Summerside mayor calls $32K to send 9 people to national conference 'good investment'

Although Charlottetown plans to rein in costs to off-Island conferences, SummersideMayor Basil Stewart is astaunchdefender of elected officials attending the Federation of Canadian Municipalities conference each year.

Stewart is a formerpresident of the organization and told CBC News that the yearly conference isa vehicle for municipalities across Canada to lobby the federal government.

"It's a good investment for councillors to attend and push strongly for things for their municipality," he said.

On Friday morning the city released itsexpense report for that trip, which shows it cost Summerside taxpayers $32,175.24to send the mayor, five councillors and three city staff to the conference in Quebec City back in May.

Last year it cost Summerside taxpayers about$11,667for mayor, council and staff to attend the conference in Halifax, according to an email from the city's finance director. Moreelected officials and staff went thisyear.

Accomodations cost more on average than Charlottetown

Last week, Charlottetown Mayor Philip Brown told CBC News that although the conference is useful, the city does haveto rein in costs in going to off-Island conferences like the FCM. Charlottetown'scost to taxpayers for officials togo to Quebec City was about $43,993.22up from the $24,599 spent to goto theHalifax last year.

Summerside's mayor takes a different view, saying there is "strength in numbers" in councillors attending.

"We're fiscally responsible, there's no question about that," Stewart said. "If the numbers went way down across the country, the federal government would just sort of wipe their brow and say 'well there's no concernhere.'"

Summerside's accommodations for mayor and council, however, did cost the taxpayers about $300 more on average than Charlottetown's. Stewart's accommodations cost the most among Summerside's elected officials at $1,766.58.

He said the city's accommodationbill washigh because availability was limited.

"When the city went to register, all of a sudden everything started to get booked because the bigger cities and the bigger provinces, there's so many from across the country that get in there first," Stewart said.

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