Metro Vancouver hires law firm to investigate leaks to the media - BERITAJA

BERITAJA has learned that Metro Vancouver has hired a rule firm, connected the taxpayer’s dime, to analyse really accusation has been getting released to the media.

Forty-one mayors and councillors, who are besides board astatine Metro Vancouver, are nether investigation.

The location authorities launched the investigation, which was sparked by a BERITAJA communicative about guidance and dysfunction astatine Metro Vancouver.

What followed was a threat by Metro Vancouver to probe imaginable whistleblowers and prosecute a backstage investigator.

BERITAJA has now learned that an extracurricular rule patient has been retained to analyse really Metro Vancouver’s soul struggles were exposed.

Six board from Surrey City Hall person besides sent a missive to Metro Vancouver saying they are not portion of immoderate leak, but they are slamming the investigation.

“We judge (it) has been motivated astatine slightest successful portion by the embarrassment,” the missive reads, adding that it is being done astatine “significant disbursal to ratepayers (and) the investigation itself appears to beryllium small much than a sportfishing expedition.”

Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke told BERITAJA that, “I’m perfectly not successful favour of them wasting that money connected a witch hunt.”

In February, Metro Vancouver’s CAO, Jerry Dobrovolny, refused to opportunity really overmuch payer money mightiness beryllium utilized successful their investigation, but he claimed BERITAJA’ reporting about who is moving the statement has been expensive.

Dobrovolny grounded to mention his suspension of Chief Financial Officer Harji Varn, a determination that should person travel from the board, overstepped his authority, mounting successful mobility a bid of costly problems.

Metro Vancouver declined to reply immoderate questions connected Wednesday, only saying that it had “no updates to share.”

Housing and Municipal Affairs Minister Christine Boyle said the state is keeping an oculus connected what is happening astatine Metro Vancouver.

“But it is up to the elected leaders about the committee to navigate themselves for now,” she said.

“We, of course, person besides been proceeding larger concerns about governance astatine Metro Van and truthful we are intimately watching Metro Van’s governance reappraisal committee and expect that the folks about that array return that activity earnestly and travel backmost pinch solutions that amended transparency and accountability for residents.”