A fly on the wall reports in from the 28th floor
The week in review, sort of:
A TOURIST IN KAMLOOPS: The events presaging federal environment minister Peter Kent’s après-visit proclamation on the Ajax mine this week — the City council vote last October to ask for a federal panel review, the initial opposition to it by both the mayor and MP, the TNRD’s support of council, the Dec. 1 delegation to see Kent in Ottawa — are familiar to readers.
It is entirely possible, just as it’s possible there’s life on other planets, that after the delegation trudged up the snowy steps to the Environment Canada offices in Gatineau across the river from Parliament Hill two months ago, there was a serious, productive discussion about the possibility of a federal panel review on Ajax.
Senator Nancy Greene-Raine was there, too; so was TNRD director Ronaye Elliot and environment staffers.
“Mr. Minister,” the MP and mayor might have said, settling into the comfortable chairs in Kent’s offices on the 28th floor overlooking the Ottawa River, “though we don’t think much of the idea ourselves, we are here to urge you on behalf of Kamloops to give proper consideration to a federal panel review on this highly divisive issue.
”Please pay no mind to our previously stated opinions on the matter, nor to the fact that your provincial counterpart Terry Lake is against it. And please set aside, for the time being, your own public comments that you see no need for it.”
“Ms. McLeod, Mr. Mayor,” Kent might have replied, “I will keep an open mind, pay a visit to Kamloops at the first opportunity, go on a walkabout, talk to the locals, and only then make a decision.”
And, in due course, Kent flew into town this week, looked, talked, and on the verge of boarding his plane, experienced clarity — he could not in good conscience order the panel review supported by City council, all regional district directors, and several environment groups and affected land owners.
It’s possible.
MOTHER CORP LIVES: Some reassurance on the question of whether CBC really will set up a studio and do live programming in Kamloops arrived in my in-box this week.
A week ago, you will remember, CBC’s B.C. director of programming Lorna Haeber expressed confidence everything remains on track for spring despite the hullaballoo about the feds being anxious to do some slashing and burning on the public broadcaster’s inflated budget.
She acknowledged that a site in the downtown core has been selected (a topic of some speculation hereabouts as to its exact address) and a producer has been hired, but she couldn’t confirm details of where or who.
Well, we can confirm that the producer is Rob Polson and that the announcement of his hiring was made internally last month, in CBC Vancouver’s own newsletter. It came under “staffing announcements” and reveals this:
“Rob Polson has accepted the position of producer of the new CBC Radio morning show that will launch next spring in Kamloops. This is the first hire for the new bureau, and Rob’s experience will lead what will eventually be a four-person team.… Rob worked as a news anchor and producer at CFJC in Kamloops back in the ‘80s (sic; it was the ‘90s). Rob will begin his new job in February or March of next year….”
ArmchairMayor.ca 
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