Prince Rupert set to host BC's Chamber of Commerce members

The last minute details have been taken care of and with the dawn of Thursday morning, Prince Rupert's time to shine on the provincial stage will be here.

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The 57th annual Chamber of Commerce General Meeting and Conference gets underway on Thursday, three days of meetings, networking, social events and instructional sessions, providing the provinces Chamber of Commerce members the chance to review the events of the last year and look ahead to the next.

Prince Rupert's three year wait to host the event is here, the first time in over ten years that the Chamber has held their convention in a northern community.

An ambitious program has been designed for the gathering, including an impressive list of guest speakers ranging from political commentators Keith Baldrey and Vaughn Palmer, to television newscaster Gloria Macarenko and Canadian Chamber of Commerce President and former federal politician Perrin Beatty.

Events are scheduled for three locations around town, the Highliner Plaza Hotel, Chances Convention Centre and the Crest Hotel.

The opening events get underway on Thursday, Friday night offers up a sample of what Prince Rupert has to offer as the delegates will head off to the North Pacific Cannery Museum for the evening, perhaps taking a boat ride to their destination, as well as be treated to a fish dinner and some night time entertainment.

The conclusion to the conference comes on Saturday evening and the delegates will begin the journey back to their hometowns on Sunday.

Locals that aren't Chamber members will have to content themselves with just fleeting glimpses of the province's Business leaders, the convention is a members only event and the guest list has long since been put to rest.

The conference should inject a fair amount of revenue into local bank accounts over the next few days, from accommodation to meals, sightseeing and shopping, the delegates should help provide a boost for local business.

As good an example as to what a Chamber of Commerce can do for a local economy as you're going to find we suspect.

Some big names in British Columbia journalism set to visit Prince Rupert.

We’re going to see more than a few familiar faces on the North coast in May, a few of which will have the locals taking double takes as they look around town.

Three of British Columbia’s most well known journalists will be in Prince Rupert in May, as part of the celebrations surrounding the three-day annual general meeting of the BC Chamber of Commerce, the 57th edition of the annual gathering is set to take place in the city from May 21 to 23.

Former Rupertite and current CBC News anchor Gloria Macarenko will return home as part of an impressive list of guest speakers for the three day event.

Joining her in the city will be Vancouver Sun columnist Vaughn Palmer, he writes one of the most widely read political columns in the province for the Sun and is a frequent contributor to the Bill Good Show on CKNW. His knowledge of BC politics is vast and his opinions are among the most respected on the political scene in Victoria.

Politics will no doubt be a common theme for the meetings, with Keith Baldrey rounding out the journalistic component of the guest speakers roster, Baldrey is the Legislative Bureau Chief for Global BC, and also contributes to the Bill Good Show; he has been watching the machinations, scandals and governmental happenings in Victoria since 1986.

We imagine that the local media types will be clamouring for some of their time, eager to pick up a few tips on their trade and learn more of that mysterious land of Victoria.

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But the appearance of the three high profile journalists in Prince Rupert has also caught the attention of Charlie Smith a writer with the Georgia Strait, who has had past run ins with two of the three, he outlines his thoughts on their appearance at a pro business function in a current on line story posted on the Straights website.

As for the big show in Rupert, also set to speak at the three day session will be the Honourable Perrin Beatty, the President & CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Maryscott "Scotty" Greenwood, the Managing Director of the Washington DC based, McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP and Calvin Helin the CEO of the Native Investment & Trade Association.

Events at the Prince Rupert gathering are to be spread out over three venues in town, the Crest Hotel, the Highliner Plaza Hotel and Chances convention centre.

The three day event being an Annual General Meeting, the various sessions will be limited to members of the Chamber of Commerce only, so one would imagine that the local population will have to make do with just a few celebrity sightings around town.

Make sure to have the digital camera charged up and ready to go, you never know who you may run into downtown over those three days.