(Cobourg Mayor Lucas Cleveland with Senator Amy Klobuchar who sits on the US Senate Judiciary committee)
At the upcoming Regular Council Meeting on April 30, 2025, Mayor Lucas Cleveland will deliver a report on his involvement with the Great Lakes St Lawrence Cities initiative since his election.
This report comes on the heels of a trip to Washington, D.C, where he represented Canadian municipalities during Great Lakes Day from March 5–7, 2025.
Mayor Cleveland attended the event in his role as National Co-Chair of the Economic Forum for the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative (GLSLCI) alongside his fellow Co-Chair the Mayor of Montreal, Valarie Plante. The trip included a delegation of over 30 U.S. and Canadian mayors, joined by First Nation leaders attending more than 20 meetings with Congressional leaders, U.S. Senators, senior administration officials, and business representatives.
At the heart of the discussions was the Cities Initiative’s firm opposition to the proposed blanket 25 percent U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods—a policy that could significantly harm cross-border communities and local economies.
“These tariffs represent the single greatest threat to Canada that has come along in my lifetime,” said Mayor Cleveland.
“I believe it is incumbent on every politician, at every level, to do whatever they can within their scope to avoid this situation from worsening and I am honoured that I was asked to attend as part of the Canadian Delegation.”
Mayor Cleveland’s participation in these international advocacy efforts remain consistent with a new approach to have Cobourg involved and recognized at the provincial, national and international level.
This report associates the record $30+ million dollars that Cobourg received in 2024 from Provincial and Federal Grants to this new apporach.
Acknowledged in the report is that this advocacy is made possible because of a focused strategic plan, investment into communications and marketing, a new governance model, local economic growth, the leadership roles some members of Council have taken on in the community and with influential organizations like the GLSLCI and the work of local champions including MPP David Piccini and MP Philip Lawrence
Find the press release from the Washington event here
https://glslcities.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/GLSL-Cities-Initiative-Press-Release-Great-Lakes-Day-2025.pdf
For another example of Mayor Cleveland’s involvement with the GLSLCI click here
https://councilgreatlakesregion.org/joint-statement-from-the-council-of-the-great-lakes-region-and-the-great-lakes-st-lawrence-cities-initiative
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
