“State of the Union” is theme of the 57th annual general meeting and conference of the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association here May 1-3 at La Place Rendez-Vous Hotel.
But what makes this conference, which will see dozens of delegates from across the region, a little more special is a certain community’s birthday.
“It was here two years ago, we after that, we jumped the queue to have it back here for 2003,” said CAO Bill Naturkach, who’s been involved with the organizing of the conference.
“There’s gong to be a centennial theme built into this. Pam Hawley and her group will be there. And of course, we’ll be promoting the centennial activities as part of what the community can offer visitors,” he added, noting a pair of special guests will be Mayor Larry Crawford and city manager Carl Holder of Paris, Tenn.
Town delegates met the two during a trip to Tennessee last spring, during which the “twinning” of Fort Frances and Paris was discussed.
Tannis Drysdale, president of the Northwestern Ontario Associated Chambers of Commerce, will be among the presenters at the event. “Normally, I am away at the Ontario Chamber of Commerce meetings during the NOMA spring meeting but as NOMA was holding their meeting in my hometown I decided to attend this event,” she said, adding she was very much looking forward to it.
“Having a group of ministers, parliamentary assistants, and deputy ministers attend a conference in Fort Frances increases their understanding of our issues here in Fort Frances,” noted Drysdale.
“NOACC, as the largest business group in Northern Ontario will be discussing some of the key area’s that we are lobbying government in. I will be sharing our philosophy of creating sustainable solutions and how we would like to apply them to our existing and growth industries,” she added.
On Thursday, registration will run from 2-8 p.m. in the hotel lobby. A resolution committee meeting will beheld at 1 p.m., while the board of directors will meet at 4 p.m.
At 3 p.m., a presentation by Nicola Crawhall, senior advisor with the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, and barrister/solicitor Fred Dean, entitled “Overseeing Public Drinking Water Systems in the Post-Walkerton Era.”
A dinner sponsored by will then be held at an as yet-to-be-determined time before 7:30 p.m., at which time, the opening reception will take place.
Friday will start off with a continental breakfast at 8 a.m., and opening ceremonies at 8:30 a.m. This includes a call to order and welcome from NOMA president Ingrid Parkes, an invocation with Pastor Brian Keffer, an official welcome from Mayor Glenn Witherspoon and AMO president Ken Boshcoff.
Mayor Witherspoon, as chair of the Northwestern Ontario “Smart Growth” panel, will be the keynote speaker at 9 a.m.
At 9:30 a.m., a panel discussion entitled, “What Are We Doing About Economic Development in Northwestern Ontario and Our Vision and Role in the Future” will take place. This discussion includes Cam Clark, assistant deputy minister for the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines, Geoff Gillon, president of the Northwestern Ontario Development Network and Tannis Drysdale, president of the Northwestern Associated Chambers of Commerce.
At 10:30 a.m. will be a refreshment break, followed by a talk at 10:45 a.m. by Dave Sinclair, president of and CEO of Kenora Hydro Electric Corporation Ltd. entitled “Impact of Increased Energy Costs.”
At 11:15 a.m., Nancy Naylor, assistant deputy minister of the MInistry of Finance, and Carl Isenberg, vice-president of customer relations for the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation, will present on “Taxation Issues.”
Honourable guests, including MPs and MPPs from various regional ridings, will be greeted before the noon lunch.
A Minister’s forum will run from 1-2:30 p.m., at which time Dr. Fred Gilbert, president of Lakehead University, will speak on the “State of the University.”
Following a refreshment break at 3 p.m., Gwen Dubois-Wing, executive director of the Northwestern Ontario District Health Council, will present on the “Northwestern Ontario Human Resources Study.”
And at 4 p.m. Ms. Pat Else, director of grant operations and Georges Blanc, director of the Ontario Trillium Foundation, will discuss “New Funding Opportunities.”
The day will adjourn at 5 p.m., with a cocktail hour, dinner and entertainment, featuring Fort Frances Little Theatre’s “Actors Without Borders.”
And after breakfast Saturday, “What’s New in the Building Code?” will be the topic of an 8:30 a.m. lecture by Jeff Fisher, AMO senior policy advisor, James Douglas, senior policy advisor, building and development branch, Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, and Rick Hallam, chief building official and Superintendent of Planning and Development for the Town of Fort Frances.
Frank Lopez, a partner in Thunder Bay-based Ernst & Young, will talk about “The New Role of the Auditor” at 9:15 a.m. And Dr. Roger Strasser, founding dean of the Northern Ontario Medical School will present at 9:45 a.m.
And the conference will be adjourned at noon, after a refreshment break, followed by some NOMA business.
The conference is co-sponsored by numerous parties, including the town and district and regional businesses.
Fort Frances Times
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