FCM part 2

Some regular readers to the Blog and newspapers will know that I have the good fortune to sit on a group called FCM. FCM is short for the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, a group that is the Municipal voice on national and international issues. FCM represents over 90% of the Canadian population and is members are the Municipalities. The Board members are elected each year at the annual conference and some organisations have appointed members. For example the City of Toronto by virtue of its size as our largest city has 2 members appointed.
The photo above is me doing a International Press Conference with past President Jean Perrault after FCM passed the halton HIlls Buy American resolution.

The elections are held at the AGM and Board members like me are elected by fellow Mayors and Councillors. We sit on a variety of committees and try to make sure that the voices of the cities, town, villages, rural and remote areas of the country are heard in Ottawa and with Federal agencies.

For example I have sat on the Municipal Infrastructure and Transportation Policy, International Relations committee, Rural Forum, and Conference Planning. I have worked with the Municipal Finance and Intergovernmental Arrangements when Halton Hills was fighting, along with FCM, the Provinces and everyone who understood the issue, on the “Buy American/Fair Trade” issue.

At the past conference I helped with other members of the Increasing women’s participation in Municipal government committee to raise awareness of a scholarship FCM offers to young women who may be interested in a career in politics. We managed to raise over $3400 to the scholarship.

This year I have the good fortune to be appointed by President Hans Cunningham (BC) to be the Vice Chair of the Social Economic Development Committee. The Committee will be Chaired by Councillor Ben Henderson (Edmonton) and Jocelyne Guertin, Conseillère, Ville de Laval, QC will be the other Vice Chair.
What does the committee do? From the Policy guide this is what it says the committee is charged with.

FCM Policies and Strategies
• Community infrastructure
• Affordable housing
• Homelessness
• Immigration
• Diversity, culture, and heritage
• Healthy communities and child care
• Municipal-Aboriginal relations
• FCM’s Quality of Life Reporting System

Here is more on the SED committee
http://www.fcm.ca//CMFiles/SEDPolicyStatement20101KFJ-762010-3696.pdf

We have heard the use of the term Infrastructure deficit. It describes how funding from all orders (especially Provincial and Federal) have resulted in Canada having a 123 BILLION dollar shortfall in what is needed to get our roads, bridges, rail and waterways up to today’s standard.

We also face a Social Infrastructure Deficit, which is the drop off or reduction of social services to those most vulnerable in our society. The Federal and Provincial Governments were for many years building affordable housing for those that can’t afford to buy or who live below the poverty line. One of our key policies is that the delivery of Social Services should be at the Federal and Provincial level instead of on the backs of homeowners via the property tax.
One thing that happens is the Municipal governments across the country step in to provide services that ultimately should be provided by the other orders of government.
FCM has released a Comprehensive Housing Strategy that has been received and like Haltons is award winning, also strategies and policies on Poverty, homeless, immigration and inclusiveness. Halton region is expected to double in size the next 20 years and we need to be planning and making sure we have the services here we need and our citizens require.
FCM will continue to advocate for the social fabric of our country. By working with the Federal Government we can continue to advocate for all our citizens. We can build a much better country. I look forward to working with my colleagues from across the country on the great work this committee does.