Pubdate: Tue, 11 Sep 2012
Source: Merritt Herald (CN BC)
Copyright: 2012 Merritt Herald
Contact:  http://www.merrittherald.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1446
Author: Tom Fletcher

TACKLING MODERN PROBLEMS

Local politicians are preparing for their annual convention, to be
held Sept. 25 to 28 here in the provincial capital.

One of the first orders of business this year will be a vote to raise
the dues paid by local governments to the Union of B.C.
Municipalities, to cover rising travel costs for staff to serve on
provincial committees. The plan is also to change the name to Union of
B.C. Local Governments, to reflect the participation of regional
districts and aboriginal communities.

So what do these committees and conferences accomplish? The UBCLG, as
it will soon be known, is mainly a lobby group for local politicians
to seek changes to federal and provincial laws to keep up with
changing times.

The resolutions offer a snapshot of modern problems facing local
governments. A major theme is public safety, and this year it is the
Columbia Shuswap Regional District renewing a long-standing plea for
more provincial policing money for rural communities.

Surrey has a resolution seeking better notice and control of a growing
number of medical marijuana licences issued by Ottawa. Local fire and
police departments end up dealing with licensed grow-ops that spring
up quietly and create electrical hazards, or expand production beyond
their licences as this stealth legalization continues.

Pitt Meadows, home to a Hells Angels clubhouse and drug-related crime
familiar to most urban communities, wants B.C. to follow Alberta's
lead and give police authority to remove known gang members from bars
and clubs. Gangs tend to adopt certain establishments, and there isn't
much the owners or police can do about it.

This year, the debate may go further. Metchosin is seeking support to
call on Ottawa to decriminalize marijuana, ending a "failed policy
which has cost millions of dollars in police, court, jail and social
costs." No chance of that under the Stephen Harper government, but
it's worthwhile to send the message.

Another long-shot demand, sparked by the abduction of three-year-old
Kienan Hebert of Sparwood last year, is for Ottawa to make its sex
offender registry public for convicted repeat offenders.

Ashcroft councillors want to give emergency services authority to deal
with another modern hazard: hoarding. Yes folks, it's more than just a
show on TV that exposes a creepy side effect of our bloated North
American consumer culture. The Ashcroft resolution notes that
obsessively piling stuff to the rafters is a growing problem. And as
with marijuana grow ops, "local governments have little or no
authority to enforce compliance with health and safety standards when
a building is owner occupied."

Another First World problem is the "pocket dialing" of 9-1-1 by mobile
phones. This is more than just a nuisance, because local emergency
services are obliged to respond to every call they get. And mobile
phones can't be traced to their location with any precision, creating
time-consuming searches that weaken response to real
emergencies.

Other resolutions tackle complex and important issues, such as the
effect of hydro development on municipal water supplies. But alas,
most will be lost in the convention noise, overshadowed by political
posturing over matters best left alone.

Last year's convention featured the low comedy of delegates voting
with wireless devices to condemn smart meters, after displaying their
ignorance of the subject.

This year, in addition to factually challenged railing about oil
tankers, there will be a tough stance taken against shark's fin soup,
which will no doubt strike fear into the Chinese fishing fleet.

Once delegates vote themselves more taxpayers' money to run this show,
perhaps they should keep their grandstanding to a minimum.