Norm Macdonald MLA                                Columbia River – Revelstoke

MEDIA RELEASE

For immediate release

September 25th, 2007

Government interference delays implementation of another bylaw

Sixteen months after the Ministry of Community Services received the Columbia Lake Waterzoning Bylaw #1874 for sign off, the bylaw remains unsigned on the Minister’s desk.  This bylaw which is the culmination of a lengthy consultation process held by the regional district represents the wishes of the people of the area.

“This is not the first time the Minister has held on to a bylaw for political reasons,” said the MLA for Columbia River – Revelstoke Norm Macdonald. “The government also interfered in the implementation of the Kimberley Rural Official Community Plan (OCP) bylaw.”

In an effort to over-ride a zoning decision made by the Regional District of East Kootenay, a government MLA applied pressure to the Ministry to have the sign off on the OCP bylaw delayed.

“There is a fundamentally unacceptable level of interference in local government decision making by the Campbell government,” continued Macdonald. “The government thinks it can work behind close doors and subvert the decisions we have made for ourselves.”

The attempts by the government to back out of commitments made concerning the sale of public land in the Jumbo Valley for a resort development has local people feeling very worried about this latest example.

“Government needs to understand that in this part of British Columbia we make our own decisions. Back rooms deals just aren’t acceptable.”

-- 30  --

MEDIA CONTACT: Joy Orr 1 (866) 870 – 4188, joy.orr@leg.bc.ca