EDITORIAL – City’s relationship with Uji is worth preserving, with less pomp

An editorial by Mel Rothenburger.

A DELEGATION FROM UJI was in town a few days ago. You might have missed that fact if you weren’t paying close attention.

There was no news release from City Hall. The delegation from our Sister City consisted only of the mayor, a couple of councillors, and some students. None of the hoopla of past years.

It used to be that Uji delegations were a big deal. They arrived for Canada Day and took part in our celebrations. They were treated to a couple of big community dinners, toured the city and the area, and took part in formal gift giving ceremonies.

The delegations consisted of the mayor, several city councillors and a large number of Uji citizens.

Now, not so much. Whereas past exchanges alternated — Uji came here one year, a Kamloops delegation including the chamber of commerce visited Uji the next — COVID interrupted. This newest visit came a couple of years after the 30th anniversary of our Sister City relationship with the Japanese city.

Main reason for the downgrading of the visits is politics. Both here and in Uji, taxpayers are less willing to fund delegations.

The Sister City relationship between Kamloops and Uji has outlasted most such protocols between cities, and it’s worth preserving. Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson says it could lead to tourism opportunities but, frankly, there’s little economic benefit to it.

Sports teams and such have visited each other’s cities in past years but that’s not the main opportunity. Sister City relationships are simply a way to promote international understanding and that’s reason enough.

But if City council has any thoughts of reviving the official exchanges in their old form, it should think again. Visits of, say, every four years or so will suffice, and there’s no need for all of council to go to Uji — just the mayor and one or two others, perhaps.

The relationship with Uji will endure. It doesn’t need to be expensive.

I’m Mel Rothenburger, the Armchair Mayor.

Mel Rothenburger is a regular contributor to CFJC Today, publishes the ArmchairMayor.ca opinion website, and is a recipient of the Jack Webster Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award. He has served as mayor of Kamloops, school board chair and TNRD director, and is a retired daily newspaper editor. He can be reached at mrothenburger@armchairmayor.ca.