PETERS – Assume Fassbender’s dismissal was another partisan game

Posted on December 30, 2023 in Local Voices, Page One, Peters // 3 Comments

(Image: CFJC Today)

PETER FASSBENDER’S DISMISSAL as the municipal adviser to Kamloops mayor and council seemed to catch everyone by surprise, including Fassbender himself.

There’s only one plausible reason Fassbender was relieved of his duties last week.

It very likely played out like this.

Step 1 — the Ministry of Municipal Affairs appoints Fassbender to work with Kamloops, drawing on his experience in both municipal and provincial government.

Step 2 — Fassbender’s appointment is publicized and catches the attention of some NDP political operatives.

Step 3 — Said NDP operatives remember Fassbender is a former B.C. Liberal MLA and cabinet minister and lean hard on the ministry to fire him.

Politics is a zero sum game, and the NDP can’t have the perception out there that anyone associated with the former B.C. Liberal party is at all competent or trustworthy.

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James Peters is the radio anchor at CFJC, coming to Kamloops in 2006. He anchors the afternoon news on B-100 and 98.3 CIFM, and contributes weekly editorials to the CFJC Evening News. He tweets regularly @Jamloops.

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3 Comments on PETERS – Assume Fassbender’s dismissal was another partisan game

1. bronwenbscott // January 1, 2024 at 7:30 PM // Reply

   Of course it was political! Everything politicians do is political. Too bad, since Faassbender seems to have a lot of knowledge and experience. I don’t care what party a mediator belongs to–if they can sort out the mess that our city hall is in, that’s good enough for me, and likely for most of the residents of Kamloops.

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2. Mac Gordon // December 30, 2023 at 2:21 PM // Reply

   “The prospect that crass partisanship would have played a role in the ministry’s operational decision is both sickening and disheartening.” Ease up on the hyperbole will ya, the shocking part was that he was hired in the first part and not that he was fired so abruptly. The NDP fumbled the ball here to be sure, but lets not make a mountain over a mole hill.

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3. Pierre // December 30, 2023 at 9:17 AM // Reply

   Either a partisan game or the fact that Fassbender is an older white male who goes by using the pronoun “he”. Certainly him also being a “liberal” must’ve sent Bass, Hunter, Sandhu et al into a frenzy.
   Will an equitable resolution be found? Maybe.

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