Frizzell not right for job; Stolz

When Coun. Cameron Stolz threw his support behind the person he believed to be the best for a spot on the Federation of Canadian Muncipalities' (FCM) executive, it wasn't fellow Prince George representative Coun. Garth Frizzell.

Frizzell was in the running for FCM third vice president at last weekend's annual general meeting in Saskatoon.

Vancouver councillor Raymond Louie took the vote in a race that also included reps from Victoria, Surrey and Richmond. If still an elected representative in three years, Louie will become the president of the national organization representing 2,000 communities.

Of the Prince George delegation, which also included Mayor Shari Green and Coun. Frank Everitt, Stolz said he was the only one to not vote for Frizzell, instead choosing to back Louie.

Stolz, who has served with Louie on the FCM's municipal infrastructure committee for the past three years, said he picked the person he believed to be best prepared to sit across from the prime minister and state the case for a better deal for municipalities in the pressing issue of infrastructure funding.

"From my perspective, Coun. Frizzell has been a valuable member of the B.C. caucus," he said. "The person I chose to support was someone who's been the chair or co-chair of the municipal infrastructure committee for the last three years. The same person who sat across from [Government House Leader John] Baird and explained why municipalities needed to have an extension to the last round of infrastructure stimulus spending."

While Stolz acknowledged the work Frizzell has also done in the organization's international wing, he said the FCM needed somebody with first-hand experience in dealing with the federal government and that can represent the national body, not just local interests.

"The purpose of being the third vice president of FCM is to champion causes for all the communities across Canada," Stolz said.

At the March 26 council meeting, both Frizzell and Stolz received council's unanimous endorsement and support to stand for election to the FCM board of directors and sit on committees, respectively - something Stolz said they do every year.

"At no point did Coun. Frizzell bring a motion forward to council asking for council's endorsement or support in his bid to run for third vice president," Stolz said, adding had Frizzell done so, he would not have supported it.

Frizzell could not be reached for comment as of press time.