It’s 4:30 a.m. when I arrive at the Kelowna airport.
I speak with three fellow passengers, the mayors of Castlegar, Sicamous and Salmo, as we wait for our 5:55 a.m. flight. It is always useful to hear what is happening in other places. We are heading to the FCM, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities AGM and Conference. This year it is being held in Ottawa.
Salmon Arm councillors are permitted to attend one FCM in their four-year term, the mayor two. This term though, I’ve chosen to just attend the 2025 FCM. There is a lot to learn. Getting a wider perspective is important, and with the federal election just complete, it will be interesting to hear what opportunities are available for our city.
We touch down in Calgary. Due to a mechanical problem, our connecting flight is delayed. I receive a series of updates – the gate and airplane are changed. We eventually board an orange Sunwing jet; however, we are not flying to a place of beaches and sunshine. We arrive in Ottawa much later than expected.
Our days are jam-packed. I’m not very good at sitting all day, so I start each conference day with the 6:30 a.m. YMCA sponsored run. Running along the banks of the Rideau Canel is special. The exercise helps me focus throughout the day. Exchanging thoughts with the mayors of White Falls, Alberta and Petty Harbour Newfoundland, as we run together, is both interesting and fun.
While the sessions I enjoyed most may not seem exciting to others, I found the presentation on the City of Ottawa’s new zoning bylaw especially relevant, and the B.C. Caucus meeting was full of items that we deal with in our city. Our very own Councillor Louise Wallace-Richmond, member of the FCM board, presented a comprehensive (and well delivered) report on the work of FCM.
One of the true highlights was our tour of the Parliament Buildings. There is so much history within those walls! A big thank you to our MP and tour guide, Mel Arnold. We watched the first vote in the house of this sitting, and then learned about all the parts of the Legislature and how things work there. While fascinating, it reinforced to me how fortunate I am to be a small city mayor!
One of the most valuable pieces of this conference was exchanging views with other mayors from across Canada. I met mayors and council members from across the country: Regina, Abbotsford, Innisfail, Coquitlam, Morinville, Neils Harbour, Yarmouth, Stratford and numerous others. It is always interesting to hear how many of the challenges we face are the same. Housing, homelessness, aging infrastructure and wildfires dominated our discussions.
We all took pause to think about those under evacuation order due to the fires raging in northern Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Empathy and caring was evident, as virtually every corner of our country has been touched by wildfire over the past few years.
Prime Minister Carney addressed the over 2,000 delegates in the packed hall. Regardless of one’s political leaning, Mr. Carney’s message was presented warmly and with conviction. Similarly, Grand Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak, Melissa Lantsman from the Conservative Party and NDP’s Gordon John’s passionately shared their views.
A most interesting session featured mayors from U.S. and Canadian cities. The mayor of New Orleans, LaToya Cantrell, summed up this session, “A tariff war is not good for any of us. In my city of New Orleans, the negative effects of tariffs are considerable. Tourism, our largest contributor to New Orleans economy, is down 40 per cent.”
I always learn from the study tours offered. Boarding a bus with 50 others, we drove out to the Ottawa region of Lansdowne. This area has been transformed from a large space spotted with dilapidated structures and old infrastructure, into a thriving and unique cluster made up of housing, agriculture, tourism, sports and cultural facilities. Through public/private partnerships, with considerable investment over a 15-year period, Lansdowne continues to change.
As the FCM winds to a close, I leave with a brain bursting with information. I leave with a much broader perspective of the issues and solutions that cities across our country face. Most of all, I leave this conference with gratitude – a realization that I am fortunate to call Salmon Arm home.
