To the citizens of Squamish,
With regard to the story about the docks in Cattermole Slough that began in the Dec 10th, 2010 edition of The Chief and continued in last week's edition of the paper ("Contentious Cattermole dock removed," The Chief, July 15), I feel I need to clarify a few facts.
Mr. Bill McNeney was quoted in the story as being of the opinion that I withdrew because I saw I couldn't win. Nothing could be farther from the truth.
Section 108 of the Land Titles Act was passed in the early 1960s in order to eventually return all privately owned tidal lands and lake and river beds to the Crown. I withdrew because I had found the "smoking gun" - the mechanism whereby the District of Squamish subverted the spirit of Section 108 when the lands were transferred to the municipality. I knew that a challenge to this technical fiddle might eventually lead to the Supreme Court of Canada, and I wasn't prepared, as a private citizen, to underwrite such a battle. I may be disposed to supply these details to whoever decides to occupy the waterway now that my influence has ceased.
The liability issue is a red herring, as the occupiers have been prepared since communications were begun a year and a half ago to indemnify Squamish Oceanfront Development Corporation (SODC) against a lawsuit by someone injuring themselves on the floats.
McNeney's attempt to take the moral high road on the waste of taxpayer's money and put it on me just doesn't hold water, as this could have been settled quietly a year ago last spring with a bit of give on both sides. The only meeting we had with SODC consisted of an ultimatum: "Get out or we'll sue you."
Far from a safeguard against liability, this action was merely a blatant waste of public funds in an attempt to silence a vocal critic. What did SODC accomplish with the expenditure of twenty or thirty thousand of your taxpayers' dollars? A lot less than nothing. Two years ago, I thought the SODC legally owned the bed of the channel, now I have proof they don't.
Speaking of morals, is it ethical for a local government to set up in direct competition to private developers? SODC, who don't pay municipal taxes, is the de facto developer of much of the peninsula and operates on borrowed money underwritten by you, the taxpayers of Squamish. Contrast this to Westmana Developments. They walk the talk of community first. First, with building a public trail access to the waterfront through their land then they donated $180,000 to the Howe Sound Women's Centre and two years of free rent to Sea to Sky Community Services for their moms and tots program. And Mr. McNeney himself has personally benefited from the seven years of free rent the Squamish Yacht Club has enjoyed thanks to Westmana. Westmana converses with the community and works out solutions. SODC simply resorts to lawyers and bailiffs. Which is the better corporate citizen? How much of the nine million we gave to the SODC is left in the coffers?
Westmana's development plans have been stalled for five or six years while the District and the SODC have been contemplating their navels. I'll bet they have paid their taxes. It begs the question: Is this just another example of bureaucratic incompetence, or a sinister attempt to drive Westmana out and secure their key lands by default? Perhaps an investigation by a senior government is in order.
Peter Legere
Squamish
