It’s been a week since his return from the political group hug known as UBCM, where local politicians from across BC rub shoulders and bend ears with provincial politicians. And in Monday’s Daily News, Mayor Herb Pond offered up a review of a couple of the discussion topics that Prince Rupert’s delegation presented in Penticton.
The Mayor outlined their concerns regarding the Sacred headwaters debate and the increasingly topical issue of poverty and homelessness, the paper highlighted his talking points as their front page, headline story in Monday’s paper.
Both of which are important topics, but one wonders if some of the other issues of interest to the locals were picked up on as well, the financial strains on the city with an economy still struggling, infrastructure requirements and other issues of social concern such as comparing notes on vandalism, youth issues and unemployment to name a few.
Surely the participants from across the province could have provided some feedback on how those issues and many others are handled in their communities. It would be interesting to learn what other issues that the Mayor and his delegation had worked on over the course of the five days in Penticton.
As it is the review, while rewarding in the nature of the topics, still leaves many wondering what other topics might have been on the agenda and what became of those discussions that have importance to the day to day business of the city.
What would have been helpful would have been a progress report of sorts, a list of those issues that they discussed in Penticton and how far along in the process they are or if they’ve stalled out, which ones there is hope for and which ones are but dreams in politician’s eyes.
‘PRETTY DARN CLEAR’ ABOUT SACRED HEADWATERS
Herb Pond discusses the important resolutions affecting the North Coast at the recent UBCM meetings.
By George T. Baker
The Daily News
Monday, October 6, 2008
Pages one and five
Mayor Herb Pond said on Friday that the city council is not opposed to Coalbed Methane but is not in support of it either.
The resolution that was passed at the Union of British Columbian Municipalities conference to urge provincial government to hold up Shell’s CBM project in the Skeena Sacred Headwaters was put forward by the City of Prince Rupert but Mayor Herb Pond cautioned over what they meant.
“To be really clear city council wasn’t taking a position one way or another on Coalbed Methane. Rather we are saying that it really needs to be the voice of the people that have to live with the outcomes that need to be heard,” said Pond.
The project headed by Shell in the area known as the Sacred Headwaters, or the Klappan as it is known, has received fierce opposition ever since the B. C. government gave Shell a license to extract CBM from the pristine area.
The headwaters are the home of three rivers, the Stikine, Nass and Skeena.
Pond said that he wanted the provincial government to wait until locals had made up their mind on either being comfortable with the project proceeding or if they would prefer it to shut down.
“What council said is that there has not been enough consultation and communication with all of the people impacted by this decision and so the resolution is pretty darn clear that it asks that nothing further happens until there has been more from the local people to make those decisions,” said Pond.
City council also brought forward its needs as far as housing for those mired in poverty or homelessness.
“We just had another opportunity to put that in front of the Ministry of Housing and the minister (Rich Coleman), and there is awareness and certainly we are not alone.
“This is an issue that is discussed amongst communities at UBCM and we hope that will help advance Prince Rupert’s cause,” said Pond.
While no funding promises were made at the conference, Pond was hopeful that he made it clear regarding the local housing situation with Coleman.
Locally, the Homelessness Action and Advisory Committees are waiting for BC Housing to announce a new call for proposals so that they may advocate for a new stand-alone shelter.
It was concluded in the March 2007 community homelessness report – headed by City of Prince Rupert Director of Recreation and Community Services Michael Curnes – that an emergency shelter was necessary to address the growing housing problem in the area.
The Mayor outlined their concerns regarding the Sacred headwaters debate and the increasingly topical issue of poverty and homelessness, the paper highlighted his talking points as their front page, headline story in Monday’s paper.
Both of which are important topics, but one wonders if some of the other issues of interest to the locals were picked up on as well, the financial strains on the city with an economy still struggling, infrastructure requirements and other issues of social concern such as comparing notes on vandalism, youth issues and unemployment to name a few.
Surely the participants from across the province could have provided some feedback on how those issues and many others are handled in their communities. It would be interesting to learn what other issues that the Mayor and his delegation had worked on over the course of the five days in Penticton.
As it is the review, while rewarding in the nature of the topics, still leaves many wondering what other topics might have been on the agenda and what became of those discussions that have importance to the day to day business of the city.
What would have been helpful would have been a progress report of sorts, a list of those issues that they discussed in Penticton and how far along in the process they are or if they’ve stalled out, which ones there is hope for and which ones are but dreams in politician’s eyes.
‘PRETTY DARN CLEAR’ ABOUT SACRED HEADWATERS
Herb Pond discusses the important resolutions affecting the North Coast at the recent UBCM meetings.
By George T. Baker
The Daily News
Monday, October 6, 2008
Pages one and five
Mayor Herb Pond said on Friday that the city council is not opposed to Coalbed Methane but is not in support of it either.
The resolution that was passed at the Union of British Columbian Municipalities conference to urge provincial government to hold up Shell’s CBM project in the Skeena Sacred Headwaters was put forward by the City of Prince Rupert but Mayor Herb Pond cautioned over what they meant.
“To be really clear city council wasn’t taking a position one way or another on Coalbed Methane. Rather we are saying that it really needs to be the voice of the people that have to live with the outcomes that need to be heard,” said Pond.
The project headed by Shell in the area known as the Sacred Headwaters, or the Klappan as it is known, has received fierce opposition ever since the B. C. government gave Shell a license to extract CBM from the pristine area.
The headwaters are the home of three rivers, the Stikine, Nass and Skeena.
Pond said that he wanted the provincial government to wait until locals had made up their mind on either being comfortable with the project proceeding or if they would prefer it to shut down.
“What council said is that there has not been enough consultation and communication with all of the people impacted by this decision and so the resolution is pretty darn clear that it asks that nothing further happens until there has been more from the local people to make those decisions,” said Pond.
City council also brought forward its needs as far as housing for those mired in poverty or homelessness.
“We just had another opportunity to put that in front of the Ministry of Housing and the minister (Rich Coleman), and there is awareness and certainly we are not alone.
“This is an issue that is discussed amongst communities at UBCM and we hope that will help advance Prince Rupert’s cause,” said Pond.
While no funding promises were made at the conference, Pond was hopeful that he made it clear regarding the local housing situation with Coleman.
Locally, the Homelessness Action and Advisory Committees are waiting for BC Housing to announce a new call for proposals so that they may advocate for a new stand-alone shelter.
It was concluded in the March 2007 community homelessness report – headed by City of Prince Rupert Director of Recreation and Community Services Michael Curnes – that an emergency shelter was necessary to address the growing housing problem in the area.
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