It was an educational experience for City Counselor Lyle Yanish who attended his first SUMA convention in Regina last week. 

"This was quite informational," he said of the four day event. "Of course it's like any convention, some things you find overwhelming. But it was very useful and enjoyable to go."

"It was great networking with other cities and towns, their mayors and administration to find out what they've been doing in the past years that makes their city better or what they have been experiencing that is making their city not so good."

Yanish had the opportunity to attend several workshops while he was there.

"I went to a few different ones. I went to one called Plugged Into Crime Prevention. It helped identify the services needed within your communities to help tackle some of the causes of crime being committed in the community. A lot of stuff we talked about like the Drug Enforcement Officers, the special traffic officers that are on the highways helping the RCMP."

"I went to another one called Justice and the RCMP. There we learned what other cities are asking of the provincial government. Financial aid or if crime is really bad, certain communities are looking for more officers or just help form the government."

He added that the keynote speaker, David Griffiths was a highlight for him.

"He was talking about how not to have such a bad attitude on your local community. That just festers into more problems. We need to have everyone having a positive attitude and we be the one who change it. All the complaining about how bad this is, it all turns back on us and we're the ones who have to change it. Not just the council, it's also the citizens in our community."

Yanish adds that he met the new premier and that while he may not be the dynamic speaker Brad Wall is, he is a down to earth person looking out for the betterment of our province.

"And I hope that they'll remember to keep us in their funding so we don't have to do anymore major cuts int he future. He's got some big shoes to fill so it'll be interesting to see the job he does."