Union of British Columbia Municipalities – U.B.C.M. Conferance

I attended the Annual Union of British Columbia Municipalities Convention in Vancouver from September 25 – 29 2017. This is an annual opportunity for local elected officials to network with each other as well as our Provincial counterparts from across British Columbia. As well as the networking opportunities there are many Study Tours and Work Shop events on issues current and of interest to local government.

Some of the events I attended were:

Monday

  • Legalized Cannabis in British Columbia (AM only)

    In a very short time period, the Canadian cannabis landscape has shifted dramatically, from the eventual possibility of legalization to the reality of creating a new legalized framework. The federal government has ushered in this new era by appointing a Task Force on Cannabis Legalization and Regulation on June 30, 2016, and subsequently tabling legislation on April 13, 2017. Cannabis is likely to be legalized by July 1, 2018, leaving all orders of government little time to develop regulations. Local governments are left in an unenviable position, as they work to avoid a multitude of downloads from other orders of government, as well as receive a fair share of revenue derived from the new system.

    This half-day session will explore the legalization and regulation of cannabis in Canada, and in particular British Columbia. Presenters representing the federal government, Province of British Columbia, local government, and other organizations will discuss methods to address local government concerns, steps to develop a ‘made in BC’ approach, and other important aspects of a new framework.

  • 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm          Electoral Area Directors’ Meet and Greet

Tuesday

  • 7:30 AM – 8:15 AM CLINICS: – Uncivil Civic Engagement
  • 9:00 am – 9:05 am Introduction and Welcome
    Chair Art Kaehn, UBCM Electoral Area Representative
    9:05 am – 9:20 am Minister’s Speech and LGLA Certificate Presentations
    Honourable Selina Robinson, Minister of Municipal Affairs and
    Housing
    9:20 am – 10:15 am Emergency Management
    Ian Cunnings, Senior Regional Manager, Emergency
    Management BC
    Brian Reardon, CAO, Regional District of Central Okanagan
    Kimberley Nemrava, Vice-President BC &Yukon, Canadian
    Red Cross
    10:15 am – 10:30 am Break
    10:30 am – 11:15 am Economic Development
    Marleen Morris, Co-Director, Community Development
    Institute, University of Northern BC
    Brian Bedford, Director, Local Government Infrastructure and
    Engineering, Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing
    Selina Basi, Director, Strengthening Farming, Ministry of
    Agriculture
    11:15 am – 11:55 am OPEN MICROPHONE
    11:55 am – 12:00 pm Closing Remarks
    Chair Art Kaehn, UBCM Electoral Area Representative
  • 1:45 pm – 2:45 pm PLENARY SESSION: Leading Through
    Crisis: Flooding and Fires in 2017
  • 2:45 pm – 3:00 pm Address by FCM (Federation of Canadian Municipalities) President
  • 3:15 PM – 4:45 PM PROVINCIAL POLICY SESSIONS: Water Sustainability Act From Legislation to Practice
  • 4:00 pm – 5:30 pm Municipal Insurance Association
    of BC AGM
  • 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm UBCM Welcome Reception

Wednesday

  • 7:30 AM – 8:15 AM CLINICS: Responsible Conduct Working Group
  • 8:30 am – 9:00 am CONVENTION OPENING SESSION
    O Canada
    Welcome from Musqueam Nation
    Welcome from the Lieutnant Governor of BC
    Welcome from the Host Community
    Address by UBCM President
  • 9:00 am – 9:20 am ANNUAL MEETING
    Adoption of Conference Rules and Procedures
    Adoption of Minutes of 2016 Convention
    Annual Report
    Question-and-Answer Period
    Adoption of Financial Statements
    Appointment of Auditors
    Appointment of Convention Committees
  • 9:20 am – 9:25 am First Report of the Nominating
    Committee for Table Officer Positions
  • 9:25 am – 10:25 am KEYNOTE ADDRESS: Terry Milewski
    • A veteran CBC television personality, Terry Milewski is one of Canada’s best-known broadcast journalists. He’s reported the news from 52 countries over the past 44 years—and was the CBC’s very first Middle East correspondent. Today, he speaks on how a free and functional media is crucial to a democratic society—and how Canada can lead the charge for a world that’s still committed to the truth.Terry Milewski has been a reliable fixture on Canadian televisions for decades. He began his storied career with the CBC as a local reporter in Calgary. He then jumped to the national news division as a science reporter before becoming a parliamentary correspondent. Milewski opened the CBC’s Jerusalem bureau in the mid-80s and became The National‘s first Middle East correspondent. Since then, his thousands of assignments—including eight years as Washington correspondent for the CBC—have taken him all over Europe, Asia, the Americas, and the Middle East, giving him a rich, nuanced understanding of global politics. After forty years of journalism, he retired from regular broadcasting as the CBC’s senior correspondent in Ottawa, but still appears frequently on the air and online.
  • 10:25 am – 10:40 am Address by Leader of the Green Party
  • 10:40 am – 11:55 am PRINCIPAL POLICY SESSION: Resolutions
  • 11:55 am – 12:00 pm Nominations from the Floor for Table
    Officer Positions
  • 2:00 pm – 2:30 pm Address by Minister of Municipal
    Affairs and Housing
  • 2:30 pm – 2:40 pm Be More Than a Bystander – BC Lions
    on Gender Violence
  • 2:40 pm – 2:45 pm Candidate Speeches
  • 2:45 pm – 5:00 pm Election of Table Officers
  • 3:00 pm – 4:15 pm PROVINCIAL CABINET TOWN HALLS: Infrastructure and Economic Development
  • 5:00 pm – 6:30 pm BC Government Reception
  • 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm Consulate-General of the People’s
    Republic of China in Vancouver Reception

Thursday

  • 7:30 AM – 8:15 AM CLINICS: Wildfire Prevention and Mitigation in BC
  • 8:00 am – 9:00 am Election of Table Officers continues
  • 8:35 am – 8:55 am Address by Interim Leader of the
    Official Opposition
  • 8:55 am – 11:30 am RESOLUTIONS SESSION CONTINUES
  • 11:30 am – 11:35 am Nominations from the Floor for
    Executive positions
  • 11:35 am – 12:00 pm Candidate Speeches
  • 2:30 pm – 5:00 pm Election of Remaining Executive positions
  • 2:30 PM – 4:30 PM WORKSHOPS: Transforming Flood Mitigation: New Directions
  • 7:30 pm – 11:30 pm UBCM Banquet – Had the pleasure of Lake Country Mayor James Baker and his council and the Mayor of Peachland Cindy Fortin as my dinner partners for this event.

Friday

  • 7:30 am – 8:30 am Election of Remaining Executive
    positions continues
  • 8:00 am – 9:00 am RESOLUTIONS SESSION CONTINUES
    Consideration of: Report on Resolutions Received after the Deadline
    Remaining Section “B” Resolutions
  • 9:00 am – 9:30 am Federal Address
  • 9:30 am – 10:45 am RESOLUTIONS SESSION CONTINUES
  • 10:45 am – 11:00 am Installation of President Elect
  • 11:00 am – 12:00 pm Address by the Premier
  • 12:00 pm Adjourn

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