2015 Tourism Industry Association of BC (TIABC) AGM 

Tourism on the Federal Stage

You will not want to miss this innovative and informative tourism industry event: Tourism on the Federal Stage immediately following our AGM on May 7.

TIABC has invited first-time/non-sitting MP candidates from the four main national political parties to speak on their party’s position on tourism.  As the country leads up to a federal election some time in 2015, what a great way to become informed!  

TIABC is excited to host this event in conjunction with our 21st Annual General Meeting. We welcome our members, and interested non-members, to attend. 

 

AGENDA

10am - noon: AGM

Noon - 12:30pm: lunch (included in the registration fee)

12:30pm - 12:45pm: Welcome from Minister Naomi Yamamoto

12:45pm - 2:30pm: Tourism on the Federal Stage  - panel discussion including invited representatives from each of the four political parties: NDP, Liberal, Green and Conservatives. Learn from each candidate about their parties tourism priorities. Bring your questions!

Please note: TIABC invited first-time/non-sitting MP candidates from four national political parties to speak on their party’s position on tourism. The Conservative Party of Canada was asked to provide a first-time, non-sitting candidate and declined.  They did extend an offer for either Minister Maxime Bernier, Minister of State for Small Business, Tourism and Agriculture or Blake Richards, Chair of the Parliamentary Tourism Caucus to attend however TIABC declined as to ensure a level playing field for all parties and candidates.

Speaker Bios

CONSTANCE BARNES, NDP candidate 

Constance Barnes is the federal NDP candidate for Vancouver Centre. Constance was elected to the Park Board in 2008 and 2011 as part of the Vision Vancouver team, topping the polls each time with more than 62,000 votes. She became Board Chair in her second term. Under her leadership and six years in office, the Board managed over $600 million in balanced budgets, investing in community, green space, recreational and health infrastructure.

Today, Constance is a leader in the province’s tourism industry. She is a senior executive at the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden—named “World’s Top City Garden” by National Geographic and “Garden of the Year” by the Garden Tourism Council of Canada.

Born and raised in Vancouver in a multi-cultural family, Constance has dedicated her life to making our city a more liveable place. Now she’s committed to building a better Vancouver in a Canada where no one is left behind.

 

PAMELA GOLDSMITH-JONES, Liberal candidate 

Pam Goldsmith-Jones is the federal Liberal candidate for West Vancouver–Sunshine Coast–Sea to Sky Country – the outdoor recreation capital of Canada, where both Whistler Mountain and Cypress Bowl Resorts hosted the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.  Pam was the mayor of West Vancouver during the games, and was part of VANOC’s senior delegation that travelled to Torino in 2006 to understand the benefit of the games.

Pam is North Shore to the core.  Born and raised in West Vancouver, she was first elected to North Vancouver District council in 1993.  Then she and her husband Geoff, and their three children moved back to West Vancouver, where Pam was elected for 3 terms, 2 terms as the mayor.  The Goldsmith-Jones family love to fish, and are passionate about wild salmon stocks.  Pam homeschooled their children for six years, partly so they could spend more time in the woods and on the water.

Pam’s is accessible and open.  Douglas Coupland says she’s “wildly generous with her time.”  In 2011 Vancouver Magazine said she “is the perfect bridge to a forward-looking future.”  She is an innovative leader, and a champion of inclusion and public engagement.  She has a Masters degree in local government and Canadian politics, and she has just completed her MBA in Aboriginal Business and Leadership.  She knows her riding and our community, and is ready to contribute to Canada from a position of her strong West Coast roots.

 

FRANCES LITMAN, Green Party candidate 

On February 15^th, Frances Litman was chosen as the Green Party candidate in the Esquimalt-Saanich-Sooke riding.

Frances is a passionate crusader for the environment, plus an international award-winning accredited Master photographer, photographic adjudicator and international speaker, community connector, and founder and managing director of the Creatively United for the Planet Society.

Frances has demonstrated her commitment to the community by volunteering more than 6000 hours in the past four years creating, managing and growing the Creatively United for the Planet Society and Vancouver Island Green Scene.

Frances has stepped into the candidacy with the intention of being the positive voice for change that people are eager to have and help the Green Party get the proportional representation needed to be heard loud and clear.

Register Now! 

Christine Willow, TIABC Chair

Our annual general meeting provides a great opportunity to gather our members together review the past year and discuss our upcoming priorities. Join us, and your tourism colleagues, for an agenda full of TIABC updates and news as well as a political panel discussion. Register today!