The UBCM resolutions session yesterday certainly did not go according to the little pocket agenda they provided us.
12 different communities submitted resolutions about the carbon tax. The UBCM resolutions committee decided to try to capture all those resolutions with one "special resolution". I understand the motivations here - efficiency and trying to get to all the many resolutions scheduled for debate and approval. Still, in this case, the special resolution seemed to make most delegates unhappy. A resolution was finally passed asking the provincial government to look at mitigating impacts of the carbon tax. An hour later, the Premier decided to offer a grant to municipalities who commit to become carbon neutral. The grant would cover the costs it would take to become carbon neutral.
Even before this brouhaha, a lone delegate approached the mike and moved a motion that would see all leaders of BC political parties with at least 5% popular support be offered the opportunity to speak to the convention. I call this the "allow Green Party in" resolution. It was framed up that way last year at UBCM and it failed. This year, this resolution passed very narrowly.
There was also rumbling about how the UBCM executive chose to handlle the negotiations on last year's hot topic- TILMA - the BC Alberta Trade Investment and Labour Mobility agreeement. A lot of concern was expressed last year that TILMA would diminish local government powers signifcantly. The UBCM negotiated some favourable changes last year, but the executive decided not to bring the negotiated agreement back to this year's convention for ratification. A resolution for them to go back and negotiate some more and then bring back the negotiated agreement to next year's convention was defeated.
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