Whistler Watch

If you don’t know, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities is meeting in Whistler right now for their annual conference. There is some hoopla about the latest Buy American policy and that was the topic of conversation yesterday at the conference.

• Obama’s Buy American policy is hurting Canadian municiplaities, especially when it comes to construction projects… What is Canada to do to keep money and jobs? What are we to do? - The Canadian Press
• Here’s the answer to that last question… Create a resolution shutting out American companies. - The Associated Press
• Check out what Liberal Leader, Michael Ignatieff has to say about it all. - The Calgary Herald

As I go through my news links every morning I’m constantly coming across newspapers from other municipalities (I just pointed out Milton and Oakville (of ALL places)) that are complaining about having to send their mayors and other municipal leaders to Whistler for the Federation of Canadian Municipalities Annual Conference. They’re complaining it’s too expensive. It can cost more than $20,000.

Allow me to give my two cents on this.

First of all, this is a business trip. This isn’t a personal trip where all the Canadian mayors are going to lather up the sunscreen and wear special protective sunglasses that will keep the beach sand out of their eyes. They’re going to a conference. A conference in a Canadian municipality. Something tells me there wouldn’t be so much uproar if the conference was in Cornwall, Ontario, possibly the smelliest Canadian city I’ve had the pleasure of passing through. Sorry for the cheap shot Cornwall.

Whistler is an expensive town, but people do live here. Just because it’s a resort town for the outsiders, doesn’t mean there aren’t any Canadian citizens that live here, have friends and families and dogs and polluting cars just like the rest of Canada. It also doesn’t mean that the citizens who live here are rich. I’m coming up on my first year anniversary here and my income was the lower in 2008 than it was in 1998… when I was a teenager.

Your leaders are coming to a conference with other leaders to teach each other effective methods of leading. That’s priceless!

Are people resentful that their leaders are going to a beautiful place?  A place with high, snow peaked mountains, rain forest, bike trails, beautiful lakes, hot springs, adventure sports, nice people? You can live here too! You can come here too. I can’t think of a better place in Canada to have conference of municipal leaders.

I can hear it now; “In this economically troubled time, we shouldn’t be spending lavishly on frills of scenery and resort lifestyle to make our leaders feel more comfortable.”

I really wonder if the people who are publicly complaining have done any research on what their municipal leaders are really going to. I have. You can get a lot of information off this website. www.fcm.ca

If you come across an article that suggests it’s stupid to have had the conference here, forward them this article.

Thanks,

• The National Transit Conference starts today in Whistler. Once again we’re hosting a national event. - Newswire.ca
• The forest fires north of Whistler are putting a halt to construction in the Whistler area. - The Pique
• Here are more links of local newspapers bitching about sending their politicians to Whistler. - Milton Champion, Oakville Beaver

• There is a new Tourism Whistler Board chairman, and he’s the general manager of the Fairmont. - The Pique
• Whistler is preparing for a borderline water crisis. The infrastructure built 30 years ago only serves about 30,000 people rather than the 60,000 it needs to. - The Pique
• The Federation of Canadian Municipalities that are meeting in Whistler are desperately waiting for the Federal government to open it’s wallet and dish out the billions of dollars it promised to cities to start construction projects. - Canadian Press

I’ve heard that this was going to happen, but it actually has happened now.

A bi-law has just been fully passed in Whistler that will ban businesses from allowing smoking within six metres from a doorway, window or air intake. That also includes a ban on smoking within 25 metres from any sporting events.

It’s pretty hefty, but I applaud that. I used to smoke and a law like this would have bothered me as a smoker. But since I quit I agree with this decision 100%. We’re going to be on the world stage in a few months, we should act like it.

Source: Whistler.ca

I’m relatively young and chipper if I do say so myself. At the prunish old age of 26 I must admit that wanting children in the near future isn’t one of my priorities. However, I have always thought that I could definitately make a positive difference in a child’s life.

When I came accross the Whistler Big Brother / Sister program I thought it would be a great way to benefit the community. It seems very simple and doesn’t seem very time consuming. I’ll give them a call when I get my voice back.

BIG BROTHERS/BIG SISTERS
Please call 604 938 9299 if you would like to make a difference in a child’s life. Adult mentors provide friendship and fun for children in elementary schools one hour per week.

• The Fairmont is saving money and emmisions by switching to the alternative ‘Sempa Power Systems’. Another step towards a greener Whister. - Newswire.ca
• Businesses are desperate to try to entice tourists to still visit Whistler around Olympic times. If you didn’t know, next year we are expecting LESS tourists than this year. - The Pique
• Even though the City of Windsor, Ontario is on strike, the councillors are still going to be attending the Federation of Canadian Municipalities annual meeting in Whistler. - The Windsor Star

• Canadian municipal leaders get together in Whistler for a conference starting July 4th. - Newwire.ca
• Taxpayers are pissed off at how much that Whistler conference is going to cost them. - 660News
• CrankWorx Shedule plus some more info about the event. - dirtworld.com
• A Whistler restaurant owner goes ballistic, fires an employee and then gets fined over $80,000 for it! - VancouverSun

A few people have expressed concern since I am sick that I may have the Norwalk virus.

“What’s this Norwalk Virus you speak of” you ask? Well, I’ll tell you. It’s just a flu bug that will get you sick with vomitting and diahrea for a few days. Doesn’t sound too pleasant, but it’s nothing too, too serious. According to the Vancouver Sun, about 31 people have been infected with the bug. They’ve put themselves on what I’d like to call common sense quarantine. Staying inside until they feel better.

They likely caught the bug on the bus ride from Vancouver to Whistler.

If you’d like some more details, check out the Sun’s article here.

• Mayor Melamed doesn’t see the point in the feds’ GST cuts, it just makes our country struggle more. - Montreal Gazette
• Luge athletes are coming to Whistler and are starting to compete each other now in preparation for the Olympics. - Brandon Sun
• 23 guests at the Fairmont in Whistler have been quarantined because they have the Norwalk Virus! - The Question
• Ottawa’s 1st Olympic torch bearer was announced today. - CBC

• Doctors simulate what would happen if a bobsleigh flies off the track into the crowd. - Canada.com
• List of top restaurants in the Squamish / Whistler area and how much they cost. - VancouverSun.com
• New Whistler Film Festival director named. - Screen Daily

I don’t remember if I posted this already, but I can watch it twenty times.

This is the winner of the Telus 72 Hour Film Maker Showdown. The contestants have 72 hours to film a video and that’s all. This is an epic depiction of what it’s like to live in staff housing. That whole funny cause it’s true phrase really applies here.

It’s actually like this in Whistler!

“We live in a shoebox on Blackcomb Way…”