Wednesday April 29, 2015 (Vol. 40 No. 34)
V O I C E
O F
W H I T E
R O C K
A N D
S O U T H
Field goals: When Newton’s Christian Covington on hears his name called during this week’s NFL draft, it will fulfill a dream am he’s had since childhood – a career in professional football. i see page ge 31
S U R R E Y
w w w. p e a c e a r c h n e w s . c o m
Alleged online offence made public as White Rock council revisits in-camera process
Chesney censured over ‘defamation’ Melissa Smalley Staff Reporter
David Chesney councillor
White Rock Mayor Wayne Baldwin announced Monday that a councillor was censured by his city colleagues last month after publishing comments that city lawyers considered to be defamatory. A motion of censure was passed against Coun. David Chesney at a March 23 in-camera meeting, according to a statement read by Baldwin, who explained the reprimand resulted in Chesney’s
removal from committees and the deputy-mayor rotation until January 2016. (Council had approved a new rotation list April 13, but Baldwin said then that city officials could not comment because the decision was made in-camera.) “The censure was a result of Coun. Chesney as publisher/editor of the White Rock Sun acting in a manner unbecoming of a city councillor and not in accordance with city policy, respectful workplace policy 405, whereby com-
ments considered to be defamatory were published in the online newspaper,” Baldwin said in his prepared statement. “The defamatory nature of the comments were confirmed by legal counsel.” Asked by Peace Arch News the next day whether the comments – posted online at Chesney’s website, www. whiterocksun.com – were conclusively defamatory, Baldwin said the city’s counsel advised them they were “most likely” defamatory.
“You’d have to go to court to make that determination,” he said. Baldwin said in his statement – and later reaffirmed to PAN – that it was Chesney’s request that the matter be kept in-camera, prior to Monday’s meeting. However, Chesney told PAN Tuesday morning there was “confusion” over that aspect, but that he could not elaborate on the matter as he was awaiting further legal counsel. i see page 2
Criticism unmentioned
Spokesman goes east
MP touts positive reaction to his bill
Farewell to Surrey Tracy Holmes Staff Reporter
Alex Browne Staff Reporter
LUNCH SPECIAL
Evan Seal photo
After 2½ years as Surrey RCMP media spokesperson, Bert Paquet is off to start a new chapter in his career.
2 Lunch Entrees $
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MP Russ Hiebert is claiming a victory for his contentious private member’s bill seeking full disclosure of labour organization spending, following a day of testimony last week before a Senate committee. In a news release titled ‘C-377 Senate Hearings Confirm Bill Needed and Lawful’ – following Thursday’s hearing of the Senate’s Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee – he said “many of today’s witnesses confirmed (the bill) will deliver real benefits for Canadians in improved transparency and accountability for labour organizations.” Not mentioned in the South Surrey-White Rock-Cloverdale MP’s release is that the committee also heard that day from representatives of the Canadian Bar Association and the Association of Justice Counsel, both of which oppose the bill as an attack on labour unions. The Senate had previously rejected Bill C-377 in June 2013. Its decision was nullified due to Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s decision to prorogue Parliament that fall. i see page 9
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Thursday was a big day for Bert Paquet. It was likely the last day he’ll ever work in B.C. And he admits it comes with mixed feelings. The corporal has been the face of Surrey RCMP since the fall of 2012, when he began what was to be just a two-week stint handling the detachment’s media section. Two-and-a-half years later, he’s taking a pro❝It’s often motion to head described as up media/com99 per cent munications for the RCMP’s “D” boredom, one Division – the per cent sheer province of Manterror.❞ itoba – which is head-quartered in Winnipeg. “Our friends were really good to us over Christmas, knowing where we were going,” he chuckled, of the ribbing that flowed freely from the moment he shared word of his new address. “We received a lot of toques, mittens and mosquito spray.” Paquet, 50, acknowledged he is ending his tenure in Surrey in the middle of what could be described as chaos, as the city – police and citizens alike – struggles to bring a peaceful end to a weeks-long drug-turf war that, just 10 days ago, claimed its first life. i see page 4