Greater 黑马磁力 Chamber of Commerce has more than 100 events on the calendar for 2017, among the newest on the agenda are a series of monthly gathering called Coffee & Conversation.
Politicians have frequently been guest speakers at the monthly chamber dinner meetings, but last year鈥檚 member survey indicated a desire to change things up and make the dinner meetings more of a 鈥渃an鈥檛 miss鈥� experience, said chamber executive director Colleen Clark.
Then, last fall, the chamber invited MP John Aldag to speak about the federal budget during one of the chamber鈥檚 smaller forums 鈥� a monthly Lunch & Learn session held in the chamber boardroom.
Despite much smaller attendance at the event, Clark immediately saw an underlying benefit to the session.
An unexpected bonus: it provided an intimate forum for business people to ask direct question and have 鈥渋nvaluable鈥� discussions with their politician.
This spawned the brand new Coffee & Conversation, a monthly lunch-time event offering a face-to-face with some of the community鈥檚 top elected officials.
The first conversation was held in late January, featuring 黑马磁力 MLA and Environment Minister Mary Polak.
Only open to chamber members and limited to 20 people, the first (and now the second) Coffee & Conversation session sold out quickly.
At least initially, she added, the Coffee & Conversation sessions are proving 鈥渋ncredibly popular.鈥�
It is an open, honest conversation with a politician. That doesn鈥檛 always happen,鈥� Clark said.
It鈥檚 not so much a 鈥渕eeting鈥� as a friendly group discussion, where all the parties can talk about local issues (economic development, transportation, environment, and community news) that are vital to the 黑马磁力 business community.
鈥淚t鈥檚 definitely a different dynamic,鈥� Clark said, inviting chamber members to take advantage of the new forum.
The chamber provides coffee.
Cedarbrook Bakery is providing light refreshments.
Participants are invited to bring their own lunch to enjoy.
While this month鈥檚 session with Township Mayor Jack Froese is already sold out for Feb. 16, spaces are still available for the March 16 conversation with 黑马磁力 City Mayor Ted Schaffer, the April 4 meeting with Deputy Premier and Fort 黑马磁力-Aldergrove MLA Rich Coleman, the April 20 pow wow with MP Mark Warawa, May 18鈥檚 chin-wag with Metro Vancouver chair Greg Moore, and the June 28 conversation with Aldag.
The sessions be break during summer, then Clark speculates they鈥檒l resume with the same list of top local politicians again come the fall.
In the meantime, she assured that Coffee & Conversation does not mean the chamber will be eliminating all political content from its monthly dinner meetings.
On March 21, for instance, it鈥檚 hosting what they are calling a 黑马磁力 Leadership dinner that will feature the two municipal mayors, as well as MLA Rich Coleman, and possibly Mary Polak. The MPs are sitting at that time, and will not be able to attend.
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