LETTER – Mayor Milobar needs to withdraw from Ajax procedures

Which hat is the mayor wearing when he presides over Ajax matters on behalf of the City, that of the Mayor of Kamloops, or that of a favoured candidate to become the new Liberal MLA for Kamloops South Thompson?

 

Recent actions by Mayor Peter Milobar relating to the City’s position on the proposed Ajax mine raise serious questions about whether the mayor who would rather be an MLA is legitimately and fairly able to preside over and vote on council activities related to KGHM Ajax mine. 

 

Milobar himself understands that there is a problem, one that he wishes to avoid until he has the nomination in hand, as he earlier stated to the media that he “would be speaking to council about whether to continue as the City’s negotiator with KGHM Ajax if he becomes the party’s nominee.”

 

However, Milobar is in a perceived conflict of interest right now when he has obligations and loyalties to the extremely pro-mine-development-oriented BC Liberal government even as he continues to cling to being mayor of a city that needs to contend with all the ramifications of having this same government allow a massive open pit mine right on our doorstep.

 

To understand the concern with mine politics of the BC Liberals, we need only remember several relevant facts: 1.) That the controlling shareholder of Imperial Metals Corp. which owns the Mount Polley mine, N. Murray Edwards, helped organize a $1-million private fundraiser in Calgary in support of Christy Clark’s re-election campaign and, 2.) That KGHM has contributed $55,450 to the BC Liberal party over the past three years.

 

It is quite obvious Milobar should “do the right thing” by removing himself from any further discussions or votes related to Ajax until his political status and loyalties become absolutely clear.  If he does not, any votes on Ajax that he participates in may be subject to a possible legal challenge afterwards.

 

Questions also arise from Milobar’s unwillingness to handle Ajax matters in an open, fair, and balanced way.  In a way that has respect for all councillors and all community members, and for positions that are not necessarily in agreement with his own personal agenda for Ajax.

 

It is an embarrassment that Mines Minister Bill Bennett was the one to inform Kamloops residents that our city had already submitted a draft proposal to KGHM Ajax late this summer, before asking residents or Council for their input.

 

And, it is troubling that this community mitigation/compensation draft Milobar presided over still remains concealed from the public even after the “confidential” financial compensation amount under consideration was unceremoniously trumpeted out to the press by Bennett. We strongly feel that residents need to be fully involved in this agreement process. 

 

Coun. Denis Walsh, doing the job the taxpayers are paying him to do, recently introduced to Council a proposal for Five Conditions that our city needs to have in place before it can consider Ajax, which will be openly debated and voted on at the next Council meeting. It is refreshing to see this important issue finally having a serious discussion at City Hall in order to set a high-level direction.

Mayor Milobar has demonstrated bias and distorted judgment by improperly attempting in a recent local radio interview  to discredit this very carefully thought-through proposal, which has widespread community support after months of consultation.

While the mayor says he doesn’t “frankly understand the point of” Walsh’s proposed conditions, this does not seem to be the case with other key players in the process. We refer to a media report following the initial publication of these proposed conditions, which said “KGHM spokesman Yves Lacasse thanked Walsh for his suggestions, (adding) we look forward to further conversations about next steps and the way forward.” Also, according to the same report, “In a statement, SSN (Stk’emlúpsemc te Secwepemc Nation) said it appreciated Walsh’s references to the ongoing land claim case over lands owned by KGHM at the mine site.”

This all clearly raises the spectre of a conflicted agenda on Milobar’s part which is not fair to the residents of Kamloops. We therefore feel it is reasonable and proper to ask that the mayor immediately excuse himself from any discussions and votes on all Ajax matters until, at the very least, he clearly has one job, and one job only, that of being the Mayor of Kamloops.

 

JOHN McNAMER

Dr. SUSAN MANN

Kamloops