Councillors scale new heights at junket

May 26, 2001
Source: Toronto Star
Original story - link verified on May 26, 2001

Do we really need a baker's dozen of city councillors in Banff this weekend for the Federation of Canadian Municipalities' annual conference? That's almost 30 per cent of the entire council spending your money, dear taxpayer, on a junket to enjoy the majestic mountain setting and sit through a couple of no-doubt-vital workshops and conference panels... Two reasons have been cited so far for this year's high attendance: the need to support the imminent ascension to the presidency of Jack Layton and the fact that the federation is celebrating its 100th anniversary. As Layton is likely to get the post by acclamation, Reason 1 is plain hokum. The real reason, we suspect, is that the conference is being held in a high-altitude playland.