Mayor: Media off-base with criticism

by Markus Ermisch - Kamloops This Week - October 26, 2007

Kamloops Mayor Terry Lake fired a shot at the Kamloops media yesterday for what he says is their critical coverage of a mayor-led trade mission to China, saying it may be wiser to spend money on such trips rather than advertising.Media coverage prior the trip had included stories about human-rights violations in the communist country and the role council may play in broaching that issue with its Chinese hosts, as well as what role publicly elected officials should play on a trip billed as a business delegation.“Mayor and council are there to develop relationships,” Lake said, noting that, in China, government officials are key to open economic doors.He said the money city hall spends on such trips is a “very, very small investment” considering the potential economic spinoffs.

To date, however, the spinoffs of the friendly city agreement Kamloops has inked with Changping in 2005 have been limited.“These things take time,” Lake said when asked why that is the case.“We certainly want to get our foot in the door.”This third trip to China was “very successful,” Lake said, noting that one highlight was the signing of an education protocol, which is an addendum to the Changping agreement. Venture Kamloops head Jeff Putnam said he met with several Chinese businessmen, one of whom has shown interest in importing wood from the Kamloops region for his hardwood floor company.Two others are expected to visit Kamloops next year.While in China, the trade missionaries also explored the possibility of getting an exhibit of the Ming Tombs to the Tournament Capital.

“I really see it as an opportunity to draw visitors from throughout the Pacific Northwest,” said Tourism Kamloops CEO Lee Morris.Prior to leaving for Asia, Lake told KTW that after this trip to China, it may be the time to scale back the involvement of publicly elected officials in such business trips.Upon his return, however, Lake said the relationship with Changping “needs to be fully structured before council backs away.”And that, he added, may take up to five more years, stressing again that in China, trade delegations leg by elected officials have more clout.Lake plans to lead another delegation to China next year, prior to the Beijing Olympics, to participate in the B.C.-Canada pavilion. The trip also included a stop in Uji City, Kamloops’ sister city in Japan.

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The hot and not list for the week.

NOT: The mayor’s criticism of the Kamloops media.Upon returning from China, Terry Lake suggested that perhaps money is better spent on business trips to China than on advertising in critical media outlets.The media, however, merely asked questions the mayor finds uncomfortable, namely how necessary is it to send publicly elected officials too China.Of the 14-member “business” delegation, only one person — Karen Watt of Excel Personnel — was, in fact, a business person. She paid her own way.

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Don Quixote Note: Our Mayor is in Vernon's sister city Modesto this week playing baseball and promoting Vernon. Rumors that he is acting as 'hose man' for ex firefighter Coun Gilroy who was pressed into service to fight the California wildfires are unconfirmed.