The fact that Metro Vancouver municipal attempts to foster international business relationships and partnerships are greeted with such skepticism shows the small-thinking that limits certain commentators in their analysis of recent trips to China and India by several of the Mayors.

Sorry for the time off…moving really sucks.

I picked up the latest edition of the Indo Canadian Voice newspaper this past week to see the following story:

“Mayor Watts  headed for India

Surrey Mayor, Dianne Watts is headed for India on  a networking exercise for local businesses. Watts announced Thursday she will be travelling to India from Feb. 10-18 next year to further business networks in the Indian market.

“With its rapidly growing population and strong connection to Surrey’s population,  India is a natural fit for establishing partnerships to create jobs and attract investment in our city,” said Watts. “As we expand our focus on the rapidly growing economies in the Asia Pacific, it has become clear that the business potential of India is largely untapped in Western Canada.”

Several companies have already said they will participate in the networking mission, including Rapid Electric Vehicles, Powertech and Simon Fraser University.

The budget for the trip is $128,000 which includes travel costs for the mayor, three councillors and three staff members. That amount covers pre-event organizing as well as a co-ordinator in India. Participating businesses will be paying for their own expenses. Local business  owner Fraukkh Patel says the Mayors trip is long overdue and will have a positive impact.”

Similarly, Burnaby Mayor Derek Corrigan is just returning from an excursion to China to put “Burnaby on the map” and because the trip is being described as “tremendously valuable in an economic development capacity.”

Funny then that only Mayor Gregor Robertson’s recent business trip to China with a delegation of 22 companies seems to be the one that gets articles like this written about the excursion.

But this isn’t about Robertson, or Corrigan or Watts…this is more about the small thinking associated with those that deem these projects as “junkets.”

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