Re: “Battling a behemoth from within,” July 6.
It was disappointing to see the Times Colonist allow itself to be used to advance a thinly veiled political attack on Esquimalt Mayor Barb Desjardins that could lead some readers to believe she misused her position on the Capital Regional District board to defeat the CRD sewage proposal at McLoughlin Point.
The dual role is the way the CRD is structured, and Desjardins had to function with that structure.
Last year, I was due to make a presentation to Central Saanich council asking them to repudiate the plans of CRD Parks for Island View Beach. Mayor Alastair Bryson of Central Saanich is, however, also the chairman of the CRD and had voted for the very actions of CRD Parks that I was asking Central Saanich to oppose.
Like Desjardins, Bryson is a person of high integrity, and there was no suggestion of bias or conflict; the concern was the perception that either might exist. I asked Bryson if he would recuse himself from the discussion at council and he replied: “I have received advice which confirms that I do not have a conflict of interest in this matter due to my dual roles as mayor and CRD director. In fact, I am advised that the establishing legislation anticipates such dual roles.”
He did participate in that discussion and there can be no criticism of him for it — he was operating in a dual role as the system anticipated and required — just as Desjardins did. The issue would not exist if CRD directors were elected.
Jason Austin
Saanichton
