Saanich wonB次元官网网址檛 reimburse former mayor Richard Atwell for his trip to Japan and council effectively ended his efforts to form a sister-city relationship Hatsukaichi City near Hiroshima.
Council first unanimously rejected AtwellB次元官网网址檚 request for the reimbursement of $4,535.99 for his trip Hatsukaichi City earlier this summer, after Saanich had hosted a delegation from that city in April.
The public heard from chief administrative officer Paul Thorkelsson that he told Atwell to seek prior approval for the trip from council, something Atwell failed to do.
According to Thorkelsson, Atwell was preparing to submit his reimbursement request to council in October before the municipal election, but did not do so until Nov. 2 B次元官网网址� so after the last council meeting before the election and three days before the new council assumed office.
Coun. Ned Taylor acknowledged this aspects, but added that politics of AtwellB次元官网网址檚 request overshadowed the potential benefits of a future relationship with Hatsukaichi City.
So he asked council to consider a potential sister-city relationship with Hatsukaichi City, because it could benefit Saanich by virtue of JapanB次元官网网址檚 status as a technologically advanced country, especially around transportation issues. He also cited SaanichB次元官网网址檚 work against the proliferation of nuclear weapons as Hatsukaichi City lies near the first city subject to a nuclear attack.
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But several councillors questioned the idea and Taylor appeared surprised by their response.
B次元官网网址淚t was not my intent to throw council off guard, so I apologize if that was the case,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚 can understand the concerns that this [motion] is perhaps too specific.B次元官网网址�
But the motion remained on the floor, despite attempts by Taylor to make replace it with a less specific motion, failing 8-1.
Perhaps the most vocal critic of the idea was Mayor Fred Haynes, who has lived and worked in Japan for several years in 1980s and 1990s.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 very troubled by the idea of picking one specific city and twinning it,B次元官网网址� said Haynes, in questioning the very idea of sister-city relationships. While the idea might have been popular in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s when international travel and exchanges of various sorts were less frequent, the idea has run its course.
B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 see the added value of the municipality getting involved, particularly with a single city or a single agency,B次元官网网址� he said. Multiple organizations have already and continue to foster relations with other countries, including Japan, he said. B次元官网网址淲hat would they say if the municipality was getting in the way of their good work, giving one particular group attention?B次元官网网址� he asked.
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The consensus within the economic development community also considers the idea B次元官网网址渙ld hat,B次元官网网址� said Haynes. B次元官网网址淓conomic development is far bigger than this now,B次元官网网址� he said.
He also questioned the argument Saanich and Hatsukaichi City should strike a relationship around their shared opposition against nuclear weapons. Haynes said Saanich has had a long history of opposing nuclear weapons, adding Saanich is currently preparing a related motion for the 2019 Federation of Canadian Municipalities conference.
B次元官网网址淭his is far more meaningful than having a sister-city relationship with a city that has been affected by Hiroshima,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚 have been to Hiroshima many times. The skin in the game, if we want to work on nuclear disarmament, is the [United Nations] treaty on abolishing the nuclear bomb.B次元官网网址�
Overall, Haynes said he sees B次元官网网址渮ero valueB次元官网网址� in any sister-city relationship. B次元官网网址淪orry to speak so harshly, but that is how I see it.B次元官网网址�
The Saanich B次元官网网址 has reached to Atwell for comment.
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