3ec 9/07 London CANADA November 27,2009 Chair and Members Board of Control Re: SUMMARY OF THE MEETING OF THE FCM NATIONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND STANDING COMMITTEE MEETINGS - November 18-21, 2009, OTTAWA, ONTARIO We are pleased to provide a summary of the FCM National Board of Directors and Standing Committee meetings held in Ottawa, Ontario. OVERVIEW The need to protect the long-term value of federal infrastructure investments was among the key messages that municipal leaders took to Parliament Hill when FCM's National Board of Directors met in Ottawa from Nov. 18 to 21, 2009. This year's annual Advocacy Days were carried out as the federal government enters an era of large fiscal deficits and the need to balance its budget. Board members met with 40 Parliamentarians, including 11 federal Cabinet ministers, in efforts to further strengthen municipal-federal government partnerships, discuss specific municipal priorities, and to position the municipal agenda in the year ahead. Key ministers, including Minister of Finance Jim Flaherty, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities John Baird, and Minister of the Environment Jim Prentice met with FCM President Basil Stewart, Chief Executive Officer Brock Carlton and FCMs table officers at meetings throughout the week. Government officials reiterated that they do not intend to announce additional spending commitments for municipal priorities in the near term, but do support protecting the Gas Tax Fund, the GST rebate and current housing programs against post-recession spending cuts. In addition, the following Cabinet ministers met with Board members: Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development Diane Finley; Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development Chuck Strahl; Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Gail Shea; Minister of Public Works and Government Services Christian Paradis; Minister of National Revenue and Minister of State (Agriculture and Agri-Food) Jean-Pierre Blackburn; . Minister of State (Status of Women) Helena Guergis; 0 Minister of State (Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec) Denis Lebel; and Minister of State (Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario) Gary Goodyear. Board members also met with opposition critics, House of Commons' committee chairs, and Parliamentary secretaries, discussing a range of municipal issues, and stressing that municipalities are uniquely positioned to help in the fight against climate change; that a rural champion should be appointed in the federal Cabinet; and that investments in affordable housing and homelessness programs must be maintained. For the second year in a row, Minister Baird addressed the full Board at its Saturday meeting. He noted that with the Government of Canada facing a $58-billion deficit. fiscal discipline will be exercised in the coming year. However, he said the government also believes there is a need to protect gains such as the GST rebate and the gas tax transfer, as well as to ensure that all the money in the economic stimulus fund is spent. At Saturday’s meeting, Board members also approved a change in dates for the September 2010 National Board of Directors meeting in Iqaluit, Nunavut. It was confirmed the meeting will take place Monday, Aug. 30 to Thursday, Sept. 2,2010. In addition to Advocacy Days, FCM’s standing committees met to discuss a range of municipal issues including: the FCM climate change report that is scheduled to be released in the lead up to COP15; the soon-to-be released report on immigration; an update on FCM’s commitment to monitor the developments on the Buy American negotiations between Canada and the U.S.; and FCM’s strategy to address the flexibility required by municipalities to meet the infrastructure stimulus deadline. Detailed reports from each standing committee follow. STANDING COMMITTEE ON COMMUNITY SAFETY AND CRIME PREVENTION The Committee reported on their Advocacy Days meetings, emphasizing the outcome of those meetings in which pandemic planning was discussed. Committee members stressed the importance of efficient communication across orders of government during pandemic response and for the need to give prioritized vaccine access to essential front- line workers. Staff then provided an update on FCM’s pandemic planning and progress made on RCMP and gang research. FCM staff will continue its discussions with Health Canada officials and ensure that FCM is directly involved in the evaluation of the Government of Canada’s pandemic planning and response. The FCM report on RCMP and gang is to be released in May 2010 and staff will continue to consult with police stakeholders prior to the release of this report. Councillor Ron Hayter updated the committee on work being done by the Joint Committee on Community Corrections. The Committee asked staff to prepare a letter to Ms. Randy Goulden, thanking her for her contribution to the Standing committee on Community Safety and Crime Prevention and the Joint Committee on community Corrections. President Allan Earle put forward his name to replace Ms. Goulden on the Joint Committee on Community Corrections. STANDING COMMITTEE ON MUNICIPAL FINANCE AND INTERGOVERNMENTAL ARRANGEMENTS Committee Chair Kathy Jeffery welcomed new and returning committee members. The committee approved the report of the September 2009 meeting, as well as the action items status report. Staff reiterated that correspondence between FCM and party leaders is an ongoing practice aimed at increasing communication and strengthening relationships between federal and municipal elected officials. The committee then reviewed discussions at Advocacy Day meetings. Committee members thanked staff for the quality of the meetings that were lined up during the week. Members also acknowledged the general spirit of cooperation that MPs showed toward municipal representatives and pointed to the ongoing relationship-building that FCM has pursued to date. Staff provided an update on FCM’s commitment to monitor the developments on the Buy American negotiations between Canada and the U.S. and highlighted that more specific details will become available after the FCMlDFAlT Joint Working Group on International Trade meeting set for late November. Staff provided a short update on the research being conducted on federal regional economic development agencies throughout Canada. Finally, staff provided a short update and some initial highlights from the 2009 PlLT Survey. It was noted that further, and more in-depth, analysis will be presented to the committee at the March, 2010 meeting. The Committee chair thanked members for their attendance and wished them a happy holiday season. STANDING COMMITTEE ON MUNICIPAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND TRANSPORTATION POLICY Committee Chair Jeff McConnell welcomed new and returning committee members. The committee approved the action items status report. Staff provided a summary of the proposed strategy for marketing the ROW Handbook to legal and engineering experts, elected officials, and strategic public groups. Staff updated the committee on Wheatland County’s Rights-of-way Federal Court of Appeal case and next steps for the committee. Staff then provided a brief update on the Core Public Infrastructure Survey currently in development by Infrastructure Canada. Finally, advocacy staff gave a short update to committee members on developments on the infrastructure stimulus deadline, and FCM’s strategy to address the flexibility required by municipalities across the country. Two items for information from the floor arose during the meeting. First was a proposed infrastructure summit which committee members learned was in its formative phase. Second, the chair briefly mentioned a recent meeting on a Canadian Airline Bill of Rights initiative at parliamentary committee. Chair McConnell thanked members for their attendance and wished them happy holidays. RURAL FORUM The Rural Forum discussed Advocacy Days that took place on November 18-20. The recommendations from FCM’s rural advocacy report Wake-Up Call: The National Vision and Voice We need for Rural Canada was discussed with members of parliament, including the need for a rural champion in the federal cabinet. Forum members also discussed the allocation of the Building Canada Fund. Mayor Brad Whitcombe suggested that Forum members with Conservatives members of parliament be given a package on rural materials and to organize a meeting. Staff provided an update on the FCM’s rural advocacy strategy, the recent Telecom Notice of Consultation submission to CRTC, and rural economic development. The Chair and Vice Chair offered to meet with the Manager of National Programs, Darrell Pack, from the Rural Secretariat to discuss strengthening the relationship between FCM and the federal government. The Vice-Chair, President David Marit, expressed his concern that the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) and FCM working group had not met since November 2008. The Rural Forum shared President Marit‘s concern and asked that the Forum receive an update on the status of the progress at the March 2010 meeting. Councillor David Alexander updated the committee on the meeting of the Small Communities Water Safety working group, including the work of Health Canada in the sharing of knowledge on small drinking water systems. It was suggested that the information from the working group be shared with the Northern and Remote Forum and Standing Committee on Environmental Issues and Sustainable Development. The committee suggested that staff find out if technical experts