This morning, Voice Director, Dana Hings, and Voice President, Blair Armitage attended the Greater Vancouver Sewerage and Drainage District’s meeting. On the agenda was a report regarding Metro Vancouver’s attempted expropriation of the Canfor site in New Westminster.
At the beginning of the meeting, one of the board members brought up the idea of looking at the public process for delegations to present, feeling it was too restrictive. The board chair said that they would discuss this again. This was likely a result of Ms. Hings request to speak before the Board but missing the deadline by an hour. Ms. Hings had sent emails to the board and Mayor Wright asking for an exception but one wasn’t granted nor did she hear back from Mayor Wright.
Helen Spiegelman of Zero Waste Vancouver spoke eloquently and with such passion, as usual. Joe Foy of the Western Canada Wilderness Society, (and also a resident of New Westminster), spoke in regard to the impact on the wilderness and about recycling in general.
Quite a few board members spoke to the issue of rejecting the proposal for the land expropriation and most were reluctant to agree to reject but did as there were too many factors in the way. It was stated that this deal could be tied up in the courts for 3-4 years, and this group does not have this kind of time. It was mentioned on more than one occasion that this was handled backwards, where land is bought for such a use before public consultation. There was also no public consultation with the Fraser Valley, who have also shown opposition to the idea of increased use of incinerators within the region. The McBride Sapperton Residents’ Associations meetings were mentioned. Obviously the board recalled Neil Powell’s presentation before them in July and realized that they did not have the support of the neighbourhood.
Most board members were reluctant to reject this proposal for the same reasons mentioned above except for the Mayor of Pitt Meadow, Don MacLean. He still supported this proposal and, among other things, commended the Mayor of Port Moody for still trying to push this through, even with such opposition. He also commended Wayne Wright for bringing this site and acquisition forward in the first place!
This flies in the face of statements the mayor made less than 12 months ago in the press when he stated that he knew nothing about the proposal.
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2 comments:
Disturbing? Yes, ...but sadly, so typical of this Mayor. Of course, there is no reason for him to conduct himself any differently -- WW has been immune to actual consequence because his inner circle has protected him well.
The Mayor of New West. has played fast and loose with the truth on many occasions. The reason that he can get away with it becausae of an in competent, disinterested and compromised press. The lure of the City advertising page controls reporting and editorial content.
Ever see any hard questions being asked? Where there are obviously lies, is anybody held to account?
Of course not. Are there aver any hard-hitting issues with the city? Of course not.
The Record has been bought off by the advertising.
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