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Mayor interested in overseas partnership again
Posted By Shane Gibson, The Daily Graphic

   
The Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) held its 71st annual Conference and Municipal Expo last week, and officials from the city of Portage la Prairie were among the more than 1,800 people who attended the national meeting.

The FCM, which was started in 1901, lobbies the federal government on policy and program matters on behalf of municipal governments across Canada. The organization has more than 1,600 municipal members nationwide.

“The City of Portage has belonged to the FCM for quite some time. They are a very strong organization, and every year we try to send representatives from the City of Portage la Prairie,” said Mayor Ken Brennan, who just returned home from the conference. “It’s a great learning experience for councillors, mayors and reeves, where we can meet each other and voice our concerns on issues that are common to municipalities.”

Brennan said he went to the conference, which was held in Quebec City from May 30-June 2, to learn about and discuss a number of different issues, including policing costs, infrastructure and crime and justice.

“It’s such a good opportunity to share ideas,” he said.

Brennan also attended an information meeting about the FCM’s international program, which sends officials from a municipality to other countries to help local governments develop their capacity to deliver services.

Portage was involved in the program from 1996-04, sending city officials to the island province of Bohol in the Philippines, and Brennan said he is interested in doing it again.

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