FCM: Councillor Lorne Janzen's Highlights

Councillor Janzen is with me at FCM.

Here are his unedited notes. I've been glad to have him here to bounce ideas off of and talk.

while attending FCM ... here are a few highlights

Speakers ..we will be hearing from the 4 national political leaders

 

Finance minister Joe Oliver ( standing in for Prime Minister Harper )

Justin Trudeau

Thomas Mulcair

Elizabeth May will be speaking Sunday Morning

The parties so far have addressed municipal infrastructure issues in some ways . One party has made specific municipal announcements , while others made comments in more broader terms and announcements will follow with the release of their election platforms

 Trade Show ..there is about 170 booths , related to municipal matters. Theses range from artificial turf , to swimming pools , and splash parks to industrial vehicles , to LED street lighting. Great contacts and good conversation with the suppliers . Many of us had  a quick lesson on operating a back hoe.. Our equipment operators make it look so smooth.

 

Voting ..eligible voters were given an electronic device for voting purposes. Today was resolution day . We were given thirty seconds to vote yes  or no on individual resolutions and the results were immediate .. A fantastic voting method with no glitches experienced

 

workshops attended

fighting urban flooding : partnerships, prevention and preparedness

great information on the federal disaster assistance program on overland flooding which until now was not covered by homeowners policies

Things are changing and the insurance bureau of Canada spoke of how this will now be insured. They spoke of flood mapping , climate change and mitigation. Flood insurance will either be made mandatory or bundled with other coverages.

 

Partnership group made a presentation on corporate sponsorship in municipal buildings . Showcased some Canadian case studies

 

Municipal first responders .. increased calls for service are putting demands on police , fire and EMS . Dale Mcphee deputy minister of Justice , policing  and corrections for Sask spoke of the HUB model , that he designed in Prince Albert. Improvements are being made in some areas to reduce the demand for services. Working with schools and other social providers to provide intervention before the services are needed . Social intervention will be an advantage .

we also need to provide ancillary services to our service providers. 80% of Canadas fire service is by volunteer ( non career ) fire fighters

we also heard from Dan Paulsen , fire chief , ciity of Saskatoon

Main issues to be resolved are Parenting , absenteeism in schools, Literacy , Mental health and Domestic violence

Currently there are 17.2 deaths per 100,000 population due to impaired drivers

and 3.2 homicides per 100,000 population

impaired driving and distracted driving are the main causes of vehicle fatalities

 

Investing in the future .Financing municipal infastructure. At this session we heard of the pros and cons of the various methods of P 3's. Do your homework , as this is not for everyone and not for all projects are a fit .