TransLink asks for an apology

TransLink asks for an apology
By Dan Hilborn, Burnaby Now assistant editor
Published Aug. 2, 2003


The TransLink board of directors is demanding a written apology from Burnaby mayor Derek Corrigan and Port Coquitlam mayor Scott Young over their allegations of impropriety in the handling of the Rich-mond-Airport-Vancouver rapid transit project.

During an in-camera meeting on Wednesday, the TransLink board approved a motion that calls for the apology and defends the actions of its chair Doug McCallum and CEO Pat Jacobsen.

Corrigan, a former chair of B.C. Transit, was unrepentant and said that he and Young are only trying to learn the reasons for a $150-million funding shortfall for the RAV line.

"Why was representation made to us that we had $450 million from the federal government in the bag?" Corrigan asked again on Thursday morning. "If the TransLink board is offended by us asking questions about the evidence that we see, that's too bad."

*The motion points to a July 16 letter sent from Corrigan to the GVRD board that claimed they were given "inadequate, incomplete and inaccurate information" and "it would appear that less than the full truth was presented to the board."

The motion calls on TransLink board members to remember their duty to act in the best interest of the board and to raise their concerns about process or staff conduct through board channels "rather than in launching personal attacks against the chair or staff in letters to a wide audience."

Corrigan said Trans-Link appears to be trying to divert the public's attention away from the larger funding issue. "They should respond to a letter written by Scott (Young) outlining how this situation arrived and the circumstances we found at the GVRD," he said.

"Both Scott and I are asking how TransLink could come forward with a position that the federal and provincial governments were forcing this issue, when those two governments were saying it was Trans-Link's project?

"I have a duty in the public interest to ask questions about matters like this and to present the information that's available to me," Corrigan said. "I supplied TransLink and all the mayors and councillors the evidence. Both Scott and I were concerned that there was something wrong in Denmark."

Corrigan noted that the GVRD had previously voted in favour of making the North East Sector rapid transit line its next funding priority. However, in late May, the GVRD board voted to give equal priority to both the RAV and North East Sector lines.

Corrigan said that change of heart was fuelled primarily by claims that there was enough federal funding committed to build both lines.

"I don't think there's any question. Everyone knows that the federal commitment was never what we were told.

"You've seen the shock and dismay of the province and TransLink over the federal refusal to pay $450 million. You've also seen that the GVRD and TransLink were told that we won't get $450 million if we don't support this (the RAV) line.

"Under those circumstances, they voted in favour of it. The GVRD may very well have made a different decision if they were told at the time of the vote that there was only $300 million in federal funding and we'd have to find another $150 million.

"And they certainly would not have wanted to vote on the issue until that $150 million was found."