Response to Petition - Filed 23 March 2015

8/9/2019 Response to Petition - Filed 23 March 2015

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/response-to-petition-filed-23-march-2015 1/9

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GREGOR

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GEOFF

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OR

R

OBE

RTSO

N nd

GE

OFF

M

EGG

S t h e

p e t

i t i o n

r

e s p o n

d e n t s

)

THI

S

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A

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TO

h e

p e t

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Dec

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r 2 ,

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PA

RT

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OR

DER

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ENT

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TO

Th

e

e t

i t i o n

r e s

p o n d e

n t s

c o n

s e n t

t

o

t h e

g

r a n t i

n g

of

h e

o r d e r s

s e t

out n

t h e

f o l l o

w i n g

p

a r a g r

a p h s

of

a r t

of h e

p e t i t i

o n :

N

IL

PAR

T

: ORD

ERS

O

PPO

SED

The

t i

t i o n

r

e s p o n

d e n t s

op p

ose

h

e

g r a n

t i n g of

h

e o r d

e r s

s e t o u t

i n p a r a g

r a p h s

— 6 f

a r t

1 of

t h e

p

t i t i o

n

and

see

k

i s m

i s s a l

of

h

e

p e t i t

i o n

w i

t h

s p e c i a

l

c o s t s .

PA

RT

:

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RS

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W

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H NO

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TION

S

TA

KEN

The

e t i t i

o n

r e s

p o n d e

n t s t a k

e

no p o s i t

i o n

on h e

g r a

n t i n g

of

h e o r

d e r s

s e t

out

n

p a r a g

r a p h s

N i l

of a r t

of

h e

p e t i

t i o n

13 18

94128129

40 1



2

PART :

FACTUAL ASIS

1 .

The

s u p p o r t i n g a f f i d a v i t s

f i l e d by

t h e p e t i t i o n e r s

c o n t a i n no r e l i a b l e o r

a d m i s s i b l e

e v i d e n c e t h a t

c o u l d

s u p p o r t

t h e a l l e g a t i o n s

l e v e l l e d

a g a i n s t

Mayor R o b e r t s o n

and

C o u n c i l l o r

Meggs.

I n s t e a d , t h e

p e t i t i o n e r s

have

chosen

t o

swear a f f i d a v i t s r e p l e t e

w i t h

i n a d m i s s i b l e

o p i n i o n ,

argument and

anonymous

h e a r s a y .

2 . I n

t h i s

r e g a r d

t h e p e t i t i o n and

s u p p o r t i n g

a f f i d a v i t s c o n t a i n f a l s e

and

d e f a m a t o r y

a l l e g a t i o n s

and i n n u e n d o .

The gravamen

of

t h e

p e t i t i o n e r s ' c o m p l a i n t i s t h a t

Mayor

Roberson and C o u n c i l l o r Meggs

r e c o r r u p t . More

a r t i c u l a r l y ,

t h e

p e t i t i o n e r s a l l e g e t h a t

t h e p e t i t i o n

r e s p o n d e n t s ,

a s r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s of

i s i o n ,

engaged

i n

a pay

t o

p l a y scheme

w i t h

t h e e x e c u t i v e

t h e

Canadian

Union

of

P u b l i c Employees, l o c a l 1004 CUPE

Local 1 0 0 4 ) .

(See g . A f f i d a v i t #1 of V.A. i c h a r d s

a t

p a r a g r a p h

6

nd

7)

(See

A f f i d a v i t of

eoff

Meggs

t p a r a g r a p h s 16

—

24)

3. Had

t h e


p u b l i s h e d

t h e

d e f a m a t o r y

s t a t e m e n t s

i n a

forum o t h e r

t h a n c o u r t

p r o c e e d i n g s , t h e r e s p o n d e n t s

would

have

c om m enced

an a c t i o n f o r

d e f a m a t i o n

as t h e y

d i d

when

s i m i l a r a l l e g a t i o n s were p u b l i s h e d

by

t h e C i v i c

Non

- P a r t i s a n

A s s o c i a t i o n

and

i t s m a y o r a l t y c a n d i d a t e , K i r k L a P o i n t e ,

d u r i n g

l a s t f a l l s

c i v i c

e l e c t i o n .

(See

g .

A f f i d a v i t #1 of eoff Meggs

t p a r a g r a p h 17)

4. The p e t i t i o n i s o s t e n s i b l y p r e m i s e d on

an a l l e g e d d i s c u s s i o n s

between

Gregor

R o b e r t s o n

and

Geoff

Meggs on t h e

one hand and

r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s of

CUPE

ocal 1004

on t h e

o t h e r

hand

c o n c e r n i n g t h e t e r m s on which CUPE

Local 1004 would

s u p p o r t

V i s i o n

c a n d i d a t e s , i n c l u d i n g Gregor

R o b e r t s o n

and Geoff Meggs .

(See e t i t i o n , p a r a g r a p h

12)

5 .

The f f i d a v i t s

d o

not

o n t a i n any

v i d e n c e :

(a) of

d i s c u s s i o n s

between

Gregor

R o b e r t s o n and

Geoff

Meggs and

r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s

of

CUPE

0 0 4 . I n d e e d

such

a

e e t i n g

i s

s p e c i f i c a l l y d e n i e d by

Geoff

Meggs.

(See

A f f i d a v i t

#1 of eoff Meggs t p a r a g r a p h 1 0 ;

(b) of h e

i d e n t i t y of

h e

r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s ofCUPE o c a l 1004 ;

(c)

t h e

d a t e , time and p l a c e

of

h e

a l l e g e d m e e t i n g / d i s c u s s i o n s ;

and

(d) what, f

a n y t h i n g ,

was

g r e e d t o

a t

t h e a l l e g e d m e e t i n g / d i s c u s s i o n s .

6 .

A l l t h e

p e t i t i o n e r s o f f e r

by way of e v i d e n c e i s s e c o n d , t h i r d

o r f o u r t h - h a n d h e a r s a y

e v i d e n c e

o b t a i n e d

o v e r

t h e

i n t e r n e t

from a

i n k

t o a r e p o r t e r ' s s t o r y

a b o u t

a e c o r d i n g

he

o b t a i n e d from

an

anonymous

s o u r c e .

The

r e c o r d i n g

i s of a s m a l l

p o r t i o n

of

a

m e e t i n g

t h a t

o c c u r r e d

on O c t o b e r 1 4 , 2011 a t t e n d e d by

Geoff

Meggs.

131894/2812940.1



-

3

(See A f f i d a v i t #1 of

andal

e l t e n

a t p a r a g r a p h s 7

9)

(See

A f f i d a v i t#

f

andal

H e l t e n

a t

p a r a g r a p h 3)

7 . Assuming t h a t t h e

e v i d e n c e

found

i n

t h e v a r i o u s

a f f i d a v i t s f i l e d on b e h a l f of

t h e

p e t i t i o n e r s i s a d m i s s i b l e ,

l l t h a t

t h e

e v i d e n c e

d i s c l o s e s

i s a s

f o l l o w s :

(a)

CUPE

o c a l

1004

P o l i t i c a l A c t i o n

Committee recommended t h a t CUPE o c a l

1004 make a campaign

c o n t r i b u t i o n t o

V i s i o n

Vancouver

of

34,000;

(See A f f i d a v i t

#1 of

andal

H e l t e n , t

p a r a g r a p h

8

nd

E x h i b i t

B )

(b)

v a r i o u s

l a b o u r u n i o n s ,

i n c l u d i n g CUPE

ocal

1004, m a d e o n a t i o n s t o t h e V i s i o n

e l e c t i o n

campaign;

(See

A f f i d a v i t #1 of andal

H e l t e n

a t

p a r a g r a p h

6)

(c)

t h a t Geoff

Meggs

spoke

t t h e

October

14 e e t i n g of

CUPE

ocal 1004;

(See

Response

#4

of

e s s i c a

L a n d g r a f f o q u e s t i o n s

from

t h e

p e t i t i o n e r s '

c o u n s e l )

(d) t h a t Geoff Meggs made h e

f o l l o w i n g

s t a t e m e n t i n t h e

c o u r s e

of i s

r e m a r k s :

Gregor

R o b e r t s o n ,

our mayor, h a s a g a i n r e c o m m i t t e d t o

n o t

expand

c o n t r a c t i n g o u t

t o

make s u r e t h a t

wherever

w e can

b r i n g

i n

n e w p r o c e s s e s t h a t members of

1004 w i l l be t h e r e d e l i v e r i n g t h o s e

s e r v i c e s i n y o u r

a r e a s

of u r i s d i c t i o n , . .

(See

A f f i d a v i t

#1 of

i l a r y

Renaud,

x h i b i t

A

8 . There i s no e v i d e n c e t h a t t h e

d e c i s i o n

t o c o n t r i b u t e t o t h e

V i s i o n

campaign w a s t i e d t o

w h at

Mr. Meggs s a i d i n h i s remarks t o

t h o s e

p r e s e n t

a t t h e O c t o b e r 14 m e e t i n g . Mr.

Meggs p e c i f i c a l l y d e n i e s any

knowledge

of h e recommendation of h e P o l i t i c a l

A c t i o n

Committee of CUPE o c a l 1004 t o c o n t r i b u t e t o t h e V i s i o n campaign and

s p e c i f i c a l l y

d e n i e s

t h a t

h e met w i t h anyone from CUPE 004 p r i o r t o t h e

m e e t i n g .

He l s o d e n i e s

t h a t he had

d i s c u s s i o n w i t h anyone from CUPE 1004 about p r o m i s i n g any b e n e f i t t o

CUPE

004 r i t s membership n exchange o r a p o l i t i c a l

d o n a t i o n .

(See A f f i d a v i t

#1

of eoff Meggs

t

p a r a g r a p h 10)

9.

There

i s

no

e v i d e n c e

t o c o n t r a d i c t

t h e

sworn

e v i d e n c e

of Mr.

Meggs

a t

s e t

out

i n

t h e

p r e c e d i n g

p a r a g r a p h .

1 0 . T h e

f f i d a v i t s f i l e d on b e h a l f of

h e

p e t i t i o n make n o

e f e r e n c e t o

Mr. o b e r t s o n a t a l l

1 1 . T h e e v i d e n c e of Mr. Meggs i s t h a t

t h e

p o l i c y of V i s i o n Vancouver

t o

n o t s u p p o r t

e x p a n s i o n of o n t r a c t i n g o u t of i t y

s e r v i c e s

d a t e s

back

t o t h e

2008 m u n i c i p a l

e l e c t i o n .

Mr. Meggs

i d

n o t h i n g more t h a n c o n f i r m t h a t t h e r e w a s no

change

i n

t h i s

p o l i c y w h e n

he m a d e h i s

remarks

t t h e

O c t o b e r

1 4 ,

2014 e e t i n g .

131894/2812940.1



4

(See

A f f i d a v i t 1

of eoff

Meggs

t p a r a g r a p h s

13)

PART

:

LEGAL ASIS

1 .

N o t h i n g i n

t h e p e t i t i o n

o r t h e

s u p p o r t i n g a f f i d a v i t s

e s t a b l i s h e s t h a t

Mayor R o b e r t s o n

o r

C o u n c i l l o r

Meggs

a c t e d i n

a

c o n f l i c t

of

n t e r e s t

o r

may

have

h a d

a

d i r e c t

o r

i n d i r e c t

p e c u n i a r y

i n t e r e s t

i n

t h e m a t t e r .

2 .

S i m i l a r l y , n o t h i n g i n t h e

p e t i t i o n

o r

t h e s u p p o r t i n g a f f i d a v i t s

e s t a b l i s h e s t h a t

CUPE 0 0 4 ' s c o n t r i b u t i o n t o

t h e

e l e c t o r a l

campaign

of

V i s i o n

Vancouver

V i s i o n ) _

was made

on t h e

e x p r e s s

u n d e r s t a n d i n g

t h a t a l l of

h e V i s i o n c a n d i d a t e s ,

i f

e l e c t e d ,

i n c l u d i n g Mayor


C o u n c i l l o r

Meggs, would d e l i v e r t h e i r

v o t e s

n o t

t o

expand c o n t r a c t i n g o u t .

3 . R u l e

2 2 - 2 ( 1 2 ) and

(13)

e t s o u t

t h e

n a t u r e of h e

a f f i d a v i t e v i d e n c e

a

e p o n e n t may g i v e :

(12)

S u b j e c t t o

s u b r u l e

( 1 3 ) ,

an

a f f i d a v i t

must

s t a t e

o n l y

what

a

p e r s o n s w e a r i n g o r a f f i r m i n g

t h e a f f i d a v i t

would be p e r m i t t e d t o

s t a t e

i n

e v i d e n c e

a t a r i a l .

(13) An f f i d a v i t may

c o nt a i n s t a t e m e n t s

a s t o t h e

i n f o r m a t i o n

and b e l i e f of

h e

p e r s o n

s w e a r i n g o r

a f f i r m i n g

t h e a f f i d a v i t , i f

(a) h e s o u r c e

of

h e i n f o r m a t i o n and

b e l i e f s g i v e n ,

and

(b )

h e a f f i d a v i t

i s made

( i ) i n r e s p e c t

of

an

a p p l i c a t i o n

t h a t

d o e s

n o t

s e e k

a

f i n a l o r d e r ,

o r

( i i ) b y l e a v e

of

h e c o u r t

u n d e r Rule

1 2 - 5

(71)

a)

o r 2 2 - 1 (4)

e ) .

4 .

The

o r d e r s

s o u g h t by t h e p e t i t i o n e r s a r e f i n a l o r d e r s .

5 . I n C.

(KL.)

.

C.

J . ) ,

M a s t e r

Baker

p r o v i d e d a

u s e f u l

summary

of h e

j u r i s p r u d e n c e

on

o b j e c t i o n a b l e a f f i d a v i t s :

C o u n s e l f o r

Mr. C . e l i e s

upon

F . ( J . K . ) v .

F . ( J . D . ) ( 1 9 8 6 ) ,

B . C . J .

No. 672; C r e b e r v . F r a n k l i n ( 1 9 9 3 ) ,

B . C . J .

No. 890; and Webber

v . W a l l a c e ( 1 9 9 4 ) , B . C . J . No.

8 9 4 .

A l l

a r e d e c i s i o n s of u r

c o u r t .

S h o r t l y s t a t e d ,

i n

a l l t h e s e

c a s e s t h e c o u r t

d i r e c t e d

t h a t p o r t i o n s of

a f f i d a v i t s

be

expunged f o r v a r i o u s r e a s o n s . These r e a s o n s i n c l u d e :

h e a r s a y upon

h e a r s a y , o r

i r r e l e v a n c e

( F . ( J . K . ) v

F . ( J . D . ) ) ,

i n a d m i s s i b l e

o p i n i o n ,

a d j e c t i v a l d e s c r i p t i o n s , o r

s u b j e c t i v e

131894/2812940.1



5

d e s c r i p t i o n s of e a c t i o n s

( C r e b e r ) ,

u n i d e n t i f i e d

w i t n e s s e s ,

o p i n i o n s

r e g a r d i n g m o t i v e s ,

o r

argument Webber).

2000

BCSC

98

Emphasis n

o r i g i n a l ]

6.

A l l t h e s e

o b j e c t i o n a b l e f e a t u r e s

a r e m a n i f e s t

i n

t h e

p e t i t i o n e r s '

a f f i d a v i t s ,

and

t h e

o f f e n d i n g p o r t i o n s ought o be

t r u c k o u t p u r s u a n t t o

Rule

- 5 ( 1 ) .

Jones

. I n d u s t r i a l

W o o d

a n d

l l i e d

Workers of

a n a d a Local - 3 5 6 7 ) ,

2011

BCSC 26

t

p a r a . o

17

7 .

The

f i r s t a f f i d a v i t

of

p e t i t i o n e r Randal

H e l t e n i s

p a r t i c u l a r l y n o t e w o r t h y f o r

i t s

noncompliance w i t h

Rule

22-2(12)

nd

t h e

common aw

r u l e s of

v i d e n c e . For

example,

a t

p a r a g r a p h 9(b) f i s a f f i d a v i t ,

M r . e l t e n

p u r p o r t s t o l e a d

e v i d e n c e

of s e c r e t

a u d i o

r e c o r d i n g

of

a

CUPE

004 membership

m e e t i n g

t h a t a l l e g e d l y

o c c u r r e d

on

October

1 2 ,

2014,

m e e t i n g

which C o u n c i l l o r M e g g s u r p o r t e d l y

a t t e n d e d

( t h e Audio R e c o r d i n g ) .

8 .

The

Audio

R e c o r d i n g

i s t h e

o n l y f a c t u a l

e v i d e n c e

o f f e r e d by

t h e

p e t i t i o n e r s t h a t

c o u l d

c o n c e i v a b l y s u g g e s t

i m p r o p r i e t y by

h e

r e s p o n d e n t s .

9. Th e

i f f i c u l t y f o r t h e

p e t i t i o n e r s i s

t h i s : I n

t h e

hands

of

Mr.

e l t e n , t h e Audio R e c o r d i n g

i s a t b e s t , q u a d r u p l e

h e a r s a y .

According o Mr. e l t e n ,

he

b t a i n e d t h e

Audio

R e c o r d i n g

( q u a d r u p l e

h e a r s a y ) from t h e

YouTube

w e b s i t e

( t r i p l e

h e a r s a y ) ,

which had o b t a i n e d

i t

from r e p o r t e r Bob Mackin d o u b l e h e a r s a y ) w h o o b t a i n e d i t

from an

anonymous o u r c e

( h e a r s a y )

w h o l l e g e d l y

r e c o r d e d t h e

words spoken h e r e i n .

1 0 . With t h i s m a n y e g r e e s of e p a r a t i o n between Mr. e l t e n

and

t h e s p e a k e r s of h e o u t - o f-

c o u r t

s t a t e m e n t s ,

Mr.

H e l t e n c o u l d

n e v e r

a u t h e n t i c a t e

t h e Audio

R e c o r d i n g a t

t r i a l .

(There i s no s u g g e s t i o n

t h a t

Mr.

H e l t e n

wa s a t t h e m e e t i n g

where t h e words were

s p o k e n . )

By

s i m p l y

a t t a c h i n g

an

e l e c t r o n i c

f i l e of

h e r e c o r d i n g t o

h i s

a f f i d a v i t ,

Mr .

H e l t e n does n o t m a k e

h e

Audio Recording d m i s s i b l e a s e v i d e n c e .

R .

v .

A n d a l i b - G o o r t a n i ,

2014

ONSC

690 t p a r a .

28 o

34;

R . v .

George

Jack

G i r o u x ,

2013

NWTTC

4 and a u t h o r i t i e s

c i t e d a t

p a r a . 1 8

t o 2 5 ) ;

U l r i c h v . U l r i c h , 2004 BCSC 5

t

p a r a . a t 3 2

1 1 .

I t

f o l l o w s

t h a t t h e

p e t i t i o n i s w i t h o u t

an

e v i d e n t i a r y b a s i s and an abuse of h e

C o u r t ' s

p r o c e s s ;

t

ought

o

be t r u c k out

u r s u a n t t o

Rule - 5 ( 1 ) ( d ) .

131894/2812940.1



Chernen R o b e r t s o n ,

2014 BCSC 358 t

p a r a .

29 o 3 3 .

1 2 .

The p e t i t i o n e rs o r i g i n a l l y b r o u g h t an

a p p l i c a t i o n t o

h a v e

t h e

c l a i m

s t r u c k

b u t

a d j o u r n e d

t h e

a p p l i c a t i o n

a t

t h e

r e q u e s t

of c o u n s e l

f o r t h e

p e t i t i o n e r s i n o r d e r t o

a l l o w

t h e


t o

a d d u c e

f u r t h e r

e v i d e n c e

which

t h e y d i d

i n

t h e

form

of

a

s t a t e m e n t

from

J e s s i c a L a n d g r a f f ,

a

u n i o n

employee w h o t o o k

m i n u t e s of h e m e e t i n g

on

h e r l a p t o p .

A l l

t h a t

t h e e v i d e n c e

of Ms. L a n d g r a f f

e s t a b l i s h e s

i s

t h a t Mr. Meggs a t t e n d e d

t h e m e e t i n g

and t h a t

t h e r e c o r d i n g

appended

t o Mr. e l t e n ' s

a f f i d a v i t sounds c c u r a t e .

1 3 .

R a t h e r t h a n renew

t h e

a p p l i c a t i o n t o s t r i k e t h e c l a i m t h e

r e s p o n d e n t s

e l e c t e d t o

f i l e

t h i s

r e s p o n s e

so

t h a t

t h e

p e t i t i o n would be

d e c i d e d on

t s

m e r i t s .

To t h a t end,

Mr.

Meggs

h a s

sworn an

a f f i d a v i t i n which he

c o n f i r m e d h i s p r e s e n c e a t

t h e m e e t i n g and acknowledged

t h a t

he

a i d

t h e

words

r e l i e d

on

by

t h e

p e t i t i o n e r s .

1 4 .

Ms. Landgraff e v i d e n c e

i s i m p o r t a n t

i n one

r e s p e c t .

She

s t a t e s t h a t

t h e r e c o r d i n g

i s

i n c o m p l e t e o r

h a s

been

e d i t e d

o r

b o t h .

Th e

r e c o r d i n g

l a s t e d

a p p r o x i m a t e l y

9:22

i n u t e s . Th e m e e t i n g l a s t e d

from

5 : 0 0 p . m .

u n t i l

6:52 p . m .

Ms.

L a n d g r a f f s

e v i d e n c e i s a l s o i m p o r t a n t i n a n o t h e r r e s p e c t . She i s t h e

o n l y w i t n e s s / a f f i a n t t h a t w as

p r e s e n t

t h r o u g h o u t

t h e

e n t i r e

m e e t i n g .

I m p o r t a n t l y ,

h e r

s t a t e m e n t does n o t m a k e any

r e f e r e n c e

t o what

f

any

m o t i o n s were

a p p r o v e d a t t h e m e e t i n g .

1 5 . I n s u m m a r y ,

even

w i t h

t h e

e v i d e n c e

of

Ms. a n d g r a f f ,

t h e

p e t i t i o n e r s have

n o t met t h e

e v i d e n t i a r y b u r d e n

on

them t o p r o v e ,

even

on

a

p r i m a f a c i e

b a s i s , w h a t ,

f a n y t h i n g , w a s

a p p r o v e d a t t h e

m e e t i n g .

1 6 . L e a v i n g

t h i s

i s s u e a s i d e , t h e r e

i s

no

e v i d e n c e c o n n e c t i n g what

Mr. Meggs s a i d i n h i s

r e m a r k s t o t h e c o n t r i b u t i o n

m a d e b y

CUPE

o c a l 1004 o

t h e

V i s i o n c a m p a i g n . T h e r e i s

no

o f f e r and

a c c e p t a n c e

which

i s t h e e s s e n c e

of

a b i n d i n g a g r e e m e n t . As

f o r CUPE

L o c a l

1004

t

i s

i m p o s s i b l e

t o

s a y

what

t h e y d e c i d e d

a t

t h e

m e e t i n g b e c a u s e

t h e r e

i s

o n l y

a a r t i a l t r a n s c r i p t of

an u n v e r i f i e d

r e c o r d i n g

which i s

i n c o m p l e t e o r h a s b e e n

e d i t e d

o r

b o t h .

1 7 . A c c o r d i n g l y t h e p e t i t i o n and s u p p o r t i n g a f f i d a v i t s f a l l f a r s h o r t of what i s r e q u i r e d t o

s u p p o r t a

i n d i n g t h a t

t h e r e s p o n d e n t s h a d a i r e c t o r i n d i r e c t p e c u n i a r y i n t e r e s t t h a t g i v e s

r i s e t o a o n f l i c t

t o i n t e r e s t

131894/2812940.1



1 8 .

The

p e t i t i o n e r ' s

r e l i a n c e on Highlands

P r e s e r v a t i o n

S o c i e t y v . Corp.

of

h e

D i s t r i c t

of

H i g h l a n d s , 2005

BCSC

743 i s

m i s p l a c e d . M u n i c i p a l

p o l i t i c i a n s

s h o u l d

n o t

have

t h e i r

i n t e g r i t y

c a l l e d i n t o

q u e s t i o n

on such

s p e c i o u s

g r o u n d s .

L e g i t i m a t e

donors

o

m u n i c i p a l

p o l i t i c a l p a r t i e s ought n o t

t o

be c h i l l e d from

e x e r c i s i n g

t h e i r

d e m o c r a t i c

r i g h t s

t o

p a r t i c i p a t e

i n

t h e p o l i t i c a l p r o c e s s .

1 9 .

S i m i l a r l y ,

h e

f a c t s

i n t h e

o t h e r c a s e

r e l i e d

on

by h e p e t i t i o n e r s , c h l e n k e r

v .

T o r g r i m s o n ,

2013

BCCA9

e a r s

no

r e l e v a n c e

t o t h e

f a c t s of h i s

p r o c e e d i n g .

That c a s e i n v o l v e d a

s i t u a t i o n where

t h e i n v o l v e d c i v i c c o u n c i l l o r s were

a l s o d i r e c t o r s of

h e

e n t i t y whose

c o n t r a c t w i t h

t h e

m u n i c i p a l i t y t h e y v o t e d

i n

f a v o u r o f . I t

w a s

on

h a t

b a s i s t h a t

t h e

Court

of

ppeal

found h a t t h e i r

c o n f l i c t i n g

f i d u c i a r y d u t i e s

c r e a t e d a

i s q u a l i f y i n g c o n f l i c t .

20.

A

a s e on p o i n t i s King . Nanaimo,

001 BCCA

10. I n

t h a t

c a s e t h e Court of ppeal

h e l d

t h a t a

m u n i c i p a l

c o u n c i l l o r d i d n o t have a d i s q u a l i f y i n g

p e c u n i a r y

i n t e r e s t where

he

r e c e i v e d

a 1000

camp aign c o n t r i b u t i o n by t h e

p r i n c i p a l

of a

d e v e l o p e r , and

s u b s e q u e n t l y

v o t e d

i n

f a v o u r of a t t e r s

b e n e f i t t i n g

t h e

d e v e l o p e r .

The

Court

of Appeal

h e l d :

[12] . . What

w a s p r o h i b i t e d

by s . 2 0 1 ( 5 )

i s p a r t i c i p a t i o n

i n t h e

d i s c u s s i o n

o r v o t e on a u e s t i o n i n r e s p e c t of . . . a

m a t t e r i n

which

t h e

me mbe r

h a s

a

d i r e c t

o r

i n d i r e c t

p e c u n i a r y

i n t e r e s t .

The

m a t t e r

( o r

m a t t e r s )

i n

r e s p e c t

of

which

q u e s t i o n s a r o s e

b e f o r e

C o u n c i l

were, n

t h i s

c a s e ,

t h e

v a r i o u s a p p l i c a t i o n s by N o r t h r i d g e

V i l l a g e

and i t s a s s o c i a t e s . Nothing

i n t h e

f a c t s

e s t a b l i s h e d i n

t h i s

p r o c e e d i n g c o u l d

j u s t i f y t h e

c o n c l u s i o n

t h a t M r .

King had a

p e c u n i a r y

i n t e r e s t , d i r e c t

o r i n d i r e c t , i n any of h o s e m a t t e r s . The

mere a c t

t h a t N o r t h r i d g e

m a d e camp aign c o n t r i b u t i o n s c o u l d n o t ,

i n and of t s e l f e s t a b l i s h any

such n t e r e s t . There o u l d , of

o u r s e ,

be

i r c u m s t a n c e s

i n

which

h e

c o n t r i b u t i o n and

t h e

m a t t e r

c o u l d

be so i n k e d

a s

t o j u s t i f y a

o n c l u s i o n

t h a t

t h e c o n t r i b u t i o n

c r e a t e d

a p e c u n i a r y

i n t e r e s t

i n t h e

m a t t e r . I n d e e d ,

t h e

l e a r n e d chambers

judge

t o o k n o t e

of

n example

of

u c h

a

i t u a t i o n

when

he

a i d i n

h i s

r e a s o n s :

There

i s

no e v i d e n c e

of

a

p e c u n i a r y

i n t e r e s t i n

t h e

s e n s e

t h a t he a g r e e d t o

v o t e

f o r

t h e s e p r o j e c t s i n

r e t u r n f o r t h e i r camp aign o n t r i b u t i o n

of

1 , 0 0 0 . 0 0 .

[13] I t would

n o t

be

u s e f u l

t o s p e c u l a t e a s t o what i r c u m s t a n c e s

c o u l d c r e a t e

an

n d i r e c t

p e c u n i a r y i n t e r e s t . I t i s

enough o say h a t

t h e mere

f a c t

of

t h e a p p l i c a n t

h a v i n g

m a d e

a camp aign

131894/2812940.1





9

l i t i g a t i o n

p r o c e s s . The

c o s t s

r u l e s r e q u i r e

l i t i g a n t s

t o make c a r e f u l

a s s e s s m e n t s of

h e

s t r e n g t h o r

l a c k

t h e r e o f

of t h e i r

c a s e s

a t

commencement an d

t h r o u g h o u t

t h e c o u r s e

of

l i t i g a t i o n The r u l e s

s h o u l d

d i s c o u r a g e t h e

c o n t i n u a n c e of

o u b t f u l c a s e s

o r

d e f e n c e s .

T h i s

of

o u r s e

imposes

b u r d e n s

on

c o u n s e l

t o c a r e f u l l y

c o n s i d e r

t h e

s t r e n g t h s

an d

weaknesses of

p a r t i c u l a r f a c t

s i t u a t i o n s .

Such

c o n s i d e r a t i o n s s h o u l d ,

among o t h e r

t h i n g s ,

e n c o u r a g e

r e a s o n a b l e

s e t t l e m e n t s .

23.

F i n a l l y ,

a a i l e d

a l l e g a t i o n

i n

a c i v i l

l a w s u i t of

o r r u p t conduct

w i l l

more

r e a d i l y

j u s t i f y

an award of

p e c i a l c o s t s a g a i n s t t h e

maker h a n w i l l o t h e r

t y p e s

of

nproven

l l e g a t i o n s .

Abakhan

s s o c i a t e s I n c . v Golden Arch Resources Ltd,

2012

BCSC

46 t p a r a . 7

PART

:

MATERIALTO ERELIEDON

1 .

A f f i d a v i t

1

of

eoff

Meggs, made March

1 9 , 2015.

The

e t i t i o n

r e s p o n d e n t s e s t i m a t e

t h a t

t h e

a p p l i c a t i o n w i l l

t a k e

one day.

xP

D a t e :

2 3

March 2015

HARPER

GREY

up

(Per

Bryan G .

aynham,

.C.)

Lawyer

o r t h e p e t i t i o n

r e s p o n d e n t s Gregor


Geoff

Meggs

The e t i t i o n r e s p o n d e n t s '

a d d r e s s

f o r s e r v i c e i s :

HARPER

GREY LP

B a n i s t e r s

o l i c i t o r s

3200 650 West Georgia

t r e e t

Vancouver,BC V B

P 7

T e l e p h o n e :

604

687

0411

Fax

No:

604

669

9385

A t t n :

Bryan G . aynham,

. C . / s j p / 1 3 1 8 9 4

131894/2812940.1

Documents

Response to Petition - Filed 23 March 2015