 What the political controversy in Lions Bay is really about | | |  | | | Turns out, when you say a community has the most dysfunctional government in B.C., you end up hearing from a lot of people from that community.
Our story this week on Lions Bay and the massive upheaval that’s happened since the election got attention from residents, who let Metro Matters know their thoughts. We heard from residents who thought the story was fair, and those who thought it was unfair. Residents who thought more focus should be put on why the former chief administrative officer was dismissed, and residents who had plenty of claims that would get Metro Matters sued if we published them without fact-checking.
But the story got plenty of attention from other small towns as well. Because while the specifics of Lions Bay’s predicament are unique, the broader tensions are common to many municipalities.
The first story is one of staff vs. politicians. In theory, politicians operate like a board of directors approving strategic direction for a local government, and staff are instructed to carry out those directions.
Yet sometimes, they don’t — or at least not as effectively as politicians would like. Sometimes there are personality clashes. Sometimes there are HR issues, which become more difficult to manage in a small community. Either way, trying to change the culture of city hall as a mayor can be much tougher than trying to change the culture of a company as a CEO.
The second is one of outsiders vs. the establishment. Lions Bay Mayor Ken Berry ran on a platform of transparency and wanting a reset, and there’s a bit of a generational and institutional power divide between his supporters and opponents.
Whether or not the outsiders or establishment are “in the right”, it’s natural for both sides to believe they’re the ones being wronged and unfairly targeted. How Berry — an outsider mayor with no previous political experience — is navigating that is a big part of the story.
And finally, it’s a story of political capital. Multiple Lions Bay residents have told Metro Matters that since Barry won, he should be entitled to carry out his agenda because it’s the will of the people.
However, he only won by 18 votes, and doesn’t have unanimous support on council — in fact, two of the three councillors seem awfully skeptical of him. Fair or not, such situations historically give mayors less leeway to make controversial changes, unless they have plenty of political skill (and luck).
Of course, all three stories are essentially the same: they're about how mayors wield power in a system of government that gives them limited tools.
Berry and Lions Bay find themselves as the symbol of that for B.C. small towns at the moment.
But the only guarantee is they won’t be the last. | | |  | | | 1. Qualicum Beach | | | Speaking of small towns and controversy: the Mayor of Qualicum Beach has settled a defamation case by agreeing to pay $130,000 and apologize to two local businessmen. At issue? Comments he made while he was a councillor in 2020 and 2021, when he alleged multiple times that they deliberately burned down a building they owned. Teunis Westbroek was censured by council for his comments before he became mayor — one wonders whether this apology and settlement will end the issue or make it larger.
Read more in the Parksville Qualicum Beach News | | |  | | | 2. Campaign finance | Elections B.C. has released the total donations and expenses for last year’s local elections, and it shows that spending went up by more than 25 per cent compared to 2018 across the province. Virtually all of that was due to more money being funneled to political parties — particularly in Metro Vancouver, where it’s becoming harder and harder for independents to have a chance in large communities.
Read more | | | |  | | | 3. Beach drinking | It seems 2020 and 2021 were full of pandemic-related stories of governments approving drinking in parks or beaches on a temporary basis. But many of those temporary rules are becoming permanent, and in the case of Penticton, the areas available to drink are even being expanded. We’ll see how the debate plays out in Vancouver later this year when park board staff make recommendations. Read more in Castanet | | | | | |  | | | 4. Mill closures | What happens when the industry your town was settled around is no longer viable? It’s been a question in plenty of resource towns around British Columbia for several decades now, but as Houston and Chetwynd grapple with the closures of their mills, mayors in both towns are relearning that story, and trying to lead their communities through what could be very trying times.
Read more | | | |  | | | 5. Burnaby | It’s a story of duelling environmental priorities, as Burnaby council voted unanimously to continue working on the design and cost for a potential $180-million green recycling and organic waste facility, rather than continue contracting out to a private facility in Delta. The potential problem? It would pave over part of a sprawling park that has wetlands and plenty of wildlife. Expect petitions.
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forwarded to you. | | | | That's it for this this week! In the meantime, check out the latest headlines at cbc.ca/bc and follow our municipal affairs reporter Justin McElroy on Twitter. And if you have any questions you might want answered in a future mailbag, drop Justin a line at metromatters@cbc.ca. | | | |
