Re: Investigation targets biologist at heart of EDPA in the May 12 Saanich News.
This article omits to mention perhaps the most important part of the story. While mentioning obliquely that a complaint was launched by a Saanich staff member, the story does not name the member, nor point out the implications.
The staff member in question is in charge of adjudicating whether a property remains in or out of the EDPA, which creates a severe conflict of interest.
Proper ethical behaviour demands that the complainant should have been immediately revealed to council and the public, and the staff member should have recused themself from all decision making on properties applying for removal from the EDPA.
From the very beginning the biggest problem with the EDPA has not been its commendable goal of protecting the environment, but the abusive and draconian way it has been implemented. It appears that the abuse of power is continuing. That is the real story here, one that the Saanich News has neglected to report.
Bob Etheridge
Victoria