An unofficial caucus in southern Vancouver Island mayors tackled some tough talk Friday (March 7) with a special guest at the table, invited by Victoria Mayor Marianne Alto.

乌鸦传媒淢y first feeling was I got a little choked up. I乌鸦传媒檓 really grateful we乌鸦传媒檙e still invited frankly,乌鸦传媒� Kate Dexter, mayor of Port Angeles, Wash. said outside Victoria City Hall, ahead of the drive west.

U.S. tariffs imposed on Canada just days earlier are a concerning topic on both sides of the border, the mayors agreed.

Even as the Canadian government announced the first steps of new measures to protect businesses and workers, the mayors planned to talk issues, solutions and a path forward achievable at the local level.

Alto and Dexter both feel good about the relationship between the border towns, separated primarily by a ferry or flight. Both communities face similar issues, such as economic development and housing.

乌鸦传媒淭he worst thing for our economic development in our community right now is a trade war with Canada,乌鸦传媒� Dexter said.

She乌鸦传媒檚 in the early stages of building a mayor coalition across the States, akin to the Canadian Border Mayors Alliance that Alto is a member of. The alliance was launched by Windsor, Ont. Mayor Drew Dilkens to protect local economies and advocate for the interests of communities along the Canada-U.S. border. 

乌鸦传媒淚t does feel advocacy at the federal level is a bit falling on deaf ears beyond our local elected (officials), and they乌鸦传媒檙e so busy dealing with every hit that comes. There乌鸦传媒檚 a new thing every day, so I think a lot of this work is going to be done on a local level,乌鸦传媒� Dexter said, adding her focus is maintaining the 乌鸦传媒渧ital乌鸦传媒� relationship.

乌鸦传媒淚 have seen, across the board regardless of political affiliation, significant concerns about the impact of a trade war and what that will mean for our community.乌鸦传媒�

Those concerns go beyond the impacts of tariffs themselves.

乌鸦传媒淭here乌鸦传媒檚 also just the issue of understanding why Canadians might choose to vote with their dollars and not come to visit us. And we rely heavily on tourism,乌鸦传媒� she said, noting the Coho literally ferries over tens of millions of dollars in economic impact. 乌鸦传媒淲e would like for Canadians to still be on that boat.乌鸦传媒�

The Port Angeles chamber director is already working on pitching their community as Victoria乌鸦传媒檚 乌鸦传媒渟outhern suburb,乌鸦传媒� in hopes Canadians will continue to visit.

Alto said it乌鸦传媒檚 all about nurturing the positive and long relationships with Port Angeles and other communities in Washington State, while acknowledging resentment that exists.

乌鸦传媒淵ou have a relationship that乌鸦传媒檚 been frankly harmed and we don乌鸦传媒檛 know to what extent at this point. Where you have what we thought was our closest friend and ally telling us we乌鸦传媒檙e neither of those things. We乌鸦传媒檙e trying to find that balance point between understanding that this was a government decision and not reflective of many many U.S. citizens,乌鸦传媒� Alto said.

乌鸦传媒淲e do need to be respectful of our residents' concerns, resentment, disappointment. At the same time we understand if we乌鸦传媒檙e going to have any chance of nurturing, resuming that allyship, that friendship, we have to find a way forward.乌鸦传媒�

The south Island mayors meet every two months 乌鸦传媒� hosted by Sooke this time 乌鸦传媒� to talk regional issues.