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Kitimat councillors to spend week at UBCM conference speaking to government ministers

Annual conference is Kitimat's chance to engage directly with government ministers on local issues.

Most of Kitimat's council, and it's Chief Administrative Officer Warren Waycheshen, are in Vancouver next week for the Union of B.C. Municipalities conference.

Mayor Phil Germuth says that each councillor has a specific portfolio they're tasked with and will be making presentations to key government ministers.

"I turn it over to the councillor who is the most knowledgeable in that field and they go from there," he said.

Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development Peter Fassbender will be meeting with Claire Rattee to discuss job training plans. Mary Murphy will talk environmental issues and initiatives with the Minister of Environment Mary Polak, and will also meet with the Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training Minister Shirley Bond.

Germuth will hold meetings with Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation John Rustad, and the Minister of Transportation Todd Stone.

Rob Goffinet will tackle meetings with Northern Health.

In there will also be meetings relating to the Natural Resource Benefits Alliance too, said Germuth. He said after all those individual meetings there will be a group meeting of the ministers and Premier Christy Clark with the council too. The minister of natural gas development and housing, Rich Coleman, will join on that one too.

"Our biggest thing...is going to be infrastructure. For example replacement of the Haisla Bridge," said Germuth.

The two other major Kitimat topics will be housing concerns and the provision of medical services in the community.