The BC Liberals MLA for Kamloops South is highlighting the UBCM China controversy as example number one of why the local government association should change its sponsorship rules.
Todd Stone says UBCM won’t let events by the official opposition on to the convention agenda when China has a spot.
UBCM President Arjun Singh says they must be as non-partisan as possible and the rules are the rules.
“Nothing has changed. This is the practice we used when the New Democrats were in opposition. They in fact did pay a sponsorship to get their breakfast advertised in the program. The Liberals chose not to do that. That is their choice. I think ultimately we have a very important interest in making sure that we are working with all parties.”
Singh says the UBCM has no obligation outside of seeking a sponsorship fee to advertise or highlight events that are not expressly part of the convention agenda.
“It is like having a convention and having all of these off events competing with your own thing. We have a very strong place for the leader of the opposition to make a keynote speech at the convention. MLAs, I think, are provided free entrance and they are not charged the registration fee.”
Why not drop the sponsorship fee and put every event on the convention agenda?
“I don’t know how you choose who you let on for free.”
The MLA for Kamloops South is not impressed with the response to his concerns by the President of the UBCM.
Todd Stone says while China gets a spot on the UBCM agenda it makes no sense the local government association requires any of B.C.’s political parties who form, debate, and pass laws impacting local government to be left off the agenda.
Stone says Arjun Singh’s defence of the status quo is disappointing.
“The point that Arjun Singh is missing in all of this is it is preposterous to actually lump the official opposition in to the same bag as Terasen, BC Hydro, let alone the Peoples Republic of China in so far as treating us the same from a sponsorship perspective. We are elected officials, 42 of the 87.”
Stone says he and Singh should be able to work this out.
“He is the president of the UBCM. I am the municipal affairs critic. We both are Kamloopsians. We have known each other and worked together for years. Surely to goodness two Kamloopsians who are in positions to solve this impasse, and actually change a policy, and work together to make it better for the future surely we can make that happen.”
Stone says Singh is also wrong on UBCM waiving the registration fee at the annual convention for MLAs.
