City Councillor receives endorsement for FCM Board of Directors

Councillor Joe Masi may soon be able to make his voice heard on a national level.

Masi will be putting his name forward for the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) Board of Directors Election. Masi says he’s been considering running for the FCM for a while.

“I attended board meetings as the Executive Director (for the Association of Manitoba Municipalities), but now that I'm an elected official here in the City of Portage, I want to have my voice for Manitoba on that board,” explains Masi. “They deal with the Federal Government on issues affecting municipalities and I think I can bring my voice to that table so that Manitoba and the City of Portage have good representation when it comes to hearing and dealing with the issues at the Federal level.”

The FCM’s Board of Directors works to represent the interests of municipalities on policy and programs that fall within federal jurisdiction. Municipal councillors from all regions and sizes are elected with the goal being to carry a united voice to the national level.

“I think the most important thing is that council supports you in an endeavour like this,” notes Masi. “Even though the Association of Manitoba Municipalities pays a lot of the costs, so there won't be much of a cost to the city in the resolution if there is any. The city is committed to saying yes, we support you, and it is so humbling.”

The FCM Annual General Meeting will be held from May 25-28, which will be followed by the election. The FCM meets in person three times per year.

If elected, Masi would serve from May 2023 until June 2024.