A5

By James Mallory

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Bathurst Mayor Stephen Brunet says an excursion to Quebec City for the Franco-Amerique Mayors Gathering Aug. 9 to 11 was a busy but productive weekend.

About 30 to 35 mayors attended the meeting with four from New Brunswick and mayors from Maine, New Hampshire, Louisiana and Florida. The event was hosted by Quebec City itself and included were two-nights accommodation, meals, musical entertainment, informational presentations and a tour of the city.

"They put on a first class show for sure and it was really neat to talk to mayors from around the States," said Mayor Brunet. "I talked to one mayor from Maine who had a mill shut down in his home town and...we talked back and forth about possibilities in what they're doing in the community. There's a lot of similarities."

He said the mayors gathering coincided with the 400th anniversary celebration of the founding of Quebec City, back in 1608. Mr. Brunet said the City of Quebec has been doing well with tourism and many of the visiting mayors were impressed

"We got to enjoy their celebrations and we got to realize the problems facing communities from here to Florida are the same. North Miami was represented by one of the mayors and he was trying to figure out what Quebec was doing so well for tourism to attract so many people...The same thing we're doing here with our tourism association is trying to figure out how to get people to come to northern New Brunswick and show the treasures that we do have."

Mr. Brunet added that the gathering was a networking opportunity to learn about other regions, while promoting Bathurst at the same time.

"I had to get up and say some words and I brought my picture book of Bathurst and at every table I sat...I showed them my picture book...They were pretty impressed with the aerial photos.

"It was a chance to spread the word about Bathurst and I did that with every opportunity," concluded the mayor.