BY RATTAN MALL
DELTA Mayor George V. Harvie had to actually hire a lawyer at his own expense just to get information from the City on a matter that he was entitled to.
As The VOICE reported last week, at a Delta Chamber of Commerce forum, and again on CBC’s mayoral debate, Harvie told voters that after he hired a lawyer to get the information through a Freedom of Information request, he found a bill of more than $213,000 before GST.
It was paid by Delta taxpayers over a 2024 lawsuit that named both the City of Delta and Councillor Dylan Kruger. The allegations in that suit were denied and never proven in court.
Kruger called it a political stunt.
The VOICE challenged both of them in a write-up to prove that their account was correct.
Harvie brought documents to The VOICE on Monday to back his claims.
There was a bill of $4,070.96 that he paid to a lawyer to file an FOI request to the City.
“I actually had to hire a lawyer to deal with this, although the document was definitely releasable,” Harvie said. “That was so embarrassing to me that the mayor had to do that.”
Harvie added that some councillors were “purposely hiding it and did everything so that it didn’t get out before the election.”
He mocked his rival who says that the election is about transparency. “This is NOT being transparent!” he asserted.
“I shouldn’t have to go through with this. I paid $4,070.96 to a lawyer to get the information.”
The fact that the City settled the case means the cost of the settlement is additional – but that amount remains confidential.
“It will be up to the next Council whether they want to proceed with recovering the costs, Harvie told The VOICE in reply to a question.
This election will now boil down to integrity and, indeed, transparency.
And experience.
Harvie, who successfully managed the administrations of two major cities — Burnaby and Delta — before becoming Delta’s mayor, is running for a third term with Achieving for Delta.
Photo: City of Delta
THE mayor has met our challenge. The burden now shifts to the candidate who wants his job. Kruger has said this election is about transparency. Transparency, integrity and leadership are on the ballot. Here is how voters can measure them.
* Transparency
1. Did taxpayers pay for your personal defence, and did you ask them to? The lawsuit named you personally. Under BC law, a council member has no statutory immunity from a claim of slander. If the City paid your costs, it chose to, under an indemnification bylaw or a council decision.
2. Will you support releasing the full cost breakdown before October 17? That means what was spent defending the City and yourself, the total cost to taxpayers.
* Integrity
3. Did you declare a conflict of interest and leave the room for any council decision on paying your legal costs or resolving the case? The Community Charter requires a council member with a financial interest in a matter to declare it, leave the meeting and not vote. The answer is in the minutes.
4. Have you ever discussed a city employee’s personnel matters with members of the public? Council members must keep confidential what they learn in confidence. Personnel matters are at the core of that duty.
5. What part did you play in the decision to end that employee’s employment? Council’s own employee is the chief administrative officer. Staffing decisions belong to the administration, not to individual councillors.
* Leadership
6. Do you dispute the $213,507.88 figure? If it is wrong, show the correct one. If it is right, “political stunt” is not an answer. It is a way of avoiding one.
