In a visit that will be both symbolic and historic, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will meet with Mayor Gregor Robertson at Vancouver city hall Thursday.
The symbolism is in the fact Trudeau promised during his election campaign to be accessible to municipal governments and work with civic politicians on issues such as transit and housing.
History will be made because no sitting prime minister has visited Vancouver city hall since Trudeau’s father, Pierre Elliott, did in 1973.
“This is a very welcome visit and shows how Prime Minister Trudeau and his government value Vancouver and local government as partners in improving the lives of Canadians and their families,” said Vision Vancouver Coun. Raymond Louie in an email to the Courier.
Louie, who is president of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, said he didn’t know if Trudeau would make any announcements regarding funding for Vancouver. A press release from the prime minister’s office issued Wednesday gave no details.
Robertson has spoken to Trudeau by telephone since he’s been elected and met with him during the recent climate change conference in Paris. The two have a strong relationship, with Trudeau rumoured to have approached Robertson to run as a candidate in the last election. He also sent the mayor a video message for his 50th birthday last year.
The camaraderie between the mayor and prime minister is unlike the frosty relationship Robertson and his ruling Vision Vancouver council had with former prime minister Stephen Harper and his ministers.
Since Vision Vancouver won a majority in 2008 – and kept it in subsequent elections – Robertson’s administration has been highly critical of the federal government’s inaction on homelessness, housing, transit and drug issues.
The City of Vancouver further angered the Harper government this year by being the first municipality in Canada to regulate illegal marijuana dispensaries. The City and advocates of drug users also fought the federal government in the courts to prevent the Insite supervised drug injection site from closing.
During his campaign to become prime minister, Trudeau promised to legalize marijuana and support the opening of more drug injection sites. He also committed to work with Robertson and the provincial government to get a rapid transit line built along the Broadway corridor.
“The lack of federal funding will no longer be a roadblock to action,” said Trudeau during a campaign stop in September from a rooftop patio at Cambie and Broadway, where he announced $20 billion for transit infrastructure across the country. The patio was part of a city-leased building used by engineering staff.
On housing, Trudeau promised to provide tax incentives to boost development and renovation of rental housing, renew existing co-operative housing agreements set to expire and review temporary and non-resident home purchases.
Trudeau and Robertson, however, have opposing views on Kinder Morgan’s pipeline proposal, with the mayor campaigning against another pipeline from Alberta to Burrard Inlet while Trudeau has said he supports the project provided it meets certain environmental standards.
Four of Vancouver's six MPs are Liberals, including rookies Jody Wilson-Raybould (Vancouver-Granville) and Harjit Sajjan (Vancouver-South). Trudeau appointed Wilson-Raybould as justice minister and Sajjan as defence minister. Joyce Murray (Vancouver-Quadra) and Hedy Fry (Vancouver-Centre) are Vancouver's two other Liberal MPs.
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