I would like to congratulate the Prince George Citizen on their fair and balanced reporting regarding the city's involvement in the funding for the Marriott Hotel development.
While I acknowledge the concerns raised by the various people and organizations interviewed, I am 100 per cent in support of the mayor and council decision to show the long-awaited aggressive leadership needed to first develop a plan of action to bring major development to the city and then to execute it by partnering with the developers of the Marriott.
It is precisely this lack of leadership on the part of past mayors and councils that this city has been stuck in neutral from both a major development and population growth standpoint. Neither can be achieved in a northern, land-locked city without taking risks. Big or small risk is absolutely necessary to achieve anything, including economic growth, which also comes from strategic positioning. With this project, the city is executing this strategy correctly as well.
It is easy to play it safe and sit around and wait for the magic force that will spur economic development and growth that will just fall into our laps.
There is no such thing and local economic history clearly bears that out.
And finally my kudos to Terri McConnachie for correctly and clearly reminding the people at NDIT why they exist and what their mandate is.
To the mayor and council, keep on doing exactly what you are doing to move this city forward to achieve its potential. It is exactly the type of vision and economic strategy this city has needed for many, many years.
G. Miller
Prince George