It was a meeting of “big city mayors,” but the mayor of the biggest city in Canada was missing. Toronto Mayor Rob Ford skipped Thursday’s Big City Mayors’ Caucus meeting in Saskatoon, which kicked off the 75th Federation of Canadian Municipalities annual conference.

True to his past record of never attending an FCM meeting, even as a councillor, Mayor Rob Ford was represented by Councillor Giorgio Mammoliti at the mayors’ meeting that launches the June 1-4 conference and helps set the priorities of the 2,000-member federation.

Many of the mayors attending the conference said, in a conference call with media, that municipalities desperately need Ottawa to hand over more than the 8 cents for every tax dollar they currently receive.

Eleven Toronto councillors are attending the conference, which gives municipal politicians a chance to rub shoulders with federal government ministers such as Denis Lebel, minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, who will speak Friday. NDP leader Tom Mulcair, Liberal leader Bob Rae and Green Party leader Elizabeth May will also give addresses.

The municipal politicians, in turn, are expected to appeal for help with the staggering costs of infrastructure replacement and transportation initiatives.

FCM, which lobbies Ottawa on federal policies and programs affecting municipalities, just released a report criticizing senior governments for taking the lion’s share of taxes and leaving the cities crumbs. The report says Canadian cities have been in decline for 25 years and face a collective $123 billion municipal infrastructure deficit.

This is the first time the event has been held in Saskatoon.

Asked about the role of Toronto and Ford in the organization’s lobbying efforts, Mammoliti said that “Mayor Ford keeps constant communication with those of us who do come to FCM … He agrees wholeheartedly that we need more money from the federal government — 8 cents does not cut it ...’’

Ford recently told Toronto reporters: “I don’t go to FCM. Since when do I go to FCM?’’

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MAYORS IN THE HOUSE

In attendance:

Calgary: Naheed Nenshi

Vancouver: Gregor Robertson

Mississauga: Hazel McCallion

Winnipeg: Sam Katz

Saskatoon: Don Atchison

Brampton: Susan Fennell

Halifax: Peter Kelly

Ottawa: Jim Watson

St. John’s: Dennis O’Keefe

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Surrey: Dianne Watts

Kitchener: Carl Zehr

Toronto, Montreal, Gatineau, Quebec City, Regina, London mayors sent representatives. Edmonton’s mayor did not send anyone but participated by phone in a collective news conference. Windsor, Hamilton and the Quebec cities of Longueuil and Laval did not send any representation.