'All this is (Bill 65) is downloading…It'll take citizens out of the courts and a process that is democratic and fair, and put them into a situation of dealing with a non-legally-trained arbitrator. I think they just threw out the fair hearing.'
– Burnaby Mayor Derek Corrigan in Burnaby Now (Oct. 15, 2003) after the B.C. Liberals introduced Bill 65, a new Local Government Bylaw Enforcement Act.
“First off, municipalities will have to set up their own arbitration system for resolving bylaw disputes and, secondly, citizens could face additional fines if they challenge the bylaw and lose.
'We (municipal governments) are creatures of statute, so they (the provincial government) can impose on us what they want. Next, they'll be downloading speeding tickets on to us. That's what the public can expect - speeding tickets decided by an arbitrator.
'They care less about a fair and impartial system then they do about the cost of the provincial government. Everything is the bottom line.
'The ministries are being challenged constantly to find better ways of getting rid of expenses, but they're not being challenged to be a better government.' |
Water Watch
Public Employee Fall 2009
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