue, history essay and his challenge to grab our share of history was provided to the Northern View website and will appear in that publication later on Wednesday…

Lessons to learn as Quebec City celebrates 400 years
By Herb Pond - The Northern View - June 03, 2008

I`m writing this column while attending the annual meeting of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities in Quebec City, which happens to be celebrating its 400th anniversaire. Four hundred years. C’èst encroiyable! We`re beginning to get excited about Prince Rupert`s 100th, but compared to Quebec we are just a child. And like all children, we could perhaps learn a thing or two by listening to our older siblings.

Wandering the alleys of this amazing birthplace of Canada I`m struck by the grand vision of the founding settlers. These early pioneers were not just carving out an existence in a foreign outpost, but rather were founding a nation. They knew it, and the evidence is everywhere; impressive layout, superb architecture, heavy stone construction. This was designed from the beginning to be a place of significance, a grand statement to the world.

Today there is a real appreciation for that history and significant energy is put into preserving and restoring the past, but it hasn’t always been that way. During the sixties there was a real push to modernize, and some architectural eyesores sprung up amongst the otherwise stately old structures. Its almost as if a generation lost all sense of their uniqueness and wanted to look like everyone else. Thankfully, it was short-lived and there is clearly a deep pride amongst the residents of this truly unique city.

There is a vitality and sense of celebration that is palpable, particularly around the whole notion of being 400 years old. Art and architecture. Food and music. Sports and history. They all blend into an overwhelming symphony that declares that it is our very differences that give cause for celebration.

Finally, there is a confidence amongst the young people that is inspiring. Twenty five years ago I visited Quebec and language was a big deal. In that era of insecurity about national identity, anglophones who didn`t at least attempt to parlez francais were treated with disdain, and often even our best efforts were met with a sneer. Today, there is a confidence in the young people that has left that all behind. Here in this citadel of francophone culture, with 400 years under their belt, it is abundantly clear that nothing will conquer all that is best about the Quebecois. Armed with such confidence it is then easy, and maybe even empowering, for the youth of Quebec City to glide effortlessly from one official language to the other.

The parallels for Prince Rupert are stunning. We too were founded by nation builders; men and women who saw a great city and then set about making it so. We take it somewhat for granted today, but building a transcontinental railway where none had previously existed required the kind of grand leadership that is all but extinct today. And who, even today, would have the courage to construct the massive chateau hotel that Ratenbury has laid out for us. From the very beginning we were designed to be a place of significance and that is still ours to achieve should we so choose.

And while our City is not yet four hundred years old, our centennial will be truly worth marking and our history worth preserving. More significantly, our story is rooted in ten thousand years of culture and art that can compete with the best in the world. A story of warriors and artists; singers and dancers; leaders and innovators. We desperately need for our youth to understand their heritage and to step out with pride and confidence.

I certainly plan to be here for our 100th, and might even hope to celebrate our 150th. But I`m afraid that the marking of our 400th anniversary will have to be left to others. But I am keenly aware of the unique opportunity that is in our hands and the profound impact we can have on generations to come.

That`s what Quebec City teaches me. We have been handed so much and have great cause for celebration. More importantly, we have the chance to pass forward so much more. And who knows, perhaps 300 years from now a confident and thriving Prince Rupert will celebrate this generation for the choices we`ve made.