Mayor paying his own way on China trip
Bates doesn't want his visit to Cumberland's sister city to become 'a negative thing' if taxpayers pick up tab

Marcel Tetrault
Comox Valley Echo

Friday, September 18, 2009

The cost of visiting Cumberland's sister city will come out of the village mayor's own pocket.

Cumberland Mayor Fred Bates agreed to pony up the cash despite the fact that council narrowly voted to fund the trip out of council's travel and education fund.

"I don't want it to be a negative thing," said Bates. "I firmly, firmly believe in the long-term relationship with Asia. I want to continue it.

"Rather than have the controversy, or people think we're going on vacation or something, I'll just pay it."

Putian, a city with more than 3 million people, became Cumberland's sister city in September of 2007. The initiative was kicked off after Bates visited that city in November 2006.

The sister-city agreement stipulates that leaders on both sides would keep "frequent contact" to consult on issues of mutual concern.

Coun. Kate Greening opposed releasing funds for the trip, arguing that cheaper forms of communication could be used to fulfil the agreement.

"I'm in frequent contact with my sisters by phone and by e-mail," she said. "I don't have to always be arriving to visit them in person."

But Bates said officials in Putian expect personal visits.

"The comment I heard last year from my friend in Putian was we don't want to be paper sisters," said Bates. "We're either going to be a sister-city or not."

Indeed, the staff report on the issue notes that if funding for the trip is denied the village should consider terminating the sister-city agreement.

Bates emphasized that not only have there already been economic benefits to the Valley from the sister-city relationship, but there are more to come.

He notes that a 38-person delegation spent three days in the Valley when the agreement was signed in 2007.

"The profit there far exceeded anything spent on the last trip or this one," said Bates.

And he insists that the Chinese are interested in setting up a factory in the village, despite the fact that it takes about six Chinese dollars to purchase one Canadian dollar and wages are much lower in China.

"They indicated they would be interested in setting up a high-end clothing factory in this area," said Bates. "They're running out of space in China."

Coun. Gwyn Sproule argued that it was unlikely that a Chinese business would set up in the village and joined Greening in opposing the expenditure.

Councillors Bronco Moncrief and Leslie Baird supported the spending, creating a two-two tie which Bates broke, passing the motion. But he later decided to pay for the trip himself.

The visit to Putian, slated for September, will be preceded by a CVRD-sponsored trip to other parts of China where Bates and regional district CAO Debra Oakman will speak to the Valley's sustainability initiatives.

Thus the cost of getting to China, estimated at $8,000, is to be split between the Harmony Foundation of Canada and the CVRD. Bates will pay the additional cost to travel to Putian.

He noted that maintaining the sister-city relationship could be expected to cost villagers the price of a trip to Putian approximately every two years, as long as finances allow.

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